Dylan Bundy and Hunter Harvey are two of the more intriguing names among the Orioles minor league pitchers attending next week's minicamp in Sarasota. Manager Buck Showalter, pitching coach Dave Wallace and bullpen coach Dom Chiti want to check on the organization's top prospects. Bundy was shut down in the Arizona Fall League due to tightness in his right forearm. Harvey was shut down in the fall instructional league with discomfort in his right elbow. Bundy is out of minor league options...

Left-hander Matt Grace enjoyed a pair of stints with the Nationals in 2015. He was up with the big club and appeared in games first in April and May, then again in September and October. Grace went 2-1 with a 4.24 ERA in 26 appearances. He allowed earned runs in only four of those games. Grace said at Winterfest he understood the reason why he had to be sent down the first time and appreciated the huge opportunity to pitch in the majors, an opportunity not given to every prospect. "As you make...

The Nationals have spent the offseason rebuilding their bullpen, adding Trevor Gott, Shawn Kelley, Oliver Perez and Yusmeiro Petit. With Drew Storen and Jonathan Papelbon, it would appear the Nationals' bullpen is set. But, given that Storen asked for a trade and Papelbon attempted to choke Bryce Harper at the end of last season, there are questions: Will Storen and Papelbon stay in D.C. and can their issues not be a distraction? If the Nationals can't trade Papelbon, do they release him at...

As January began a year ago, the Nationals starting rotation appeared locked and loaded for the 2015 season. But by month's end, general manager Mike Rizzo had stunned everyone by adding another considerable piece, dominant right-hander Max Scherzer. Despite the losses of right-handers Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister through free agency this winter, Rizzo maintains satisfaction with a projected starting five arsenal featuring aces Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg, veteran lefty Gio Gonzalez,...

Is it possible that the Orioles farm system is in better shape than some believe it to be? If you look at the recent Baseball America top 10 O's prospects list, you find some pretty good prospects that did not even make that top 10. To review, here is the O's top 10 per BA that was released Dec. 14: 1) RHP Dylan Bundy 2) RHP Hunter Harvey 3) C Chance Sisco 4) 3B Jomar Reyes 5) RHP Mychal Givens 6) LHP Chris Lee 7) SS Ryan Mountcastle 8) 1B Trey Mancini 9) OF DJ Stewart 10) RHP Mike...

Any discussion about the options at first base if Chris Davis doesn't re-sign always include Triple-A Norfolk's Christian Walker and Double-A Bowie's Trey Mancini. They're the in-house candidates - both expected to start out in the minors, but potential fits depending on what happens before opening day. The current in-house options in right field include L.J. Hoes, Nolan Reimold, Dariel Alvarez, Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard and maybe Mark Trumbo, if he isn't needed at first base or as the...

New Nationals bench coach Chris Speier's long career in the majors nearly began in Washington when the Senators drafted him out of high school in 1968. But Speier opted for college and became the second overall pick by the Giants two years later. Speier played 19 years, mostly as a shortstop, for the Giants, Expos, Cardinals, Twins and Cubs, and made three All-Star teams. After retiring in 1989, Speier jumped into coaching with the Giants and Cubs before becoming a minor league manager in the...

When the Orioles acquired first baseman Chris Davis and pitcher Tommy Hunter from Texas for pitcher Koji Uehara in July 2011, Davis was a 25-year-old slugger looking to establish himself at the major league level. Today he is an established home run hitter and looking to score a big contract through free agency. Back at the time of the trade, he was making the major league minimum and not even arbitration eligible yet. The Orioles showed Davis some loyalty by giving him his first chance to...

The subject keeps coming up and I feel the need to continue my attempts to provide some clarity. New year, old topic. The Orioles aren't closed for business despite how Chris Davis remains on the free agent market and their $150 million offer is being treated like those jelly-filled chocolates that you spit out as a kid. They traded for Mark Trumbo and signed Hyun Soo Kim. They gave $31 million to setup man Darren O'Day. They're pursuing another left-handed bat and a starting pitcher. It...

Michael A. Taylor has a lot on his shoulders. He's currently projected as the Nationals' starting center fielder sandwiched between proven veteran Jayson Werth and reigning National League Most Valuable Player Bryce Harper. At 24, Taylor shows as a five-tool player. His slender frame glides through the alleys turning sure doubles into easy outs. Taylor has power too. Plenty of it. His 14 homers last year included a mammoth 493-foot blast at Coors Field and a titanic ninth-inning game-winning...