JUPITER, Fla. - There are two ways to react to bad weather: complain about it or just accept it. Dusty Baker most definitely takes the latter approach. The Nationals manager could be lamenting the fact that four of his team's last 10 exhibition games have been rained out, but he knows it wouldn't make the clouds go away, so why bother? "You've still got to deal with it," Baker said after today's game against the Cardinals was called in the top of the fourth when a thunderstorm struck...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The rain has picked up in intensity again at the Ed Smith Stadium complex, and pretty much the entire state of Florida. The Braves are on a bus headed to Sarasota. I wonder how easily it can execute a U-turn. No word on a cancellation, but I'll remind fans that they don't postpone games here or play doubleheaders. It would be washed off the schedule. Miguel Gonzalez is supposed to start tonight. Manager Buck Showalter will let us know how the pitching plans are altered if we...

JUPITER, Fla. - The Nationals simply can't catch a break with Mother Nature right now. They also probably can't wait to get out of Florida after a week of scorching heat, humidity and enough rain and lightning to significantly interfere with their end-of-spring preparation. It happened again today, with a thunderstorm sweeping through Roger Dean Stadium and forcing the cancelation of the Nationals' game against the Cardinals in the top of the fourth inning. This is the fourth time in their...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Matt Wieters said he wanted to catch in two Grapefruit League games before the Orioles break camp. He already had circled Thursday on the calendar. It made sense to also get into tonight's lineup against the Braves. The weather may not cooperate, but Wieters is ready to get behind the plate in an exhibition game for the first time since playing one inning on March 12 and leaving with a sore right elbow. Wieters caught an intrasquad game at Twin Lakes Park and has been batting...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Hyun Soo Kim is out of the Orioles lineup again for tonight's game against the Braves, which is in doubt due to heavy rain. Kim also was held back from the last two games in Bradenton and Fort Myers. He was in the clubhouse this afternoon and spent a few minutes with his interpreter checking the lineup card after it was posted. Ryan Flaherty is in left field tonight. Matt Wieters is catching and batting second. Wieters remains confident that he will be ready opening day. An...

Some notes on Rafael Bautista and Telmito Agustin as we wrap up our outfield previews from the early camp in Florida. All of these players will be getting their assignments in the next few days as the 2016 season gets rolling. You might have caught outfielder Bautista, 23, getting an at-bat at the end of the Nationals game against the Braves on March 27. It was an infield popup, so it did not demonstrate what he is capable of in the long term. Bautista is still a top 10 prospect and he has made...

JUPITER, Fla. - Trea Turner knew the cards were stacked against him to make the Nationals' opening day roster. So when the news came down Monday afternoon that he was being sent to Triple-A, the 22-year-old shortstop wasn't shocked. That doesn't mean Turner wasn't disappointed to learn he'll be opening the season in Syracuse, especially after he got a taste of Washington and the big leagues late last season. "I would assume that nobody ever wants to go back," he said. "You get spoiled a...

JUPITER, Fla. - Hello from Roger Dean Stadium. Again. Why does it feel like we're here every other day? Probably because we are. This is the Nationals' third scheduled game in Jupiter in the last five days. The first (against the Marlins) was rained out. Then they played the Cardinals on Saturday. Now they're playing St. Louis one more time this afternoon. After yesterday's rainout in the scheduled finale at Space Coast Stadium, Stephen Strasburg was pushed back to start today. He'll be...

JUPITER, Fla. - The Nationals officially made Matt Belisle a part of their opening day roster this morning, purchasing the veteran reliever's contract. Belisle, 35, had been in camp as a minor league invitee but all along appeared to be a strong candidate to make the club given his experience and ties to Dusty Baker, who managed him in Cincinnati. The right-hander has appeared in six Grapefruit League games so far, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk in 6 1/3 innings. (All three runs...

This afternoon's Single-A spring training game pitting Orioles farmhands against Red Sox minor leaguers at Twin Lakes Park in Sarasota will provide a special memory for a member of the Orioles family and his mom. Orioles scout Ryan Powell will again don a uniform to fulfill his cancer-stricken mother's wish of seeing him play in one more game. He is signing a one-day contract with the Orioles, allowing him to take the field in front of his family. Wendy Powell was diagnosed with brain cancer...