SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles held their second minicamp workout today under a bright blue sky. Yesterday's rain gave way to gorgeous sunshine, allowing eight pitchers to throw off mounds. Hunter Harvey and Parker Bridwell were in the first group, followed by Mychal Givens and Brian Gonzalez, Jon Keller and Pat McCoy, and Eddie Gamboa and Mike Wright. Calvert Hall graduate Alex Murphy drew the short straw and had to catch Gamboa's knuckleball. He survived the experience. A small group of...

There are all sorts of league-mandated deadlines involving arbitration-eligible players during the offseason. And boy, is it entertaining, thrilling stuff. Is that sarcasm jumping off the page at ya, or what? To start the process off, teams must tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players (players with at least three years, but fewer than six years of major league service time) by a certain date early in the offseason. The teams and players then have time to negotiate a deal for the...

The weather may be frigid, but don't worry. We know a way you can keep warm! Over the next two days, you can enjoy a pair of "Nationals Classics" on MASN HD. First, watch one of the best games of Jordan Zimmermann's career from the 2013 season. You also don't want to miss one of the many comeback wins the Nationals had in 2012. Here's what's on deck this week on MASN HD: Tuesday, Jan. 13, 7 p.m.: Zimmermann outdueled the Reds' Homer Bailey on April 26, 2013. Zimmermann threw a...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Ryan Webb's had a busy offseason, undergoing surgery on his non-throwing shoulder and getting married. For many people, marriage is far more painful than anything that happens on an operating table, but Webb is an exception. Good for him. Webb, who signed a two-year, $4.5 million deal with the Orioles in December 2013, had a procedure done to tighten the shoulder capsule. "I feel great," he said yesterday after the first day of minicamp. "Should be 100 percent ready to go...

The Orioles tonight announced that they have agreed to terms with right-hander Tommy Hunter on a one-year contract, thus avoiding arbitration. Hunter, 28, went 3-2 with a 2.97 ERA (60.2IP, 20ER) and a career-high 11 saves in 60 games with the Orioles in 2014. Over 226 games (75 starts) in the majors, Hunter is 42-31 with a 4.32 ERA (616.1IP, 296ER) and 15 saves.

It has been a very interesting last few months for Orioles right-hander Eddie Gamboa, who made it back to the club's 40-man roster on Dec. 3 when he signed a major league contract. That was a real triumph for Gamboa. For the last two years, he's been transitioning to a knuckleball pitcher. Last March, he worked 4 2/3 scoreless innings in big league exhibition games, making a solid impression, and he followed that up by pitching to a 4.06 ERA at Triple-A Norfolk. He seemed to be on a path to...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Mark Hendrickson isn't ready to retire. He isn't ready to move into the next phase of his professional life. He's throwing better than he has in years, a lower arm slot raising his confidence that he can make it back to the majors for the first time in four years. This isn't a repeat, though the story is familiar. Hendrickson is receiving his second tryout in three years with the Orioles, who also invited him to the 2013 minicamp at Camden Yards. He received a minor...

Last year, the baseball season was defined by a record number of pitchers sidelined with Tommy John surgery, a procedure that requires ligament replacement in the elbow. This season, star pitchers who missed 2014 will be returning, and the National League East could be in for a big change as far as the teams that will challenge the Nationals. The Nationals won the division by 17 games last season, but the Atlanta Braves - usually their biggest challenger - are short on pitching thanks in part...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles catcher Matt Wieters increased his throwing to 120 feet today, the fourth distance he's covered since starting his program in late November. "In the whole progression of step things, it's not a big day, but this is a step day," said manager Buck Showalter. Wieters started a light throwing program immediately after Thanksgiving, heading outdoors every other day to play catch with physical therapist Lloyd Van Pamelen in Atlanta. The distance started at 45 feet and...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have announced a new multi-year deal naming CBS Radio's 105.7 The Fan (WJZ-FM) the flagship station of the Orioles Radio Network. Starting with the 2015 season, fans will be able to hear all 162 regular season games, select spring training games and other Orioles programming on 105.7 The Fan and across the seven-state, 34-station Orioles Radio Network. Joe Angel and Fred Manfra, returning for their 12th season together, will continue to call the games. 105.7...