As Jayson Werth sat in front of his locker late on Sunday afternoon, he reflected on one of the more chaotic seasons in his 13-year big league career. "Obviously, the injuries are the one thing that sticks out," Werth said searching for reasons why the Nationals were heading home on separate flights instead of a charter to the playoffs. "We didn't win games. You look at what the Mets did down the stretch. That's how you win a division: Timely hitting, timely pitching, they matched up well,...

So the Orioles have said improving their pitching staff is their top priority for the 2016 season. But how will they be able to do that? Can the Orioles really afford to get in a bidding war for a David Price or Jordan Zimmermann level of talent in free agency? Maybe yes, maybe no. But I do think we will reach a point where, whether the Orioles get a frontline starter or not, they may pursue second- or third-level starters. They will need to add depth to the starting rotation. Here are three...

The Orioles will be searching for a starting pitcher this winter who fits at the top of their rotation. They don't figure to stay in the bidding for left-hander David Price, however, since he's going to break the bank into millions and millions of pieces. Yes, there seems to be mutual interest here, with Price liking the idea of pitching for the Orioles, from what I've heard. They're not bothered by his postseason record, but let's take a quick look at it. Price lost again yesterday in...

Two relative newcomers on the postseason scene begin their best-of-five American League Division Series tonight when Kansas City (95-67) hosts Houston (86-76). The Astros beat the New York Yankees 3-0 in the wild card game on Tuesday to reach this ALDS. The Royals ended a 29-year playoffs drought last season when they made a run to the World Series. Houston is in the postseason for the first time since 2005. The Royals went just 11-17 in the last month, but they had a huge lead in their...

Double-A Harrisburg Senators second baseman Chris Bostick will replace injured infielder Wilmer Difo in the Arizona Fall League for the Nationals. Difo is out with a fractured left hand sustained against the Mets in the final weekend of the season and is expected to miss six to eight weeks. Bostick hit .375 (15-for-40) in his last 10 games of the season. The 22-year-old hit a combined .258 in 137 games for two teams, with 22 doubles, eight triples, 31 stolen bases, 12 homers and 58 RBIs....

With the season over, it's time to turn your attention to some spooktacular fun for a good cause. On Saturday, Oct. 31 - yes, Halloween! - Camden Yards will be the site of the sixth annual KidsPeace Trick-or-Trot 5K/1-Mile Walk hosted by Orioles manager Buck Showalter and his wife Angela. The course begins and ends on the same field where the Orioles play, and runs through the Inner Harbor area. The Showalters will host a pre- and post-race party featuring the Oriole Bird and including a...

The Kansas City Royals will begin the defense of their American League pennant when they play the Houston Astros in the American League Division Series. Whoever wins takes on the Texas Rangers or Toronto Blue Jays for the right to play in the World Series. OK, but did you know ... ? * The Astros and Royals came close to playing in the 1980 World Series, back when the Astros were in the National League. The Astros' home ballpark was the Astrodome and they lost the National League Championship...

Hours after Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo fired first-time manager Matt Williams on Monday, he presented a more seasoned approach for choosing the team's next skipper. "We feel that where we're at in our timetable of winning a championship, we certainly would lean toward someone that has some type of managerial experience, especially at the major league level," Rizzo said. Former San Diego Padres manager Bud Black is on the market and has been floated as potentially a good fit for...

Jake Arrieta threw a complete-game shutout last night to lead the Cubs to a 4-0 win over the Pirates in the National League wild card game. Of course he did. This guy can do no wrong. His stuff is nasty and he's got confidence oozing out of his pores. Arrieta always had his chest puffed out with the Orioles, but as one official noted, he came across as a guy trying too hard to mask his insecurities. He'd run into trouble in the first inning and the confidence melted away. You could see it...

Chris Davis is clearly the big fish in the Orioles' pending free agent pond. But he's not the only one, and whether they do re-sign him and for how much could impact other things that happen for the club this winter. The next few months seem critical for the Orioles. But let's start with this basic question: What is the price tag for Davis? Well, that is in the eye of the beholder. Is a six-year deal worth $150 million with an average annual value of $25 million enough to get it done? Will...