Courting a coveted free agent used to be so easy. You invited him to your city, wined and dined him with the ownership at a swanky restaurant, had him tour your stadium and waited for the ooohs and aaahs as you put his photo on your larger-than-life scoreboard with your logo superimposed on his ball cap. Sometimes, you had the contract ready for his signature, hoping to convince him to avoid the next city on his tour itinerary. Of course, those were the days before players came from such...

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported earlier today that free agent first baseman Prince Fielder and agent Scott Boras are in Dallas to visit with the Texas Rangers. Apparently, the Fielder/Boras Tour is cranked up again. This will come as no surprise, but I'm told that the tandem isn't scheduled to meet with Orioles officials. At least not yet. We'll leave the door a little cracked, but that's it. The Rangers are viewed as one of those teams that's been lying in the weeds, waiting for...

Tony Beasley, who guided the Double-A Harrisburg Senators in 2011, takes over the reins as manager of the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs for 2012, and is ready for a big difference in the players he coaches and their mental approach to being one call away from Major League Baseball. Beasley moves from managing what are usually the top prospects for a franchise at Double-A to Triple-A, where the players are either one step away from Washington, D.C., or are in a holding pattern, ever so close to the...

We're getting closer and closer to the start of spring training, which means, Nationals fans, your window to purchase tickets for the 2012 season is closing. Of course, the best option is to get to all 81 home games, but for those of you who, you know, actually have a job to go to, the Nationals have announced a collection of mini plans for the upcoming season. Starting this week, Washington Nationals fans will have the opportunity to choose between four affordable mini ticket plans to see...

Starting this week, Washington Nationals fans will have the opportunity to choose between four affordable mini ticket plans to see some of the hottest games of the 2012 season. As an added value, each plan will also include one game free. This year's mini plans include: * Manager's Plan (15 games for the price of 14): For the second consecutive year, fans can create their own unique ticket plan featuring games against National League East rivals and Interleague opponents. Some restrictions...

Back in mid December, new Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich hired Danny Haas to serve on his staff as one of his two national crosscheckers. The 35-year-old Haas had been a scout with Boston since 2002. In recent years, he served as Boston's southeast, east coast and upper midwest/northeast crosschecker. Red Sox major league players signed during that time include Ryan Kalish, Ryan Lavarnway and Kyle Weiland. Haas was named Red Sox amateur Scout of the Year in 2004. He signed Sox pitcher...

Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, playing his first game last night with Aguilas in the Dominican Winter League, struck out three times and was hit by a pitch in four plate appearances. One observer noted on Twitter that Cespedes had trouble with the slider. That does it. He's overrated. You'll recall that the Orioles scouted Cespedes during a private workout in the Dominican immediately after the Winter Meetings. They aren't commenting on him, perhaps waiting until he establishes...

With good reason, the center of attention in the Nationals' starting rotation are the three frontline pitchers: Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann and newly-acquired Gio Gonzalez. Then there are veterans like John Lannan, and rebounding pitchers Chien-Ming Wang and Ross Detwiler. But who is the key to this rotation for all of 2012? This season could be the time Detwiler finally makes his move. With a clean bill of health and the opportunity to begin the season with Washington, many...

Any day now, a ship will chug into a port in Puerto Rico and a 40-foot container will be unloaded. Inside are items that will change the lives of kids who don't have the rudimentary basics to play baseball - balls, bats and gloves - that youths in the United States take for granted. Later this month, the scene will be repeated in Nicaragua. Last summer, another delivery was made to Mexico. Under the auspices of the Cardboard to Leather program started by the Oriole Advocates in 1992, generous...

Former Orioles reliever Alan Mills, who never met a brawl he didn't like, is returning to the organization as pitching coach at short-season Single-A Aberdeen. Mills, who pitched for the Orioles from 1992-1998, and again from 2000-2001, will replace Scott McGregor. The former Orioles' left-hander has been reassigned to a position in Sarasota. Mills found out about his hiring shortly after Jan. 1. I wrote about his interest in coming back to the Orioles on Nov. 29, and again shortly after...