The Orioles still haven't decided whether to sign veteran hitter Jack Cust to a minor league deal. Discussions continue on whether to bring him to spring training as one of the invites. "It's still under consideration," said executive vice president Dan Duquette. Cust worked out for three days this week at the mini-camp in Sarasota. He left the complex unsure if he would land a job. The feeling here is that the Orioles will sign Cust as long as he's willing to begin the 2014 season at...

The Nationals had a whopping 10 players eligible for arbitration this offseason, leaving assistant general manager Bryan Minniti, general manager Mike Rizzo and others with quite a lengthy to-do list when it came to finalizing contracts with these players for 2014 and possibly beyond. Minniti, Rizzo and company checked off most of the items on that list within the last handful of weeks, agreeing to one-year deals with left-handed reliever Jerry Blevins, left-hander Ross Detwiler, right-hander...

Liam Hendriks was destined to join the Orioles. He's been connected to them so many times, it just seemed inevitable. Hendriks can rattle off the incidents in order, and with a smile on his bearded face. Maybe they're mere coincidences, but he comes across as Baltimore baseball's version of Forrest Gump. Hendriks was scratched from an April 2012 start at Camden Yards after coming down with a severe case of food poisoning. He was supposed to work the finale of a three-game season-opening...

It has been a winter with some Matt Wieters rumors. There were rumblings that the Orioles have approached Wieters and agent Scott Boras about a long-term contract, but did not make much progress. That led to rumors that the club was open to trading Wieters. At this point, there's been no long-term deal or trade. Is it a coincidence that of the six players who were eligible for arbitration, the only one yet to agree to terms with the club is Wieters? Wieters is seeking $8.75 million through...

The Orioles today announced that they have agreed to terms with first baseman Chris Davis, right-hander Tommy Hunter, left-hander Brian Matusz, right-hander Bud Norris and left-hander Troy Patton on one-year contracts, thus avoiding arbitration. Davis, 27, led the majors with 53 home runs, 138 RBI and 370 total bases in 160 games for the Orioles in 2013. He made his first All-Star team in 2013 and was the overall leading vote-getter for the Midsummer Classic. Hunter, 27, was 6-5 with a 2.81...

Catcher Matt Wieters is the only arbitration-eligible Orioles player who didn't agree to terms today. The Orioles have submitted their salary figure and are waiting for agent Scott Boras to make a counter proposal. Negotiations will continue while a hearing date is scheduled for next month. A three-member panel will choose a winner if the sides go to arbitration. Wieters made $5.5 million last season while batting .235/.287/.417 with 29 doubles, 22 homers and 79 RBIs. Boras turned down the...

The Nationals have agreed to terms with shortstop Ian Desmond on a two-year, $17.5 million deal, according to a source familiar with the contract, which buys out Desmond's last two years of arbitration. The deal is very similar to the one agreed to earlier today by Jordan Zimmermann. Both players now have set salaries for 2014 and 2015, and the Nats still hope to finalize long-term deals with Zimmermann and Desmond, but both are still free agents after the 2015 campaign. Desmond will make...

The Nationals and Jordan Zimmermann agreed to a two-year, $24 million contract today, a deal that buys out Zimmermann's final two arbitration years and locks him in at salaries of $7.5 million for this year and $16.5 million for 2015. But before that deal was even discussed, Zimmermann and the Nationals talked about a long-term deal. During a phone conversation this afternoon, Zimmermann described those long-term contract talks as "preliminary" and said that he and the Nats were not close...

Nationals fans will be able to catch Grapefuit League action throughout the spring Washington Nationals broadcast partners Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) and 106.7 The Fan will broadcast a total of 14 Nationals Spring Training matchups throughout the weeks leading up to the start of the 2014 regular season. The Nationals 2014 Grapefruit League schedule features six games televised by MASN and a combined ten games airing on 106.7 The Fan and partner station CBS Sports Radio 1580 WJFK AM....

The Nationals have agreed to a two-year, $24 million deal with right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, a source confirmed late this morning. The deal does not extend the length that the Nationals control Zimmermann, but it effectively buys out Zimmermann's final two years of arbitration and provides him a set salary through the 2015 season. Zimmermann will make $7.5 million in 2014 and $16.5 million in 2015, the source confirmed. The New York Post was first to report the Nats and Zimmermann...