The Nationals felt so confident in the left-handed pitching they have available in their organization that they were will to part with Robbie Ray. Ray came on strong in 2013 and got a lot of attention from opposing scouts. With Double-A Harrisburg, he became a part of a very a tremendous starting five. Ray was 5-2 with a 3.72 ERA in 11 starts at Harrisburg. He had 60 strikeouts and 21 walks. For the season, combined with his high Single-A Potomac numbers, Ray went 11-5 with a 3.36 ERA and 160...

If you take the time to consider which players within the Nationals organization benefit most from this week's trade that brought Doug Fister to D.C. and shipped Steve Lombardozzi, Ian Krol and Robbie Ray to Detroit, there's no doubt that Danny Espinosa's name would be near, if not at, the top of the list. As of Monday morning, Espinosa sat behind Lombardozzi on the Nats' middle infield depth chart. Lombardozzi had established himself as a quality utility player on the major league roster,...

The big news of the week was the Orioles' trade that sent Jim Johnson to the Atheltics in exchange for infielder Jemile Weeks and a player to be named. Many Baltimore fans were sad to see the closer go after back-to-back seasons with at least 50 saves. In honor of Johnson's time with the Birds, we're throwin' it back to his 50th save of the 2013 season, his last save in an Orioles uniform. Your browser does not support iframes.

Earlier this week, the Nationals acquired right-hander Doug Fister from the Tigers in exchange for infielder Steve Lombardozzi, and left-handers Ian Krol and Robbie Ray. Despite the excitement surrounding Fister joining the Nats rotation, many D.C. fans were sad to see Lombardozzi go. The kid from Atholton High School always seemed to be a fan favorite around Nats Park. In honor of his time with the Nationals, we're throwin' it back to one of Lombo's memorable moments. In this highlight...

It's possible that the Orioles will announce today that they've signed former Giants outfielder Francisco Peguero. And it's likely that the news will be met with more sarcasm. Pace yourselves. Is executive vice president Dan Duquette aware of, or concerned about, negative fan reaction to the Jim Johnson trade? "I think that's natural when you have changes to your club or to your roster," he said. "I think the important thing for our players and our fans to know is that we're going to...

Is the Orioles' window of opportunity closing after the next season or two? Shortstop J.J. Hardy will be a free agent after the 2014 season, which could also be Nick Markakis' last season in an O's uniform. Matt Wieters and Chris Davis can be free agents after the 2015 season. Those are four key Orioles starters that could be gone after the 2014 season or the year after. That has led some reporters and fans to look at the next season or two as the Orioles' window of opportunity to make...

Orioles superfan Romeo Santos believes that O's fans are "the most loyal and dedicated fans in all of baseball" and professional sports. And this year, he may have the chance to represent the Baltimore fanbase if he is named to the ESPN Fan Hall of Fame. If you have ever been to an Orioles game at Camden Yards or caught a game on MASN, you may have noticed Santos, leading fans in cheers while wearing his bright orange Orioles helmet. Santos makes it to roughly 50 games each year at Camden...

In an effort to spread holiday cheer throughout the D.C. region, the Washington Nationals will participate in a series of community events that make up the team's "Week of Giving" beginning next Monday, December 9 through Saturday, December 14. During the week, Nationals players and front office staff will partake in activities aimed at giving back to the local community while celebrating the spirit of the holidays. To start off the week of events, Nationals pitcher Ross Detwiler* and...

Executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed today that the Orioles are on the verge of signing outfielder Francisco Peguero, who was non-tendered by the Giants on Monday. Peguero would have to pass a physical before the deal becomes official. "We're working on it, but nothing is in place," Duquette said. "It's not a done deal. We're still in the process." Peguero, 25, went 6-for-29 with the Giants this year, posting a .207/.233/.345 line with a double, home run, four runs scored...

What an insane week this has already been in Major League Baseball. And we're only through Tuesday. The following deals all went down in the last two days (terms are according to various media reports): Jacoby Ellsbury turned in his Red Sox for some pinstripes, agreeing to a seven-year, $153 million deal with the Yankees. The Red Sox signed catcher A.J. Pierzynski to a one-year, $8.25 million deal. The Rockies inked first baseman Justin Morneau to a two-year deal worth around $13 million....