As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Adam Eaton, who impressed in his first month with the Nats before suffering a season-ending knee injury. PLAYER REVIEW: ADAM EATON Age on opening day 2018: 29 How acquired: Traded from White Sox for Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo López and Dane Dunning, December 2016 MLB service time: 5 years, 30 days 2017 salary: $4 million Contract status: Signed for $6 million in...

The Red Sox, Yankees and Nationals made the playoffs this season and all three managers are out of work. It's a tough business. With Joe Girardi's removal yesterday as Yankees skipper, Buck Showalter moves up to fourth on the list of longest tenured managers behind the Angels' Mike Scioscia, the Giants' Bruce Bochy and the Royals' Ned Yost. Scioscia was hired after the 1999 season, Bochy after 2006 and Yost in May 2010. The Orioles hired Showalter on July 29, 2010 and he was in the dugout...

In electing last week not to bring back Dusty Baker as manager, the Nationals also informed their entire coaching staff their fates would not be determined until a new skipper was hired. Thus, those six men were free to talk to other clubs in the interim and pursue any opportunities made available to them. Today, Mike Maddux seized an opportunity. The Nationals' popular pitching coach of the last two seasons has taken that role with the Cardinals, ensuring his former club will have another...

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is the club's lone finalist for a Rawlings Gold Glove, giving him an opportunity to win his third award. Machado is joined by the Indians' José Ramírez and the Rays' Evan Longoria. The winners will be announced on Nov. 7 on ESPN. The Orioles failed to claim a Gold Glove last year for the first time since 2010. They had multiple winners in four consecutive seasons before 2015, when Machado earned his second award. Machado and first baseman Chris Davis...

It is winter league time of year, even as the World Series heads toward Game 3. Winter league ball has always been a very important part of a baseball player's continued evolution and a valued experience that can sometimes be that step a player needs to complete his game. Several Nationals prospects are hoping this experience now will help secure spots for 2018. Michael A. Taylor talked about how important his winter league play was to helping him see, time and hit breaking pitches as he...

If the Nationals want an accomplished manager with postseason success already on his resume, one of the biggest names out there just became available in surprising fashion. Joe Girardi, who won the 2009 World Series and three more playoff series for the Yankees since, was let go this morning by the club that employed him the last 10 seasons, immediately making the 53-year-old the hottest managerial candidate on the open market. Whether that makes him the hottest candidate for the Nats' open...

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Howie Kendrick, a trade deadline acquisition who delivered for two months but then saw little action in the playoffs. PLAYER REVIEW: HOWIE KENDRICK Age on opening day 2018: 34 How acquired: Traded from Phillies for McKenzie Mills, July 2017 MLB service time: 11 years, 91 days 2017 salary: $10 million Contract status: Free agent 2017 stats: 91 G, 334 PA, 305 AB, 40...

Each year in October, it is interesting to see if the clubs that advanced to the playoffs are the teams spending the most money on players. As is often the case and again this year, the answer is no. There is no question that having a big payroll is an advantage. How can having the ability to outspend your competitors not be? But having a big payroll is just not a requirement to having a winning ballclub. According to Spotrac and using team cash payroll spending, the World Series will be won...

Rich Dauer finally made it back to the World Series. Dauer is completing his third season as the Astros first base coach and infield instructor. He broke into the majors with the Orioles in 1976 and spent his entire playing career in the organization, retiring after the 1985 season. The Orioles inducted Dauer into their Hall of Fame in 2012. Dauer was the starting second baseman on the last championship team in Baltimore in 1983. A much happier ending than the 1979 World Series, which also...

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Jayson Werth, whose seventh (and likely final) season in D.C. didn't go the way he hoped it would. PLAYER REVIEW: JAYSON WERTH Age on opening day 2018: 38 How acquired: Signed as free agent, Dec. 2010 MLB service time: 14 years, 102 days 2017 salary: $21 million Contract status: Free agent. (Nats will be paying him $10 million in deferred salary in 2018.) 2017...