As he prepares to enter an important contract year with the Nationals, catcher Wilson Ramos is spending the winter with his family in his home country of Venezuela. He's coming off his most durable season, which included catching both of Max Scherzer's no-hitters. Ramos was also Jordan Zimmermann's batterymate for the right-hander's 2014 season-ending no-hitter, making him the first ever to catch three no-nos in a 162-game span. It helped gain Ramos recognition as one of the three finalists...

A reader asked this here yesterday and it is a fair question: Is Chris Davis controlling this offseason for the Orioles? While Davis and what is happening or not with his free agent negotiations may be controlling the conversation and discussion about the O's offseason, he is not controlling the team or its front office. The Orioles have continued to talk with other free agents and they've made some moves. In fact, they traded for Mark Trumbo, a potential first base replacement if Davis...

Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman was among several high profile professional athletes linked to performance enhancing drugs in an investigative report from Al Jazeera. The report alleges Zimmerman, as well as Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, purchased and used the drug Delta-2, a hormone supplement that is banned by Major League Baseball. "It's inexcusable and irresponsible that Al Jazeera would provide a platform and broadcast outright lies about Mr. Howard and Mr. Zimmerman," said...

My introduction to Joe Strauss came in 1997 on the workout day before the Orioles' opener at Camden Yards. We joined the beat at The Baltimore Sun around the same time - Strauss coming from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, me moving up from the small colleges. Joe extended his hand and praised my work from my first spring training, saying he never would have known that I hadn't been "a ball writer." It wasn't until much later that I'd understand and appreciate the magnitude of that...

The entire roster of pitchers invited to instructional league are the top prospects in the Nationals organization. The list includes the big names fans are accustomed to: Lucas Giolito, Erick Fedde, Reynaldo Lopez and others. But if we dig a little deeper and go to the Nationals to ask them who are the possible quick movers, guys that raised eyebrows during the season and the work they did in instructs, the list contains names that many fans may not be as familiar with. This list of prospects...

When the Texas Rangers surprisingly decided on firing pitching coach Mike Maddux after last season, the Nationals wasted no time jumping on the opportunity to bring him aboard. A brief conversation with new Nationals manager Dusty Baker a few years ago in Oakland established a memorable connection for Maddux, making the transition enticing. "You never know when you're gonna be talking to somebody you're gonna be working with," Maddux said earlier this month. "We had a nice chat in the...

Outfielder Joey Rickard, taken by the Orioles in the Rule 5 draft, is having a solid season in the Dominican Winter League. Over 50 games and 191 at-bats, he has hit .277/.344/.450 with 13 doubles, one triple, six homers and 32 RBIs. A 24-year-old who is a right-handed batter and lefty thrower, Rickard has hit .362 with runners in scoring position for Leones del Escogido. He has batted mostly first and third. In 100 leadoff at-bats, he has hit .290/.373/.540. Against left-handed pitchers, he...

Earlier this month, during what turned out to be a headline-making media session at the Winter Meetings, new Nationals manager Dusty Baker was asked who he plans to bat at the top of his batting order when the season opens in just over three months. "I'm not sure, man," Baker shot back. "You're asking me ... until I see them or until I work with them - I mean, leadoff candidates? You don't know if Trea Turner is ready. I've asked questions. Mike Taylor, you don't know. You don't know...

At FanFest, he was more recognized as the local kid who played high school ball at Calvert Hall than as an Orioles minor league player. But that was fine with 21-year-old Alex Murphy. He was excited to be there and happy to be healthy again after sports hernia surgery derailed what had the makings of a big 2015 season. In the 2013 First-Year Player Draft, the Orioles selected three prep catchers among their first seven picks, taking Chance Sisco 61st overall, Jonah Heim with pick No. 129 and...

While the rest of us are gorging on holiday treats and digging out our stretchy pants from the bottom of the closet, first baseman Christian Walker is probably counting his calories along with his blessings. Walker, 24, showed up at FanFest declaring himself to be in the best shape of his life, a statement normally reserved for the first few days of spring training. He's never appeared soft, but now he's never felt better. "Just really cleaning up what I've been eating," Walker said. "I...