Hall of Fame election day should be an enjoyable event. We should spend our time celebrating the careers of the greatest players baseball has to offer and engaging in spirited but friendly debates about those players who didn't get enough votes to make it to Cooperstown. Unfortunately, this probably isn't going to be one of those election days. For a number of reasons, this could wind up being the most depressing one of these we've had in a while. The year-long pandemic, of course, has made...

The Orioles drafted him in the second round of the 2016 draft, No. 54 overall out of Western Michigan University. Later that summer, he made his pro debut at short-season Single-A Aberdeen. He moved his way up the ranks, pitching at Double-A Bowie in 2018 and Triple-A Norfolk by 2019. After lefty Keegan Akin made his O's debut and had an impressive start to his big league career last summer, he'll now try to show he can stick in the majors and become a fixture in the rotation. For the 2020...

The Orioles today announced the club's 2021 broadcast team, including on-air talent for the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) and the Orioles Radio Network. The versatile Orioles talent lineup features returning veterans and rising stars, who will continue to appear in multiple roles across MASN and Orioles Radio Network programming: * Geoff Arnold returns for his second season with the Orioles broadcast team. He will primarily serve as a play-by-play announcer for the Orioles Radio Network,...

We're rapidly running out of January. Assuming we're still on the Gregorian calendar - I, for one, take nothing for granted - that means we'll soon be in February, which means spring training! That, of course, assumes that pandemic-induced protocols don't postpone it. Like I said, take nothing for granted. So while we wait out these last few weeks (or more) before things start hopping at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota, Fla., what's a shivering O's fan to do? Watch "Orioles...

A few national baseball writers referred to Brad Hand as the Nationals' "new closer" upon reporting his contract agreement Sunday night. Don't be so sure about that. Though Hand certainly is going to end up closing some games for the Nats this season, that's not technically the role the club has in mind for him. It's safe to say Davey Martinez will use Hand whenever the matchup is in his favor, whether that comes in the seventh, eighth or ninth inning. Some managers and some teams think...

The Nationals have known all winter they needed an experienced left-hander for their bullpen, someone who could be counted upon to get big outs late in games. They're going to wind up getting the best one available. The Nats are in agreement with veteran reliever Brad Hand on a one-year deal worth $10.5 million, pending a physical, a source familiar with the signing confirmed. Once the deal becomes official, the Nationals will have added one of baseball's best lefty relievers over the last...

So after spending some time researching and learning about spin rates and active spin or spin efficiency for Orioles pitchers, it was probably time to turn to a real expert for more. I went to the top and got an interview with Sig Mejdal, the Orioles' vice president and assistant general manager, analytics. "Sig Mejdal is one of the most experienced and accomplished analysts working in baseball today," O's executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias said when he hired him not...

The Pirates traded starter Jameson Taillon to the Yankees yesterday, surrendering a pitcher who underwent two Tommy John surgeries after becoming the second-overall pick in the 2010 draft. They received four prospects in return. There's a tie to the Orioles beyond his arrival in the American League East. Pittsburgh's choice in the draft came down to Taillon or prep shortstop Manny Machado, with the Orioles selecting third. Scouting director Joe Jordan would have pounced on Taillon if the...

Who's ready to turn the page to the 2021 season? Well, in just a few weeks (pandemic willing, mind you), spring training will be upon us. There are few words more glorious to a baseball-starved fan than "pitchers and catchers report." Well, "full-squad workout" and "Play ball!" are pretty close. While we wait for things to get underway in West Palm Beach, Fla., MASN will continue to feed your baseball jones with "Nationals Classics" from days past. This week's offerings include a...

What kind of production can the Nationals expect from their first basemen in 2021? Would they be satisfied with 30 homers, 99 RBIs, a .305 batting average, .390 on-base percentage and .997 OPS? Because that's what you get when you combine Josh Bell's 2019 numbers against right-handers and Ryan Zimmerman's 2019 numbers against left-handers. Yep, if Bell took all the at-bats against righties and Zimmerman took all the at-bats against lefties, they'd have combined for a .997 OPS across exactly...