SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles' Trey Mancini has made a few general references to an adjustment he's made to his offensive approach. He's not going to get very specific, because he doesn't want opposing pitchers to get a sense of what he has done. He recently mentioned he's often aiming to hit the ball at the second baseman - essentially drive the ball to right-center - and that he might be aiming a bit over the second baseman's head to presumably help him drive the ball. He already wears...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It's not entirely accurate to say the Nationals never saw the real Roenis Elías last season. "We saw it," manager Davey Martinez said. "The first day. Then after that ..." This is true. Acquired from the Mariners on July 31 to help fix the Nats' major bullpen woes, Elías made his debut two nights later in Arizona, summoned by Martinez with one out in the bottom of the sixth. The lefty got David Peralta to fly out, then struck out Adam Jones. All good,...

CLEARWATER, Fla. - In his first game action since late last April, Orioles right-hander Alex Cobb threw a scoreless last of the first inning today versus the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field. It was curious initially that he didn't pitch a second inning as planned, coming off a season when he made just three starts. But Cobb, who has been feeling ill for several days, said it was that illness and nothing else that limited him to one frame today. "I told you I wasn't feeling that good,...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles completed their workout Monday morning at the Ed Smith Stadium complex with rounds of batting practice against a pitching machine, the velocity dialed up but nowhere near the level of competitiveness that suggested there was more at stake than bragging rights. One ball cleared the tall fence on the Camden Yards replica field and bounced off an awning above a door to the baseball operations building. An impressive distance past the foul pole in right. Chris Davis...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - There is a month's worth of exhibition games to play, and there will be countless opportunities for Carter Kieboom to make his case to be the Nationals' opening day third baseman. What happens right now may have little to no bearing on the club's ultimate decision. But every game Kieboom plays, he is going to be scrutinized more than perhaps any other player in camp. And so the 22-year-old wasn't surprised this morning when reporters approached him to ask about his...

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Orioles have played two spring games, with a third coming today here at Spectrum Field versus the Philadelphia Phillies. Yusniel Diaz, in camp as a non-roster outfielder, has yet to play and didn't make this trip either. "Sore left shoulder," manager Brandon Hyde said of Diaz's absence. "No long-term concern. Just giving it a couple of days to let it calm down, but not concerned about it. He's anxious to get out there. He's a great kid, man. I get there early in...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - In deciding to delay Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin's first starts of the spring a few days, the Nationals have opened the door for some younger pitchers to get an opportunity to take the mound for the first and second innings this week. Today, that young pitcher will be Wil Crowe, who gets the start against a Mets lineup featuring plenty of regulars. Crowe, a second-round pick in 2017, split last season between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Fresno, where he...

SARASOTA, Fla. - José Iglesias won't say that the offseason has treated him much kinder than last winter, offering a shrug of his shoulders and a search for the right words. But there's still that trace of confusion over having to settle for a minor league contract in late February. It couldn't have been his defensive credentials, which earn the highest levels of praise. To say he carries a plus glove leaves him short of one "plus." "I don't want to say it was better. It was just...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Austin Hays is in center field and batting leadoff for the second time in three games, as the Orioles head to Clearwater to play the Phillies. Renato Núñez is back at third base and Ryan Mountcastle returns to left field. Austin Wynns is catching and Cedric Mullins is playing right field. Alex Cobb makes his first spring start today. For the Orioles Austin Hays CF Anthony Santander DH Renato Núñez 3B Ryan Mountcastle LF Pat Valaika 2B Dilson Herrera 1B Richie Martin...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Brandon Snyder would be the first to admit this was nothing like what the rest of the Nationals experienced the last time they faced the Astros, when the stakes were just a bit higher. While his teammates were hoisting the Commissioner's Trophy in Houston on Oct. 30, Snyder was watching on television with a buddy at his home in Warrenton, Va. He was a member of the organization and knew all the guys who had just won the World Series, but he spent the season playing at...