He may be ranked as the Orioles' third-best prospect, but there are a few offensive concerns about infielder Jonathan Schoop. In my recent interview with Matt Forman of Baseball America, I asked about them. Forman wrote up the new O's top 10 prospects list recently published by Baseball America. I spoke with him about Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman here and published a Q&A with him here. After those two interviews, there were still a few questions I asked Forman that have yet to appear in...

The Orioles' last chance to win a significant postseason award comes tonight with Buck Showalter being among the three finalists for American League Manager of the Year. The Baseball Writers' Association of America voting came down to Showalter, the Athletics' Bob Melvin and the White Sox's Robin Ventura. Showalter edged out Melvin for The Sporting News award, with their peers turning in the ballots. Showalter has won the award twice previously, with the Rangers in 2004 and the Yankees in...

Sometimes, the winners of various Major League Baseball awards are notified before the announcement is made publicly, giving them a chance to soak in the moment and share the news with their family and friends. Not tonight. Bryce Harper had no idea he'd won the National League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year award until he heard his name live on MLB Network. Harper learned the news just like the rest of us, except he had a camera on him to document his reaction and an earpiece in to allow...

Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper tonight was named National League Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. The BBWAA citation is the first bestowed upon a National since the club's arrival in D.C. in 2005. Harper hit .270 with 26 doubles, nine triples, 22 home runs, 59 RBI, 56 walks and 18 stolen bases in 139 games as a true rookie for the Nationals in 2012. For his efforts, the youngest player in MLB was named an All-Star by NL manager Tony La...

Bryce Harper's ridiculous rookie season, one of the best in major league history by a teenager, just got an exclamation point put on the end of it. Harper has won the National League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year award, voted on by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. The announcement was made live on MLB Network. In an incredibly close vote, Harper got 16 first-place votes to 12 for Wade Miley, who finished in second place in the voting. Overall, Harper earned 112...

There was little drama surrounding tonight's announcement of the American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year. The Angels' Mike Trout was the eighth unanimous AL winner in the award's history, receiving all 28 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. The Athletics' Yoenis Cespedes finished second and the Rangers' Yu Darvish was third, which is how my ballot looked when I submitted it shortly before the conclusion of the regular season. Cespedes...

Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen and his wife, Yi-Wen, are the proud parents of a baby boy. Karsten was born this morning at 8:07 a.m. No word on whether translator Tim Lin joined the couple in the delivery room. Chen is a father for the first time. And there's no angst brewing over how long his paternity leave will last and whether he'll miss any games. Good timing. Chen didn't return to his native Taiwan after the season. He's been working out in California in preparation for his...

Nationals prospect Brian Goodwin has been pleased with his progress in the Arizona Fall League, especially in bunting and increasing his aggressiveness on the basepaths. "I think it is coming along well," Goodwin said. "It is something that I always looked at it as a weapon, being a speed guy and a top-of-the-order guy. You have to take your time with it. You can't get frustrated. But with the practice you do it will pay off and take it to the game. I like it. I always try to work on it...

We've already had The Sporting News Rookie of the Year award and the Players Choice Award for Outstanding Rookie. Tonight, Major League Baseball's official Rookie of the Year award will be handed out. Awards week begins tonight at 6 p.m., with the announcement of the American League and National League's top rookies, kicking off four days of presentations recognizing the top performances put up this season. The Rookie of the Year awards will be followed by the announcement of Manager of...

The American League's Most Valuable Player race is between the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera and the Angels' Mike Trout. The subplot is about new-age statistics versus traditional MVP thinking. Of all the awards given out this week by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, the AL MVP should spark the most vigorous debate, much like when the Mariners' Felix Hernandez won the 2010 Al Cy Young Award over the Rays' David Price and the Yankees' CC Sabathia. That year, Hernandez had 13 wins,...