In an effort to bolster their once deep organizational pool at catcher, the Nationals have signed veteran backstop Koyie Hill to a minor league contract. He will report to Triple-A Syracuse. The 33-year-old Hill became a free agent Monday when he refused an outright assignment by the Cubs to Triple-A Iowa. The Nationals are thin in healthy backstops with Wilson Ramos (season-ending knee surgery), Sandy Leon (ankle sprain) and Carlos Maldonado (back) all on the disabled list. Jesus Flores has...

MASN adds to collection of 44 creative, marketing and promo awards earned since 2008 BALTIMORE (June 19, 2012) - Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) today announced it was the recipient of five Emmy Awards from the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). The awards were presented Saturday evening at the 54th Emmy Awards ceremony at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. MASN, which broadcasts every available Baltimore Orioles and...

Pitcher Joel Pineiro, on the minor league disabled list with a sore right shoulder, is nearing a return to Triple-A Norfolk's rotation Pineiro followed a start in a simulated game on Thursday by going five innings today with the Gulf Coast League Orioles. Pineiro allowed one run and four hits against the GCL Twins, with one walk and three strikeouts. Pineiro tossed four innings Thursday in the simulated game in Sarasota. The Orioles signed Pineiro as a minor league free agent after the...

Pitcher Roger Clemens has seven Cy Young Awards and six not-guilty counts in regards to perjury and performance-enhancing drugs. Those charges once threatened to derail his chances to make the Hall of Fame, but the prediction here is that the jury's unanimous verdict, issued Monday in Washington, D.C., will help him get to Cooperstown. Maybe not on the first ballot, but eventually Clemens will be there. The 500-plus voters of the Baseball Writers Association of America have given little...

It is obvious that Nationals first baseman Chris Marrero is feeling better and his torn hamstring is not giving him any trouble as he quickly moves up the ranks of the franchise's minor league system. A club source confirmed that Marrero has completed his rehab stint with Double-A Harrisburg and has reported to Triple-A Syracuse. Marrero already made quick stops at Single-A Hagerstown and Potomac. He originally tore his hamstring in winter ball, has also battled back from a slight shoulder...

I can't believe I'm actually asking this question right now, but is there a better starting pitcher in baseball as of today than R.A. Dickey? The guy who spent time with four organizations over a five-year span from 2006-2010, the guy who two years ago started the season in Triple-A, the guy who throws a knuckleball for God's sake, is the pitcher who no one in the majors wants to face right now. Dickey dominated the Nationals nearly two weeks ago, holding them scoreless over 7 1/3 innings...

If you followed Nationals spring training closely, you may have rightfully believed that Ryan Zimmerman was the best hitter on the planet. The 27-year-old was mashing the ball to all corners of the ballpark, and it looked as if the third baseman who once made his debut in Washington as a 20-year-old kid had finally reached his prime. While Zimmerman has started slowly on the stat sheet this season, everyone who was watching the games knew he was absolutely pounding the ball. On opening day,...

The Orioles didn't produce much offense on their recent nine-game road trip to Toronto, Tampa and Boston and they haven't produced much on this current trip to Atlanta and New York. In between those trips, the Orioles scored 44 runs with a .310 batting average during a six-game homestand. Why did the team hit so well and go 5-1 at home, but struggled to hit the last two road trips, going 5-8 in those games? Good question and the difference in offense is striking. The Birds hit .310 on that...

You've heard manager Buck Showalter rave about shortstop J.J. Hardy's defense. What does Hall of Famer Cal Ripken think about it? Funny I asked. "He doesn't do it flashy," Ripken said yesterday as we kicked back in the seats at the Aberdeen stadium that bears his last name. "He knows himself, he gets good jumps on the ball, he gets good reads, he positions himself well. I like all the little fundamental things he does. He gets there early on steal coverages, he makes tags the right way,...

Is there anything Chris Davis can't do? Even though I held my breath every time a ball was hit to right field this weekend, Davis has added the job skill of "major league right fielder" to his resume. It has been a remarkable season for Davis, as he continues to do things that he has never done before in the majors. He has played the outfield and pitched in his first major league game, but even more remarkable are the things he is doing at the plate. Davis' OPS+ of 132 is the highest of...