As spring training draws closer and closer, it's reasonable to start wondering what kind of seasons individual players are likely to produce. No, we still don't know every player who will be part of the Nationals' 2019 roster, but we do know the vast majority of them at this point. Projecting stats from year to year is a tricky business, but there are no shortage of analytical formulas out there that attempt to do just this. One of the most popular is FanGraphs.com's Steamer projections,...

Coming off a season where he posted the worst offensive numbers of his pro career, it would seem Chance Sisco's goal for the 2019 season is lofty. But as he rebuilds his confidence and hopefully finds his previous batting stroke, he feels it is reachable. "Obviously, I want to be the starting catcher," Sisco said during a FanFest interview. "Who doesn't want to be a starter? I want to be back there every day. I just want to keep growing and keep learning. We've got a really good coaching...

DJ Stewart cut through the media room Saturday at FanFest, spotted Richie Martin and yelled "Noles!" The Rule 5 pick stopped the interview, smiled and replied "Gators!" The trash talk should be fun at spring training. Meanwhile, six of the eight coaches on manager Brandon Hyde's staff participated in FanFest and were introduced to the media. John Wasdin and Howie Clark recognized some of the faces because they already were part of the organization, the former switching from minor league...

We've examined how the Nationals' 25-man roster might look if it was assembled today, a useful exercise during the winter to gauge what, if any, holes still remain. But as you well know, it takes a lot more than 25 players to get through a major league season. The Nationals used 53 players last year, their highest total since 2009 and only four shy of the club record. So it's also useful to look at the organization's depth chart beyond the projected 25-man roster. Who do the Nats have...

Young players on the Orioles will be getting some on-the-job training in 2019. It's been said of prospects in baseball that many truly finish their development only when they get to the majors. New Orioles manager Brandon Hyde concurs and expects some of that to be happening with players on his first team in Baltimore. "I think it's not just us," Hyde said. "Players are getting younger in the big leagues and there is so much development that is still happening with even championship-level...

The hours that ticked away after the last remnants of the crowd at FanFest had spilled onto the sidewalks outside the Baltimore Convention Center could be spent reviewing and dissecting some of the bullet points from the annual event. Executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias stressed again that his primary goal is to improve the level of talent throughout the organization. Don't obsess so much over the record, though avoiding another 115-loss season would be celebrated,...

The interview portion of FanFest is wrapping up, with only a few more players being led into the media room on the third level of the Baltimore Convention Center. Chris Davis' session lasted the longest, at more than 14 minutes, as he revisited a nightmarish 2018 season, the changes in his workouts and nutrition, his enthusiasm over being a leader in the clubhouse and how the shift continues to be a thorn in his side the length and width of an oak tree. That could explain the oblique injuries...

Orioles right-hander Hunter Harvey is feeling healthy and ready to start the 2019 season. Certainly, knock on wood when you say that. Several physical ailments, including Tommy John surgery and later elbow, shoulder and forearm issues at various times, have limited him in recent seasons. Harvey posted a 5.57 ERA in nine starts for Double-A Bowie in 2018 and threw 32 1/3 innings. He's pitched just 63 2/3 innings since the start of the 2015 season. So he's hoping this is the year to be healthy...

Six of the eight coaches on manager Brandon Hyde's staff are present today at FanFest at the Baltimore Convention Center. Third base coach José Flores and major league coach José Hernández were unable to attend. Vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson is here, but pretty much out of view as he attends meetings. The Orioles announced the FanFest attendance at 8,000, though it's possible that more people trickle into the facility later in the day. Hunter Harvey said his...

Right-handed reliever Branden Kline, from Thomas Johnson High School in Frederick, Md., heard about FanFest plenty of times as a kid, but never made it here. Today he did for the first time as a member of the Orioles' 40-man roster. Kline produced a strong 2018 season between Single-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie and was added to the 40 on Oct. 30. He'll head to spring training in a few weeks with a chance to have an impact on the big league roster this year. "First FanFest. Being a local...