The Nationals have yet to release their full 2013 spring training schedule, but for those of you interested in getting a head start on your vacation planning, I've got some tentative dates courtesy of the Grapefruit League master schedule put together at SpringTrainingOnline.com. Here's what's listed so far. The Nats, of course, will play their home games at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, Fla. Feb. 23: Nats at Mets (Port St. Lucie) Feb. 24: Marlins at Nats Feb. 26: Nats at Braves (Lake...

As we learned a long time ago, the offseason is open season on free agent speculation. The Orioles are fairly quiet while the World Series plays out. Dana Eveland and Ronny Paulino elected to become minor league free agents. Third base coach DeMarlo Hale interviewed for the Red Sox managerial job. The Sporting News named Buck Showalter American League Manager of the Year. The Diamondbacks received cash to complete the Joe Saunders/Matt Lindstrom trade. That's about it. Nothing to grab the...

I think they may be partly serious and partly kidding, but the Inland Empire 66ers of the Single-A California League say they have offered their job as play-by-play broadcaster to Bob Costas. In a recent interview with sports columnist Joe Posnanski, Costas said that he still had a dream of calling an entire season of minor league baseball. According to Posnanski, "(Costas) has often talked about a dream - one he insists he still has, even after hosting all the Olympics and winning all the...

The Orioles haven't released their 2013 spring training schedule, but I'll pass along some tentative dates off the Grapefruit League's master list, put together by SpringTrainingOnline.com. Plan accordingly. The home games, of course, are held at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota. Feb. 23: Twins at Orioles Feb. 24: Orioles at Blue Jays (Dunedin) March 2: Orioles at Rays (Port Charlotte) March 3: Phillies at Orioles March 4: Orioles at Yankees (Tampa) March 8: Orioles at Pirates...

A pair of Nationals went under the knife today. Ryan Zimmerman underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder, while infielder Chad Tracy had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Both players are expected to be ready for the start of spring training. Both surgeries were performed by the Nationals' team doctor, Dr. Wiemi Douoguih, at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center in D.C. I wonder if the team got some type of multi-player discount. Zimmerman battled inflammation in the...

The 2012 Fielding Bible Award winners have been announced, and Orioles catcher Matt Wieters is excluded from the list after being selected last year. Wieters lost out to the Cardinals' Yadier Molina. Here are the winners, chosen by a panel of 10 "experts," including Peter Gammons, Bill James, Joe Posnanski, Doug Glanville and John Dewan: First Base: Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees (first-time winner) Second Base: Darwin Barney, Chicago Cubs (first-time winner) Third Base: Adrian Beltre,...

Several pitchers did very well at instructional league, including a couple of right-handed relievers who were noticed by Single-A Potomac pitching coach Chris Michalak over the last few weeks of fall camp in Viera, Fla. Right-handers Robert Benincasa and Derek Self, who spent the summer at short-season Single-A Auburn after their selections by the Nationals in the 2012 draft, made good progress. "Benincasa threw the ball well for us in Florida," Michalak said. "He was an aggressive...

The previously unhittable Justin Verlander gets smacked around and sees his postseason ERA jump from 0.74 to 11.25? Barry Zito throws a gem in the World Series and then is relieved by Tim Lincecum? Pablo Sandoval joins Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson and Albert Pujols in elite World Series company? You never know what will happen in this game. We certainly didn't know what the Nationals would get from Kurt Suzuki when he came over from the Athletics in a trade at the beginning of August. He had...

Looking back on the 2012 season, it's worth mentioning again that the Orioles had only one losing month, not counting their 1-2 record in October. They were 14-9 in April, 15-13 in May, 13-13 in June, 13-14 in July (but 10-7 on the road), 18-9 in August and 20-11 in September/October. The Orioles were above .500 on every day of the week except Mondays, when they were 7-13. That's a case of the Mondays. They were 17-8 on Tuesdays, 12-12 on Wednesdays, 10-6 on Thursdays, 15-11 on Fridays,...

To say the least, it has been a difficult and challenging last 14 months for 24-year-old Orioles pitching prospect Dan Klein. Drafted in round three out of UCLA in 2010, he put up very impressive stats pitching for Single-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie in the 2011 season and seemed to be on a fast track to Baltimore. But since that August, he has had two shoulder surgeries and one setback, and now he finds himself yet again on a long road back to the pitcher's mound. In 38 2/3 innings over...