The holiday season went by in a flash and 2019 is underway, which means we're that much closer to Orioles baseball! With pitchers and catchers reporting to the Ed Smith Stadium Complex in Sarasota, Fla., on Feb. 13, there is only one other date Birdland is looking forward to before the start of spring training: Orioles FanFest! The O's annual day-long baseball celebration returns to the Baltimore Convention Center on Saturday, Jan. 26, and MASN will be there gearing up fans for the upcoming...

The Nationals have agreed to terms with veteran second baseman Brian Dozier on a one-year contract, perhaps helping offset somewhat the power they would lose if Bryce Harper ends up signing elsewhere while also filling the one remaining vacancy in their projected 2019 lineup. Dozier's deal, which is pending a physical, is worth a total of $9 million, with $2 million of that deferred, according to a source familiar with the terms. ESPN's Jeff Passan was first to report the agreement. It's a...

The Orioles announced today that, after attracting more than 70 million visitors to downtown Baltimore and the state of Maryland to enjoy baseball at iconic Camden Yards, the ballclub will partner with Live Nation to present legendary musician Billy Joel in an historic, first-ever concert held Friday, July 26 at the ballpark. Tickets go on sale to the public Friday, Jan. 18 at 10 a.m. ET. The Orioles Charitable Foundation will donate a portion of the proceeds from the concert to support music...

According to one preseason listing of those over and under wins totals used mostly for wagering purposes, the Orioles' win total for 2019 is put at 59. That would be 12 more victories than in 2018, but would also mean 103 losses are coming our way. But such lines are crafted to induce equal wagering on either side, and public perception factors in here. And an over-under wins total doesn't really matter or predict with any certainty what will happen next season. We already knew that the team...

OK, you've made the decision to head to spring training in West Palm Beach. You've picked out your dates to watch the Nationals, whether for the mid-February morning workouts or the late March Grapefruit League final tune-ups. You know where to best position yourself to get autographs. But you don't know how to get to West Palm Beach yet. Or where to stay. Or what to eat or do when you're not at the ballpark. You're in luck, because you're reading Part 2 of our annual Fans' Guide to...

A deeper dive into the Orioles roster brings up more questions regarding starter Alex Cobb and how he, like other veterans, fits into the rebuild. Whether it can hold the $43 million remaining on a contract that covers the next three seasons before he's again eligible for free agency. Manager Brandon Hyde says he doesn't believe in the word "rebuild." He believes in "competing," and that's the message being sent to his players. A message that will spread throughout the clubhouse and the...

A lot has been written about Carter Kieboom as a top infielder in the Nationals system. But don't sleep on shortstop Luis Garcia. He is another top farmhand who has garnered national attention as the No. 3 prospect in Baseball America's Nats top 10. He was also the No. 3 prospect available from the 2016 international signing class. The 6-foot, 190-lb., 18-year-old native of the Dominican Republic slashed .299/.338/.412 for high Single-A Potomac, finishing the season hitting .357 in his last...

We don't know yet where Bryce Harper will be reporting for spring training, but we do know when the Nationals will be reporting for spring training, with or without their longtime slugger. The club officially announced key spring dates Tuesday, with pitchers and catchers set to report to West Palm Beach on Feb. 13 (with their first workout the following day) and position players set to report on Feb. 18 (with the first full-squad workout the day after that). The Grapefruit League opener...

If, as it is said, you can never have enough pitching, maybe the Orioles need to consider adding a free agent starter on a one-year deal to eat some innings and help the 2019 rotation. I've written before that I'm mostly not on board with adding a pitcher and am just fine with seeing young pitchers fill out the final two rotation spots. That is after a front three in some order of Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner and Dylan Bundy. But what if there is a chance to trade one of those three with a deal...

While the baseball world balances on the edge of its seats waiting for Manny Machado and Bryce Harper to sign their monstrous contracts, which will reduce the media's baseball chatter by about 75 percent, the Orioles are quietly researching ways to fill out their roster. Much of the heavy lifting outside of it is done. Two big front office hires have been completed in executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias and assistant Sig Mejdal, the latter responsible for building up the...