The Orioles today announced that they have invited 10 non-roster players to Major League Spring Training in Sarasota, Fla. The list includes two left-handed pitchers, four right-handed pitchers, three catchers, and one infielder. Additionally, the Orioles have invited 22 players to Spring Training as camp reserves. A complete list of both the Orioles' non-roster invitees and camp reserves for 2021 Spring Training is below: Non-roster invitees:Pitchers (6):LHP Fernando AbadRHP Marcos...

The Orioles are opening spring training next week with 10 non-roster invites and 22 players designated as "camp reserves." The restructuring is done in order to more easily execute the proper social distancing during the pandemic. Players will be filtered into the Ed Smith Stadium complex in the same manner as the summer training camp in Bowie. The non-roster invites consist of six pitchers, three catchers and one super-utility player. Pitchers LHP Fernando Abad RHP Marcos Diplán RHP...

The Nationals unveiled a revised spring training schedule today, and though it doesn't feature many changes, it is missing something notable from every previous spring: long road trips. In an attempt to reduce travel and the number of opponents faced to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Nationals will only face the four clubs that train within a 45-minute drive of West Palm Beach, Fla. They'll continue to face the Astros at their shared complex, plus the Marlins and Cardinals in...

As the Orioles prepare to begin the 2021 Spring Training season, the club today announced plans to welcome a limited number of fans to attend games at Ed Smith Stadium this spring. The club will implement "pod" seating throughout the ballpark to ensure proper social distancing of at least six feet between each group of ticket holders. With this policy in place, the Orioles will make 1,833 tickets available for each game, operating at approximately 25 percent capacity. "The magic of Orioles...

Well, we've made it. Spring training has started, and a new baseball season is right around the corner. After all the havoc created by the pandemic since March, it feels good to look ahead to something with eager anticipation, doesn't it? While the Orioles get ready in Florida, we'll continue revisiting yesteryear with "Orioles Classics" on MASN. This week, we've got two distinct themes: postseason baseball from 1996 and some prodigious power displays from the guys in orange and black. So...

The Orioles are allowing fans into Ed Smith Stadium for their 2021 exhibition games. On a limited basis and with various protocols designed to keep everyone safe. The team announced today that it's implementing pod seating throughout the ballpark to ensure proper social distancing of at least six feet between groups of ticket holders. The Orioles are making a total of 1,833 tickets available for each game, operating at approximately 25 percent capacity. Policies for regular season games at...

With spring training less than a week away and the roster mostly set, it's a good time to look at the 2021 Nationals in comparison to the 2020 Nationals. Have they gotten better? Have they gotten worse? Have they essentially stayed the same? We looked at position players yesterday, and in most cases the conclusion was that the Nats should be better at most positions. What about the pitching staff? Glad you asked. Let's break it down by role ... NO. 1 STARTER: Probably better Max Scherzer...

After watching a record 6.776 homers leave ballparks during the 2019 season, Major League Baseball officials are taking an action that could produce fewer longballs this year. According to sources cited by several outlets, MLB will slightly deaden the baseballs for the 2021 season. According to an Associated Press report, MLB anticipates the changes will be subtle, and a memo to teams last week cites an independent lab that found the new balls will fly one to two feet shorter on balls hit over...

Will the Orioles have at least two rookies in their starting rotation on opening day? Manager Brandon Hyde isn't handing out jobs a day before pitchers and catchers report to spring training. Keegan Akin and Dean Kremer are expected to earn them, but that's exactly what they'll have to do. For now, Hyde is saying only that they've earned the opportunity. That is all. The rest is up to them. "I like to keep guys competitive," Hyde said during our recent video Q&A that's going to be...

The Nationals, as a team, were not very good last season. It was only 60 games, so you have to be careful about drawing broad conclusions, but nobody would try to claim 2020 was a success for the defending World Series champs. Thus, the objective entering 2021 is rather simple: Be better. Hopefully better enough to return to the postseason and then make a run at another title. But are they better? And if so, how much better? Though there's still the chance of more transactions before pitchers...