Center fielder Blake Perkins made nice strides in 2017. The 21-year-old hit .297 down the stretch for low Single-A Hagerstown. His slash line was .255/.354/.378. His 31 steals were sixth overall in the South Atlantic League. In 129 games, Perkins collected 27 doubles, four triples, eight homers and 48 RBIs. "Blake Perkins is a guy that sets up well for me," said Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson. "He did a great job all year long. He stole a bunch of bags and really did a great job in...

Before long, free agency will be underway in Major League Baseball. As the Orioles look to improve their rotation, that is one area they will be looking at. The club has long been reluctant to chase free agents at the top of the pitching food chain. But maybe there are a few hurlers that could be costly, but also affordable, to help the team moving forward. We'll take a look at several such possibilities over the next few weeks, starting with these three pending free agents today. Alex Cobb:...

Updates on the Orioles are scarce as we move through the last days of October. A final decision hasn't been made on the coaching staff and contracts expire at the end of the month. The Orioles are notorious for dragging out the process. Manager Buck Showalter already has met with owner Peter Angelos and he's back in town for Saturday's KidsPeace Trick-or-Trot 5K/1-mile walk at Camden Yards. Showalter and Angelos could talk again later this week. A replacement hasn't been named for head...

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Michael A. Taylor, who for the third straight year was given a chance to play every day and finally made the most of it. PLAYER REVIEW: MICHAEL A. TAYLOR Age on opening day 2018: 27 How acquired: Sixth-round pick, 2009 draft MLB service time: 3 years, 10 days 2017 salary: $557,900 Contract status: Arbitration-eligible in 2018. Free agent in 2021. 2017 stats: 118 G,...

On their way to a 72-68 record and an Eastern League playoff berth, the Double-A Bowie Baysox were the best hitting team in the league this season. Bowie led all clubs in batting average (.283), on-base percentage (.345), slugging (.436) and runs (697). There were several hitters that had good seasons for Bowie, including Austin Hays, Garabez Rosa, Aderlin Rodriguez, Steve Wilkerson and Cedric Mullins. But when I asked Bowie hitting coach Butch Davis which player improved the most from the...

Someone who's much smarter than me, and that's a deep pool of candidates, noted that this year's World Series between the Astros and Dodgers features two 100-win teams for the first time since 1970. The date jumped out at me straight from my childhood. It was a little dusty. My first memories of the Orioles were born in the '70 season. I'm forever grateful that I have no recollection of the loss to the Miracle Mets in '69. Same with Super Bowl III and the NBA Eastern Division semifinals...

The Nationals have begun the search for a new manager, and they would prefer that search be a quick one. After informing Dusty Baker on Friday morning he wouldn't be retained despite division titles in each of his two seasons in Washington, the Nationals began to compile a list of potential candidates to replace the popular former skipper. They're now beginning the process of zeroing in on a handful of top candidates from that list and beginning to reach out to some for a first round of...

The Dodgers are in the World Series for the first time since 1988, a World Series remembered for a limping Kirk Gibson's pinch-hit home run against Oakland's Dennis Eckersley in a walk-off 5-4 win in Game 1 at Dodger Stadium. When the World Series returns to Dodger Stadium for Game 1 on Tuesday, the 104-win Dodgers, will play the 101-win Astros. The series will match two triple-digit win teams for the first time since 1970, when the 108-win Orioles beat the Reds, who had 102...

The Astros are back in the World Series for the first time since 2005, the year they were swept by the White Sox. The Astros are one of eight teams never to win a World Series, a list that has the Nationals, Mariners, Brewers, Padres, Rangers, Rays and Rockies. The Nationals and Mariners are the only teams that haven't appeared in a World Series. The Astros' championship drought covers 55 years, currently the third-longest. The Astros started as the Colt .45s in 1962 and had that nickname...

The Nationals have been pleased with the progress of third baseman Kelvin Gutierrez. Despite an injury in 2017, they thought so much of him they placed him on their Arizona Fall League entrant, the Mesa Solar Sox. 3B Kelvin Gutierrez Age: 23 6-3, 185 lbs. Bats: Right Throws: Right Pimentel, Dominican Republic Round 5 (2016) 2017 season: POT, GCL Gutierrez played well for the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nats and Single-A Potomac this season. The 23-year-old slashed .278/.340/.408 in 68...