Pirates Release Left-hander Scott Olsen

The Pirates announced after Saturday's game that the club had released left-handed pitcher Scott Olsen.

Pirates Official Site

Pirates Release Garrett Atkins

The Pirates this morning granted an unconditional release to infielder Garrett Atkins, signed by the club as a minor league free agent in the offseason.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Career Profile: Ian Snell

Ian Snell announced his retirement this week, so he's a good topic for a Career Profile, and his development as a prospect was interesting in any event.

Minor League Ball

Randy Winn Hits Stride As Orioles Topple Pirates

Winn, who entered the contest batting .182 with no homers or RBIs, went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and two runs scored. The journeyman outfielder, who is a longshot to make the team, went yard off Pirates starter Kevin Correia in the fifth inning, a play that caused center fielder Andrew McCutchen to lose his glove. McCutchen nimbly hopped the fence to collect his mitt and was greeted with rousing applause.

Orioles Official Site

Top 50 Pitching Prospects From 2006: In Review

Yesterday we looked at the Top 50 Hitting Prospects from 2006, to see how they looked five years later. Today we'll take a look at the Top 50 pitchers. You can find the review of the 2005 list that I did in January 2010 here.

Minor League Ball

How Much Of A Difference Will Clint Hurdle Make?

None of the Pirates' previous five managers led the club to a winning season, but Hurdle announced that he is ready for the challenge. Hurdle takes over after Russell's clubs lost 299 games over a three-year period. While Russell was often criticized for being too passive and even-keel, Hurdle's booming introduction at his November press conference has already won him over plenty of fans. It took some time, but Hurdle turned around the Rockies with a young core that he sees as similar to the one he is inheriting in Pittsburgh.

Pirates Official Site

Pirates Still Considering Brendan Ryan

The St. Louis Cardinals are shopping Brendan Ryan, but the market is otherwise thin. The Pirates are not interested in Orlando Cabrera, perhaps the top shortstop in free agency.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pirates Sign Scott Olsen To One-Year Deal

The Pirates have tentatively agreed to a one-year, incentive-laden agreement with left-hander Scott Olsen, according to industry sources. The deal is contingent on Olsen passing a physical, which is expected to happen later this week.

By Gosh, It's Langosch

Nationals Outright Scott Olsen, Elects For Free Agency

Bill Ladson Twitter

Cardinals Hope Adam Wainwright Is Cure For What Ails Them

With the race in the National League Central heating up, the Cardinals can't afford to lose behind starting pitcher Adam Wainwright.

MLB Game Day

Sore Knee Sidelines Yadier Molina; Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday In Lineup; Tony LaRussa On #400; No Interest In Brad Hawpe; Ect...

Catcher Yadier Molina became the latest member of the Cardinals' walking wounded late Thursday night. Friday he became part of their bench.

STL Today

Catcher Yadier Molina missed the Cardinals' 4-2 win over the Washington Nationals with soreness in his right knee.

Fox Sports Midwest

Friday's Lineups 8-27-10

1. Craig RF
2. Jay CF
3. Pujols 1B
4. Holliday LF
5. Lopez 2B
6. Feliz 3B
7. Anderson C
8. Ryan SS
9. Garcia LHP

Obviously, You're Not A Golfer

Another Nationals Eruption May Throw Off Jaime Garcia

All season long, the Cardinals have been cautious with rookie left-hander Jaime Garcia, and all season long, he's forced the question, "What's the worry?"

MLB Game Day

Another Nationals Eruption May Throw Off Jaime Garcia

All season long, the Cardinals have been cautious with rookie left-hander Jaime Garcia, and all season long, he's forced the question, "What's the worry?"

MLB Game Day

Nationals To Name Four Pitchers In Rotation

The Nationals are expected to name the first four pitchers in their rotation Monday.

They will announce that John Lannan, Jason Marquis, Craig Stammen and Livan Hernandez will be the four pitchers in that order.

All Nats All The Time

Jason Marquis Takes Steps In Right Direction

Right-handers Jason Marquis and Craig Stammen helped the Nationals defeat Mets, 7-5, at Space Coast Stadium on Monday afternoon.

Nationals Official Site

Nationals Release Ron Villone

Nats Town Twitter

The Nationals made their third round of roster cuts Monday, as they optioned right-hander Collin Balester and left-hander Atahualpa Severino to Triple-A Syracuse; right-hander Ryan Mattheus and lefty Aaron Thompson to Double-A Harrisburg; and right-hander Juan Jamie to Class A Potomac. Washington also released left-hander Ron Villone.
Nationals Official Site

Checking The Numbers: Low Risk, Any Reward?

Back in my sabermetrics infancy at the "Statistically Speaking" blog, one of the first articles I wrote shared the title above and investigated low-risk pitcher signings from 2002-07 in an attempt to determine how frequently these moves positively affected teams, as well as the rate of dollars per win doled out to the players in question.

Baseball Prospectus

39 Players Non-Tendered, Now Free Agents

With the midnight ET deadline passing, a total of 39 players were non-tendered this year, and therefore become free agents.

The Biz Of Baseball

Nationals Non-Tender Scott Olsen

The Nationals decided on Saturday that they will not be tendering 2010 contracts to pitchers Mike MacDougal and Scott Olsen, who were eligible for arbitration.

Nationals Official Site