NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 8, Yankees 2 Recap: Right fielder Bryce Harper got the Nats started early with a RBI triple off Yankees starter CC Sabathia. First baseman Ryan Zimmerman and shortstop Ian Desmond pushed runs across the plate with a single and double, respectively, to give the Nats a three-run first inning. First baseman Mike Carp popped a three-run homer in the seventh, his first of the spring. Right-hander Stephen Strasburg pitched 5 1/3 innings allowing one run on six...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Everth Cabrera is starting again at shortstop today as the Orioles continue their series against the Braves. Feel free to read everything into it. He appears to be the favorite to replace injured J.J. Hardy on opening day. Today's lineup could almost mirror the one that manager Buck Showalter will use on April 6 at Tropicana Field, except Jonathan Schoop is listed among the reserves. Ryan Flaherty is starting at second base today. Stay tuned. The bullpen includes Zach Britton,...

One concern that some fans seem to have about Orioles closer Zach Britton is the sense that American League hitters will make an adjustment against him to make his job tougher in 2015. The adjustment would be laying off more of his sinkerball pitches that dip low and out of the strike zone. The thinking is, lay off the pitch, make him bring it up in the zone and then they can hit it with more authority. Sounds reasonable, but Britton doesn't exactly buy that theory. "Hitters will make...

TAMPA - Nationals manager Matt Williams indicated on Wednesday that today's lineup would be his regulars. If so, that would mean that Danny Espinosa would be the team's starting second baseman on opening day. Espinosa has spent the entire spring transitioning from a switch-hitter to exclusively batting from the right side of the plate. He was only 7-for-51 (.137) in the exhibition season, but Williams may prefer Espinosa's glove to Dan Uggla's at second, especially with other new faces...

The Orioles today announced dates for several "Operation Orange" rallies as the team prepares to open the 2015 season. The rallies will include Orioles giveaways, trivia and prizes, an appearance by the Oriole Bird, and an autograph session with a former Orioles player for an hour at each event. The first "Operation Orange" rally will be held at the Official Orioles Team Store in the York Galleria Mall on Monday, April 6 from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Orioles Radio Network affiliate WSBA Radio (910...

TAMPA - Spring training statistics are fairly ridiculous to dissect given the amount of minor leaguers that participate and the inconsistent lineups. But one category the Nationals didn't want to lead during the exhibition season was errors committed. Their 34 errors are tied with the Giants for the most this spring, although the Nats have reached their total in three fewer games. Ironically, the two teams tied for 100 errors last season, leaving them sitting right in the middle of the pack of...

SARASOTA, Fla. - As more players are peeled off the camp roster, left-hander Brian Matusz remains in the clubhouse and the bullpen. Still an Oriole, still a reliever. Matusz, 28, has been the subject of trade rumors and speculation. Scouts have been tracking his appearances all spring, and the Orioles seemed to be showcasing him in two starts. Or maybe they were just letting him work on his changeup. You decide. The Mets were interested, but they acquired two left-handed relievers on Monday and...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - T.J. McFarland gave up two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning on a wild pitch and Joe Benson's fourth hit of the night, as the Braves walked off with a 6-5 win over the Orioles. McFarland stranded two inherited runners in the seventh and tossed a scoreless eighth, but he didn't record an out in the ninth. He's allowed 10 earned runs (11 total) and 23 hits in 12 1/3 innings for a 7.30 ERA. "I don't think anybody threw the ball better tonight on the field than...

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP Score: Braves 6, Orioles 5 Recap: Travis Snider came off the bench and hit a two-run homer off Chien-Ming Wang in the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie. Everth Cabrera followed with a walk, stole second, advanced on a throwing error and scored on Steve Pearce's second hit of the night. Making his final spring start, Wei-Yin Chen surrendered two runs and six hits in five innings, with no walks and four strikeouts. Chen retired eight in a row before allowing two straight...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Nick Markakis has singled twice tonight, matching his hit total coming into the game. Markakis singled off Wei-Yin Chen in the fourth and reliever Wesley Wright in the sixth. Chen allowed two runs and six hits in five innings, with no walks and four strikeouts. I've got him at 68 pitches, 49 for strikes. Chen's most difficult inning was his last, when he threw 11 of 19 pitches for strikes and allowed both runs on Andrelton Simmons' RBI single and a wild pitch. The...