Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop missed nearly three months last year with a sprained right knee, which sent him to the disabled list on April 18. Then he missed the last few games with a bruised right hand after getting hit by a pitch. In between, he played pretty well, and Schoop today pronounced himself healthy for the 2016 season. "Everything is perfect. Trying to work to get stronger," he said. He is also working to get better after hitting .279 with 15 homers, 39 RBIs and a .788...

Orioles center fielder Adam Jones made it clear to ownership and executive vice president Dan Duquette that the club needed to be more aggressive in keeping its core together. He sees the players retained and the offer made to Chris Davis, and he's confident that the message has been received. "By what they're doing right now, offering seven years and north of $150 (million), I think they've grabbed a hold of what I wanted to get through to them," Jones said today at FanFest. "That's all...

Stephen Strasburg battled through nagging injuries for much of last season, but emerged from two trips to the disabled list as one of the top pitchers in the majors down the stretch. The Nationals won eight of Strasburg's final 10 starts, while the right-hander went 6-2 with a 1.90 ERA, fanning 92 with just eight walks over 66 1/3 innings. A sprained left ankle in spring training coupled with a benign growth in his back bothered Strasburg's mechanics throughout the season. Speaking today at...

First baseman Ryan Zimmerman holds a unique distinction with the Nationals: He's played for every manager who has skippered the club in its 11 years. Zimmerman made his debut as a rookie in 2005, when Frank Robinson helmed the Nats, and the year after when the Hall of Fame slugger was unceremoniously ushered out of D.C. He was there for the rebuilding years under Manny Acta (2007-2009), the good and the bad under Jim Riggleman (2009-2011) and John McLaren's three-game interim stint after...

Trey Mancini probably knew the questions were coming. He is a first baseman who was the Orioles' 2015 minor league Player of the Year, taking the Brooks Robinson Award. Now the club may be losing a first baseman in Chris Davis. Has Mancini followed the media reports? Is he ready to compete for a big league job at first? "I follow it just like a casual observer would," Mancini said. "I don't get too down or happy about that until it's over. He's an incredible player and the Orioles would...

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed today at FanFest that the club has pulled its offer to first baseman Chris Davis. Meeting with reporters on the third level of the Convention Center, Duquette indicated that an agreement remains a possibility and that negotiations could resume again later. However, he also spoke of the depth at first base within the organization and how the Orioles are more focused on finding a left-handed bat for the outfield. The Orioles had a...

Orioles vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson is delighted the club has agreed to terms with reliever Darren O'Day and made a big offer to first baseman Chris Davis. But Anderson said today at FanFest that by letting both players get to free agency, the club is paying more to re-sign them now than it would have cost earlier. "Small to mid-market teams like we are, you have a player, you appreciate them," Anderson said. "But some guys, you can fail to appreciate them when you...

During his briefing with the media this morning at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, new Nationals skipper Dusty Baker quipped that he didn't necessarily pack appropriately for his trip to Washington, D.C., and sounded like the unseasonably warm temperatures caught him by surprise. He made some new friends last night at the nearby Marriott Marquis, where a bunch of Nats fans hunkered down in anticipation of Winterfest weekend and took selfies with the incoming manager. This morning,...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter received a standing ovation from season-ticket holders this morning before his Q&A with executive vice president Dan Duquette. Here are a few nuggets from the session: * Reliever Darren O'Day isn't here, but the club is close to announcing his four-year deal. It should happen on Monday. Manny Machado also isn't here, which Showalter noted after a fan asked about the club's attempts to sign the third baseman to an extension. "Well, if he was here, we could...

Welcome to Nationals Winterfest! Judging from the sandals, shorts and short-sleeved shirts I saw on the red army of Nationals fans marching toward the Walter E. Washington Convention Center this morning on the walk from my parking lot (kudos to Parking Panda for the sweet deal), there won't be much of a snow-glazed tint to this weekend's baseball festivities. Highs in the 60s and 70s? Sheesh, feels more like Viera in March. Bring on the Grapefruit League. But we've got important business to...