With spring training just a few days away, this past week was a rather slow one for the Nationals. However, there were a few minor league signings this week, in addition to positive news regarding recoveries from injuries, that made headlines. The Nats' top pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft, Lucas Giolito, is recovering from his Tommy John surgery in August, as he has started tossing a baseball again. Catcher Wilson Ramos tweeted that he was close to being ready to play after he was...

Never say never. Apparently, the Orioles won't be re-signing left-hander Joe Saunders, who reached agreement last night on a one-year deal with the Seattle Mariners, according to FoxSports.com. It's believed that the Orioles also had a one-year offer on the table, and their ballpark is much closer to Virginia, where Saunders was born and played in high school and college. So what gives? Money, perhaps? A preference for the moose mascot? The assumption that Felix Hernandez will pick up...

The day the Orioles drafted pitcher Kevin Gausman out of LSU in the first round last June, the right-hander said he agreed with scouting reports that labeled his fastball and changeup as pitches that were well ahead of the quality of his breaking pitches at that point. That day, Gausman said the improvement of his breaking pitches would be a huge key for him moving forward. "I think my development as a pitcher and going forward is going to kind of depend on that," he said last June 4. "...

He got the start and helped pitch the Orioles to two huge playoff wins, but left-hander Joe Saunders will not be returning to the O's. Saunders has agreed to a one-year deal with the Seattle Mariners pending a physical, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. Saunders went 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in those two playoff starts, both of which were must-wins. He started the wild card game in Texas and Game 4 of the American League Division Series in New York. The 31-year-old lefty went 3-3 with...

Here's a quick glove story for you: The Orioles will conduct an open tryout to find ballgirls and ballboys for the 2013 season on Saturday, March 9 at Camden Yards. The judges will include members of the Orioles' front office, MASN broadcaster Jim Hunter and former Orioles catcher Chris Hoiles, as well as Reagan Warfield of MIX 106.5 and Greg Carpenter of LITE 101.9. My biggest fear in life has always been allowing a ground ball to scoot through my legs while Warfield and Carpenter are...

The Orioles have announced a list of 29 players who will report to Sarasota on Feb. 18 for an early mini-camp before the official start of minor league spring training for pitchers and catchers on March 2. Double-A Bowie manager Gary Kendall will be the camp coordinator. Here is the roster: Pitchers: Tim Berry Tom Boleska Parker Bridwell Zach Davies Rob Delaney Jason Gurka Devin Jones Branden Kline Zach Petersime Chris Petrini Matt Taylor Tyler Wilson Zech Zinicola Catchers: Zane...

The Orioles have announced they will conduct an open tryout to find ballgirls and ballboys for the 2013 season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Saturday, March 9.The judges will include members of the Orioles' front office, MASN broadcaster Jim Hunter and former Orioles catcher Chris Hoiles, as well as Reagan Warfield of MIX 106.5 and Greg Carpenter of LITE 101.9. Outgoing and athletic men and women ages 18 and older who are interested in serving as ballboys and ballgirls for the Orioles...

Beginning today, the Washington Nationals will introduce NATITUDE Flex Packs for the 2013 season, allowing fans to select four games among five affordable packs and receive a fifth game FREE. Available online ONLY at nationals.com/flex, NATITUDE Flex Packs offer access to some of the hottest games of the season before single game tickets go on sale to the general public. Fans can choose from any of the following five game packs, which include a voucher for a FREE ticket redeemable for any...

After months of rehabilitation following Tommy John surgery late last summer, Lucas Giolito has started to pick up a baseball again. Giolito, the Nationals' first-round pick in the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft, pitched just two professional innings last season (for the Gulf Coast League Nationals) before needing to undergo surgery to repair a small tear in his UCL. That surgery came in late August, but a little over five months later, the 18-year-old Giolito has begun working his way...

Pitchers and catchers report to spring training in five days, but the Orioles continue to get a jump on the official start of camp. They held a three-day mini-camp at Camden Yards last month that was reserved mostly for pitchers on the 40-man roster - with a few exceptions - but the real action is taking place right now in Sarasota. Double-A Bowie manager Gary Kendall estimated that 20-25 players are working out daily at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. It started out as four or five back on...