SARASOTA, Fla. - The countdown continues until the Orioles must set their 25-man roster for opening day. I'm checking out of my hotel later this morning and heading to St. Petersburg. The Orioles are conducting a workout at Tropicana Field that's closed to the media, but they're making executive vice president Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter available in the afternoon to discuss the roster and perhaps a trade. Everything is subject to change with this team, but right now the Orioles...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla - Outfielder Nolan Reimold has been told that he's being reassigned to minor league camp unless the Orioles make a trade that creates a spot on the roster. Manager Buck Showalter wouldn't confirm other moves because executive vice president Dan Duquette is engaged in talks with multiple teams. However, Reimold is headed to Triple-A Norfolk barring a late deal. The opening day roster must be set by 3 p.m. Sunday. "Nolan knows what the deal is. He'll start the season in...

Nationals right-hander Doug Fister tossed six innings Saturday in his final start of spring training. He allowed four hits, the lone blemish a two-run homer by Stephen Drew that got the Yankees on the board in the fifth. But Fister started very well, retiring the first nine New York batters he faced. Jacob Ellsbury was hit by pitch to start the fourth and Brett Gardner followed with a single. But Fister induced a 4-6-3 Mark Teixeira double play grounder to end the threat. Brian McCann doubled...

First baseman/outfielder Clint Robinson has made the Nationals' 25-man roster. But there are still decisions to he made before the team announces its roster for Monday's opening day game against the Mets. The deadline to set the roster is 3 p.m. Sunday. After a 4-3 loss to the Mets in the final exhibition game Saturday afternoon, the Nationals reassigned outfielder/first baseman Mike Carp and left-hander Rich Hill to minor league camp. Robinson beat out Carp to be a left-handed bat off the...

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP Score: Braves 5, Orioles 3 Recap: Zach Davies allowed four runs (three earned) and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings, with two walks and one strikeout. Freddie Freeman hit a solo home run off Davies in the first, and Pedro Ciriaco and Phil Gosselin had RBI singles in the second. Glynn Davis' throwing error in right field allowed a run to score with two outs in the third. Christian Walker got the Orioles on the board with an RBI single in the fifth. Chris Parmelee had a pinch-hit...

Here are the break-camp rosters for the Orioles' four full-season minor league affiliates, which begin play Thursday. As usual, these rosters are not final for opening day and changes could occur over the next few days. The roster limit for each of those teams is 25 players. TRIPLE-A NORFOLK: Pitchers: Pedro Beato, Michael Bowden, Zach Davies, Oliver Drake, Eddie Gamboa, Steve Johnson, Chris Jones, Pat McCoy, Daniel Rodriguez, Chaz Roe, Tyler Wilson, Mike Wright. Catchers: J.P. Arencibia,...

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Yankees 4, Nationals 3 Recap: A pair of two-run homers from the Yankees did in the Nats in the final exhibition game of the spring. Right-hander Doug Fister gave up one of the homers to Yankees second baseman Stephen Drew in the fifth and closer Drew Storen surrendered the other in to outfielder Chris Young the eighth. The Nats got all their offense in the first on a sacrifice fly from first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and a two-run single by DH Wilson Ramos. Need to...

Manager Matt Williams said the Nationals will get closer Drew Storen into today's exhibition game against the Yankees. Storen has been recovering from a blister on right foot. "He's available to pitch today," Williams said. "We plan on him pitching. He threw yesterday. They wrapped him up pretty good. He's got a good callous over the blister. So the anticipation today is to get him in there. We need to get him in there. It's part of his progression. We'll keep going with that." With...

Nationals manager Matt Williams liked what he saw yesterday as he leaned on the back of the cage at Steinbrenner Field and watched center fielder Denard Span participate in a full batting practice session. Today, Span will see his first live action since March 9 core muscle surgery when he plays in a minor league game in Viera, Fla. "He felt good," Williams said of Span. "The plan for him is to play today. So he'll get in the game down there, assuming that he's shows up and feels well....

SOMEWHERE ALONG INTERSTATE 4, Fla. - The Orioles have announced their lineup for today's final Grapefruit League game against the Braves in Lake Buena Vista. And there aren't a lot of familiar names. A collection of minor leaguers will comprise the starting nine, as Orioles manager Buck Showalter gives the projected 25-man roster players a mandatory day off. Zach Davies makes the start against the Braves, and the most recognizable name may be Christian Walker, who is serving as DH. For the...