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It is impressive to see the respect Nationals closer Sean Doolittle gets on a national stage. The latest MLB.com list of the top relievers in the game on the "Right Now!" segment has him at No. 2 behind currently unsigned free agent Craig Kimbrel.
1. Craig Kimbrel, Free Agent 2. Sean Doolittle, Washington Nationals 3. Josh Hader, Milwaukee Brewers 4. Edwin DÃaz, New York Mets 5. Blake Treinen, Oakland Athletics 6. Felipe Vázquez, Pittsburgh Pirates 7. Chad Green, New York Yankees 8....
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - And a very pleasant good morning to you from the Sunshine State! Yes, the day has come at last. After a long, cold winter of discontent, the Nationals officially are reporting for spring training.
Which means your trusty beat writer has reported as well. This is my third spring in West Palm Beach, which of course followed 12 springs in Viera. Some of the routine stays the same year to year, and yet there are always new twists and turns and changes to keep you on your...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The report date for pitchers and catchers at Orioles camp yesterday didn't preclude a handful of position players from showing up. Mark Trumbo hit, threw and shagged fly balls on the Camden Yards replica field. Outfielder Ryan McKenna, utility candidate Chris Bostick, infielder Zach Vincej and Rule 5 infielder Richie Martin were in the clubhouse for media availability, and I heard that outfielders Trey Mancini and Mike Yastrzemski also were at the facility.
What really stood...
We recently looked at a few questions that we should get answers for during spring training in this space. It included a look at the catcher position, the leadoff spot in the order and the rotation among other topics.
Clear here for a look back at that entry.
Today let's throw a few more questions and topics out there.
Who will emerge from the glut of middle infielders?: No doubt Jonathan Villar will be starting at either second base or shortstop on opening day, but who will be playing with...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Much of today's activity at the Ed Smith Stadium complex happened out of the media's view. Behind closed doors. Without the sounds of batting practice or games of catch.
Players met individually with executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias, manager Brandon Hyde and the coaches. Assistant general manager Sig Mejdal got the analytics ball rolling.
A rebuild and brand new organizational direction requires it.
"We've got a large group in there," Elias said, his...
The Washington Nationals announced their non-roster invitees to 2019 Spring Training on Tuesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.
Invited to camp were right-handers Henderson Ãlvarez, Aaron Barrett, Scott Copeland, Wil Crowe, J.J. Hoover and Ronald Peña; left-hander Vidal Nuño; catchers Tres Barrera and Taylor Gushue; infielders Luis Garcia, Carter Kieboom, José Marmolejos, Jake Noll, Matt Reynolds, Brandon Snyder and...
The Nationals have announced 18 non-roster invitees to spring training, including two of their top infield prospects and a pitcher trying to return to the majors for the first time 2015 after a myriad of injuries.
The two infield prospects - Luis Garcia, 18, and Carter Kieboom, 21 - both figure to get a lot of playing time around the diamond at various positions. Garcia, who has played shortstop, second base and third base, slashed .298/.335/.406 with seven homers and 46 RBIs for low Single-A...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Mark Trumbo took batting practice this morning on the replica Camden Yards field, testing out his surgically repaired right knee and gaining a truer sense of the rebuild that's unfolding around him.
"I was probably seven or eight years older than anybody in the cage today," he said, drawing laughter from the media at his locker.
Not that the 33-year-old Trumbo has any complaints about a youth movement or senses that he doesn't belong in it.
"It's really good," he said....
You know Gary Thorne knows and enjoys baseball. One listen to his work on Orioles broadcasts on MASN tells you that.
But in his career - which enters its 52nd year in 2019 - Thorne has done a little bit of everything. He's covered the National Hockey League, Olympics and NCAA sports. And done plenty of voiceover work on commercials and video games.
That widespread knowledge of sport is the genesis of his newest venture: a podcast entitled "The Sports Rivals Podcast," in which Thorne and the...
With three new starters, the Cincinnati Reds are shooting for at least a .500 record in the National League Central.
The Cubs have experience in their rotation, but check out their ages: Could they have too much experience?
The Pirates think their rotation will surprise. The Cardinals' best story is Carlos MartÃnez and whether he can lead the rotation after injuries put him in the bullpen last year.
And the Brewers, the team that lost to the Dodgers in last October's NL Championship...