SAN DIEGO - Day Two of the Winter Meetings finished with a flourish, as Jon Lester and the Cubs agreed to terms on a six-year, $155 million contract, a deal that could quickly shift the offseason landscape and lead to increased action during our remaining time in San Diego. Lester chose the Cubs over the Red Sox and Giants, and depending on who you believe, the Dodgers might have jumped in as a late candidate for the ace left-hander's services, as well. This contract immediately vaults the...

SAN DIEGO - On the Orioles' list of priorities at the Winter Meetings, finding another catcher ranks somewhere below outfielders and bullpen arms. Not a huge priority or a splashy move, but a perceived necessity with Matt Wieters' uncertain status for opening day. One name to keep in mind is Sandy Leon, a switch-hitter who's appeared in 34 games with the Nationals over parts of three major league seasons. The Orioles have liked Leon for a while and they've engaged in trade talks with the...

Of course, Baltimore admired Nick Markakis' on-field performance year in and year out, but it was his quiet leadership and charitable work in the community that made Baltimore fall in love with him. Just as Orioles fans began to love Markakis, the right fielder fell in love with Baltimore. A week after making the decision to sign with the Atlanta Braves, Markakis took out a two-page ad in the Baltimore Sun to give thanks for Orioles fans and the city he calls home. Click here to read...

SAN DIEGO - In order to mentally shorten my stay at the Winter Meetings, I traditionally view today as the finish line. The Rule 5 draft takes place Thursday morning and everyone bolts for the airport as if there's a bag of money waiting for them at their gate. Today is the last full 24-hour period of rumor chasing, lobby roaming and suite visiting. Skeptics hear that Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette anticipates getting a couple of players at the meetings and wonder whether he's...

SAN DIEGO - Nationals manager Matt Williams likes to plan things out, down to the smallest detail. From lineup combinations to how every minute in spring training drills will be accounted for, Williams has a reputation as a taskmaster who doesn't relish wasting time or energy. So a proclamation by the manager at the Winter Meetings that Steven Souza Jr. has worked his way into the 25-man roster conversation is a significant step for the rookie outfielder. Williams said the 25-year-old made...

SAN DIEGO - While Orioles fans wait to see what winter additions their team will make, other American League East teams have been more active. The Boston Red Sox are back to spending big money and the New York Yankees may join them. They are not alone. While Boston signed Hanley Ramirez for $88 million and Pablo Sandoval for $95 million, the Yankees gave former Oriole Andrew Miller $36 million. Toronto signed catcher Russell Martin for $82 million and traded for Josh Donaldson. Manager Buck...

SAN DIEGO - Last spring, the Nationals intended to give third baseman Ryan Zimmerman some reps at first base, the first steps in preparation for an eventual positional switch. Manager Matt Williams devised some interesting wordplay to cover the order in which Zimmerman, dealing with right shoulder soreness that had limited his availability two weeks before camp broke, would tackle those assignments. "I want him to play third first - no pun intended - and then play first second," Williams...

SAN DIEGO - As a reporter began to ask Orioles manager Buck Showalter this afternoon about the moves made by the Yankees and Red Sox during the offseason, he interrupted with a question of his own. "They run out of money yet?" Probably not, which doesn't have him overly concerned. This isn't Showalter's first season with the Orioles and it isn't his first time at the Winter Meetings. Good luck trying to ruffle his feathers. Showalter was relaxed and quick with a quip during his media...

SAN DIEGO - Mike Rizzo had "a lot of dialogue with a lot of teams" during Day Two of the Winter Meetings, but the Nationals general manager said that no deals are imminent at this point. He has not met with right-hander Jordan Zimmermann's representatives as of yet during the Winter Meetings, but plans to before the week is up. "Zim's part of the furniture here," Rizzo said. "He's drafted, signed, developed and starred with the same organization. We feel he's one of our own, and we're...

SAN DIEGO - Nationals manager Matt Williams just met with local reporters for nearly a half-hour, and while I don't have the time to pass along a full notebook from his session, here are some quick hits before I run off to take part in Mike Rizzo's nightly meeting with the media. * Williams understands the situation that Rizzo is in this winter when it comes to the crop of players that are set to become free agents in 2015, and he acknowledges that the Nats are listening to offers on Jordan...