To find the last position player acquired by the Orioles, you’d have to go back to Dec. 1 with the signing of Cuban outfielder Jordan Sánchez to a reported bonus in the range of $400,000-$450,000. MLB reporter Francys Romero had the Orioles finalizing the deal back on Oct. 26, pending the completion of a physical. Sánchez, 18, left Cuba in July 202

We’ve reached the final week of the year, so it’s time to look back at the Nationals’ most significant stories of 2023. We continue the series today with the inevitable (though still not official) end of Stephen Strasburg’s career … As a new crop of Nationals players embarked on a new year in West Palm Beach some 10 months ago, it was impossible to

New faces beyond the ones reported should be found inside the Orioles’ spring training clubhouse in February. The 40-man roster has room for two more players. The minor league signings and invites aren’t done. Got to fill out the Triple-A roster, too. Depth is important. But in the meantime, those of us who write and talk about the Orioles for a li

We’ve reached the final week of the year, so it’s time to look back at the Nationals’ most significant stories of 2023. We continue the series today with the on-field highlight of the season: the team’s extended run of success in July and August … For 3 1/2 seasons, the Nationals hadn’t enjoyed any kind of sustained run like this. Yes, there were a

The Orioles had 36 players on their 40-man roster when the Winter Meetings began in Nashville and they made two moves with the free-agent signing of closer Craig Kimbrel and trade with Kansas City for pitcher Jonathan Heasley. Kimbrel is a veteran of 14 major league seasons and the Orioles are his eighth team. He’s a former Rookie of the Year and a

We’ve reached the final week of the year, so it’s time to look back at the Nationals’ most significant stories of 2023. We begin the series today with the team’s approach to this season’s trade deadline … Some of the most significant days of the 2021 and 2022 calendar years for the Nationals came at the trade deadline, when Mike Rizzo made franchis

Made a rare appearance at a trivia night last week at Hoco Brew Hive in Ellicott City, where I learned that Santa’s reindeer are females. Had a 50-50 chance at getting it right and I blew it. Male reindeer shed their antlers in November. Females keep theirs throughout the winter. How have I gone through life without knowing this? Really makes you r

Just a short entry today to wish all the readers at Steve’s blog and all of Birdland a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season. Enjoy your time with family and friends and I hope it’s your best Christmas yet. A few quick thoughts on things in the news the last few days ... Yamamoto signs: The Dodgers signed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year de

It’s Christmas Eve in Washington and we are fewer than 100 days from Opening Day 2024. This offseason is progressing rapidly. Before we check to see what Santa Claus left under our trees tomorrow morning and ring in the new year next week, let’s look at what remains on the Nationals’ offseason wish list, in hopes that some could be crossed off soon

Baseball can experience an unofficial shutdown during the week between Christmas and New Year’s. However, there are some notable exceptions. The Cubs traded starter Yu Darvish to the Padres on Dec. 28, 2020 for a package that included former Orioles minor league pitcher Zach Davies. A day earlier, the Rays traded starter Blake Snell to the Padres,