With a .500 record and a third-place finish, the Orioles didn't meet expectations last season. And now, as pitchers and catchers report to spring training, the Orioles will have to beat reconstructed pitching staffs in the American League East to make the playoffs for the third time in five years. The defending champion Blue Jays have former Nationals closer Drew Storen for their bullpen, but their rotation is without David Price, who signed with Boston. The Red Sox beefed up their bullpen...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Twenty-seven players arrived in the clubhouse this morning during the hour that the media was allowed inside. Included in the group were Hyun Soo Kim, J.J. Hardy, Dariel Alvarez, Ryan Flaherty, Christian Walker, Henry Urrutia, Xavier Avery, L.J. Hoes and Steve Tolleson. Position players aren't due until Tuesday, with the first full-squad workout the following day. The roll call also included pitchers Brad Brach, Chris Tillman, Kevin Gausman, T.J. McFarland, Miguel Gonzalez,...

VIERA, Fla. - A very pleasant good morning to you from Florida's Space Coast, where the sun is shining, the temperature will approach 70 degrees this afternoon and the four best words in baseball will at last be uttered after a long winter: Pitchers and catchers report. Yes, it's the first official day of spring training and it all gets underway shortly at Space Coast Stadium. It's at this point when I'm compelled to offer this disclaimer: Reporting date is kind of a misnomer. Pitchers and...

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals added another veteran reliever to their spring training mix on the eve of reporting day, signing right-hander Matt Belisle on Wednesday to a minor league contract with an invitation to big league camp. Belisle, 35, has spent parts of 12 seasons in the majors, going 49-55 with a 4.34 ERA in 558 career appearances, all but 44 of them coming out of the bullpen. A workhorse for the Rockies in recent years, he pitched in 368 games from 2010-14, second only to former...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The day finally has arrived. Orioles pitchers and catchers are required to report to spring training. I stress "required" because the turnout already is impressive. Guys don't need to be dragged to the Ed Smith Stadium complex. We're not in Fort Lauderdale anymore, Toto. The turnout won't be restricted to pitchers and catchers. For example, outfielder Henry Urrutia has been working out down here - we spoke at the minicamp last month - and Korean outfielder Hyun Soo Kim...

BASEBALL. IS. BACK. Pitchers and catchers report today, which means that Nationals baseball is officially here for the 2016 season! Spring training will answer a lot of questions surrounding the Nationals, including how the bullpen and starting rotation will shape up. Tanner Roark is likely to rejoin the rotation since he had an impressive 2014 campaign as a starter, posting a 15-10 record and a 2.85 ERA. Pitching out of the bullpen last season, he pitched to a 4.38 ERA. Another pitcher likely...

Orioles pitchers and catchers officially report to Ed Smith Stadium today. Spring training is set to begin. Opening day is April 4. That seems a long time away, but it will be here before we know it. As a new season begins, five teams are chasing the American League East championship. It is a title won by four different teams the last four years. The Yankees were first with 95 wins in 2012. Then the Red Sox won with 97 victories, followed by the Orioles with 96 and the Blue Jays with 93 last...

BASEBALL IS BACK! Orioles pitchers and catchers report today, officially signifying the start of the 2016 season! While dreaming of warm weather and baseball games under the lights, we're looking back at a player who will be heavily looked at this season: pitcher Kevin Gausman. The right-hander shuttled back and forth between Triple-A Norfolk and Baltimore last season. However, this season, he's expected to be a staple in the rotation. Will he fare better with stability this season? For this...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles remain confident that they will sign pitcher Yovani Gallardo and also are optimistic about their chances of including outfielder Dexter Fowler in their winter haul, according to a source. The club is fine with surrendering its first two draft picks, which would be slotted at Nos. 14 and 28, in order to plug holes in the rotation and right field. It's just a matter of getting the deals done as pitchers and catchers report on Thursday to the Ed Smith Stadium...

Orioles pitchers and catchers report to the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota, Fla., tomorrow, and with spring training arriving, the Sarasota County Government has released an economic impact analysis on the club's corporate presence in the Great Sarasota community over the past year. The analysis concludes that the O's presence in Sarasota, through spring training, year-round baseball activities and the club's promotion of entertainment and tourism, has generated approximately $81...