SARASOTA, Fla. - Hyun Soo Kim is on the road again today, starting in left field in a split-squad game against the Twins in Fort Myers. Byung Ho Park, also from South Korea, is serving as the Twins designated hitter this afternoon. They haven't faced each other since the KBO playoffs in October. Kim is hitless in nine at-bats this spring. He's starting for the fourth time in five games. The Orioles lineup also includes catcher Caleb Joseph and first baseman Christian Walker. Dariel Alvarez is...

VIERA, Fla. - Last week's Saturday Q&A was such a hit, it seems like this might just have to turn into a recurring thing around here. Not sure I can promise this will happen every single Saturday all season long, but let's definitely go for Round 2 this morning. It's been quite an interesting spring so far here in Viera. Dusty Baker is making his imprint on the Nationals. Several young players are making early statements about their value to the franchise, not only in the long-term but...

SARASOTA, Fla. - There's no doubt that Ubaldo Jimenez would like a do-over after his first exhibition start on Wednesday, but what about Odrisamer Despaigne? Almost forgotten is how Despaigne followed Jimenez to the mound and allowed three inherited runners to score and two of his own in a 11-4 loss to the Braves at Ed Smith Stadium. Despaigne was charged with two runs and three hits, with three walks, in 1 2/3 innings. No one is overreacting to a single spring training appearance, and that...

Orioles pitching prospect David Hess, a 22-year-old right-hander, will be interesting to watch this year. Can he carry over his great finish to 2015 to the 2016 season? Hess was struggling early last year at Single-A Frederick, but then he got on a tremendous roll. That led to a late-season promotion to Double-A Bowie where he pitched two big games in the playoffs for the Baysox as they won their first Eastern League championship. Over his last 16 starts of 2015 - including 12 for Frederick and...

JUPITER, Fla. - Lucas Giolito had plenty of time to think about this, his first appearance against a major league club in a spring training game. Way more time than usual. A starter throughout his amateur and now brief professional career, the 21-year-old found himself sitting nervously in the right field bullpen at Roger Dean Stadium this afternoon for 4 1/2 long innings before it was his turn to take the mound. Such is life for a young prospect in his first big league camp, with veterans Gio...

DUNEDIN, Fla. - My rental SUV got a flat tire in Clearwater, causing me to arrive here less than an hour before first pitch, I'm headed to the airport to exchange vehicles and express my disappointment with the agency. Before I pack up, I'll pass along some comments from manager Buck Showalter following the Orioles' 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays, which lowered their exhibition record to 0-3-1. The outcome became official after Steve Tolleson struck out on three pitches from Chad Jenkins to...

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Marlins 5, Nationals 4 Recap: Gio Gonzalez was effective in his spring debut, tossing two scoreless innings while allowing two singles. Bronson Arroyo, on the other hand, looked quite rusty in his first game appearance since June 2014, after which he needed Tommy John surgery. The 39-year-old right-hander gave up two runs on four hits and two walks during his two innings of relief, with a fastball that registered in the low-to-mid 80s. Contrast that with Lucas...

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP Score: Blue Jays 4, Orioles 3 Recap: Mark Trumbo singled and homered in his first two at-bats as the designated hitter. Vance Worley tossed two scoreless innings, with one walk and one strikeout. Andrew Triggs allowed four runs in 1 2/3 innings, including solo homers by Russell Martin, Justin Smoak and Dalton Pompey in the fourth. Oliver Drake retired all three batters he faced and Chris Jones struck out two in 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Christian Walker had a triple, walk and...

DUNEDIN, Fla. - An MRI on Jimmy Paredes' left wrist this morning revealed a bone bruise. He'll continue to wear a plastic cast for an undetermined length of time. Manager Buck Showalter said it will "be a while" before Paredes is cleared to play. "He's real sore," Showalter said. Asked whether Paredes is done for the spring, Showalter replied, "I wouldn't say that yet." Showalter said Brian Matusz has been diagnosed with a strained serratus muscle on the lower right side of his back....

JUPITER, Fla. - Some pregame notes to whet your appetite before the Nationals and Marlins get going here at Roger Dean Stadium ... * Trea Turner is in the lineup today, starting at second base. We've already seen him at shortstop early this spring. I asked Dusty Baker if he wants to see him play both positions. "I talked to him about it. I talked to other people about it. I just want to see him play," Baker said. "The fact he can play short and second, which a lot of people can't,...