The Washington Nationals today agreed to terms with outfielder/first baseman Michael Morse on a multi-year contract extension, thus avoiding salary arbitration. This contract was agreed upon prior to arbitration figures being exchanged and was contingent upon a since-completed physical. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Morse, 29, is a career .296 (338-for-1140) hitter with 69 doubles, 52 home runs and 183 RBIs in...

When Mike Boulanger was hired yesterday as the Orioles minor league hitting coordinator, he was reunited with executive vice president Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter. From 2000-2002 Boulanger was a minor league manager for Boston when Duquette was the Red Sox GM and he later served as Triple-A hitting coach and manager for Showalter when Buck managed at Texas. He had a record of 497-496 in nine seasons with Minnesota and Boston as a minor league manager, taking three teams to the...

There's little doubt that the bullpen was one of the Nationals' strong points in 2011. The numbers are impressive - a 31-23 record, 98 holds, 49 saves in 76 opportunities, 44 home runs allowed in 520 2/3 innings, 72 percent of first batters faced by relievers retired, a 3.20 ERA - and yielded an All-Star nod for Tyler Clippard. So going into 2012, is it fair to expect more of the same? Relief is among the most volatile spots on any roster, and there are few guarantees that last year's...

Nationals No. 1 prospect Bryce Harper is preparing for his second season of professional baseball after a successful debut. Harper was able to play well at three levels in 2011: low Single-A, Double-A and the Arizona Fall League. Many believe he is ready now and could survive from day one this season with the Nationals. But Harper is only 19. Should he spend another season in the minors to hone his skills? Physically, he is ready, but how important is the mental part of the game to long-term...

One of the most memorable moments from my night at Sports Legends Museum, where I served as emcee for "An Evening With Buck Showalter," is when the Orioles' manager said that pitcher Brian Matusz looks to be in excellent condition. The crowd let out a collective sigh of relief that almost fogged the windows. Everyone understands Matusz's importance to this club, and that includes Brady Anderson, who's been training the young left-hander in California. Showalter and Anderson offered high...

Rick Peterson has 12 years of experience as a major league pitching coach, most recently with Milwaukee in 2010. Yesterday, he officially joined the Orioles as the club's director of pitching development. Peterson will oversee the organization's pitching development program. With Peterson now on board, Orioles pitchers, at both the major and minor league levels, are going to become familiar with something called biomechanical analysis. It's a little more involved than "work fast and throw...

Following up on a tweet that I sent out earlier today, the Orioles have reached agreement on a minor league deal with right-hander Oscar Villarreal that includes a spring training invitation. Villarreal, 30, hasn't pitched in the majors since 2008 with the Houston Astros. He's 24-15 with a 3.86 ERA in parts of six seasons, including stops in Arizona and Atlanta. He's made only five starts among his 258 appearances. Villarreal was 9-1 with a 3.61 ERA in 58 games, including four starts, with...

We all love reliving those classic baseball memories. Whether it's a no-hitter, a walk-off grand slam, or a World Series clincher, revisiting those moments - the ones that display your team at its pinnacle of excellence - is truly something to enjoy. Fortunately for Nationals fans, MASN is putting together a collection of some of the Nationals' greatest games, which will be presented in their original broadcast starting Monday, January 30. The "Nationals Classics" series will run weekly...

Former Oriole Brady Anderson was officially named today as special assistant to Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette. Even though Anderson has the same title as the recently hired Lee Thomas, Duquette said the duties will not be the same for both men. He also was asked if it was fair to describe Anderson as an assistant general manager. "We don't have a GM, so we don't have an assistant GM," Duquette said on a conference call with Baltimore reporters. "I don't know that you can...

The Orioles confirmed today that Brady Anderson has joined the front office as a special assistant to executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette. He will assist with player relations and player development, and oversee conditioning throughout the organization. Also, John Stockstill has been promoted from director of player development to director of player personnel. In his new role, he will oversee the day-to-day operation of the minor league system and help to procure...