SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles' deal with pitcher Alex Cobb should be made official later today after he passes his physical. The club has zero concerns about the physical, so let's not break out the tired observation that everyone fails it. And if we are going down that road, tell me again how they were wrong about Grant Balfour. I've been told that $56 million for Cobb is "almost on the nose" over four years, the largest contract in club history for a free agent pitcher. There is deferred...

Tonight's Orioles-Rays game at Ed Smith Stadium has been cancelled due to inclement weather. There will be no makeup date. Fans holding paid tickets for tonight's game purchased online at www.orioles.com, via phone at (877) 222-2802, or directly from the Ed Smith Stadium Box Office may exchange their tickets for any of the three remaining Spring Training games at Ed Smith Stadium, subject to availability, or request a refund. Season Plan Members and fans that purchased tickets through StubHub...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Ryan Zimmerman played in a Grapefruit League game March 2, going 1-for-2 against the Mets. He hasn't played in another one since, and it doesn't appear he'll be playing in another one until this weekend, sticking to the minor league fields as he has for the last three weeks. It's a highly unusual way for a major leaguer to prepare for opening day, and one that has left scores of outside observers wondering if something's wrong. To those skeptics, Zimmerman is trying...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles and Rays won't play baseball tonight at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. The game has been cancelled due to rain and a tornado watch in the area. There's no makeup date in the Grapefruit League. Rule 5 pick Nestor Cortes Jr. and Miguel Castro were supposed to pitch tonight, but instead will make the trip to Tampa for Wednesday night's game against the Yankees and work in relief behind starter Hunter Harvey. Fans holding paid tickets for tonight's game purchased...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - If Stephen Strasburg was looking to take a cue from Max Scherzer, he picked the wrong start to imitate. Only 24 hours after Scherzer was roughed up by the Marlins in his first subpar outing of the spring, Strasburg was battered around by the same Miami club this afternoon. Strasburg wound up allowing three runs on eight hits and three walks in only 4 1/3 innings and was pulled by Nationals manager Davey Martinez with his pitch count at 81. It was a ragged performance for...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Davis said he received about 12 plate appearances yesterday at the minor league camp and a nasty bruise on his right shin after being drilled by a pitch from Tampa Bay's Chih-Wei Hu. Davis had the shin wrapped today and said he might wear a protective guard on it, but it won't prevent him from staying in the lineup. With extra motivation to run against Hu, Davis eventually scored a run and could joke about it later. Davis was able to lead off in several innings while...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Mike Rizzo insisted all along Victor Robles would play every day in 2018, wherever that may be. We found out today where the Nationals' top prospect will be playing every day to begin the season: Triple-A Syracuse. The Nationals optioned Robles to Triple-A this afternoon, a not-terribly-unsurprising move but one that did come well before the club makes its final round of cuts before it breaks camp and heads north Sunday evening. Left-hander Isamel Guillón also was...

We are back with the third season of Hitting the Books. I say "we" because without the help of Olivia Witherite producing and Pete Kerzel editing, Hitting the Books would not happen. And none of our work would matter if you, the reader/viewers weren't there. So thanks to all and I hope this year's books spark an interest to read on. The selections are mine, sometimes suggested by others, but I do the reading and writing. Again this year we will have guests to discuss their favorite books....

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It's the warmest day of the spring here, and quite muggy. Not exactly the kind of conditions the Nationals are going to face next week in Cincinnati, but they can't do anything about that now. The Nats and Marlins meet for the second straight day, this time in West Palm Beach following yesterday's 9-1 Miami win in Jupiter. It's Stephen Strasburg on the mound, scheduled to throw 75-90 pitches, according to manager Davey Martinez. Strasburg also will be batting eighth,...

The trendy analysis for the American League East is that the Boston and New York are going to battle for the title, bringing back the usual intensity that goes with a Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. But when does the obvious ever happen in baseball? The Orioles, who had five consecutive .500 or better seasons before their last-place finish in 2017, will contend if they can rebuild a rotation. The Blue Jays have pitching depth and the Rays are the Rays. Predicted finish: Yankees, Orioles, Red Sox, Blue...