A year ago at this time, the Nationals were flush with catchers. Ivan Rodriguez was entering the second season of a two-year contract and Wilson Ramos, acquired the previous summer in a trading deadline deal from Minnesota for Matt Capps, was poised for a breakthrough and pushing for playing time. Jesus Flores was finally ready to return after missing most of two seasons with a variety of shoulder injuries and Derek Norris was waiting in the wings in the minors, ready to shake off a concussion...

Because so many of you must be curious, I'll reveal that my car passed the emissions inspection. The entire test lasted about two minutes. So worth the drive to Westminster. I've got more items to cross off my to-do list before Friday morning's early flight to Sarasota, but I'll keep at least one eye on the blog. There's still a good chance that the Orioles sign center fielder Adam Jones to a one-year deal before Friday's arbitration hearing. Executive vice president Dan Duquette seems...

The Orioles may actually have a chance to exceed expectations this year. That is because it sure seems expectations for a season have never been lower in recent memory. Maybe the fans will be wrong, as many were last year when they predicted a .500 finish and some were even talking about the team being a playoff contender. The Orioles were coming off a 34-23 finish the year before and the young pitchers had excelled down the stretch. Vlad Guerrero was signed and most of the fans seem very...

The wait is over. Well, sort of. You can't buy single-game tickets to see the Nationals at Nationals Park quite yet. But at least you now have a date to mark on your calendar, as the team has announced single-game tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 8. Tickets may be purchased online at nationals.com/tickets, by calling 888-632-NATS (6287) or by visiting the Nationals Park main box office at Half and N streets, SE. Fans can register now at nationals.com/tickets for the...

TAKE BACK THE PARK Buy now before single game tickets go on sale! Take Back the Park continues through March 8. Single game tickets to the May 4-6 Nationals vs. Phillies series are available exclusively for season ticket holders and local fans in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. nationals.com/ourpark #ourpark The Washington Nationals announced today that single game tickets for the 2012 season will go on sale to the general public Thursday, March 8 at 10:00 a.m. Tickets may be...

Fred Ferreira, the Orioles' executive director of international recruiting, still plans on flying to the Dominican this weekend to scout six Cuban players, including 19-year-old outfielder Jorge Soler. Ferreira said he spoke this morning with Soler's representatives. He has a general idea of what they're looking for in terms of a contract. "A little bit, but that changes sometimes day to day," Ferreira said. "When you get down to business is when you find out." The Orioles found out...

What's your favorite TV memory of the Orioles at Camden Yards? For me, it's watching Cal Ripken Jr. take a forced victory lap around a packed, appreciative ballpark on the night he played his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking the mark established by Yankees legend Lou Gehrig that was once believed to be unbreakable. Just typing about it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention, baseball's version of a Pavlovian response. As part of the celebration surrounding the 20th...

In honor of the 20th Anniversary celebration of The Ballpark That Forever Changed Baseballâ„¢, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the Orioles have selected 20 Camden Yards Classics, the most exciting games in the ballpark's history. Highlights of games 20 through 12 can be viewed now on CamdenYards20.com, and the top 10 games will be unveiled on MASN on a weekly basis beginning this Sunday. Game #10 will be shown in its entirety on Sunday, February 19 at 7:00 p.m. on the...

Dark horses, long shots, under-the-radar players, guys who come out of nowhere - every spring training, someone unexpectedly forces his way into 25-man roster consideration. Sometimes it's because of the kind of on-the-field performance that just can't be ignored. Other times, it's because an injury opens up an opportunity. Occasionally, a trade creates an opening. So who among those players soon to report to Space Coast Stadium in Viera, Fla., might fall into this category? Unlike...

We could be facing a fairly quiet week if executive vice president Dan Duquette really is finished making changes to the roster before pitchers and catchers report to spring training. I'm still expecting a trade or two to go down before opening day, with the bullpen surplus a likely selling point to opposing teams. The last remaining order of business this week could be settling on a contract for center fielder Adam Jones. He's seeking $7.4 million after making $3.25 million last season,...