The new class of Hall of Famers will be announced Tuesday, and this time, the 500-plus voters from the Baseball Writers' Association of America had a new wrinkle to debate. There are three dozen names or so on the ballot, but the voting rules from the Hall of Fame say that a voter can select no more than 10. The problem is that many voters think there are more than 10 qualified players. So, that means voters will come up with a unique strategy. Mike Berardino, who covers the Minnesota Twins...

On Memorial Day 2011, Orioles left-hander Zach Britton was 5-2 with a 2.35 ERA in 10 starts. He looked every bit then what he was - one of the best young pitching prospects in the game. But shoulder issues impacted his next two seasons when he posted ERAs of 5.07 and 4.95 and the once-promising pitcher came to spring training last February out of options. But he would never be out of a job. The Orioles were confident he could pitch well when healthy and he sure did that. After a winter of...

The Mariners reportedly have acquired Seth Smith from the Padres, removing another outfielder from the Orioles' list of possible winter acquisitions. The Orioles have been in discussions with the Padres while continuing their search for a left-handed hitting outfielder who also can rotate into the designated hitter slot. I'm not close to the Padres, but I assume that they'll hold onto Will Venable, who also has drawn interest from the Orioles. They can't have a roster filled with...

The Baseball America top 10 Nationals prospects list was altered a bit after the acquisitions of Joe Ross and Trea Turner. The list bumped Nick Pivetta to No. 11 and Austin Voth to No. 12. Voth, a 22-year-old right-hander, spent last season with three teams, going 4-3 with a 2.45 ERA in 13 starts. He went 2-1 with a 1.43 ERA in six starts with Single-A Potomac. And now let's turn our focus to ... No. 11: right-hander Nick Pivetta Pivetta went 13-8 with a 4.22 ERA for low Single-A...

A little over three months from now (three months and a week, to be exact), the Nationals will open their 2015 regular season at home against the Mets. It'll be a 4:05 p.m. contest on a Monday afternoon. Bolt work a couple of hours early and bundle up. There is still a good bit to be decided before then when it comes to the construction of the Nats roster. Who will play second base? Who will take up the last couple of spots in the bullpen? How will the five bench spots be handled? Will any of...

This might be a difficult task, but what were your favorite Orioles games from the 2014 regular season? If we counted the playoffs, of course, one or all three of the wins against Detroit in the American League Division Series would make the list. Delmon Young's three-run pinch-hit double in the eighth of Game 2 might rank among the greatest moments in club history. Certainly, it produced one of the most amazing comebacks and loudest moments ever at Camden Yards. But here is my list of the...

I'm still hearing that the Orioles don't have serious interest in free agent Ichiro Suzuki. However, they do hold legitimate interest in another left-handed hitting outfielder, Colby Rasmus, and have maintained a dialogue with agent Casey Close since the Winter Meetings in San Diego. This is more than just rumor or speculation. The Orioles need a left-handed hitting outfielder who can rotate into the designated hitter slot in the lineup, which is why they've also been linked to Nori Aoki. I...

I'm not going to lie - the pictures of Nationals Park with a hockey rink smack dab in the middle of the field both look very bizarre and also have me very excited for the NHL Winter Classic on New Year's Day. I won't be attending the game between the Capitals and Blackhawks, largely because I plan on enjoying the afternoon from the warmth and comfort of my couch instead of sitting through a game in which temperatures will be in the upper 30s. But it will be cool to see the NHL's premiere...

The Orioles have been viewed as the favorites to host the 2016 All-Star Game, but I'm told that it's not going to happen. The club hasn't been officially notified, but a source says it won't be played at Camden Yards. The Orioles last hosted the All-Star Game in 1993, one year after the ballpark opened. The 2015 All-Star Game will be played in Cincinnati, and the Nationals are expected to host it in 2017. The leagues traditionally alternate hosting it and Baltimore was deemed the most...

When it comes to Orioles catcher Matt Wieters, there are more questions than answers right now. Will he make a complete recovery from Tommy John surgery? Can he be ready by opening day? Will the solid offense he showed last year carry over? Will he be an Oriole beyond 2015? Will he even make it as an Oriole through the season or could he be an in-season trade candidate? Here are Wieters' numbers the last few seasons: 2011: He hit .262 with 22 homers, 68 RBIs and had a .450 slugging percentage...