WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Trea Turner knows the primary criticism with his approach at the plate. And he doesn't entirely disagree, even if he adds a qualifier to the sentiment. "I think a lot of people made a big deal out of me not walking the last couple years, I guess rightfully so," the Nationals shortstop said. "But I feel like if they give me pitches to hit, I should put them in play. And if they don't, I need to walk." Turner is an aggressive hitter, always has been and always will...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Don't expect Danny Valencia to be the last player plucked by the Orioles from the free agent market. Their enthusiasm is gaining momentum as they sort through the bin. They're up to their armpits in it. Players who weren't a consideration or didn't fill an identified need early in camp have become more appealing. Pedro Álvarez isn't a plus defender and the Orioles already have Mark Trumbo as their designated hitter, but he fell to them at a modest price. Valencia isn't...

The last week of stories in this space featured a look back at a pretty great trade for the Orioles, a look at a prediction for the opening day 25-man roster and a look at improved outfield depth on the farm. I really enjoyed writing this blog entry on Monday. In an interview with long-time Orioles scout Jim Howard, we got some insight into the 2008 trade of left-hander Erik Bedard to Seattle. It brought five players to Baltimore, including current O's outfielder Adam Jones and pitcher Chris...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The day began with Stephen Strasburg on the mound for the first time against an opponent this spring. And Strasburg's outing - two innings of one-run ball, plus another 20 pitches in the bullpen afterward - was important, in that he needed to make his first start of the spring at some point and begin the process of ramping up before the season begins. These days, though, there's not that much new for Strasburg to do in spring training. After several years of tinkering,...

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The MRI on Chris Davis' right elbow/forearm today didn't reveal any structural damage, according to manager Buck Showalter, and the first baseman is projected to be out only three to five days. Concerns about Davis were raised throughout the organization when the discomfort increased and it appeared that the issue may not have been muscular. "Anytime you've got something that's not healing and what they think, you worry about if there's something structurally in there,...

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Kevin Gausman made it through today's start without suffering any cuts. He simply tore through the Phillies lineup for three innings. Gausman retired all nine batters with five strikeouts. His fastball was clocked at 94-97 mph on the stadium radar gun, peaking twice to the final batter he faced, J.P. Crawford, who struck out. He was downright nasty while becoming the first Orioles starter to complete three innings. Dylan Bundy worked 2 1/3 yesterday against the Pirates in...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It lasted all of 2 1/2 innings, but at this time of the spring, we'll all take as much of a Stephen Strasburg-Justin Verlander pitching matchup as we can get. The two right-handers didn't disappoint in their head-to-head showdown today at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Strasburg allowed one run over two innings but consistently hit 97-98 mph with his fastball. Verlander, meanwhile, tossed three scoreless innings and struck out five before calling it a...

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said first baseman Chris Davis will undergo an MRI this afternoon on his right elbow/forearm area due to soreness that's increased in severity over the past few days. Davis has been restricted to the designated hitter role to avoid throwing. He's 2-for-13 with one home run, three RBIs, three walks and seven strikeouts. "That elbow is not managing quite like he had hoped," Showalter said. "It was sore again, so it's not moving forward like...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Davey Martinez had sat through meetings with Joe Torre before, but only as a bench coach to Joe Maddon, and thus not as the primary point of contact between Torre (Major League Baseball's chief baseball officer) and his club. This morning's session at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, then, represented a new dynamic for Martinez, who was responsible for digesting everything Torre revealed regarding MLB's new pace of play rules and making sure any pertinent...

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Reliever Brad Brach threw a bullpen session yesterday and confirmed that his first exhibition appearance comes Sunday afternoon against the Red Sox at Ed Smith Stadium. Brach is fine physically. He's just on a more deliberate pace, which isn't uncommon in Orioles camp. Darren O'Day didn't make his debut until Feb. 28. Closer Zach Britton also is held back each spring, though his Achilles surgery forced him on the 60-day disabled list. "Just taking it a little slower,"...