When spring training begins this week, 25-year-old right-hander Michael Kelly enters camp as an Orioles newcomer that adds some pitching depth to the roster. He would like to end camp as someone that makes a strong enough first impression to get a shot at some point this year on the major league roster. Kelly has yet to pitch in the majors. The Orioles signed him in December when he was a minor league free agent. But he got a major league contract and heads to camp as a member of the 40-man...

The final countdown to spring training has arrived, so we're spending the final days of the offseason counting down the Nationals' top storylines of the spring. We continue today with the possibility of free agent signings even after camp has begun ... It's not unusual for teams to sign players during spring training. It happens every year, with a handful of veterans still available and needs arising as a result of injuries or other camp developments. But baseball has never opened a spring...

The Orioles never were in the running to sign free agent right-hander Yu Darvish, and the six-year, $126 million contract he landed yesterday from the Cubs justified their distance. They weren't going to spend so lavishly on a starting pitcher. The sides had no reason to be linked in any reports. The Cubs are using Darvish to replace Jake Arrieta, who also is expected to move beyond the Orioles' financial reach. It's already been speculated that teams like the Dodgers, Twins and Brewers...

In looking back on the last week of stories here and revisting a few, we spent some time discussing the harsh words exchanged recently by the players and owners, looked at some lefty-batting free agents and also looked at the latest PECOTA projections. On Monday, we discussed some recent statements issued, including one by the Major League Baseball Players Assocation and one by prominent agent Brodie Van Wagenen. He said the slow free agent market "feels coordinated" and that the players...

The final countdown to spring training has arrived, so we're spending the final days of the offseason counting down the Nationals' top storylines of the spring. We continue today with the first camp run by new manager Dave Martinez ... When Nationals pitchers and catchers officially report to The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on Wednesday, they'll walk down the hallway from the clubhouse, peek into the manager's office and find a new face there. Next door, in the coaches' locker room, will...

With the free agent market still overflowing due to a winter-long freeze, a neat trick if you know anything about liquids and temperatures, the Major League Baseball Players Association is arranging a "31st camp" for unemployed players at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The list of participants will include former Orioles outfielder Nolan Reimold, 34, who's attempting a comeback after announcing his retirement last summer. Reimold failed to receive a spring training invitation last year...

So with spring training camps set to open next week, the free agent market is still flush with players, and that includes plenty of pitchers. Back in October and November - knowing the Orioles have three openings in their rotation - we profiled nine free agent starters. Of those nine, five are still out there. The four that off are off the market:* Tyler Chatwood, who signed a three-year deal for $38 million with the Cubs.* Jhoulys Chacin, who signed a two-year deal for $15.5 million with...

MASN, the television home of the defending National League East champion Washington Nationals, will broadcast seven Nationals spring training games during the 2018 Grapefruit League season. All of the games will appear on MASN, beginning with the Nationals' Feb. 25 game against the Atlanta Braves. The network's spring training coverage also includes six more games from The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Fla.: March 6 against the world champion Houston Astros; March 11...

The final countdown to spring training has arrived, so we're spending the final days of the offseason counting down the Nationals' top storylines of the spring. We begin today with the open competition for the fifth spot in the opening day rotation ... The Nationals have been a contender for six full seasons now, and throughout that time, they have maintained that status by employing one of baseball's most talented, deepest starting rotations. And throughout this entire stretch, we've...

Orioles closer Zach Britton reaches another important date today in his recovery from right Achilles surgery. He's hoping that it's the latest step, so to speak, in the right direction. Britton will undergo his third checkup from Dr. Kenneth Jung of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles before he flies to Sarasota and reports early to spring training. He expects to receive more encouraging news - that he's still a bit ahead of schedule. Calling into the "Orioles Hot Stove Show"...