One of the well regarded backstops in the Nationals organization is Israel Pineda, ranked No. 12 on the Nats top 30 prospects list from MLBPipeline.com. Nationals catching coordinator Michael Barrett said the 20-year-old out of Maracray, Venezuela, gained valuable experience by getting a taste of working with big leaguers at the club's alternate site over the 2020 summer season. "Pineda had an opportunity to go to Fredericksburg, which was a great experience for him," Barrett said. "He kind...

It's been about a week since I first wrote in this space about four-seam fastball spin rates. So today, I am jumping back on the spin rate train and presenting more data that is available to all from the baseballsavant.mlb.com website. Once again trying not to hurt myself, pull a hammie or break a hamate and/or injure myself in any way as I jump on the train. Too close to the start of a new season for any reporter setbacks. Today let's look at breaking pitches - sliders, curveballs and cut...

A sizable contingent of Baltimore sports media descended upon Ripken Stadium on July 29, 2019 for Adley Rutschman's debut with the Aberdeen IronBirds. A crowd of 4,403, some already donning Rutschman jerseys, packed in to see the No. 1 overall pick play pro ball in the state of Maryland for the first time. Rutschman, who had recently recovered from a bout of mononucleosis, struggled. The 21-year-old went hitless in five plate appearances. Seven spots lower in the batting order, shortstop Joey...

The Nationals have made three significant acquisitions so far this offseason, and they addressed unquestionably the club's three biggest needs. They needed a first baseman, and they got one in Josh Bell. They needed a corner outfielder, and they got one in Kyle Schwarber. And they needed a No. 4 starter, and they got one in Jon Lester. But that's not all the Nationals needed to do this winter to bolster their roster. They had a longer list of priorities, and though they've now crossed off...

The Orioles' effort to rebuild a team that lost a combined 223 games over the 2018 and 2019 seasons was always going to be difficult and challenging. The Cubs and Astros rebuilt teams and took them all the way to World Series championships. But they didn't do it in the American League East. It's a division where everywhere the Orioles look they find challenges. There are the traditional powers and big spenders in Boston and New York. The smart, efficient and talented Tampa Bay Rays made the...

To Dodgers fans, he was the stalwart member of a championship-caliber pitching staff in the 1970s. To Braves fans, he was the soothing and smart voice who shared his exceptional insight on the air throughout the 1990s and 2000s. To Orioles fans, he was the Brewers' Game 162 starter who dashed their dream of a miracle final weekend surge to the 1982 American League East title. And to countless other baseball fans, he was the Hall of Fame right-hander who never let up during a 23-year career, a...

Liam Hendriks is the new White Sox closer after receiving a four-year deal worth $54 million. He was the American League's Reliever of the Year in 2020 after posting a 1.78 ERA and 0.671 WHIP, recording 14 saves in 15 chances, and walking three batters and striking out 37 in 25 1/3 innings. The walk total is one short of the number of teams that have designated him for assignment. The Orioles did it in spring training 2014 and lost him to the Blue Jays on a waiver claim. They had no idea that...

The Orioles reached a point in the recent past where no one was viewed as untouchable. Make them an offer. There was room to fit everyone on the table. Some players were pushed harder than others in trade talks. Teams learned in 2018 that the Orioles needed to be overwhelmed in order to consider Trey Mancini. They were steered in other directions. The Orioles also were inclined to keep Mancini in 2019, noting his importance on the roster and in the clubhouse. Mancini, in turn, was asked almost...

Branden Kline took his 98 mph fastball and went home. The Orioles drafted Kline, a Frederick native, in the second round in 2012 out of the University of Virginia. They aided his recoveries from multiple elbow surgeries that cost him two full seasons, introduced him to the majors in 2019 while providing a nice feel-good story, brought him up again last summer for three games, outrighted him in October and read about his retirement last week on social media. Kline celebrated his 29th birthday in...

When catcher Adley Rutschman got rated as baseball's No. 2 prospect this week by Baseball America, he achieved a ranking that only three other Orioles reached since the publication's first top 100 poll in 1990. Manny Machado never got to No. 2. He never even made the top 10 with rankings of No. 14 in 2011 and No. 11 in 2012. Rutschman joined Matt Wieters, the only Oriole to garner the No. 1 spot in the initial Baseball America poll release of each of the last 32 years. Wieters was ranked No....