Would you believe we've reached the final countdown to spring training? That's right, pitchers and catchers are holding their first official workout in West Palm Beach, Fla., in five days. So it's time to count down the Nationals' top storylines of the spring. We begin today with a familiar battle for the No. 5 starter's job ... So much about this spring will be different for the Nationals, from the new faces in uniform to the new protocols in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But...

Among a few adjustments Orioles fans have to get used to with minor league baseball in 2021 is seeing Aberdeen play as their high Single-A full-season affiliate and no longer as a short-season club. As of yesterday we also have to get used to new and very generic league names for these farm clubs. In many cases their league will be similar to where they have been in terms of the teams they will play, but no longer will those clubs play in the International, Eastern, Carolina or South Atlantic...

Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias revealed this afternoon why outfielder Heston Kjerstad, the second overall pick in the 2020 draft, was withheld from the alternate camp site and fall instructional league. Kjerstad didn't participate in any activities after having "an episode of myocarditis," which is an inflammation of the heart muscle. The Orioles included Kjerstad, who turned 22 today, on their list of camp reserves. "He's doing really well," Elias said on his...

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...