Left-hander Tanner Scott allowed one hit and struck out four batters last night over two scoreless innings in the Arizona Fall League's Fall Stars Game. Ryan Mountcastle, batting third and playing third base, doubled and drove in a run. Meanwhile, the news that the Orioles were inviting back all of their coaches for the 2018 season drew mixed reactions on this blog and Twitter, which is exactly what should be expected. You can't get everyone on the same page. That would be boring - and a...

As we look back at the last week of blog entries in this space, today we welcome more comments on some of those said entries. Monday we reviewed another three free agent pitchers in this space, taking a looking at Tyler Chatwood, Andrew Casher and Miguel González. Chatwood is a right-hander that will be 28 on opening day. While he went 8-15 with a 4.69 ERA for Colorado, he posted much better numbers on the road. That provides hope that a team signing him and getting him out of Coors Field...

Catcher Welington Castillo severed his ties to the Orioles today, as expected, by declining the $7 million player option on his contract. They could reconnect later this winter, with both sides leaving the door open, but it's unlikely to happen. Today was the deadline for Castillo to inform the club, which I'm told he still hadn't done this morning. It seemed to be a formality. Castillo immediately becomes one of the top catchers on the free agent market, rivaled only by Jonathan Lucroy and...

New Nationals manager Dave Martinez played in the major leagues for 16 seasons. But the man that he worked with for 12 seasons saw him in the minor leagues for the first time some 34 years ago when Martinez was just 18. Current Cubs manager Joe Maddon had spotted Martinez when the outfielder began his minor league career playing for the short-season Single-A Geneva Cubs. Maddon managed in the Angels farm system from 1981 to 1986. "The first time I ever met Joe was in 1983 in instructional...

In winning the World Series, the Houston Astros did so with the No. 17 payroll in the majors and they took down the teams with the three top payrolls in the sport. It was an impressive run of winning. Houston beat Boston 3-1 in the American League Division Series and then won the last two games of the American League Championship Series to beat New York 4-3. They won a seven-game World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers payroll, per Spotrac, was $229 million and tops in the...

The Phillies keep dipping into the Orioles' baseball operations department, mining for talent that again leaves a sizeable void back in Baltimore. Ben Werthan won't return in 2018 as the Orioles' advance scouting coordinator, accepting a job yesterday as Phillies minor league player information coordinator. He held his position in Baltimore for the past six years. Werthan, 31, reported directly to manager Buck Showalter and led the team's advance scouting process. Showalter often raved...

The Orioles have officially parted ways with shortstop J.J. Hardy and left-hander Wade Miley, declining to exercise their respective options for the 2018 season and allowing them to become free agents. It feels like the end of an era with Hardy, who spent the last seven years in Baltimore and won Gold Gloves from 2012-2014. He goes down as one of former executive Andy MacPhail's top acquisitions with the Orioles, and one of the most important in franchise history. MacPhail sent minor league...

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Sean Doolittle, who was acquired in July to help fix the Nats bullpen and wound up excelling as closer. PLAYER REVIEW: SEAN DOOLITTLE Age on opening day 2018: 31 How acquired: Traded from Athletics with Ryan Madson for Blake Treinen, Jesus Luzardo and Sheldon Neuse MLB service time: 5 years, 122 days 2017 salary: $2.63 million Contract status: Signed for $4.38...

Here's what's going on in the American League East as the offseason begins: Baltimore: The Orioles, who finished last in the American League East, are in need of a rotation behind Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy. Gausman had a bad first half and a good second half. Bundy was their most consistent pitcher in 2017. ... They need to search all avenues, including free agents, trades, minor league free agents and prospects. It's possible they could get CC Sabathia, Lance Lynn or Alex Cobb. ... The...

The National League East has three rookie managers - Dave Martinez in Washington, Gabe Kapler in Philadelphia and Mickey Callaway in New York - and here's a look at what the NL East teams will be up to this offseason: Atlanta: The Braves are looking for a replacement to make the roster decisions with general manager John Coppolella leaving because of a controversy involving international signing rules. ... The Braves need to fortify their bullpen and find a power bat. ... Their rebuilding...