Earlier this week, I was able to speak with Potomac Nationals Player of the Year Danny Rosenbaum, who now pitches for the Double-A Harrisburg Senators. He was excited about coming in to camp in better shape and was motivated to move up again this season. Former Harrisburg pitching coach Randy Tomlin said Rosenbaum "could be be better than Tom Milone" in the Nationals' system. Tomlin also went down the roster of a few other names on the pitching staff that impressed and are also primed to...

This is going to qualify as one of those non-update updates that you've grown to love or hate. I'm not sure which side you're on, but here it comes. Adam Katz, the agent for Yoenis Cespedes, would only confirm earlier today that "several teams are involved" with the Cuban outfielder, who became a free agent last month. The Orioles are one of them, and executive director of international recruiting Fred Ferreira was scheduled to fly to the Dominican today to watch Cespedes work out. The...

This will probably come as no surprise to anyone that follows the team, but when ESPN.com recently ranked the American League East teams position by position, the Orioles didn't fare too well. This story was in the SweetSpot blog and authored by David Schoenfield. First, the most positive news. Matt Wieters was rated as the best catcher in the division. 1. Matt Wieters, Orioles 2. Russell Martin, Yankees 3. J.P. Arencibia, Blue Jays 4. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Red Sox 5. Jose Molina, Rays...

The Nationals added another arm to their bullpen mix today, agreeing to a minor league contract with right-hander Chad Durbin, according to this tweet from ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. No word on whether Durbin will get an invitation to spring training, but it's a good bet he'll be in the major league clubhouse when pitchers and catchers report to Space Coast Stadium on Feb. 19. The 34-year-old Durbin was 2-2 with a 5.53 ERA in 56 games for the Indians last season. In 12 major league seasons with...

There's really nothing surprising about yesterday's news that right-hander Livan Hernandez had signed a minor league deal with the Houston Astros, ending his latest tour of duty with the Nationals. The Nats have finally gotten to the point where there's sufficient depth in their starting rotation, and enough arms in the minor leagues, that they had no need for a 36-year-old control specialist who got by on guile. Make no mistake, Hernandez wanted to return - "Of course, why wouldn't I?"...

Breaking news: The Orioles aren't expected to sign Edwin Jackson. In other news, Rhode Island isn't a road or an island, and Billy Cundiff isn't automatic from inside the 35. The Orioles weren't going to give Jackson more than three guaranteed years for the money he's been seeking, and he wasn't going to sign with them for one year and re-enter the free-agent market next winter. Not when he's looking to pitch for a contender and improve his value. That's been the case all along. I...

Chris Davis began last season as the starting third baseman for the Triple-A Round Rock Express and Nolan Reimold began last year as the starting left fielder for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. Davis has 1,807 career at-bats in the minors and 1,005 in the majors. Reimold has 1,986 in the minors and 741 in the majors. Reimold has spent parts of the past three seasons in Triple-A, while Davis has spent time in Triple-A in each of the last four seasons. Will 2012 be the year when both players get a...

Few personalities are as polarizing in recent Nationals history as Jim Riggleman. Depending on your point of view, he's either the underappreciated baseball lifer who presided over the infancy of the team's 2011 turnaround, or he's a self-centered egotist who put his personal goals over the team's. Regardless of which side of the fence you're on, it's hard to imagine a more surreal day than June 23, when Riggleman's abrupt and unforeseen resignation sucked the joy out of the Nats' 11th...

The Orioles announced today that they've reached an agreement with State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) Manatees Baseball, to play an exhibition game at Ed Smith Stadium on Tuesday, April 3 at 1:05 p.m. There will be no admission charge to attend the game except for reserved tickets near the SCF dugout that will be sold by the college, with proceeds supporting Manatees athletics. Tickets can be reserved through the SCF athletic department at 941-752-5261. For the last 12 years,...

The Orioles today announced that they have reached an agreement with State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) Manatees Baseball, to play an exhibition game at Ed Smith Stadium on Tuesday, April 3 at 1:05 p.m. There will be no admission charge to attend the game, with the exception of reserved tickets near the SCF dugout which will be sold by the college with proceeds supporting Manatees athletics. Tickets can be reserved through the SCF athletic department at 941-752-5261. Formerly...