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...

The Nationals made a flurry of moves today, most notably giving veteran reliever Hunter Strickland his unconditional release. The Nats must pay about one-quarter of Strickland's $1.6 million contract. The team also released veteran pitcher David Hernandez. Strickland, 31, went 2-1 with a 5.55 ERA in 2019 over 28 games, with two saves. He appeared in two postseason games for the club, but allowed three homers in two innings for an 18.00 ERA. His connection to the Nats dated to his time with the...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - These are strange times. Strange times with no real road maps to consult. Major League Baseball has dealt with work stoppages before, but those were strikes or lockouts or a one-week hiatus following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. This is quite different. It's tempting right now to try to project what's going to happen in two weeks or two months. But the truth is, we have no idea what's going to happen in two days. Let's try to take a rational look at the...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Though Major League Baseball officially announced the immediate suspension of all spring training operations this evening, many Nationals players intend to remain here and conduct informal workouts during baseball's coronavirus-induced hiatus. MLB and the MLB Players Association, after meeting earlier today, jointly informed clubs that players are being encouraged to travel to either the team's home city or their own hometowns, though anyone who wants to stay in their...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Players were told to stay yesterday and then encouraged to leave. Because spring training wasn't going to conclude without making another run at crazy. Teams aren't holding formal workouts, a stunning reversal from where we were led earlier in the day. The benefits of keeping everyone together seemed to crumble before our eyes. Getting ready for the season is a secondary concern in a pandemic. There's no way that opening day is happening on April 9, the earliest date...

SARASOTA, Fla. - So the Orioles' spring training schedule came to an end when Major League Baseball made its announcements on Thursday afternoon. They finished with a Grapefruit League record of 9-7-3. They got in 19 games and had 15 more remaining, including the now canceled game at the Naval Academy. The Orioles produced a winning spring training record for the third time in the last four years and fifth time in the past eight. In 2019, they were 12-17-3 in the spring. Here is a look back at...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are remaining at their spring training complexes through the weekend while executives wait for further guidance from public officials and Major League Baseball. Placed on a conference call with local media this afternoon, executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias provided an update on the situation, including how players and staff were kept away from the facility while it underwent a second deep cleaning, and said that no one has been tested for the...

The Orioles tonight announced ticket holders who purchased tickets directly through the Baltimore Orioles will automatically be refunded for all canceled 2020 Spring Training games. Refund Policy for 2020 Spring Training Games at Ed Smith Stadium Season Plan Members will be automatically refunded for game tickets and parking purchased for remaining games at Ed Smith Stadium. Fans who purchased tickets through Ticketmaster, Orioles.com, StubHub, or at the Ed Smith Stadium box office will...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Well, we've officially entered uncharted waters here. Spring training has been suspended, the start of the regular season delayed at least two weeks (and quite possibly more) due to the coronavirus pandemic. Anyone who insists he or she knows how this is going to proceed does not know how this is going to proceed. Nobody does. For now, teams are staying in place at their camps around Florida and Arizona. Nationals players have today off but will return to the complex...