The Nationals liked their bullpen depth before they ever signed Jeremy Jeffress, so they clearly still like their bullpen depth even after releasing Jeffress on Sunday for non-performance reasons. But they do need a couple of less-proven relievers to step up and prove they deserve to be trusted by manager Davey Martinez to get important outs when the season begins. The Nats' top four relief arms - Brad Hand, Daniel Hudson, Will Harris, Tanner Rainey - are set to handle the late innings. The...

Today, we are continuing our series with another Birdland check-in and we're headed for Aberdeen. Since 2002, the IronBirds, owned by the Ripken family, were an Orioles affiliate in the short-season Single-A New York-Penn League. In 2021 they will play for the first time as a full-season Single-A club. They are in the restructured High-A East. Aberdeen will play 120 games, beginning with a pair of six-game series on the road before their home opener on May 18 versus Wilmington. The club will...

For nearly a year, Joe Ross had only been able to play catch with his brother, Tyson, or perhaps face a few hitters on a field at home in California. Finally this spring, there were a couple of sessions of live batting practice against his Nationals teammates, but still not an actual game against another team wearing a different uniform. So while today's Grapefruit League exhibition in West Palm Beach, Fla., between the Nats and Mets may not have meant much to most of the participants, it...

Though they will not reveal any reasons for Sunday's release of reliever Jeremy Jeffress, the Nationals are acknowledging the surprise move was not for baseball reasons. General manager Mike Rizzo, speaking to reporters via Zoom this morning from West Palm Beach, Fla., repeated the unusual phrase he provided Sunday in announcing the Jeffress release, saying only it was for "personnel reasons." Rizzo deflected several follow-up questions seeking a more detailed explanation but did concede...

Predictions on opening day rosters keep placing Anthony Santander in right field, which seems logical at the moment. The action on him over the winter didn't produce a trade and the Orioles aren't trying to dump him. That isn't the point. They'll listen to any offers on any players, as they should. It would be foolish to screen calls or hang up. You can't operate with closed minds while open for business. If Santander can fetch a prospect or two while his salary rises beyond $2 million and...

Slowly but surely, the Nationals are putting a team on the field that resembles the one we'll see in April. And today's game against the Mets might feature the closest yet. The lineup is full of regulars, with the added twist of Ryan Zimmerman at first base. And with Victor Robles again leading off, that creates a whole lot of depth. To wit: Starlin Castro is batting seventh in this arrangement. That's an awfully good No. 7 hitter. Davey Martinez does have Trea Turner batting second, ahead...

In a short 2020 season filled with frustrating loses, the Nationals' Sept. 20 doubleheader opener in Miami was especially agonizing. The seven-inning game was tied 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth when Max Scherzer loaded the bases with two outs, then thought he was out of the jam when he got Starling Marte to ground to third on his 119th pitch of the afternoon, only to watch in horror as Eric Thames dropped Carter Kieboom's low throw. That sequence was so emblematic of the Nats' disappointing...

Just like an umpire that is sometimes not noticed until a missed call, a third base coach can be lost in the background. Until something goes wrong on the bases, like a runner being cut down at the plate. The Orioles have a new third base coach this year. Tony Mansolino, 38, is the youngest member of the Baltimore coaching staff and he doubles as infield instructor. He comes to the club after spending 10 years in the Cleveland organization. He spent the first five seasons with the Indians, from...

The Orioles aren't playing this afternoon and get to enjoy a legitimate off-day, however it's done with pandemic restrictions. That's a long time to sit in a hotel room. No intrasquad nonsense that removes the "off" from their day. A few pitchers will be allowed inside the complex to throw. Otherwise, stay away and find something safe to do. There isn't much risk digging into my mailbag, unless I suffer a virtual paper cut. I'll try again to respond to the questions that are asked on a...

Orioles left-hander John Means made it through the first inning today. Manager Brandon Hyde stayed in the dugout. There were no surprises or unexpected visits. The rest of his day can be categorized as getting in his work in spring training. Means was on the verge of watching the second inning roll over, with the Pirates scoring three runs and extending him to 27 pitches in the Orioles' 13-1 loss in Bradenton. He came out at 48 pitches after issuing a leadoff walk in the third. Hyde removed...