Left-hander Cory VanAllen looks poised to make the next step to Triple-A Syracuse following his best full season in the minors. The 6-foot-3, 180 lb., Bakersfield, Calif., native became a fixture in the Double-A Harrisburg Senators' bullpen, appearing in 47 games with a 5-4 record, career-best 2.50 ERA in 57 2/3 innings and 71 strikeouts. He ended the 2011 season on a hot streak, posting a 1.32 ERA in his final 10 games, allowing just two earned runs after July 31. VanAllen looked very...

Orioles pitcher Zach Britton was encouraged by today's long-toss session at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota. Britton wrote in a text message that the session went "really well." "My arm felt fresh," he said. Britton will play catch again on Saturday and continue to take anti-inflammatory medication for his left shoulder, which began bothering him again in the middle of December. The key is being able to stay in his proper arm slot, which has been an ongoing challenge. An MRI...

Barring something unexpected, the Nationals will go into spring training with shortstop Ian Desmond as their leadoff hitter. And manager Davey Johnson is perfectly fine with that, even if Desmond is viewed as an imperfect solution atop the order by some observers. "I like him there," Johnson said at the Winter Meetings. "I think he'll do fine." Desmond struggled as a leadoff man at the start of 2011 under manager Jim Riggleman, batting .180 with only one walk and a .212 on-base...

Spring training is still a few days away - I'll be touching down in Orlando on Saturday, then taking the hour-long drive east to Space Coast Stadium in Viera, Fla., where I'll be holding down the fort pending the arrival of a new Nationals beat reporter soon - but the Nationals are already getting some attention from the national media types. It was bound to happen. But so soon? Last night on MLB Network's "Hot Stove" evening roundtable, ex-major leaguers-turned-analysts Dave Valle and...

The final items on my to-do list must be crossed off today. I'm running out of time before boarding my flight to Sarasota tomorrow morning for the start of spring training. The Orioles don't have any other players facing arbitration hearings, and they're not expected to anger any other countries. It should be a slow day. Speaking of lists, I'll be sure to add Zach Britton's name to the expanded story lines in spring training. He was going to be scrutinized anyway because he's competing...

Before the 2010 season, Baseball America released its list of the top 100 prospects in Major League Baseball. Brian Matusz was ranked at No. 5, Zach Britton at No. 63 and Jake Arrieta at No. 99. As we head into the 2012 season, all three pitchers are either currently dealing with an injury or had some injury issues last season. Yesterday, we learned that Britton is now dealing with some left shoulder inflammation and recently had an MRI. He said he fully expects to be ready for opening...

Pitcher Clay Rapada, who was designated for assignment by the Orioles on Feb. 6 after the Jeremy Guthrie trade, has cleared waivers and been released by the club tonight, according to the pitcher himself. In a move that seemed pretty classy to me, the pitcher confirmed a CBSsports.com transactions page report via Twitter that he has been released. The 31-year-old lefty, who was signed by the Orioles last winter as a minor league free agent, went 2-0 with an ERA of 6.06 for the Orioles in 32...

However this situation ends officially with Seong Min-Kim, the 17-year-old Korean high school pitcher, the Orioles are taking a big public relations hit for this signing - and it appears that it is deserved. MASNsports.com's Roch Kubatko was the first to report tonight that, according to his industry sources, Kim's contract with the Orioles was going to be voided. Korean reporter Daniel Kim told me tonight that the Korean Baseball Organization has issued a press release in Korea, where it...

The Korean Baseball Organization's protest over the Orioles' signing of Seong-Min Kim will lead to Major League Baseball voiding the contract of the 17-year-old Korean pitcher, according to industry sources. I'm still trying to receive confirmation from the Orioles. I'm told that the Orioles could be facing some sort of punishment, and they will have to restart the negotiating process at a later date if they still want to bring Kim into the organization. The Orioles signed Kim to a minor...

Orioles pitcher Zach Britton said he's been dealing with inflammation in his left shoulder since the middle of December, but an MRI didn't reveal any structural damage and he isn't concerned about his availability for the April 6 opener if he makes the team. Britton will play catch from 90 feet Thursday and throw again on Saturday if his shoulder responds favorably. "They want to make sure I get into my arm slot," he said. "It's not a strength issue. The strength in my shoulder is...