As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Sean Doolittle, who had the most dominant season of his career but missed two months with a foot injury. PLAYER REVIEW: SEAN DOOLITTLE Age on opening day 2019: 32 How acquired: Traded with Ryan Madson from Athletics for Blake Treinen, Jesus Luzardo and Sheldon Neuse, July 2017 MLB service time: 6 years, 122 days 2018 salary: $4.38 million Contract...

I've heard few complaints about the length of Game 3 of the World Series, but this being sports and this being 2018, no doubt someone griped about it. Sure it ended about 3:30 a.m. Eastern time and some who started watching at the beginning, over seven hours before that, could probably not make it to the end to see the walk-off homer to complete an 18-inning game won 3-2 by the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Boston Red Sox. But can we blame Major League Baseball for anything here? I don't think...

Salt River Rafters (9-7) AFL Week Three (4-2) First place, East Division Oct. 22: Salt River 8, Surprise 5 Luis Reyes (1-1) continues his hot streak of pitching in the AFL as he earned his first win, going 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with one walk and one strikeout. He surrendered two homers, but left the game with a 4-3 lead. The game was a showcase of Nationals pitching prospects. Ben Braymer followed Reyes and allowed one run on two hits, notching four outs. Taylor...

The Orioles' list of arbitration-eligible players will be reduced with the decision to place infielder Jace Peterson on outright waivers. Peterson made $900,000 this season and MLBTradeRumors.com projects a raise to $1.3 million. The Orioles will look to carry a utility infielder at a reduced cost and it could be Peterson under a restructured deal. This is partly about money and partly about the need to clear room on the 40-man roster. The Orioles have five players who will need to be...

As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Jefry Rodriguez, who surprisingly made his major league debut this year and quickly made a name for himself. PLAYER REVIEW: JEFRY RODRIGUEZ Age on opening day 2019: 25 How acquired: Signed as international free agent, January 2012 MLB service time: 52 days 2018 salary: $545,000 Contract status: Under club control through 2021, arbitration-eligible in...

Now that Chaim Bloom will not become the next general manager of the New York Mets, he could be in the running to join the Orioles front office. That is simply my speculation and based on nothing from the club, which has been completely tight-lipped on anything that may be happening or about to happen involving its front office. But Bloom would interest most teams, you would think. Bloom joined the Tampa Bay Rays in February 2005 and become a director of baseball operations in November 2011. A...

A last-place finish isn't keeping the Orioles idle as the Red Sox and Dodgers play in the World Series. Beyond the interviews that will lead to the hiring of a president of baseball operations, general manager and manager, the Orioles are making changes in their scouting department and minor league staff and working to create space on a 40-man roster that currently is filled. I've mentioned the need to activate five players from the 60-day disabled list - pitchers Richard Bleier, Pedro Araujo...

The changes coming to the Orioles organization will affect the minor league system, including the decision to bring in a new Triple-A manager. Ron Johnson won't return for an eighth season with the Norfolk Tides, with multiple sources confirming the Orioles' decision to move in another direction. Johnson is free to accept any offer that appeals to him. Also, special assistant Matt Haas, East Coast scouting supervisor Kirk Fredriksson, area scout Dana Duquette and director of Dominican...

In hindsight, it was probably not a good idea for the Orioles to call up outfielder Austin Hays on Sept. 5, 2017. The Orioles started his service clock and player options before they needed to. And while at the time of his call-up the Orioles were still very much in the American League wild card race, Hays hardly played in the first week to 10 days after he was added to the roster. So he wasn't added to immediately play and help the team win. The Orioles selected Hays in round three of the...

The level of agitation among Orioles fans spiked again with the failure to sign any of the Cuban "big three," though most are relying on published scouting reports and projections and otherwise know nothing about Victor Victor Mesa, Victor Mesa Jr. and Sandy Gastón,. We've heard good things. It comes across as small consolation, but the Orioles made offers for all three players and were runners-up for Gastón, despite other teams submitting bids. They attended the Oct. 3 showcase in...