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SAN DIEGO - Guess who's back at the Manchester Grand Hyatt for Day Two of the Winter Meetings?
The MASNsports.com team is set up and ready to deliver any and all Nationals news from San Diego all the way back to Washington! Will the Nationals make a trade at some point? Will they sign a free agent? If it happens today, you can be sure to read about it here.
Headlines
* Nationals trying to assess trade value of their 2015 free agents (with note) - Dan Kolko
* Interpreting Rizzo's comments...
SAN DIEGO - It was interesting to hear executive vice president Dan Duquette suggest the Orioles are more likely to acquire an outfielder right now via free agency rather than through a trade.
I don't think that ends any rumors about the club's possible pursuit of Matt Kemp or Justin Upton, but that seems unlikely at this moment.
Here is the lengthy list of free agent corner outfielders according to MLBTradeRumors.com:
Nori Aoki (33)
Melky Cabrera (30)
Mike Carp (29)
Endy Chavez (37)
Tyler...
SAN DIEGO - If Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette really had a sense of humor, he would have greeted reporters in his suite yesterday while wearing a Blue Jays cap.
Too soon?
It's pointless to keep asking Duquette about his reported desire to join the Blue Jays as president/CEO. He isn't going to confirm it and he isn't going to provide a stern denial. He's just going to stress that his focus remains on the Orioles.
Keep squinting while reading between the lines, but don't...
SAN DIEGO - The Orioles are looking for outfielders via trade and the free agent market. The Nationals are mum about their plans for finding a second baseman.
And, generally across both leagues, the action is slow.
Big-name players going in the trade could define these Winter Meetings, and the dealings will start after lefty Jon Lester decides where he's going to play. He could return to Boston or sign with the Cubs and renew his relationship with former Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein,...
SAN DIEGO - ESPN's Keith Law knows something about how baseball teams run their front offices. He worked for the Toronto Blue Jays from 2002-06, now covers everything from the minors to the majors for ESPN and ESPN.com, and is a big part of the network's coverage from the Winter Meetings.
Law talked at length with me about reports that Toronto has interest in Dan Duquette for a president/CEO position with their team.
Keith, what is your reaction to this news?
"I think the new trend now in...
SAN DIEGO - When holding trade talks involving major league players, there's more to consider than just the names, ages and the past on-field histories of the guys involved.
The contracts play a major part in the process, as well.
Teams want talented players, but they want talented players who are under team control for multiple years at a reasonable price.
That's why Tanner Roark, for example, holds a good bit of value. Not only has Roark made a major impact on the mound the last two...
SAN DIEGO - Infielder Danny Espinosa said last season that he's toying with the idea of ditching switch-hitting and batting exclusively from the right side of the plate. While Espinosa seems willing to make the switch, the Nationals aren't saying if that's the plan going into spring training.
It might not be until Grapefruit League games begin that their plans for Espinosa become evident.
Meeting with reporters today in his suite at the Manchester Grand Hyatt to recap the first day of...
SAN DIEGO - Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo is approaching this offseason with a totally open mind.
With a load of talented players under contract for the 2015 season, the Nationals could be World Series contenders even if they don't add much the rest of this winter. They also could make a splash, adding a big-name infielder or trading one of the guys in their collection of players who will become free agents after this upcoming season, a group that includes starting pitchers Jordan...
SAN DIEGO - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette relaxed on a sofa in his suite at the Manchester Grand Hyatt this afternoon, members of the local media lined up on chairs in front of him trying to ascertain whether he was close to signing a free agent or making a trade. He dispensed the information, careful not to reveal too much, and waited for the inevitable questions about the Blue Jays.
Duquette is trying to piece together a roster and eliminate the notion that he's distracted...
SAN DIEGO - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said the club made some progress in its effort to add one or more outfielders today at the Winter Meetings.
After his group press conference with Baltimore-area media, Duquette took part in a one-on-one interview with MASNSports.com. That video will be posted here later.
"We've been able to meet with several of the agents for the free agent outfielders and we're going to meet with a few more this week," Duquette said. "I'm...