SARASOTA, Fla. - The first official day of Orioles camp is Wednesday morning, but players took batting practice, shagged fly balls and did some running earlier today on the back fields. A nice turnout before noon. Position players already here include Mark Trumbo, Trey Mancini and Mike Yastrzemski. Mancini has been assigned Adam Jones' old locker in the far corner of the clubhouse. Jones' absence while remaining on the free agent market was noted by multiple players. One of them said he...

The Cleveland Indians rotation is one of the best in baseball, which makes life difficult for the other four teams in the American League Central, so that makes them the favorite. Minnesota has the most improved team, but will the Twins rotation help them make up 13 games in the division race? For drama to happen in the AL Central, the Twins need a consistent rotation. Kansas City is banking of health for Danny Duffy and a bounceback from Ian Kennedy. The White Sox will have at least two former...

This is it, folks: It's the final day of the offseason. After 4 1/2 months waiting for Bryce Harper to make his decision, the Nationals finally are ready to report for spring training, with Harper ... er, well, even though that decision still hasn't been made, Nats pitchers and catchers still are going to report tomorrow morning in West Palm Beach, Fla. One of these days - hopefully soon, but honestly who really knows? - Harper will officially be a Giant or a Phillie or a White Sox or a...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles pitchers and catchers report to the Ed Smith Stadium complex today, an official date that doesn't preclude anyone from showing up early. The place isn't surrounded by a moat - unless there's heavy rain, because it's Florida and a little flooding is required by state law. Security guards will allow entrance to employees. The days of players waiting until the final hours or just phoning their manager with confirmation that they're "in town" began to wane after the...

Playing in a major league spring training game is going to be nothing new for Orioles outfield prospect Mike Yastrzemski. He's played in 30 such games in four different seasons. The difference is that he previously came over from minor league camp. This spring - for the first time in his pro career - he's in major league camp as a non-roster invitee. He's got a locker at Ed Smith Stadium. "Very excited," Yastrzemski said last week from Nashville, where he trained at his alma mater,...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Seeking a veteran outfielder to compete for a job in spring training, the Orioles have signed Eric Young Jr. to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to major league camp, according to an industry source. Young, who turns 34 in May, is a career .245/.312/.332 hitter in 10 major league seasons. He appeared in 41 games with the Angels last year, slashing .202/.248/.303 in 117 plate appearances, and also has played for the Rockies, Mets, Braves and Yankees. Though...

The best overall pitching in the National League West belongs to the Dodgers, but the Rockies aren't far behind, at least when it comes to youth and depth. The Dodgers' biggest addition is reliever Joe Kelly, who grew up a Dodgers fan and ate Dodger Dogs sitting in the left field seats at Dodger Stadium. Kelly, 30, helps a bullpen that goes thin when the postseason arrives. He pitched for World Series champion Boston last season. Arizona is without Patrick Corbin, now a National. The Giants...

Where has all the pitching gone? That's the theme for rotations in the American League West. Houston had to replace three starters going into the offseason. Oakland isn't sure who is going to be in the final three rotation slots. Texas is hoping for a bunch of injury comebacks. Los Angeles is banking on comebacks, some from injuries others from subpar seasons. Seattle traded its No. 1 starter, James Paxton, to the Yankees. The Mariners pin their hopes on pitchers such as Mike Leake and Wade...

The Nationals are better positioned than most clubs as the countdown to spring training reaches its final days. Having addressed all of their major needs during the offseason - most of those coming early in the offseason, for that matter - they'll gather in West Palm Beach with no gaping roster holes. But does that mean the Nats are going to sit idly by while everyone else signs all of the remaining free agents after camp opens? Perhaps not. There's the Bryce Harper situation, of course, and...

With Bryce Harper possibly moving on in free agency, the strategy of how to stop the Nationals offense may now turn toward third baseman Anthony Rendon. That's because his slugging percentage has gone up in each of his last three seasons: .450 to .533 to .535. In the last two seasons, he has combined for 49 homers and 192 RBIs in 283 games. But he also has hit consistently: .301 and .308 in 2017 and 2018, respectively. A better than .900 OPS demonstrates how lethal he has been in the Nats...