As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Juan Soto, who made his major league debut far sooner than anyone expected and then performed well beyond anyone's expectations. PLAYER REVIEW: JUAN SOTO Age on opening day 2019: 20 How acquired: Signed as an international free agent, June 2015 MLB service time: 143 days 2018 salary: $545,000 Contract status: Under club control, likely...

As a rebuilding team intending to rely on younger and less experienced players, the Orioles will also likely be a team that may not pursue many free agents this winter and certainly not many commanding significant dollars. The Orioles' payroll is going down as they attempt to reset it. Cot's Baseball Contracts ranks the O's year-end 40-man roster payroll at 14th in the majors from 2013 to 2015. It ranked 12th in 2016, at $169.3 million, and 11th in 2017, at $179.9 million. Some have observed...

The offseason calendar for the Orioles has flipped to a new week with no news about front office hires, managerial candidates or the impact on the coaching staff and in player development and scouting. It shouldn't be much longer before the Orioles decide on a president of baseball operations. They likely have someone in mind, but any further delays could be tied to whether they want to interview an executive with a team that's still in the postseason. There has been some speculation in the...

If you've been reading here for a while, you are probably quite familiar with today's blog format and it doesn't take much explaining on my end. Today I've posed 10 questions and are looking for your responses. Answer one question or all 10. Provide short answers or long. Respond to answers by other readers. It's all good. Here are the questions: 1. Who do you like to become the next general manager of the Orioles? 2. Who do you like to become the next manager of the Orioles? 3. Will the...

As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Spencer Kieboom, who was supposed to be in D.C. short-term but wound up sticking around most of the season. PLAYER REVIEW: SPENCER KIEBOOM Age on opening day 2019: 28 How acquired: Fifth-round pick, 2012 draft MLB service time: 149 days 2018 salary: $545,000 Contract status: Under team control, arbitration-eligible in 2021, free agent in 2024 2018...

I'd love to provide a meaty update on the Orioles' interest in Cuban outfielders Victor Victor Mesa and Victor Mesa Jr. and pitcher Sandy Gastón. However, there isn't much more to write beyond the presence of five representatives at the workout in Miami, the meeting that transpired the following day with the players, their families and agent Barry Praver, and the likelihood that an offer has been submitted for Victor Victor. The Orioles are keeping their business out of the press, whether...

When Baseball America released its latest organizational rankings in early August, the Orioles fell three spots. Ranked No. 17 at the start of the 2018 season, they were now ranked No. 20 among all the farm systems in baseball. That seemed strange since it followed the July trades in which the Orioles added 15 players to their organization, including one top-100 prospect in outfielder Yusniel Díaz. Baseball America ranks him at No. 44. So after adding that talent, the Orioles fell in the...

I wrote earlier in the week about decisions pending on the arbitration-eligible players. MLBTradeRumors.com came out with their annual projections on raises, which will be referenced here multiple times in the coming months. Jonathan Villar is expected to have his salary bumped from $2.55 million to $4.4 million after batting a combined .260/.325/.384 with 14 doubles, a triple, 14 home runs, 46 RBIs and 35 stolen bases in 40 attempts over 141 games, the last 54 with the Orioles. The Orioles...

As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Mark Reynolds, who joined the club in May out of necessity and wound up contributing the rest of the season. PLAYER REVIEW: MARK REYNOLDS Age on opening day 2019: 35 How acquired: Signed as minor league free agent, April 2018 MLB service time: 11 years, 120 days 2018 salary: $1 million Contract status: Free agent 2018 stats: 86 G, 235 PA, 206 AB, 26 R,...

Second baseman Jonathan Schoop had a career year in 2017 and was named Most Valuable Oriole. He's had a pretty terrible year in 2018 and didn't start any of the three games for the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Division Series against Colorado. Here's a crazy thought: Has Schoop played so poorly for the Brewers that they will non-tender him, making him a free agent? Could that lead to him re-signing with his old team, the Orioles? If that scenario played out, he could then team...