The Orioles and one of their top players made news yesterday when the club signed him for the 2018 season. He was already under team control - that we knew - but now we know that second baseman Jonathan Schoop's 2018 salary will be $8.5 million. The two sides avoided arbitration and any ill will such a hearing could have caused. There was already the issue of Schoop missing FanFest and the fact that his absence clearly didn't sit well with fans or the team's management. But on the field, of...

The Washington Nationals officially announced today that they have signed a two-year player development contract extension to remain with the Double-A Harrisburg Senators through the 2020 season. The Nats and Senators had previously been signed up through the upcoming 2018 campaign, and this continues a 14-year relationship includes a total of 28 seasons that began with the Expos. "Dating back nearly 30 years - the Harrisburg Senators have been a valuable component of our player development...

Our first Throwback Thursday moment of this offseason came all they way back on Nov. 2, when we highlighted Manny Machado's three-homer night capped off by a walk-off grand slam against the Angels. Well, for this weeks' #TBT moment, we're going back to the end of that very same homestand. After Machado opened the six-game stand at Camden Yards with the walk-off slam, he closed it with another walk-off home run against the Athletics. After having lost three of their previous four games,...

The Orioles have avoided an arbitration hearing with second baseman Jonathan Schoop, with the sides agreeing to terms on an $8.5 million contract for 2018, according to an industry source. Schoop filed at $9 million and the Orioles countered at $7.5 million. He made $3.475 million last season. A hearing was scheduled for Thursday in Phoenix, Ariz. Despite the usual reports that the Orioles were file and trial, they maintained a dialogue with Schoop's representative, Steve Veltman from The...

The Washington Nationals announced the signing of a two-year Player Development Contract extension with the Double-A Harrisburg Senators on Tuesday. The extension, which begins in 2019, runs through the 2020 season. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Nationals Vice President and Senior Advisor to the General Manager Bob Boone, Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Player Personnel Doug Harris and Director of Player Development Mark Scialabba...

Pity the poor pre-2008 baseball fans who never had the opportunity to chow down on a Ben's Chili Bowl half-smoke at Nationals Park. Nothing wrong with the old traditional ballpark hot dog, mind you. But there's something magical about the smoky, meaty goodness of a half-smoke during a ballgame on South Capitol Street. Go ahead, try to make sure all of the accompanying chili makes it into you mouth when you bite down on this enticing delicacy. I dare you. Bun, meat, chili - that's ballpark...

We already know Oriole Park at Camden Yards is the most beautiful of baseball cathedrals. We know that its arrival kicked off a new era in baseball stadium construction, with Baltimore's downtown ballpark often imitated but never duplicated. And we're sure that it's the finest place to take in a game featuring your beloved Orioles. Camden Yards has collected accolades aplenty over the years, and it's now competing for another in an online USA Today competition to choose the most "Must-See...

The Orioles have indicated they are planning to add another left-handed batter. It sure seems that the acquisition could also be an outfielder and maybe a right fielder. Three outfielders that the club has shown some interest in this winter include Carlos González, Jon Jay and Jarrod Dyson. All three are free agents and all three may only get one-year deals or two years at the most. They could be in the Orioles' wheelhouse on a short-term deal. It would allow the club to potentially get...

As the start of spring training fast approaches, we're breaking down the state of the Nationals roster, position by position. The series continues today with the catching corps ... The Nationals knew they'd be undergoing a change at catcher in 2017 after Wilson Ramos departed via free agency, and they knew it would be difficult to make up for Ramos' All-Star production. Little did they know just how difficult, though, or how precipitous the dropoff would be. The club's initial plan involved...

With exactly one week remaining before pitchers and catchers must report to the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota, the task of submitting a mock 25-man roster hasn't grown much easier since my attempts two months ago. The rotation still has openings behind Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy, with only in-house candidates in the mix. The bullpen includes only one left-hander, Richard Bleier, who seems assured of breaking camp with the team if he stays healthy. There's supposed to be another...