The Winter Meetings in Las Vegas get underway in less than two weeks, which will give the local media a chance to begin forging a relationship with new executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias. You can really get to know a person when congregating daily inside his suite and engaging in formal and casual conversations. Learn more about his tactics to construct a roster and his personality. The Orioles also could have a new manager, which is a top priority as we move closer to...

MLBPipeline.com's Jim Callis believes the three left-handers the Nationals sent to the Arizona Fall League could all be useful out of the bullpen going forward. Ben Braymer, Taylor Guilbeau and Jordan Mills pitched well in Arizona, playing a part in the Salt River Rafters reaching the title game. "Guilbeau has the best velocity out of any of them and probably the least control," Callis said. "Braymer had a great year, (being named) Minor League Pitcher of the Year in the organization. I...

As we turn another page on the calendar, the hot stove is getting warmer. Will the Nationals have a shot at free agent starters Patrick Corbin and Dallas Keuchel? Will they sign another catcher to spell 35-year-old Kurt Suzuki, who is now a Nat again? What's happening at second base? Does Screech's salary count toward the luxury tax? For the answers to these and other questions, you'll just have to stay tuned for the next episode of "As the Nats Turn." The team's past, on the other hand,...

Orioles right-hander Alex Cobb went 5-15 with an ERA of 4.90 in 2018, his highest ERA in any full season in his career. But a season that started terribly for him got better as it went along - a lot better - providing hope for what he might provide the rotation in 2019. Signed to a four-year deal worth $57 million last March, Cobb had an ERA of 6.41 and a WHIP of 1.576 in the first half. But in 11 starts after the All-Star break, he went 3-3 with a 2.56 ERA and 1.156 WHIP. His ERA was fifth in...

Orioles reliever Donnie Hart arrived at yesterday morning's #StayHungry Purple Tailgate with a box of donuts in his hands. He was definitely in the right place. Adam Jones walked up to Hart, reached inside the box and pulled out one of his favorite treats. Glazed are his preference. Nothing too fancy. Jones and his sweet tooth were back in Baltimore because there's always more charitable work to be done. On this day, he managed to raise more than $125,000 for the Boys and Girls Club of...

Adam Jones has no idea whether his annual #StayHungry Purple Tailgate will extend to a seventh year in 2019. He doesn't know where he'll be playing and whether it will be convenient to get back to Baltimore. Free agency tends to drape a person in uncertainty. Here's a fact: Today's event raised a record amount of $125,010 for the Boys and Girls Club of Baltimore and the Living Classrooms Foundation. Food, drinks, live music and temperatures that climbed into the 60s created the perfect...

The next big move for the Orioles, or one of them, will certainly be the hiring of a new manager. New general manager Mike Elias said the background work on managerial candidates had already begun the day he met the media for the first time on Monday. He would not put a timetable on the hiring and seemed to want to be thorough in his search for Buck Showalter's successor. I'm not sure we just could put down on paper exactly what the Orioles need in a new skipper and then find someone that...

The Orioles have less than a week to make a decision on director of scouting Gary Rajsich before his contract expires. While the contracts of other employees ended on Oct. 31, Rajsich continues to be paid through November and is awaiting a decision. There have been numerous changes in the baseball operations department, player development and scouting since the Orioles concluded a 115-loss season and began their search for a replacement for executive vice president Dan Duquette. And more are on...

Earlier this month, during the GM meetings in Carlsbad, Calif., news surfaced that the Nationals had extended an offer worth $300 million over 10 years to free agent-to-be Bryce Harper late in the regular season. The offer reportedly contained no opt-outs for the slugger, and was summarily dismissed by Harper and his agent, Scott Boras. Since then, there's been a ton of chatter about where Harper might wind up when he signs what could be the most expensive free agent contract ever. Daily...

Shortstop Carter Kieboom advanced to Double-A in 2018 within the Nationals organization. The 2016 first-round selection was also invited to participate in the Arizona Fall League. His team, the Salt River Rafters, advanced to the title game. Kieboom got some playing time at second base for the first time in his professional career. He hit .295 with a .427 on-base percentage in the AFL over 21 games. Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba said the organization wanted to get...