After he had a monster season in 2013, what should O's fans reasonably expect from Chris Davis next season? Davis led the majors in homers, RBIs and extra-base hits. He had nine more homers and 21 more EBHs than anyone else in the game. Davis became the third player in MLB history to hit at least 50 home runs and 40 doubles in a season, joining Babe Ruth and Albert Belle. He set O's clubs records for homers and EBHs as he batted .286 with 42 doubles, 53 homers, 138 RBIs and a 1.004 OPS....

The Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Jan. 16, which probably has readers of this blog pacing the floor. Settle down. I'll give you another sequel while you wait. Yes, it's the latest installment of "Because You Asked," where I attempt again to answer these same questions. It's our own little School of Roch dance. Who wants to do the bump? Never mind. I'll let you supply the questions. What's the Orioles' biggest priority - starting pitcher, closer, second baseman...

Former Orioles outfielder Chris Dickerson and catcher Taylor Teagarden are no longer on the free agent market. Dickerson signed a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Teagarden signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets. Both players will receive invitations to spring training. Dickerson batted .238/.266/.400 with five doubles, four homers and 13 RBIs in 56 games with the Orioles last season after they signed him in January. They had no interest in bringing him back and...

At No. 5 on the Nationals' top prospects list was left-hander Robbie Ray. Ray was sent to Detroit as part of the trade that brought starting pitcher Doug Fister to the Nationals this offseason. After the season and prior to the trade, Baseball America national writer Aaron Fitt placed Ray at No. 5 on the list, but thought the trade of Ray and Steve Lombardozzi to the Tigers was a win for Washington. "I thought it was a great trade for the Nationals to get an impact starter like Doug...

If it seems like it's been a long time since the Nationals have made an addition to their 40-man roster, well, it's because it's been a long time since the Nationals have made an addition to their 40-man roster. Simple enough reason, I guess. The Nats acquired left-handed reliever Jerry Blevins in a trade with the Athletics on Dec. 11, then officially signed outfielder Nate McLouth to a two-year contract on Dec. 12. Since then, it's pretty much been three weeks of silence out of the...

So, what should the Orioles priority be now that we are about five weeks from the start of spring training? Should it be a starting pitcher? A closer? A DH? Or all three? To me, you almost always go for the pitching. The Orioles tied for fourth in the American League in runs scored last year, and while their offense could certainly use help, the pitching is a bigger priority. I'm fine with Kevin Gausman starting the year in the rotation. But I also have no problem with him working on his...

CAROLINA, Puerto Rico - While you're pondering whether the thermometer will register below-zero readings in the coming days, I'm doing a little former Bird watching in an island paradise, where the local baseball league has reached in its round-robin playoffs. Four teams are vying for the opportunity to represent Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Series, and while catching my first Puerto Rican Winter League game - officially La Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente - between the Indios de...

While the Orioles continue to be questioned for their approach to the offseason, with complementary pieces added but no major impact moves, folks in the industry agree that the team has a nucleus that's the envy of its competitors. One agent challenged me to name a club in the American League East that could top the Orioles in center field and at third base, shortstop, first base and catcher. A few opposing scouts echoed that sentiment at the Winter Meetings. Take away Nick Markakis'...

One of the strange sights from the 2013 season was watching Nick Markakis, a player that hit 43 doubles or more four straight seasons from 2007-2010, turn into a singles hitter. Markakis finished with 24 doubles last season, but, after the All-Star break, he hit just six doubles and two homers in 253 at-bats, posting a slugging percentage of just .300 and OPS of .622. Markakis hit seven homers in April and May and just three in 105 games after that. During the 2012 season Markakis missed...

Tony Plush is trying to return to the big leagues, and Joel Hanrahan is trying to pick up where he left off prior to elbow sugery. Nyjer Morgan, the talkative former Nationals, Brewers and Pirates center fielder who went by the nickname "Tony Plush," is attempting to land a major league contract after spending the 2013 season playing in Japan, his agent told ESPN.com. Morgan hit .294 with 11 homers in 108 games for Yokohama in Japan's Central League last year. The speedster got off to a...