The baseball world was rocked this week by a huge trade. The Tigers sent Prince Fielder and $30 million to the Rangers for Ian Kinsler. What offseason? While the blockbuster trade dominated national headlines, the Nationals were busy filling vacancies and finalizing their 40-man roster this week. The Nats brought in a familiar face as their new third-base coach. Bob Henley, who has been with the Nats/Expos for the last 11 years, was hired as the new windmill, filling the vacancy created by...

Because I care so much about your early morning nutrition, I'm heating up more leftovers for breakfast. Use your napkin or sleeve. We're not fussy here. Executive vice president Dan Duquette explained yesterday why the Orioles chose to purchase the contracts of pitchers Tim Berry and Eddie Gamboa, and catcher Michael Ohlman, and protect them in next month's Rule 5 draft. "Tim Berry's got a chance to be a left-handed starter in the big leagues and he had a terrific year," Duquette said....

A few quick thoughts while wondering if Alex Rodriguez still thinks everyone is out to get him. Let's look at some payroll math and see which American League East team was most efficient with its spending in 2013. Here were opening day payrolls for each team last year and the wins that money produced: Orioles at $92.2 million for 85 wins Red Sox at $154.5 million for 97 wins Rays at $61.9 million for 92 wins Yankees at $228.1 million for 85 wins Blue Jays at $119.3 million for 74...

Add another Schoop to the Orioles organization. The Orioles announced this afternoon that they signed Jonathan's older brother, infielder Sharlon Schoop, and outfielder Ronald Bermudez to minor league contracts. Sharlon Schoop, 26, signed with the Royals as a minor league free agent on Nov. 25, 2011. He didn't play this year. Schoop is a career .256/.322/.353 hitter in eight minor league seasons, never rising above Double-A. The Giants signed him as a non-drafted free agent in 2004 and he...

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed today that the club won't attempt to re-sign free-agent pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada after declining to pick up his $5 million option for 2014. Wada, 32, never pitched for the Orioles after signing a two-year, $8.15 million contract on Dec. 14, 2011. He was injured in spring training, made one start with Triple-A Norfolk - allowing six runs in 2 2/3 innings - and underwent ligament-reconstructive surgery on his left elbow on May 11, 2012. Wada...

Mike Rizzo has reunited with another former Diamondbacks connection, as the Nationals have signed right-handed reliever Daniel Stange to a minor league contract with an invitation to big league spring training. In 2006, his final year as the Diamondbacks' scouting director, Rizzo selected Stange with Arizona's seventh-round pick in the First-Year Player Draft. Now Rizzo has given Stange a deal that will bring him to Viera, Fla., where he'll compete for a job in a few months. Stange, a UC...

In the wake of former assistant general manager and vice president of player personnel Roy Clark leaving the Nationals to join the Dodgers, the Nats announced a host of front office promotions today, highlighted by Doug Harris and Kris Kline both being named assistant general managers. Harris, who has spent the last four seasons overseeing the Nats' farm system, will now have the official title of assistant general manager and vice president of player development. Harris was a fourth-round...

The Washington Nationals today promoted Doug Harris to Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Player Development, Kris Kline to Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Scouting Operations, Mark Scialabba to Director of Player Development, Mark Baca to National Supervisor, Jeff Zona to Special Assistant to the General Manager and Fred Costello to National Crosschecker. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Harris...

You have to feel good for a guy who, after pitching for six seasons in 164 games and over 584 1/3 innings, gets his first shot on a club's 40-man roster. Right-hander Eddie Gamboa, who will turn 29 in December and who was drafted by the Orioles in round 21 in 2008, finally made it to the 40-man for the first time last night. His long road to get there included a lot of time in Double-A Bowie, nine games this season at Triple-Norfolk and his conversion this season to a knuckleball...

Yesterday turned interesting in a hurry, huh? At first, we just had a run-of-the-mill offseason day, with teams quietly making tweaks to their 40-man rosters ahead of the midnight deadline to do so. The Nationals added Sammy Solis, Michael Taylor and Aaron Barrett to their 40-man roster and designated left-handers Fernando Abad and Tyler Robertson for assignment, leaving them with a full 40-man roster. Then, minutes later, I had a bunch of people in my Twitter timeline talking about how...