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...

MASN today announced that they have added Mike Bordick as a color analyst on their Baltimore Orioles broadcast team. Bordick will join Jim Palmer as the network's analysts for Orioles games and will be paired with play-by-play announcers Gary Thorne or Jim Hunter for approximately 80 games during the 2012 season. A 2011 inductee into the Orioles Hall of Fame, Bordick played for the Orioles for six seasons from 1997-2002. One of the best defensive players in club history, Bordick has the...

The Potomac Nationals will hold their 17th annual Hot Stove Banquet Sunday, Jan. 29, at the Hyatt Fairfax at Fair Lakes. Newly hired manager Brian Rupp will be introduced and speak at the event. Also a keynote speaker will be announced at a later date. Last year, Nationals assistant general manager Bryan Minniti and director of player development Doug Harris spoke and went over the state of the system and looked towards the future. There could also be appearances by players either past or...

Former Orioles shortstop Mike Bordick has accepted a job as analyst at MASN after meeting earlier today with network officials. Bordick will sign a multiple-year deal with the network. He'll work 81 games, splitting commentary duties with Hall of Famer Jim Palmer. Bordick also has been offered a chance to do some on-field work for the club, including infield coordinator and baserunning instructor at the minor league level. Bordick said he'll need to talk further with John Stockstill,...

Luke Scott signed his new contract with the Tampa Bay Rays earlier today. He'll make $5 million in 2012, and his deal includes a $6 million option in 2013 with a $1 million buyout. He was paid $6.4 million last season. Scott says the Orioles never made him an offer after non-tendering him on Dec. 12. His agent, Page Odle, only heard from the club once, a little more than a week ago. "They just did not show much interest at all," said Scott, who was named Most Valuable Oriole in 2010. "At...

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette inched closer to completing his minor league staff by hiring Michael Boulanger as hitting coordinator. Boulanger held the same title with the Texas Rangers until June 8, when he replaced Scott Coolbaugh as hitting coach at Triple-A Round Rock. Coolbaugh replaced Thad Bosley as the Rangers' hitting coach. Boulanger has ties to Duquette and manager Buck Showalter. He previously served as a a minor league manager with the Minnesota Twins and Boston...