SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are close to signing free agent shortstop Everth Cabrera to a one-year deal, according to sources. A few issues need to be resolved before it becomes official. Cabrera has taken his physical, but that's not the only holdup. Cabrera, a career .248/.319/.333 hitter in six seasons with the Padres before they non-tendered him, was charged in November with resisting arrest after being stopped for suspicion of driving under the influence of marijuana two months earlier....

The Nationals have the best rotation in baseball, but considering the way pitching is stacked in the National League East, they might need it to win a second consecutive division title. The Braves usually challenge the Nationals. But this year, the Mets and the Marlins are likely to be the Nationals' biggest headaches. The Braves rotation is strong, but not as deep as last season. The Phillies are trying to start over, and lefty Cole Hamels will be front and center in trade discussions as...

Time to take a look at the part of this Nationals team guaranteed to damage a plethora of hitters' egos and cause a lot of sleepless nights for opposing managers in 2015: the starting rotation. Every night throughout the season, the Nationals' starting pitcher should have his name in lights on a marquee outside the ballpark. This is a blockbuster five-man rotation. It figures to be the main storyline for this team and one that all of Major League Baseball will follow during the season. The...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles should have enough utility infielders after yesterday's signing of veteran Jayson Nix to a Triple-A deal with an invitation to spring training. It's time to say "when." Nix, who can earn $750,000 if he makes the team, is a career .212/.282/.345 hitter in seven major league seasons with eight teams and a .259/.330/.415 hitter in 14 minor league seasons. He's a former first-round pick, which always brings a certain appeal to executive vice president Dan...

The Orioles made their minor league managing and coaching assignments official yesterday and they sure have a solid list of eight managers, counting four at full-season affiliates, two with short-season clubs and two for their Dominican Summer League teams. The managers at their top three affiliates either already are or could become the winningest managers for those teams by the end of 2015. Ron Johnson, 58, is entering his fourth year as skipper at Triple-A Norfolk. He has a record of an even...

Executive vice president Dan Duquette had been seeking another infielder to bring to Sarasota and added one this afternoon, signing Jayson Nix to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. The Orioles now have 57 players coming to camp, including 16 non-roster invitees. Nix, 32, was selected in the first round by the Rockies in 2001, and has played seven major league seasons with eight different clubs and at seven different positions. He is primarily an infielder, having...

Former Orioles reliever Alan Mills has moved up two levels in the farm system to become pitching coach at Double-A Bowie. Mills continues a climb that began at short-season Single-A Aberdeen, where he spent two seasons. He served last summer as pitching coach at Single-A Delmarva. "It's just a job," said Mills, who pitched for the Orioles from 1992-98 and again in 2000-01. "Wherever I am, it's my job to help them make progress. I really don't focus too much on where I am or where I'm...

While the Orioles' location of spring training operations in Sarasota County began as a back-up plan of sorts, it has become a valuable and uniting force between the O's and the county. When the Orioles failed to lock down a long-term deal with the city of Fort Lauderdale for spring operations more than five years ago, they began to look west. "We did the deal (with Sarasota in 2009) because the (Orioles) ownership felt it was such a good community and such a good fit for the fan base,...

The Orioles announced their minor league coaching staffs today for their affiliates this afternoon. All six managers for their U.S.-based clubs will return for next year, but a few are with new teams. As previously reported here at MASNSports.com, Ron Johnson will return as manager at Triple-A Norfolk with Gary Kendall at Double-A Bowie, Orlando Gomez at Single-A Frederick and Ryan Minor returning to Single-A Delmarva. Luis Pujols will manage at short-season Single-A Aberdeen and Matt Merullo...

The Orioles today announced the coaching staffs for their eight minor league affiliates for the 2015 season. Ron Johnson returns for his fourth season as the manager at Triple-A Norfolk after guiding the Tides to a 65-79 mark in 2014. The 2015 season will be Johnson's 22nd as a minor league manager. He has compiled 1,477 career victories (1,477-1,478 overall) and is 68 wins shy of matching the record for most managerial wins in Tides franchise history after going 216-216 over his first three...