Nationals prospect, relief pitcher Cole Kimball, is enjoying his experience pitching in the Arizona Fall League and is thrilled to get an invite to the Rising Stars All-Star Game Sunday. "It has been great. I am not pitching every other day like I was this summer so it is hard to get into a rhythm when you pitch only every three or four days," Kimball said. But he hasn't had any trouble adjusting to less work. Kimball is 0-0 with a 1.13 ERA in 7 games with 8 strikeouts and only one run...

I'm not sure if anyone saw this story about former manager Sparky Anderson, who's been placed in hospice care at his Thousand Oaks, Calif. home for complications resulting from dementia. It's sad to know that Anderson's life is winding down in this manner. Though he never managed the Orioles, he's also a vivid part of my childhood sports memories. How many times have we seen video of his rant following "the call" by plate umpire Ken Burkhart in Game 1 of the 1970 World Series? It's...

Orioles reliever Jason Berken and his wife, Emily, spent a week in Aruba before returning to their Atlanta home a few days ago. Now the work begins. Berken started an exercise program on Monday as part of his rehab from a torn labrum that ended his season on Aug. 12. He's strengthening the shoulder in preparation for a throwing program that will begin, as it normally does, in late December or early January. It's a good sign that Berken is holding to his usual schedule. He expects to be...

Nationals prospects outfielder Michael Burgess and pitcher Cole Kimball have been named to the Eastern Division All-Star team of the Arizona Fall League. The Rising Stars game will be played November 6 in Surprise. Twenty-eight players who played in last year's Rising Stars game, such as Stephen Strasburg, Drew Storen and Buster Posey, made at least an appearance in the Majors this summer. The Scorpions' coaching staff will coach the Eastern team, based on having the best record on...

Bo Porter joins Jim Riggleman's staff as third base coach The Washington Nationals today announced that bench coach John McLaren, pitching coach Steve McCatty, hitting coach Rick Eckstein, first base coach Dan Radison and bullpen coach Jim Lett will return next season. The Nationals also announced Bo Porter will join field manager Jim Riggleman's staff as third base coach. Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Eckstein and...

The Orioles today announced that they have declined their 2011 option for LHP Mark Hendrickson. Hendrickson, 36, went 1-6 with a 5.26 ERA (75.1IP, 44ER) in 52 games for the Orioles in 2010, his second season with the club.

That didn't take long. The Orioles declined to pick up reliever Mark Hendrickson's option for 2011, which officially makes him their seventh free agent. Hendrickson went 1-6 with a 5.26 ERA in 52 games covering 75 1/3 innings. Hendrickson, 36, wants to return next season. He's a York, Pa. resident who likes pitching close to home. I won't say the ship has sailed because I've been wrong before when using that analogy.

Nationals left-hander Sammy Solis says his month in the Arizona Fall League has been an invaluable experience and he has learned a lot, even from a recent rough outing. More importantly, Solis has been taught a new pitch to add to his other three potent pitches. On October 28 versus Surprise, Solis went five innings, allowed eight hits, five runs (two of which were earned), one home run, one walk and three strikeouts. Solis says it was one of those games where the opposition was just...

When O's fans talk about some of the best prospects on the Orioles farm, they often leave Ronnie Welty off the list. Maybe they shouldn't. Sometimes overlooked, but productive now for three seasons in a row, the 22-year-old Welty is coming off a real solid season in the Carolina League. In 130 games with Frederick, the right fielder hit .282-18-82 with 32 doubles, 86 runs and an OPS of .814. "I started out really good and was really pleased with my start. Then got into kind of a funk...

About 12 seconds after the final out was recorded in Game 5 of the World Series, officially ending the 2010 season, the Major League Baseball Players Association released the names of 142 players who had become free agents. Why the holdup? Glaus, Troy 1B AT Hinske, Eric OF AT Lee, Derrek 1B AT Benson, Kris SP AZ Hampton, Mike ...