WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - More thoughts and observations from Wednesday's 14-8 thumping of the Astros to tide you over while I trek across the state for today's game against the Red Sox in Fort Myers ... * Yes, it's early. But the early returns on Michael A. Taylor's revamped swing have been quite positive. Taylor added two more hits during Wednesday's game, both of them line drives to left field, one for a single and another for a double. He also drew a walk in his third plate appearance....

SARASOTA, Fla. - The competition for a spot or two in the back end of the Orioles rotation is ongoing and intriguing given the number of candidates and their varying pedigrees. Manager Brandon Hyde has a long way to go before coming to any conclusions, though he keeps getting asked about it less than a week into the exhibition schedule. "Still really early," Hyde said. "I've been around long enough to know that you can take only so much stock in spring training. I've seen guys have...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Take the combination of a player who gave his confidence a reboot over the winter and a first-year manager who quickly has established a relaxed spring camp and you get a player who struggled last year but now has three homers in six spring at-bats this year. Chance Sisco, go ahead and put 2018 behind you and welcome to a new year with a new staff and a fresh start. Sisco hit a three-run homer in his first spring at-bat Saturday (on his first swing) in Sarasota, and yesterday...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It's forgotten a bit because of his strong performance last season, but Jeremy Hellickson didn't sign with the Nationals until March 17. He made only one Grapefruit League start before the club broke camp and headed north for opening day. It admittedly took some time for Hellickson to feel like he was in regular-season form. That's not the case this spring. Hellickson did re-sign late again, but at least this time the contract was done before pitchers and catchers...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The two home runs created the loudest sounds and the most buzz. Chance Sisco muscling up again this afternoon, terrorizing two Red Sox pitchers who have been lauded this spring by their manager for their improvement. But Sisco lit up - as much as he's capable with his quiet personality - when asked about the opposite-field single in his final at-bat that scored Rule 5 pick Richie Martin in the Orioles' 7-6 win at jetBlue Park. "I love that," he said. "That's one of the...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Spring training statistics can be the great fooler, as so many managers have warned in the past, but Chance Sisco is serious about breaking camp with the Orioles - and the seams on a few baseballs. Sisco has belted a pair of two-run homers today in two at-bats against Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez and reliever Tyler Thornburg, and he slapped an RBI single to left field off Colten Brewer in the fifth to increase the Orioles' lead to 7-4. The RBI total has risen to eight,...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Alex Cobb is making his Grapefruit League debut in Friday's split-squad game against the Rays at Ed Smith Stadium. Nate Karns is making his second start in the night portion against the Yankees in Tampa. No way to shield them from a division opponent, especially with the Orioles returning to Fort Myers on Saturday to play the Red Sox. Cobb has been slotted ahead of Andrew Cashner after throwing live batting practice yesterday on Field 2 at the Sarasota complex. Cashner threw...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It looks like today's game will get started as scheduled after all. The forecast hasn't completely cleared up, but it appears to have cleared up enough to allow the Nationals and Astros to get underway on time. Whether it will stay that way long enough to get the full game in remains to be seen. Even if the rain holds off, we won't be seeing Ryan Zimmerman today. He was held out of the lineup, not because of concern about having him play on a wet field but because...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - We've had a bit of a strange weather pattern here over the last 24 hours. It absolutely poured last night, for multiple hours, soaking everything in sight. But this morning the sky was bright blue and it looked like it would be a beautiful day. Except there's another system heading this way, and it's forecast to hit the area right around 1 p.m. So that means today's game against the Astros could be jeopardized. The Nationals are preparing as though they'll be able...

The Orioles today released their 2019 promotional schedule highlighted by an extensive slate of unique items and events, as well as returning favorites, to appeal to Birdland's diverse fanbase. The Orioles also announced that individual game tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 1, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Birdland Members will receive a special pre-sale opportunity on Thursday, February 28 at 10:00 a.m. May the 'fourth' be with you on Saturday, May 4, as the Orioles...