Hopefully you had very happy and relaxing holiday season, Nationals fans. And if you're like me, you're not too thrilled about having to get back to work. So as you're browsing the internet, pretending to get things done, take a look at Stephen Strasburg's recent getup. Strasburg apparently attended an ugly sweater party recently and, quite honestly, his sweater of choice was as nasty as his breaking ball. The sweater is

We've known all along that Jim Johnson's role in 2012 would be determined by the moves made over the winter. If the Orioles fortified the bullpen and were short on starters, he would join the rotation. If they signed and traded for enough starters, he would continue to be a reliever. It's still December and the jury is still out, but Johnson looks like a late-inning reliever. Remember how executive vice president Dan Duquette responded two weeks ago to a question about Johnson's role...

If there is one position where the Orioles are set for the next several seasons and one position where they can hold their own with just about every other club in baseball, it is catcher. With Matt Wieters, they have a 25-year-old catcher that is a Gold Glove winner, was a first-time All-Star in 2011, a switch-hitter, a player that is big and durable and is under team control through the 2015 season. Those factors would make most teams envious of what the Orioles have at that...

It was true last year and likely will be true again next year: The Orioles can improve as a team, but they need their young pitching to take a step forward in 2012. The opposite pretty much is what we saw last year. * Brian Matusz ended 2010 going 6-0 with a 1.57 ERA over his last eight starts, then got injured, lost his fastball and went 1-9 with an ERA of 10.69 last season. * Jake Arrieta's ERA increased from 4.66 during his 2010 rookie year to 5.05 last summer. * Zach Britton had his ups...

The Heat beat the Mavericks yesterday in a rematch of the NBA finals, which leads me to this question: The NBA season has started? We're still waiting on baseball. I told you earlier this month that pitchers and catchers report to spring training Feb. 18. Position players report Feb. 23, with the first full-squad workout being held the following day. Is anyone here Sarasota-bound? The renovations continue at Ed Smith Stadium. The clubhouses are being upgraded, and changes also are being...

Left-hander Tom Milone, one of four players traded by the Nationals for Gio Gonzalez, is excited about his opportunity to pitch for the Oakland A's, but also looks back with admiration to the team that believed in him that first season. Milone, a 10th-round selection by the Nationals in 2008, pitched for the University of Southern California, and was Washington's 2010 minor league Pitcher of the Year. After another spectacular year in the minors in 2011, Milone got his shot to pitch for the...

I want to lead off this entry by wishing everyone the merriest of Christmases and the happiest of holidays. Be safe if you're traveling today. And speaking of leading off ... We don't know who will play second base for the Orioles next season. They're not counting on Brian Roberts, so I won't, either. I've stated many times that it will be viewed as a bonus if he's ready for spring training and the opener. There's no way to be certain that the headaches and dizziness will subside....

The week between Christmas and New Year's tends to be fairly uneventful in baseball. I'd often volunteer to be on call during that stretch so the other Orioles beat writer at The Sun could relax and celebrate the holiday with his family. It was a nice gesture on the surface, but I also knew that I wouldn't be busy. I'd have some time off without using up any vacation or comp days. Slick move. I checked with executive vice president Dan Duquette yesterday to gauge whether I'd need to stay...

First of all, on this joyous weekend, a merry Christmas and happy holidays to all of the loyal readers. I never take you for granted and am always appreciative that you are here, today and every day. Since most are feeling happy and festive this time of year, I figured it was a good time to get your thoughts about baseball and the Orioles. What makes you feel happy about the game and the team? What do you enjoy about Orioles baseball? Sure, there has been that little 14-year losing streak,...

A couple of pre-holiday morsels left over from the conference call with Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo after the six-player trade that landed left-hander Gio Gonzalez was formally announced: * Don't buy into all of those rumors about clandestine talks between the Nationals and free agent first baseman Prince Fielder. Asked if Adam LaRoche would be the Nationals' first baseman in 2012, Rizzo said, "That is correct." * While Rizzo continues to search the free agent and trade markets...