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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It takes less than three minutes listening to Kevin Long talk about hitting to fully understand this guy is operating on a different level from mere mortals.
Want to know what the batting average on all ground balls put into play is? Long knows (.220).
Want to know the average distance from the side of the rubber that a right-hander releases his pitch versus the average distance for a lefty? Long knows (2 feet vs. 2 1/2 feet.)
Want to know about launch angles and hitting...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Mike Wright keeps hearing that it's an important spring for him, followed by an important season. Stacking more pressure in case he feels the urge to exhale.
He's out of minor league options and there's an indentation from him in one of the seats on the Triple-A shuttle. The Orioles have filled four of their rotation spots and are receptive to adding another starter while also creating an in-house camp competition that includes Wright, their former third-round pick out of...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The deal is official. Chris Tillman is coming back to the Orioles for the 2018 season, a match that made sense since the early days of free agency.
Tillman passed his physical and signed his one-year contract worth a guaranteed $3 million. Incentives can push it to $10 million.
There was a delay in the Orioles getting the necessary paperwork, which forced Tillman to miss yesterday's workout. The delay carried through the night. But nothing that threatened to nix the...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - So much for those quick, streamlined pitchers and catchers workouts. With position players joining them on the fields today, the Nationals experienced their longest session of the spring, by far.
Though technically a voluntary workout - the first official full-squad day is Wednesday - every healthy member of the roster participated this morning (and afternoon). Everyone gathered on the agility field for the daily "Circle of Trust" meeting at 10:45 a.m. Position players...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - As every other position player on the Nationals roster took the field for the first time as a team this morning, Daniel Murphy could only watch. Though the veteran second baseman, still rehabbing from late-October knee surgery, has begun some baseball activities, they are admittedly limited.
"I started doing some knee drills," Murphy said. "Played a little bit of catch. And that would be the extent of it right now. So ground balls on my knees and then play a little...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Tillman spent this morning at the Ed Smith Stadium complex, but he hasn't been cleared to join workouts until his new contract becomes official. Both sides are in a holding pattern, but an announcement could come later today. The Orioles are waiting to hear back from Tillman's representative.
Tillman has agreed to a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $3 million. He can earn another $7 million in incentives.
Catcher Andrew Susac will be released from the hospital today...
The Orioles have announced plans for Opening Day of the 2018 Spring Training season on Friday, February 23, when the Orioles host the Tampa Bay Rays at 1:05 p.m. ET at Ed Smith Stadium. All fans in attendance will receive a 2018 Spring Training schedule magnet, sponsored by Visit Sarasota. Additionally, the first 1,000 female fans in attendance will receive a Birds of Paradise flower, courtesy of Beneva Flowers.
In a special pre-game ceremony, the U.S. Special Operations Command Parachute Team,...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Position players reported to camp Monday, and though we haven't seen the entire squad on the field together quite yet, it does feel like spring training has finally begun in earnest.
The vast majority of Nationals position players had already reported early, some by multiple weeks, so there were only a handful left to check in Monday (the official reporting date).
Of the 61 players in big league camp - that number will go up to 62 today when reliever JoaquÃn...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are expected to announce later today Chris Tillman's signing to a one-year deal. They don't disclose the terms, but as I reported yesterday, he's guaranteed $3 million and can earn another $7 million in incentives.
There was no confirmation yesterday, perhaps because the club was waiting for the results of his physical or the deal needed to be approved by Major League Baseball and the commissioner's office was busy with pace of play and arbitration...
So Chris Tillman and the Orioles finally reached an agreement on a one-year contract and the pitcher that started three straight opening days for the club is back.
Tillman got a $3 million guarantee and can reportedly earn another $7 million with innings incentives. If this was his only major league contract offer, he did well with a shot to make $10 million a year after he went 1-7 with a 7.84 ERA. The Orioles, on the other hand, would probably happily pay the incentives to get the pre-2017...