One is not officially signed yet and one is, but the Orioles have contract agreements in place with infielder Rougned Odor and right-handed pitcher Jordan Lyles. The Odor deal was announced and Lyles' pact will become official after the lockout ends. The term placeholder - not a favorite of mine - comes to mind here. They were not added to be key players of the club's core moving forward. They were added to help now, eat innings, hit a few homers, hold down a position while the club waits for...

Over the years, in both the minors and major leagues, Orioles outfielder Austin Hays has flashed his vast potential and multi-tool talent. He showed more of that during a 2021 season where he was able to stay on the field for 131 games and 529 plate appearances. He ranked fourth on the team in both categories, behind only Cedric Mullins, Trey Mancini and Ryan Mountcastle. With young outfielders like Kyle Stowers and Robert Neustrom getting closer to the majors, and Yusniel Diaz still trying...

One of the offseason activities that is conducted every year and can't be influenced by the status of the collective bargaining agreement involves minor league signings aimed at improving depth at the lower levels or just taking a low-risk chance on a player. A favorable scouting report can lead to an opportunity. So can a team executive doing a favor for an agent that might pay dividends down the road with another client. I've seen that one done more than once in the past, though not in...

Last week, we opened our "What If?" series wondering what might have been had Jordan Zimmermann accepted the Nationals' long-term extension offer after the 2014 season, a decision that had long-lasting ramifications on the organization. This week, we look at a big decision the organization made the following summer that absolutely had immediate consequences for the club, and probably had long-lasting ones as well: The trade for Jonathan Papelbon. Prepare to cringe. As the 2015 trade deadline...

Is it too early to start plucking favorite storylines from the spring training tree? I'll reach for some of the low-hanging ideas that may come to fruition. (Let's pause here and fully appreciate that last sentence.) This is a topic worth revisiting in a month or two. Perhaps after the locks are removed from the free agent market. In the meantime, here are four: Who's in the rotation behind John Means and Jordan Lyles? This feels like a mailbag question. Tracking the competition is a yearly...

The Nationals roster has undergone massive changes in the last two years, but it may be more noticeable in the infield than anywhere else on the field. Consider this: On the night the Nats won their first World Series title, they started an infield of Ryan Zimmerman, Asdrúbal Cabrera, Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon, with Howie Kendrick serving as designated hitter, and Brian Dozier and Matt Adams coming off the bench. At this moment, only 25 1/2 months later, not one of those players is...

One of the most important tasks of the offseason is done. The Orioles set their major league coaching staff for 2022. Business that the lockout couldn't touch. Upon review, there isn't anything unexpected in the composition beyond a new title for Fredi González, who becomes the first bench coach under manager Brandon Hyde after serving as major league coach for two seasons. There won't be a dramatic shift in his duties. He pretty much handled the responsibilities in the past. Major league...

Tommy Wilson's interest in the Triple-A Rule 5 draft hovered at such a low level that it kept him away from the online broadcast and couldn't interrupt his daily workouts at Cal State-Fullerton. He grabbed his phone and checked social media on a couple of occasions, wondering whether he'd leave the Mets organization. Much closer to curiosity than obsessing. "I didn't know if I was protected or not, so I was kind of waiting to see or waiting to hear," he said. "Then I found out on...

The Orioles have completed their 2022 staff under manager Brandon Hyde, going with co-hitting coaches and changing titles for Fredi González and José Hernández. Some of the moves were previously reported, including the promotion of Double-A Bowie hitting coach Ryan Fuller, who also served as the full-season hitting coordinator, and hiring of Matt Borgschulte from the Triple-A St. Paul Saints in the Twins organization. They replace hitting coach Don Long, who wasn't retained after...

The Orioles today announced their 2022 Major League Coaching and Clubhouse Staff. The club has named Matt Borgschulte and Ryan Fuller Co-Hitting Coaches. Fredi González shifts from Major League Coach to Bench Coach and José Hernández shifts from Assistant Hitting Coach to Major League Coach. All other coaches remain in their same positions: Tim Cossins as Major League Field Coordinator/Catching Instructor, Darren Holmes as Assistant Pitching Coach, Chris Holt as Pitching Coach/Director...