The Winter Meetings officially begin on Sunday, though it's also a travel day, and they will take up more than 90 hours of my life that I'll never get back. But chasing rumors is a good way to add steps to the Fitbit. I've never been much of a cardio guy. Lobby buzz creates rumors that become reports. Some of them prove to be accurate, many others bogus and a royal waste of time, whether it's interest in a player or his contract demands. And old news will be reheated to appear fresh. Fans...

Baseball's Winter Meetings start Monday in Orlando, and while a slow-moving market has defined the offseason so far, that doesn't mean that deals - and endless speculation about deals that aren't going to happen - won't start making headlines in the Magic Kingdom. The Nationals are the defending National League East champions with 97 victories and it would be difficult to see why they wouldn't be the favorites to win the division in 2018, thanks to a rotation that has 2017 NL Cy Young...

It's the biggest event of the baseball offseason and it's finally here. Baseball's Winter Meetings will take place at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Orlando starting Sunday, Dec. 10 and continuing through Thursday, Dec. 14, and we're excited to announce MASN will be bringing you wall-to-wall coverage throughout the week! On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during the week, be sure to LIKE and tune in to the "MASN All Access" Facebook page, as we'll be streaming a show...

When Adam Eaton tore his ACL on April 28 and Michael A. Taylor once again found himself the Nationals' unlikely starting center fielder, the reaction was understandably unenthusiastic. Taylor, after all, had already been given opportunities to take over as the everyday center fielder each of the previous two seasons when the originally designated starter went down to injury (Denard Span in 2015, Ben Revere in 2016). And Taylor had failed to make the most of those opportunities, showing flashes...

It was an interesting comment on the Orioles made by a Hall of Famer and commentator for MLB Network. It came from former big league pitcher John Smoltz. It was a compliment for the organization, but sounded like he ended it with a warning that trouble could be looming. In sizing up the Orioles over the last few seasons while also looking ahead to next year, Smoltz said: "It seems they are the Rodney Dangerfield of the (American League) East. They kind of find a way and they have a chip on...

Whenever Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette talks about the rotation, and he's given no choice because it's always brought up during interviews leading into the Winter Meetings, he mentions the need to improve the club's depth as well as find veteran contributors. It isn't just about securing two or three starters from outside the organization to join Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy, with an in-house competition possible for the fifth spot. There must be viable alternatives to...

Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman is changing his uniform number for a fourth time since breaking into the majors. However, he's doing it in 2018 for reasons that are much more personal. Gausman announced on Twitter that he's switching from No. 39 to No. 34 to honor two-time Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay, who died on Nov. 7 after the small plane he was piloting crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. In explaining why he surrendered No. 39, which he wore the past four seasons, Gausman explained...

The University of Virginia today announced the inaugural class of the Virginia Baseball Hall of Fame, and one of the names revealed is no surprise to Nationals fans. Ryan Zimmerman was one of the first three enshrinees announced, with the Cavaliers having some of their current players deliver the identity of the players, three at a time, on Twitter this morning and afternoon. Zimmerman played at Virginia from 2003 to 2005, and was a two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection as a...

The Nationals know they need to acquire multiple pitchers this winter in hope of filling several holes vacated by departing free agents. They may have found out Wednesday just how much it's going to cost them to do it. Though the Rangers' signing of Mike Minor didn't draw major headlines, it was noted in baseball circles for one important reason: The left-hander may have just set the market for every other free agent pitcher this offseason. Consider that Minor got a three-year, $28 million...

Not long after the Yankees named Aaron Boone their new manager, we heard from some Orioles fans here that Buck Showalter would "school" the rookie skipper next year. No doubt hiring Boone was a risk. He has never managed in the pro ranks - in the minors or majors. He has never coached in the majors. His most recent experience in the game came in the ESPN broadcast booth. He could certainly make mistakes due to a lack of experience. But before we assume the Orioles will take advantage of...