WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Not much has been thought of Jake Alu from an outsider’s point of view throughout his baseball career. He was not a top prospect coming out of Boston College. He was not a top prospect on the Nationals farm after they selected him in the 24th round of the 2019 draft. And people outside of the organization didn’t take much no

SARASOTA, Fla. – We’re a little more than two weeks into Orioles spring training and they haven’t made any roster cuts. There are still 71 players in camp, though Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander, Dean Kremer and Darwinzon Hernández are leaving for the World Baseball Classic. The same competitions are unresolved through seven games. Pitchers John

SARASOTA, Fla. – Brian Roberts spent 14 seasons in the majors as a 5-foot-9 second baseman. A two-time All-Star and a prototypical leadoff hitter. A supplemental-round draft pick who led the American League in doubles in 2004 and the majors in 2009. Roberts is in camp as an Orioles guest instructor, and he’s in awe of the young infield talent. A lo

SARASOTA, Fla. – Reliever Joey Krehbiel has it figured out. He knows why he’s giving up so many runs this spring. The mission is to correct it. Krehbiel has pitched twice in exhibition games and allowed eight runs and eight hits in 1 2/3 innings. He couldn’t record the third out yesterday in Lakeland, and the Tigers hit two more home runs to raise

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – A lot was made this week of Max Scherzer’s use of the pitch clock when he started against a Nationals split squad on Sunday here at Clover Park. While manipulating the pitch clock by coming set early and then either throwing very quickly or holding onto the ball until the very last second, Scherzer struck out five Nationals a

SARASOTA, Fla. – Anthony Santander is starting in left field for tonight’s home game against the Pirates. Santander also will play Sunday and Monday before driving to Miami for the World Baseball Classic. Cedric Mullins is making his penultimate appearance before flying to Arizona to join Team USA. He’s in center field tonight and also will play Su

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – It’s not always a newsy day at spring training. Sometimes that’s a good thing. Sometimes it leaves a lot to be desired. Today was one of those days when the Nationals got in some early work and prepared for their game 45 minutes up the road in Port St. Lucie against the Mets. Starting pitcher Trevor Williams, facing his forme

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – After Wednesday's eight-hour round trip to Tampa, the 45-minute ride up to Port St. Lucie today doesn’t seem all too bad for the Nationals. They were able to arrive at their home complex at a normal time, receive treatment and maybe get in some early work before boarding the bus to go play the Mets. Trevor Williams, making hi

It was last August on a back field at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota. O’s top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez was going to throw a couple innings of live batting practice in working his way back on rehab toward his September minor league return from a lat issue. One of the hitters he faced that day was from the O’s Rookie-level Florida Complex Le

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – It was 516 days since Carter Kieboom last took the field in a major league game before making his Grapefruit League debut Thursday against the Marlins. That’s 17 long months of waiting through a lockout, gearing up for a shortened spring training, being shut down for the year without appearing in game due to Tommy John surge