Perhaps concluding their search for catching depth, the Orioles have reached agreement with J.P. Arencibia on a minor league deal that includes an invitation to spring training, according to a source. Arencibia, who turned 29 earlier this week, also can play first base. He's made 21 starts at the position. Arencibia is a career .207/.255/.403 hitter over five major league seasons, the first four with the Blue Jays, and batted .177/.239/.369 last year in 63 games with the Rangers. He's hit 74...

The Nationals announced their minor league coaching staff for the 2015 season. Veteran pitching coach Paul Menhart has been promoted to minor league pitching coordinator and the team named Spin Williams as senior advisor for player development. Gulf Coast Nationals manager Michael Barrett will return to the same position this season and also be the organization's catching coordinator. Newcomers include former major league pitcher Bob Milacki and longtime minor league manager Tommy Shields....

The Washington Nationals today named their Minor League managers, coaches and coordinators for the 2015 season. Nationals Vice President of Player Personnel Bob Boone, Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Player Development and Pro Scouting Doug Harris and Director of Player Development Mark Scialabba made the joint announcement. The Nationals promoted Paul Menhart to Minor League Pitching Coordinator and named Spin Williams a Senior Advisor for Player Development. Menhart embarks...

We're all well aware by now that if the Nationals are not able to reach contract extensions with Jordan Zimmermann or Doug Fister by the end of the 2015 season, those two will be set to hit the free agent market. That would leave the Nats in a bit of a tough spot - two of their top starting pitchers would then be in a position where they could negotiate with all 30 major league teams. And barring some type of major injury or monster dropoff in production this season, both Zimmermann and Fister...

The Nationals coveted right-hander A.J. Cole so much, they traded back for the right-hander in 2013 in the three-team deal that sent Michael Morse to the Mariners. Cole was drafted by the Nationals in 2010, but then traded in 2011 to the Athletics as part of the trade that sent Gio Gonzalez to Washington. Cole struggled at times with Oakland, but after being back with his original team he flourished in 2014. Cole was named the Eastern League pitcher of the week in May and posted a 6-3...

The Orioles are expected later today to announce the signing of outfielder Delmon Young to a one-year contract. Young agreed to terms Dec. 24 on a deal that guarantees him $2.25 million and includes a possible $750,000 in incentives. Who comes off the 40-man roster to make room? Stay tuned. Here's the roster again. Give me your prediction: Pitchers Tim Berry Brad Brach Zach Britton Dylan Bundy Wei-Yin Chen Oliver Drake Eddie Gamboa Jason Garcia Kevin Gausman Miguel Gonzalez Tommy...

Former Orioles pitcher Mike Mussina has some work to do in his bid to make the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. In his first year of eligibility in 2014, Mussina was named on 20.3 percent of the ballots with 14 players getting a higher percentage. On Tuesday, Mussina was named on 24.6 percent of the ballots with 13 players getting more votes. A player needs to be named on 75 percent to make the Hall. If Mussina does someday make it - and I do think he has a good chance eventually - then we'll...

The Baseball Hall of Fame grew by four members yesterday, its largest new class since 1955, as Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio all received the call that they are heading to Cooperstown. The selection process and the voting strategies of many baseball writers who receive a ballot (I am not one of them) have come under fire in recent years, and rightfully so. I've seen some submitted ballots that I strongly disagree with, and some viewpoints that I feel are futile at...

When the Orioles drafted three high school catchers among their top seven picks in the 2013 draft, they knew it was going to take time to develop the trio and for them to advance through the farm system. So far, the process is going quite well for Chance Sisco, taken in the second round (61st overall) in 2013; Jonah Heim, taken in round four (129th overall); and Alex Murphy, selected in round six (189th overall). Sisco won the South Atlantic League batting title this season at Single-A...

Yesterday's Hall of Fame announcement was followed by the usual kicking and screaming over how the voters got it wrong again by denying players accused of cheating. Or they got it right by excluding those players. Either way, lots and lots of kicking and screaming. Always a good time. What's worse, deserving players failing to receive the required number of votes, or Darin Erstad receiving one? I'm going with the latter. That's what makes a mockery of the process. Next time, just sell your...