Most famously during the Super Bowl, gamblers have fun with what are called proposition, or prop, bets. These are wagers on predictions that go beyond the outcome of the game itself: How many catches will the team's top receiver make during the game? How many shots on goal will the home team take in the hockey game? How many bases will the Orioles steal during the doubleheader? How long will the singer take to perform the national anthem? Depending on the scenario, the sports-betting parlors...

Opening day has been pushed back again. Major League Baseball, maintaining a dialogue with health officials and the Players Association, has determined that it should follow the guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that are restricting events of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks. The initial decision to move back opening day at least two weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic would have put the Orioles' first game on April 9, but that's no longer...

The Orioles would have been hosting the split-squad Nationals this afternoon if spring training had proceeded without interruption. More roster cuts would have been made in order to get closer to 26. To at least get out of the 50s, which I'd love to do. Instead, players are returning home or waiting for the next directive. Workouts turned informal and then became discouraged. Trying to stay unified is admirable, but no longer seems practical. At least in large groups. Owners are clinging to...

No. 1 Carter Kieboom With All-Star Anthony Rendon moving on to the Angels this offseason, top Nationals prospect Carter Kieboom has an opportunity to take over at third base in 2020. Baseball America Nats correspondent Lacy Lusk said prior to spring training that Kieboom has demonstrated he is worth the risk at that important spot. "I think he's certainly worth giving a chance," Lusk said. "But it's good to have that buffer with Asdrúbal Cabrera, sharing time at third. If that's the...

How many Nationals players are staying in West Palm Beach, Fla., during the coronavirus crisis, and what will their workouts look like? The answers to those questions have changed seemingly every day since Major League Baseball announced the halting of all spring training games Thursday. At first, the entire team intended to stay in place and continue to hold full-squad workouts - and maybe even scrimmages - during MLB's hiatus. Then the league notified players they were free to leave town,...

Mason Williams had a chance to audition for the Orioles in September until crashing into a wall and injuring his knee. He made it through only 11 games. Williams had an opportunity in spring training to convince the Orioles that he should make the club as an extra outfielder, and perhaps the starter in right until Trey Mancini returns, but exhibition games were stopped and camps closed down due to the coronavirus pandemic. The importance of baseball competitions and roster decisions shrank as...

No Sarasota dateline on this story. No spring competitions to track. No games to be played. The baseball industry is shut down for now and we all wait to find out when it will be back. Yes, it's possible, I guess, that the season could be shut down. I see no reason to be too concerned about that just yet. For now, as we await the next move and/or news, let's do another Orioles Q&A. Per usual, in the comments section, ask a question or make any comment on the team. Anything about the...

It may feel trivial to discuss baseball right now, but even as the sport sits in hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Nationals made some baseball decisions Saturday. And so it's appropriate to discuss baseball matters. The club cut 13 players from major league camp. Twelve of those players (inlcuding pitchers Dakota Bacus, Bryan Bonnell, Wil Crowe, Aaron Barrett, Ben Braymer, Kyle McGowin and David Hernandez) weren't seriously expected to make the opening day roster. The other one,...

So now what do we do? Everyone in baseball is asking that question today. From team officials and players, coaches and managers to fans and reporters. How do we go forward and what will we be writing about, wonder writers, reporters and columnists that cover the game. Here at this website, the offseason is actually pretty active for us. Roch Kubatko and I write stories pretty much every day and readers keep the blogs active with comments and questions. Will the next few weeks be just like an...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Night turns to day and there isn't much clarity to the Orioles' plans moving forward since Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association provided three options for teams on Friday. As it pertains to the Orioles, they can: * Stay in Sarasota for informal workouts* Return home* Head to Baltimore for informal workouts Or can they? Personnel on the minor league side at Twin Lakes Park were told to stay. An email arrived early yesterday morning with those orders, a...