It's the most wonderful time of the year - at least that's what that song tells me. Seriously, it seems like it's on a continuous loop. From the car to the department store to the supermarket. It's everywhere. While we don't have parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting or caroling in the snow, we do have some of the hap-hap-happiest results in this week's holiday array of "Nationals Classics" on MASN. Consider these our gift to you - and be of good cheer, as spring training is...

Tickets are now on sale for Orioles FanFest, which will be held on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019, at the Baltimore Convention Center. Presented by Visit Sarasota County, the event will feature appearances by current and former Orioles players and coaches as part of a day-long celebration of baseball that will also include clinics, exhibits and interactive games. The event will be held from 11 a.m-6 p.m., with early entry for Birdland Members beginning at 10 a.m. Tickets are available online at...

The Nationals' luxury tax bill this season is slightly less than $2.4 million, a not-insignificant amount to pay for exceeding Major League Baseball's pseudo-salary cap, but probably not a steep enough penalty to deter the club from making an offer to Bryce Harper that would catapult it over the threshold again in 2019. The Nationals' final payroll for luxury tax purposes was roughly $205 million, according to a report over the weekend by the Associated Press, $8 million above MLB's 2018...

We may never know with pinpoint accuracy when Brandon Hyde received his offer from the Orioles to become the 20th manager in club history, when he accepted it, when it was safe to stitch his name across the back of a jersey. It really doesn't matter as we move forward, but someone in the organization insisted yesterday that, as reports surfaced at the Winter Meetings that Hyde would become the next manager, the Orioles hadn't started the process of negotiating a deal with him. We can argue...

Before executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias presented new manager Mike Elias with his No. 18 Orioles jersey and cap, before they shook hands as cameras and iPhones captured the moment with varying degrees of clarity, the former Astros assistant explained his latest hire and why it felt like the right fit. "Today represents the culmination of what was a very intensive, very thorough search for the next manager of the Baltimore Orioles," Elias said at today's press...

For so many years, we were used to the Dan Duquette-Buck Showalter duo leading the Orioles. But now Mike Elias and Brandon Hyde are in place as executive vice president/general manager and manager. Hyde was introduced Monday at a Camden Yards press conference as the 20th manager in Orioles history. He has pictures of Earl Weaver and Cal Ripken Sr. in his office and he met Brooks Robinson, so he's already off to a good start. Hyde promised to be "patient and positive." Maybe we should put...

The Orioles announced today that tickets are now on sale for the club's annual FanFest event on Saturday, January 26, 2019, at the Baltimore Convention Center. Orioles FanFest, presented by Visit Sarasota County, will feature appearances by current and former Orioles players and coaches as part of a day-long celebration of baseball that will also include clinics, exhibits, and interactive games. The event will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with early entry for Birdland Members...

Brandon Hyde was announced today as the Orioles' 20th manager following an "intensive, thorough" search, as described by executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias. They met a few weeks ago, had dinner together and Elias was convinced that Hyde would be "a good fit." The bonding process continued today while Hyde's wife and three children watched his 35-minute press conference from the front row inside the auxiliary clubhouse. Elias said Hyde's name was the first one that he...

The ol' Warehouse was humming with the Spirit of Seasons Yet to Come earlier this week, when Orioles general manager Mike Elias introduced Birdland to the team's new skipper, Brandon Hyde. Like Bob Cratchit, Hyde now will have several youngsters to look after, as the O's rebuilding project will be flush with fresh-faced prospects. For Christmas Present, however, MASN will this week summon some ghosts from the past (OK, if you want to get technical, the principal characters in the games...

The Nationals completed their trade for Yan Gomes today when they announced minor league infielder Andruw Monasterio as the player to be named in their deal with the Indians. Monasterio, 21, was the prospect the Nationals acquired from the Cubs for Daniel Murphy in August. He wound up playing in only 13 games with the organization, all for Single-A Potomac, hitting .308 with a triple and 5 RBIs. The Nationals already had sent right-hander Jefry Rodriguez and minor league outfielder Daniel...