It's less than a month until pitchers and catchers report to Nationals spring training at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, Fla., but don't expect general manager Mike Rizzo to be any less diligent about adding to his roster or looking for creative ways to improve his ballclub between now and Feb. 19. "We're trying to improve ourselves in the rotation and in the bullpen and any other way we can, and we're certainly open-minded and we'll not stop working," Rizzo said Wednesday. "We're...

I'm still recovering this morning from the news that Robert Hegyes, who played Juan Epstein on the 1970s hit "Welcome Back, Kotter," died yesterday of a heart attack. He was 60. I've already made a "note from his mother" reference to friends, so you won't be the first. (If you're too young to know what I'm talking about, there's nothing I can do for you. We'll just move on.) Baseball America released its prospect handbook, Here's the top 31 for the Orioles (Yes, 31. The book...

Part of Dan Duquette's restructuring of the Orioles' player development system was his hiring of Mike Boulanger as the O's minor league hitting coordinator. Boulanger will oversee the batting coaches and instruction of all the hitters on the O's farm. Boulanger brings plenty of experience to Baltimore as both a minor league coach and manager and has ties to both Duquette and manager Buck Showalter. From 2000-2002, Boulanger was a minor league manager when Duquette was the Red Sox GM and he...

The Orioles finally released the names of their minor league managers and coaches for 2012. There are no surprises among the managers. As you probably have read, former Red Sox first base coach Ron Johnson will be in charge of Triple-A Norfolk. Gary Kendall returns to Double-A Bowie, Orlando Gomez returns to Single-A Frederick and Ryan Minor returns to Single-A Delmarva. Gary Allenson moves down from Norfolk to short-season Single-A Aberdeen. Ramon Sambo returns as manager of the Gulf Coast...

The Orioles today announced the coaching staffs for their seven minor league affiliates for the 2012 season. Ron Johnson joins the organization as the manager at Triple-A Norfolk after spending the last 12 seasons in the Boston Red Sox organization, including the 2010-11 seasons as the first base coach for the major league club. Johnson has posted a 1,261-1,262 record in 18 seasons as a minor league manager. Mike Griffin will serve as pitching coach for the fifth consecutive season in the...

The Orioles aren't ready to drop out of the Yoenis Cespedes sweepstakes. They may not be the favorites to sign the Cuban outfielder, but they're still in play. I was told this afternoon that they're still interested in Cespedes despite his struggles in the Dominican Winter League, where he collected only five hits and struck out 10 times in 35 at-bats. They'd rather focus on the .333 average, 33 homers and 99 RBIs he totaled with the Cuban National Team in 2010-11. They're also referring...

The Nationals announced Thursday they have signed two-time All-Star reliever Brad Lidge to a one-year contract. Nationals pitching coach Steve McCatty said Lidge brings a lot to help make the bullpen better. Lidge comes in with 223 saves and 26 wins in 10 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros and was a National League All-Star in 2005 and 2008. "The guy obviously has a real good track record," McCatty said. "A guy that can be in the bullpen and not only still has...

The Washington Nationals today agreed to terms with right-handed relief pitcher Brad Lidge on a one-year contract. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. One of the game's most accomplished active relievers, Lidge is 26-31 with 67 holds, 223 saves and a 3.44 ERA (227 ER/594.0 IP) in 592 career games/one start. In 10 seasons with the Phillies (2008-11) and Astros (2002-07), Lidge has fanned over 31 percent of all batters...

Yesterday, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said he had a few more roster "tweaks" in mind before players started reporting to spring training in Viera, Fla. Well, the tweaking is under way. The Nationals have signed former Phillies closer Brad Lidge, adding the right-hander to an already-crowded bullpen picture. Lidge gets a one-year deal for $1 million. The 35-year-old Lidge was 0-2 with a 1.40 ERA and one save in 25 games after rehabbing from a rotator cuff injury in his throwing...

When the Nationals traded four top prospects to the A's in exchange for Gio Gonzalez last month, general manager Mike Rizzo talked about the effect the 26-year-old left-hander would have on the Washington rotation. Despite his relative youth, four major league seasons - and three spent primarily as a starting pitcher for the team that gifted "Moneyball" to the game - are more than right-handers Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann, whose promising careers were interrupted by Tommy John...