The Orioles today announced that they have signed free agent right-hander Edgmer Escalona to a one-year contract. Escalona, 27, went 1-4 with a 5.67 ERA (46.0IP, 29ER) for Colorado in 2013, posting career-highs in appearances (37), innings (46.0) and strikeouts (34). He is currently fourth in the Venezuelan Winter League with a 2.10 ERA in 34.1 innings pitched over six starts. In four major league seasons with the Rockies, he went 1-5 with a 4.50 ERA (100.0IP, 50ER) in 78 relief appearances,...

Second in a three-part series on how the Nationals are focusing on improving nutrition in the minor leagues. Read the first part here. Sports dietician Leslie Bonci, who is employed by the Nationals, has seen the change the last few years in baseball players. They want to get better, and not just by playing the sport, but by improving their strength and conditioning. Bonci said that begins with nutrition. And that is where she helps the Nationals players, especially at the minor league...

The Orioles have reached agreement with Colorado Rockies reliever Edgmer Escalona and are awaiting the results of his physical before announcing the signing, which is believed to be a one-year deal. Escalona, 27, went 1-4 with a 5.67 ERA in 37 games this season, with 52 hits, 14 walks and 34 strikeouts in 46 innings. Escalona, a native of Venezuela, has spent his entire career in the Rockies organization, going 1-5 with a 4.50 ERA in 78 relief appearances over parts of four seasons. The...

I wrote yesterday that the Nationals had signed veteran right-hander Chris Young to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league spring training. Today, the Nats officially announced the Young deal, and also announced they've agreed to a minor league deal with another right-handed pitcher, Gabriel Alfaro. Alfaro, 30, has spent just two seasons in affiliated baseball in the United States, playing for short-season Single-A Auburn in 2005 and 2006 back when that team was affiliated...

I feel like David Letterman right now, rattling off a list of the top reasons Bob Henley was a good choice as the Nationals' new third base coach. But I wanted to add a few nuggets on Henley, and why, based on what I've heard, the former catcher was a smart hire by Nationals manager Matt Williams and general manager Mike Rizzo. Full disclosure: I've never had an extended chat with Henley. I don't know the man all that well on a personal level from my two years covering the Nationals,...

If the Orioles once had a frosty relationship with agent Scott Boras, it has certainly thawed in the last few years, which is important now. Two major Boras clients, Chris Davis and Matt Wieters, are Orioles who are now two years from free agency. It is a critical time for the club to determine if they can re-sign one or both, or if the best move would be to trade one or both. There have already been rumors that the O's haven't gotten very far in their pursuit of a long-term deal with...

New Orioles pitching coach Dave Wallace has reached out to a handful of starters and relievers on the staff, talking to some over the phone and leaving messages for others. Zach Britton figures to be one of Wallace's projects in spring training, and they had a brief conversation a few weeks ago. "It was just a quick call, kind of a touching-base thing," Britton said. "He introduced himself and told me that he'd give me a call back fairly soon, kind of discuss things a little more...

Needing a new third base coach, the Nationals have decided to promote from within, and have hired Bob Henley for the position. Henley has previously served as the Nationals' minor league field coordinator. The 40-year-old Henley has been with the Nationals/Expos organization for the last 11 years. He managed the Nationals' Gulf Coast League affiliate in 2009 and led that team to the GCL title, and has also managed high Single-A Potomac. Henley has been the Nats' minor league field...

The Nationals have re-signed veteran right-hander Chris Young to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league spring training, a source confirmed, providing a bit more starting pitching depth within the organization. Young had trouble staying on the field due to injury last season and got hit hard in his nine starts within the Nats system, going 1-2 with a 6.81 ERA. In his seven starts at Triple-A Syracuse, Young allowed 50 hits and 28 earned runs in 32 innings of work, striking out...

The Orioles' scouting staff is undergoing a few changes. Three scouts are gone from the organization and director of amateur scouting Gary Rajsich will need to hire their replacements over the next few weeks. Chris Gale, the Orioles' area scout in the Carolinas and southern Virginia, left the organization this week to take a pro scouting position with Cleveland. Gale was the area scout that scouted and helped in the signing of the Orioles' 2013 first-round pick, high school pitcher Hunter...