LAS VEGAS - Echoing what general manager Mike Rizzo has been saying all week, and not what managing principal owner Mark Lerner said last week, agent Scott Boras today insisted the Nationals are not out of the running to re-sign free agent Bryce Harper. "I think when they say the door's open, I would certainly pay attention to what they say," Boras said during the early portion of what turned in a more than hour-long scrum with a throng of reporters today at the Winter Meetings. Despite a...

LAS VEGAS - The lack of a buzz surrounding the Orioles at baseball's Winter Meetings, the heavy silence that's pervasive beyond the managerial chatter, has been deafening. The only interesting note so far today was agent Scott Boras revealing during his annual media scrum that he met with team officials yesterday, but not to pitch a client. Rather, to assist in getting more production out of one. Boras said he talked to the Orioles last night regarding first baseman Chris Davis, who has four...

LAS VEGAS - Ryan Meisinger was driving from his Richmond, Va., home to Baltimore on Monday morning when he received a phone call from an Orioles official. He had no idea that it would change the direction of his trip and his life. Tripp Norton, the club's director of baseball operations, alerted Meisinger that he had been placed on waivers, with the Orioles hoping to sneak him through and keep him in the organization, but the Cardinals put in a claim. "Then, probably two minutes later after...

LAS VEGAS - The last catcher drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft was Joe Mauer, taken by the Minnesota Twins in 2001. There could be another catcher taken 1/1 in June and the Orioles hold that pick. Earlier, it seemed that many analysts favored Texas high school shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. for that No. 1 pick. Now the sentiment seems to have strongly moved toward Oregon State's switch-hitting catcher, Adley Rutschman. And top draft analysts are reaching a consensus...

LAS VEGAS - If Davey Martinez was going to create a motto for the 2019 Nationals, it would be rather simple while also driving home the main point he wants to convey to his players. "Just one more," the manager said Tuesday during his media session at the Winter Meetings. "One more. One more of everything. One more strikeout. One more stolen base. One more walk. Things like that. If we can do that consistently, we're going to win a lot of ballgames." Martinez has already mentioned on...

LAS VEGAS - In sizing up the hire of new Orioles general manager Mike Elias, the point has been made that he brings a background of both scouting and analytics to the team. And while analytics will be huge moving forward for the Orioles, Elias knows about the old-fashioned eye test. He used to be the one doing the looking. He began what has been so far a 12-year baseball career in 2007 as an amateur scout for the St. Louis Cardinals. Elias spent five seasons with Jeff Luhnow in St. Louis. The...

LAS VEGAS - Today marks the last full day of the 2018 Winter Meetings, with the Rule 5 draft on Thursday morning providing the final buzzer. Executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias said the Orioles won't leave Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino with a new manager, a press conference or "introduction" coming to Baltimore at a later date. If that's the case, they're going to maintain their streak of not getting to the podium. This is why I don't bother to dress up. An...

LAS VEGAS - As the Orioles move heavily into the analytics age in baseball, they are going to be cognizant of how that information gets to their players in a manner that is helpful to them. Bombarding them with data that won't lead to a better performance doesn't accomplish much. New Orioles general manger Mike Elias knows how to get this job done. He was part of a front office that was on the cutting edge of doing this in Houston. In Baltimore, his front office and coaches will try to help...

LAS VEGAS - The Phillies came into the offseason promising to spend money to add pitching, defense and a power bat for the lineup. On Tuesday, the second day of baseball's Winter Meetings at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, the Phillies agreed to terms with outfielder Andrew McCutchen on a three-year, $50 million deal, pending a physical. But even with that kind of spending, reports are that the Phillies are could sign either Bryce Harper or Manny Machado. Phillies ownership has a target on its...

LAS VEGAS - Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias disputed reports today that he's chosen Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde as manager - including one airing on MLB Network and shown on the television inside his suite at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino as he sat down with the local media. Elias was able to laugh at the absurdity of the situation, the intensity of breaking news spliced with some humor. "I will say very clearly it's a premature report," Elias said. "And,...