From Dec.16 through Dec.23, the Nationals Park Team Store in center field will have special holiday discounts and hours. The store will be open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday leading up to Christmas. Selected items will be discounted at 50 percent and the new Jayson Werth jerseys will be available for purchase. Shoppers can park in Lot C on the corner of 1st and N streets for free. Today, Screech will stop by to sign autographs and pictures from noon-12:45 p.m. Fans can also...

I'm still dealing with e-mail issues because AOL - yes, I know, so lame - keeps forcing me to change my password once or twice a day since the great virus attack of 2010. AOL randomly decides that my password is invalid, which also prevents my BlackBerry from receiving e-mails. I can't get a technician to assist me because I don't pay for the service, and the AOL.com "chat room" didn't provide any solutions before I went to bed. Maybe I entered the wrong room. I should have known when...

Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner knew from his first meeting with outfielder Jayson Werth that this is a player he wanted and could play in D.C. for a long time. Lerner was struck by what kind of man Werth was during their initial conversation and how they shared a similar vision for the Nationals. "No surprise as far as I am concerned," Lerner recalls. "When we went and interviewed him in Scott Boras' office in California a couple of weeks back, we were so impressed with the young...

Reliever Agrees To One-Year Deal With Vesting Option For Second Year The Orioles today announced that they have signed free agent RHP Koji Uehara to a one-year contract for 2011, with a vesting option for the 2012 season. Uehara, 35, went 1-2 with 13 saves and a 2.86 ERA (44.0IP, 14ER) in 2010. He led AL relievers in fewest walks per 9.0 innings (1.02) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (11-to-1) and was second with 11.25 strikeouts per 9.0 innings. Uehara set a franchise record by not walking a...

The Washington Nationals today agreed to terms with outfielder/first baseman Matt Stairs on a non-guaranteed minor league contract, which includes an invitation to Major League Spring Training. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Stairs is an 18-year big league veteran who has competed in four post-seasons and won a World Series championship with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008. He owns the all-time Major League...

The Orioles have bigger fish to fry than a second utility player. A first baseman comes to mind. It jumps right into the boat. I'm not overly concerned about a veteran starter, though I understand the team's interest in acquiring one. Manager Buck Showalter wants more options for the five spots. He's counting six right now, which doesn't give him much room if there's an injury or a young arm - we'll use Zach Britton as an example - isn't deemed ready. Rick VandenHurk, who's out of...

A team official confirmed this afternoon that the Orioles have reached agreement with former Blue Jays reliever Jeremy Accardo on a one-year deal worth $1.08 million. The Sun quotes Accardo's agent, Damon Lapa of All Bases Covered Sports Management (catchy name.) The deal is official pending a physical. The Blue Jays non-tendered Accardo, making him a free agent. He's eligible for arbitration again after 2011, so the Orioles could retain his rights for another season. Accardo registered...

Manager Buck Showalter believes that the Orioles traded for Mark Reynolds "at the perfect time." He considers Reynolds a "change of scenery guy," as he described the new third baseman earlier today. Showalter doesn't care about the .198 average and the three straight seasons with 200-plus strikeouts. That's in the past. Mark Reynolds stops by the MASNsports.com Web Studio for a one-on-one with Roch Kubatko Reynolds made his first friend on the team when he shared a ride with pitcher...

It doesn't sound like the Orioles have a lot of interest in pitcher Joe Blanton, who's reportedly available after the Phillies signed left-hander Cliff Lee. The reviews seemed to be mixed in the organization and I'd be surprised if the club made a run at him. The Orioles still want to add a veteran starter to provide more competition in spring training. Right now. you're looking at Jeremy Guthrie, Brian Matusz, Jake Arrieta, Brad Bergesen, Chris Tillman, Zach Britton and Rick VandenHurk....

Since I'm keeping tabs on the facial hair, I'll pass along that Jake Arrieta is sporting a full beard. That's going to come off in Sarasota. Arrieta says the concern over the bone spur in his right elbow was "kind of blown a little bit out of proportion." "I know some people have my health as a concern, just with that bone spur, but it's been there for a long time," he said. "Kind of went away. It only kind of flared up for that one outing and then went away, so it's really not an...