While revealing at FanFest that finding more pitching is the top offseason roster priority for the Orioles, executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias didn't deny that the outfield, infield and catching position also could be addressed before opening day. The Orioles remain in an infield frenzy as they increase the competition for starting and utility jobs. They selected Richie Martin with the first pick in the Rule 5 draft and traded for Drew Jackson, who also must remain on the...

The Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) has named Orioles Head Groundskeeper Nicol Sherry the 2019 recipient of the prestigious Dick Ericson Founders' Award. Sherry received the award at the STMA banquet on Friday, January 25, in Phoenix, Ariz. The Dick Ericson Award, established in 1997, is awarded annually to a STMA member who effectively manages sports fields and their facility, exhibits the qualities of a true team leader, and who positively impacts the sports turf industry. The award...

Orioles head groundskeeper Nicole Sherry was recently recognized at the Sports Turf Managers Association national conference in Phoenix, Ariz. Sherry was honored with the Dick Ericson Founders' Award, which is given annually to the STMA member who effectively manages sports fields and thier facility, exhibiting the qualities of a true team leader. Ericson was the organization's first president and continues to have an impact in raising the level of professionalism within the turf...

The curiosity over manager Brandon Hyde's first spring training with the Orioles is building as the days melt away in the winter cold. How much will it resemble or differ from past years under former manager Buck Showalter? The instruction, hours spent on the field, player availability to the media. All of the important stuff. Hyde explained at FanFest why Orioles camp won't duplicate how the Cubs operated in Mesa, Ariz., while he served as bench coach. He also pinpointed certain areas that...

Yesterday, we looked at FanGraphs.com's' Steamer projections for the Nationals' primary position players, an interesting assortment of optimism and pessimism, depending on the individual. Today we'll look at those projections for the Nationals pitching staff. Fair warning: This one trends more toward the pessimistic end of the spectrum. Here we go ... MAX SCHERZER Actual 2018 stats: 18-7, 2.53 ERA, 220.2 IP, 300 SO, 0.91 WHIP, 7.2 WAR Steamer 2019 projection: 15-8, 3.13 ERA, 208 IP, 271 SO,...

As Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias told us last week in this interview, one key stat to help size up pitching prospects is strikeouts. Elias believes that stat can show dominance and tell us much about a pitcher's ability. Said Elias: "It just speaks to the quality of your stuff and the quality of your skill relative to your competitors. It's not perfect, but it's probably the most stable and one of the most trustworthy stats in terms of how good a pitcher's...

The Orioles keep building infield depth and increasing their options as they move through the offseason. The latest utility candidate arrived today in Jack Reinheimer, claimed off waivers from the Rangers. Pitcher Austin Brice was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. Reinheimer, 26, was a fifth-round pick of the Mariners in 2013 out of East Carolina University who appeared in 21 games with the Mets last summer and went 5-for-30 with five walks and nine strikeouts. He was...

New Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is seeking ways to familiarize himself with his players, the minicamp earlier this month in Sarasota and Saturday's FanFest event at the Baltimore Convention Center providing two convenient and effective methods. The coaches are learning about the players, Hyde as a manager and each other. Much of it happens behind the scenes, but the enthusiasm was put on display over the weekend. From the first floor to the third. Hyde has delivered a message to his staff...

As we turn the page to February, we can now see spring training on the horizon, and with a pack of young big league hopefuls vying for spots on what is now a wide-open roster, it bears watching. So don't forget to check out MASN's broadcasts of Orioles games in the Grapefruit League in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the upcoming bunch of "Orioles Classics" will take you back to some noteworthy moments in O's history, including the first game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Cal Ripken Jr.'s...

We're getting tantalizingly close to baseball again. The calendar will soon turn a page to February, which means the crack of the bat meeting a ball and the sound of a ball popping in a mitt will be heard soon. Very soon. But before we get to utter those four glorious words - pitchers and catchers report - we've got a few more memories to relive via "Nationals Classics" on MASN. This week's offerings may be few, but they're fun. You'll see two games in which the Nats beat the Braves in...