SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Tillman said he's going to throw off a mound today to test his hip, which continues to feel better after discomfort forced him to miss Sunday's intrasquad game. "It's good, better," Tillman said. "I haven't really missed much other than PFPs and team defense. I'm going to go out and throw, get off the mound and see how it feels, if the hill does anything because flat (ground) doesn't really bother it. Probably spend a couple minutes up there unless it really...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Korean outfielder Hyun Soo Kim is in today's lineup for the Orioles as they open their exhibition schedule against the Braves in Lake Buena Vista. Kim is starting in left field and batting fifth. The Cuban connection, Dariel Alvarez and Henry Urrutia, join Kim in the outfield, providing a nice international flavor to the game. Ryan Flaherty is leading off and playing second base. Christian Walker is playing first base and batting cleanup. Mike Wright is starting and Tyler...

VIERA, Fla. - Forgive Trea Turner if the 2015 season remains a blur in his mind. He did, after all, play at three different levels of professional baseball, wearing four different uniforms for two different franchises. It all culminated with a six-week stint in Washington, Turner's first in the major leagues, in which he played in 27 games, dealt with the highs and lows of a pennant race, and got to be part of a no-hitter. And what was the biggest thing he took away from the whole...

The qualifying offer is sure to come up during labor negotiations this year as the players and owners work on a new collective bargaining agreement. Some believe the system is broken, but I do not agree. This year, teams extended 20 players qualifying offers, which meant those players could re-sign with their club and take the one year offer for $15.8 million or go on to test the free agent market. The catch for players that turn down a qualifying offer is that a team signing them now loses a...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are playing their first exhibition game today while also subjected to their longest bus ride. They're not going to Jupiter this spring, but they're kicking off the Grapefruit League schedule with a trip to Lake Buena Vista. That's no bueno. The Braves are waiting for them, including former Orioles Nick Markakis, Bud Norris, Jim Johnson, Ryan Lavarnway and Kelly Johnson. I can't decide which one to hug first. Fans keep asking me about the chances that Markakis...

VIERA, Fla - Some more observations and quotes from today's second (and final) intrasquad game ... * Stephen Strasburg cruised through his first game-like appearance of the spring, retiring the side in the first inning on 16 pitches. He induced a pair of ground balls to the right side of the infield and then struck out Tyler Moore on a curveball. Strasburg's goal in this very preliminary outing was simple. "At this point, just go out there and try to command the fastball, mix in some...

VIERA, Fla - It was one inning of relief, three batters faced, in an intrasquad game played before noon in front of several dozen fans on the final day of February. Not typically the kind of setting evaluators put much stock in when watching ballplayers. For Bronson Arroyo, this did carry significance. He hadn't faced any live hitters in anything resembling an actual baseball game since June 15, 2014, his last appearance in a major league stadium. This was Arroyo's first chance to make a...

The Orioles have announced plans for opening day of the 2016 spring training season on Wednesday, March 2, when the Orioles host the Atlanta Braves at 1:05 p.m. at Ed Smith Stadium. All fans in attendance will receive a 2016 spring training schedule magnet, courtesy of Visit Sarasota County. Additionally, the first 1,000 female fans in attendance will receive a bird of paradise flower, courtesy of Beneva Flowers. WWSB ABC7 anchor and managing editor Alan Cohn will throw out the ceremonial first...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Tillman underwent an MRI yesterday to check for a sports hernia and the Orioles got the desired results. The issue isn't that serious. "They said the report back was good," said manager Buck Showalter. Tillman reported this morning that his hip felt much better. He's scheduled to pitch Saturday in a split-squad game, but is more likely to be held back a few more days. Asked whether it's still in play, Showalter replied, "Barely. He was wanting to pitch in that game...

VIERA, Fla. - Intrasquad games in late February aren't designed so much for hitters as they are for pitchers, who use this opportunity to bridge the gap between live batting practice sessions and their first Grapefruit League outings later this week. So don't read too much into the dominant pitching that was on display today in the Nationals' second (and final) intrasquad matchup of the spring. The eight-inning "game" featured only two runs (one unearned) and saw only one clean hit...