Leftovers for breakfast
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles were shut out yesterday in Fielding Bible Award selections. They’ll have to settle for having three players with a chance to win a Rawlings Gold Glove. That’s the extent of their glove love in 2023. Jorge Mateo won the award at shortstop last season, though he was excluded from the list of finalists for a Gold Glove. The Cubs’ Dansby Sw
Villa promoted to Orioles director of player development
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Part of the ripple effect from the Orioles’ wave of promotions today within the scouting department is a change in roles for Anthony Villa. Villa is replacing Matt Blood as director of player development, according to an industry source. Blood has been promoted to vice president of player development and domestic scouting. Villa was put in charge t
Is there a lesson for the Orioles from the 2023 postseason results?
Steve Melewski
Orioles
Major League Baseball moved to a 12-team playoff field, six from each league, for the 2022 season. We have just two years under the new format. But after the Orioles pushed so hard and worked so hard for so long to hold off Tampa Bay and win the AL East, they would join three other teams that had five days off getting byes in the wild card round, b
Lipscomb proved his worth with versatility
Bobby Blanco
Nationals
PROSPECT REVIEW: TREY LIPSCOMB Age on opening day 2024: 23 How acquired: Drafted in third round in 2022 from the University of Tennessee Ranking: No. 14 per MLB Pipeline, No. 15 per Baseball America MLB ETA: 2025* Projected by MLB Pipeline Signing bonus: $758,900 2023 levels: High-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg 2023 stats: 129 G, 547 PA, 511
Would Williams fare better in bullpen after struggling as starter?
Mark Zuckerman
Masn
PLAYER REVIEW: TREVOR WILLIAMS Age on Opening Day 2024: 31 How acquired: Signed as free agent, December 2022 MLB service time: 7 years, 27 days 2023 salary: $6 million Contract status: Signed for $7 million in 2024, free agent in 2025 2023 stats: 6-10, 5.55 ERA, 30 G, 30 GS, 144 1/3 IP, 178 H, 97 R, 89 ER, 34 HR, 53 BB, 111 SO, 5 HBP, 1.600 WHIP, 7
Questioning exactly what the Orioles need in their rotation (Hyde, Elias and Henderson win awards)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The World Series begins Friday night in Arlington, Texas, with the Rangers facing the Diamondbacks. The way nobody expected it. I didn’t perform an exhaustive search, but I’m confident in saying industry-wide projections back in March didn’t include this pairing. But teams get hot at the right time, and they burn a path to the Fall Classic. They al
Holt won't serve as Orioles pitching coach next season, Holmes leaving organization
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles are making changes to the pitching side of their major league coaching staff. According to a source, Chris Holt won’t serve as pitching coach in 2024 but maintains his duties as director of pitching, a title pinned to him prior to the pandemic 2020 season. Assistant pitching coach Darren Holmes is leaving the organization, per the sourc
Nationals announce front office hires
MASN Staff
Nationals
The Washington Nationals announced the hiring of three members in their scouting department on Wednesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Danny Haas – Vice President, Amateur ScoutingBrad Ciolek – Senior Director, Amateur ScoutingReed Dunn – Assistant Director & National Crossche
Finally stateside, Vaquero can ascend Nats system quickly
Bobby Blanco
Nationals
PROSPECT REVIEW: CRISTHIAN VAQUERO Age on opening day 2024: 19 How acquired: Signed as international free agent, January 2022 Ranking: No. 9 per MLB Pipeline, No. 9 per Baseball America MLB ETA: 2027* Projected by MLB Pipeline Signing bonus: $4.925 million (highest of his class and Nationals record for international prospect) 2023 levels: Rookie-le
For Ryan Mountcastle, it was a tale of two seasons in 2023
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The 2023 season got off to a good start for the Orioles' Ryan Mountcastle. But it didn’t stay that way. On April 11 at Camden Yards, he tied a team single-game record with nine RBIs versus the Athletics. He homered twice in the game and hit a grand slam. An Oriole with nine RBIs had happened before just twice since the team moved to Baltimore in 19