SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles used 26 different pitchers last season. That may seem like a lot, but imagine if they had used the same one. The poor guy would have been exhausted and practically living with Dr. James Andrews. Yes, that's renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews to you and me. Nineteen different pitchers recorded wins in 2013, tying the 2001 and 2012 clubs for the second-most in franchise history. The 2011 team had 20 pitchers win a game. Not the same game, of course. It was 20...

If you grade the Orioles' offense on the bottom line - and that is runs scored - it would get decent grades for the 2013 season. The O's scored 745 runs last year to tie for fourth in the American League. Only Boston (853), Detroit (796) and Oakland (767) scored more. The O's scored 31 more runs in 2013 than they did in 2012. They averaged 4.6 runs per game and the AL average was 4.33. But going beyond just the runs scored, most fans could tell you there are areas on the offense the...

When discussing the Nationals' bench options for this upcoming season, I've heard a few people take casual shots at Scott Hairston, saying that they don't see much of a place for Hairston in 2014. That's only natural, I guess; not only do we live in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately type of world, but fans in this area have yet to see Hairston have much success in a Nationals jersey. They have seen Tyler Moore slug 10 homers in limited playing time in 2012, and some might feel that Moore...

Former Oriole Rafael Palmeiro is on the very short list of players that have both 3,000 hits and 500 homers. The group includes Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray and Palmeiro. That is one of the most exclusive lists in the history of the sport and those accomplishments clearly cement Palmeiro's credentials to be a Hall of Famer. But he'll probably never make it to Cooperstown. Like many other players, Palmeiro is tied to performance-enhancing drugs, but unlike some others, he is now off...

Longtime pitching coach Ray Miller used to instruct his staff to work fast, change speeds and throw strikes. It was such a catchy phrase, and so important in developing Cy Young candidates, that he had T-shirts made as a reminder. New Orioles pitching coach Dave Wallace shares a similar credo, though he has his own ideas to go along with it. "I think that's pretty good," Wallace said. "Ray's been a real good friend. I know him well and he had great success as a pitching coach. Those are...

Yesterday's news that the Nationals agreed to terms on a one-year contract with right-hander Stephen Strasburg, avoiding arbitration, led to some discussion on Twitter and in the comment section of the blog on the $3.975 salary the pitcher will receive in 2014. Some readers felt that Strasburg's salary for this upcoming season was a bit low and that the Nationals should have offered him a deal with a larger payout for 2014. In reality, the arbitration system is very controlled and leans...

CAGUAS, Puerto Rico - Thirty minutes before first pitch at Estadio Yldefonso Sola Morales, Alex Cora is working the rail at the home dugout on the third base side like it's a receiving line at a wedding reception. He stops and greets every player on Los Criollos de Caguas, shaking hands, slapping palms and offering encouragement. If not for the fact that he's in a short-sleeved plaid shirt with a backpack slung over his shoulder, you'd think the smiling 38-year-old was one of the...

Now that the euphoria over Alexi Casilla's signing has started to dissipate, I decided to empty out the ol' notebook and give you a few more quotes from manager Buck Showalter's interview Thursday night on WBAL Radio. Showalter was asked for his feelings on the present Orioles roster - minus Casilla, of course - and he responded that he "felt fine." Here's more: "I look at it like there's nothing else coming," he said. "There may be. I think that's such a poor reflection for the...

The Nationals announced tonight that they've agreed to terms with right-hander Stephen Strasburg, avoiding arbitration. It's a one-year deal for Strasburg, which really just serves as a procedural move. The 25-year-old is under team control through the 2016 season, but through the arbitration process, his yearly salaries over the remainder of his deal will be negotiated between his agent and the Nats, with a hearing with an arbiter looming if the two sides cannot settle on terms. Strasburg...

Well, I've softened my stance on one aspect of baseball. Years ago, I used to believe that the closer was the most important player on the team and any club with designs on a championship needed a top-notch talent for that role. I still think it's a pretty critical role, but maybe don't feel quite as strongly as I once did. I still haven't come to the other side and to the conclusion that many have that the closer is overrated and that almost any good reliever could fill that role. It...