VIERA, Fla. - Nationals manager Matt Williams has Danny Espinosa doing something he's never done in a major or minor league game today, starting at third base. In fact, the 27-year-old has only played two innings there, in the ninth and 10th innings of Thursday's tie with Detroit. "He's an athlete," Williams said. "He can play anywhere on the diamond. We could put him in center field and he'd play fine. We want to certainly give him some experience over there." That's because it is not...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said today it's "unlikely" that catcher Matt Wieters will start the season on the 25-man roster. Wieters is expected to be placed on the disabled list. He would be eligible to return on April 11. Showalter said Wieters hasn't experienced a setback and is on or ahead of schedule. However, the recovery from ligament-reconstructive surgery on an elbow normally is a 10-month process, and Wieters had the procedure on June 17. Team orthopedist Dr....

The Orioles today announced that they have reassigned right-hander Steve Johnson to minor league camp. With this move, the Orioles now have 41 players at Major League Spring Training, including eight non-roster invitees.

FORT MYERS, Fla. - In my last blog entry, I wrote that outfielder Alejandro De Aza returned to Sarasota yesterday after flying to the Dominican Republic on Wednesday for his grandfather's 99th birthday party. "It was awesome," De Aza said this morning. "It's always good to see family, especially a granddad who's 99. He was happy for me to be there." The last time De Aza attended his grandfather's birthday? "Before I got signed," said De Aza, who joined the Dodgers as an amateur free...

The Orioles today announced that they have optioned outfielder Henry Urrutia to Triple-A Norfolk. With this move, the Orioles now have 42 players at Major League Spring Training, including nine non-roster invitees.

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Orioles optioned outfielder Henry Urrutia to Triple-A Norfolk this morning, leaving 42 players in camp, including nine non-roster invitees. Urrutia went 8-for-25 with two doubles, a home run, seven RBIs, three runs scored, three walks and two strikeouts in 15 games. He also showed improvement in the outfield. There's no doubt that Urrutia, 28, made a favorable impression in camp. Bud Norris is the confirmed starter for Sunday's game against the Cardinals in Sarasota....

SARASOTA, Fla. - It's the fourth day of Orioles minor league exhibition games at Twin Lakes Park and for the first time, top draft picks Dylan Bundy and Hunter Harvey will be pitching in minor league exhibitions. While Single-A teams Delmarva and Frederick are on the road in Fort Myers playing against Minnesota, Triple-A Norfolk and Double-A Bowie are home today at noon against the Twins. Harvey is slated to pitch two innings for Frederick in Fort Myers and Bundy is scheduled to pitch three...

VIERA, Fla. - Danny Espinosa is starting at third base in today's split-squad game against the Marlins at Space Coast Stadium. Espinosa has played only at second base and shortstop during his 492 big league games and 342 minor league contests with the Nationals. He has played two innings at third base this spring. Jordan Zimmermann makes his fourth start of the exhibition season. He's been superb so far, allowing just one earned run and six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in 8 2/3...

Opening day for the Nationals is April 6. The minor league affiliates also begin that week with all starting April 9, except for short-season Single-A Auburn, which begins in late June. Here are thumbnail primers for each of the minor league clubs as they get ready to begin their 2015 campaigns: Short-season Single-A Auburn DoubledaysSchedule: http://www.milb.com/schedule/index.jsp?sid=t458 Home: Falcon Park II, Auburn, N.Y. Distance from Nationals Park: 383 milesSeason opener: June 19 at...

VIERA, Fla. - If Nationals pitcher Tanner Roark displayed an attitude or chose to be standoffish, I think most would understand. But the 28-year-old has been anything but a malcontent during spring training, which began roughly three weeks after the signing of former Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer likely bumped Roark from the Nats rotation. "Adding Max definitely helps out the team tremendously," Roark said before Thursday's 0-0 tie with Detroit. "He's a workhouse. He logs a lot of...