In March, the Orioles hired former major leaguer Nelson Norman to serve as their director of baseball operations in the Dominican Republic. Norman oversees all aspects of the organization's Dominican program and managed one of their two teams this year in the Dominican Summer League. A former major league infielder born in San Pedro de Macoris, Norman, 54, has over two decades of experience in player development with Montreal, Atlanta, Boston, Minnesota, St. Louis and Washington, both in the...

Days tend to stretch to weeks, and weeks to months, when it comes to the Orioles announcing changes to their coaching staff. We should have plenty of time to speculate about candidates and hires. Unfortunately, you're going to come across some names that don't belong. It happens. It's "Guesses Gone Wild," with industry types offering opinions based on a variety of factors. Logic doesn't always lead to truth. I'm hearing that three or four candidates already are lined up for interviews...

Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. still hasn't been contacted about interviewing for a managing job next season despite the continuing speculation that he will return to the dugout. Ripken, currently working the National League Championship Series for TBS, remains open to the idea. Nothing has changed in that regard. "When I do these things, I get asked that kind of question and I try to answer as honestly as I can," Ripken said during a phone interview with MASNsports.com. "I've always said...

For as long as I remember, I've been intrigued by cemeteries. Not just the otherworldly aspects - which seem apropos now that Halloween is a couple of weeks away - but the intricate designs of the headstones and monuments. As a child, I can remember riding by local graveyards and being transfixed by the way the shadows of ornate obelisks and stately mausoleums reflected the moonlight. When my family moved next to Baltimore National Cemetery on the Baltimore City/Baltimore County line in 1984,...

There is a new wave of talent starting to gain momentum in the Nationals organization. That wave of talent is emanating from the Dominican Republic Academy the Nationals established a few years back, led by administrator Fausto Severino. I would not be surprised to see several of these Dominican pitchers work their way up through the minor league ranks of the Nationals system beginning next season. This confidence stems from how good these pitchers were with the rookie-level Gulf Coast...

The Nationals continue to keep the details of their managerial search hush-hush, but as we get deeper into October, things are slowly starting to progress in that area. The team will interview former big league catcher and current Padres special assistant to baseball operations Brad Ausmus, a source familiar with the Nationals' plans confirmed. FOXSports.com first reported that Ausmus would interview for the Nationals' managerial job. Ausmus, 44, played 18 seasons in the big leagues from...

Mesa remained unbeaten with a 3-1 win over Peoria in Wednesday's Arizona Fall League play. A Steven Souza Jr. line drive to right field plated two runs in a three-run sixth inning and six pitchers held Peoria to just a single run. Souza, a taxi squad member playing right field, finished 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs, and is now batting .364. Brian Goodwin led off for the first time in the AFL this season and played center field, going 1-for-4 with a strikeout and his first stolen base....

When it comes to memorable moments, walk-offs take the cake. The game is decided by one swing. The dugout clears to ambush the hero. The hometown crowd jumps to its feet in excitement. What more could you want? With the game tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Zimmerman brought us this memorable moment. Watch the walk-off below and make sure to check back every Thursday to catch more great performances from the 2013 season. Your browser does not support iframes.

Rick Adair will not return as the Orioles pitching coach in 2014, according to industry sources. The Orioles have been compiling a list of candidates in case a change was deemed necessary. According to one source, they're not likely to name Bill Castro or Scott McGregor as the replacement, though a final decision is pending. Castro was named pitching coach on Aug. 15 after Adair took a leave of absence for personal reasons that included his father's terminal illness. His father passed away...

With Mariano Rivera jogging to the mound to protect a 1-0 lead, fans at Yankee Stadium thought the Yanks had it in the bag. Adam Jones thought otherwise. Watch the video below to relive Jones' game-winner from July that sealed the sweep in New York. Also, be sure to check back every Thursday for more memorable moments from 2013. Your browser does not support iframes.