While the Orioles attempt to keep another tight lid on their managerial search, more names are seeping through the cracks. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal has confirmed that Nationals bench coach Chip Hale, Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde and Royals quality control/catching coach Pedro Grifol are on the list of candidates. Diamondbacks director of player development Mike Bell, younger brother of new Reds manager David Bell, also will interview, according to MLB Network's Peter Gammons. The Orioles...

While the rest of the baseball world tries to figure out where Bryce Harper is going to play in 2019, astute Nationals fans know an equally important question is where Anthony Rendon is going to play in 2020. Eligible for free agency next winter, Rendon now faces the same dilemma Harper faced last winter. In Harper's case, there was never a doubt he'd play out the season and test free agency. In Rendon's case, the process might well be different. The Nationals and Rendon have engaged in...

With left-hander Gio Gonzalez gone and right-hander Joe Ross returning from injury, the door is wide open for right-hander Erick Fedde to take advantage and grab one of the remaining spots in the Nationals rotation for 2019. The focus for Fedde in the offseason is figuring out a way to be durable enough to make it through an entire season. So his plan is to add weight and add muscle. "Offseason plans are usually the same. It's always been put on weight, put on weight for me," Fedde said...

Sean Doolittle is spending much of his time right now watching do-it-yourself videos on YouTube. He and his wife, Eireann Dolan, recently bought their first house, and that of course has led to home improvement projects. It's not exactly Doolittle's specialty, but he was proud to point out some dried caulk still on the side of his shoe when he met with reporters at Nationals Winterfest. "I'm getting better," he said. "I still would not say I'm handy." That Doolittle's offseason focus...

Carter Kieboom was able to play second base once a week during the Arizona Fall League this year after playing shortstop exclusively in his entire professional career. Kieboom said at Nationals Winterfest he understands the Nats think very highly of him to fast track him a bit, working at another position and getting a shot to play against the best in the AFL. "It always feel good when you receive that sort of positive attention," Kieboom said. "I think as a player that's kind of what you...

The search for a new manager is a top priority for new Orioles general manager Mike Elias. A top priority, but far from the only one. Building that elite talent pipeline has to be pretty high on the list. Elias was a big part of doing that in St. Louis and Houston, and if he can do it here it will produce a strong talent base to form the next winner in Baltimore. In fact, that might truly be job one for him. However we characterize it, his vision for the building of the Orioles' player...

Catcher Caleb Joseph, non-tendered Friday night by the Orioles and a free agent for the first time in his career, is drawing interest from a handful of teams. It didn't take long. Plenty of clubs are checking on available catchers, but the market is flooded, with MLBTradeRumors.com providing the latest update: Drew Butera Robinson Chirinos A.J. Ellis Yasmani Grandal Chris Herrmann Nick Hundley Caleb Joseph Jose Lobaton Jonathan Lucroy Martín Maldonado Devin Mesoraco James McCann ...

Each winter, Max Scherzer vows he can be better. Well, Nationals pitching coach Derek Lilliquist has something he thinks the three-time Cy Young Award winner can do to improve. "He can keep the ball in the ballpark a little better," Lilliquist said yesterday at Nationals Winterfest. "He got hurt with a lot of bad breaking balls in kill counts last year. So that's going to be an area we're going to really put a thumb on in spring training. We've got to execute (with two strikes). Scherzer...

Ryan Zimmerman was drafted by the Nationals in 2005. He made his major league debut that fall. He signed a five-year extension with them in 2009. He signed a $100 million extension with them in 2012. There's been no reason to question his contract status with the organization since. But that long-term deal was going to expire eventually, and that time is finally drawing near. Zimmerman is set to make $18 million in 2019. He has no guarantees after that, only an $18 million club option for 2020...

As he prepared for his first season as a big league manager, Davey Martinez scanned the Nationals roster and saw names of players with considerable experience and considerable success up and down the list. So Martinez's instinct was to stay hands off, to trust that these players knew how to prepare and didn't need a new staff to come in and reinvent the wheel. As he now prepares for his second season - on the heels of a disappointing first season, mind you - Martinez has come to a different...