The Orioles have released four players from their minor league camp: Right-handed pitchers Tim Gustafson and Brad Duffy, infielder Tanner Rust and first baseman Casey Haerther. Gustafson, Duffy and Haerther were all in their first seasons in the organization after playing independent ball in 2014. Rust was with the Orioles the past two years. Gustafson was originally drafted in round nine out of Georgia Tech by Atlanta in 2006. Last season with Bridgeport of the Atlantic League the 30-year-old...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles' cuts later today won't include Rule 5 pitchers Logan Verrett and Jason Garcia. The evaluations continue, along with the brainstorming on how to keep both of them. Asked if there's a scenario where the Orioles could carry both right-handers in their bullpen, manager Buck Showalter replied, "Sure. I had one brought up to me a couple days ago. And if you know us ... Trying to find a way legally to keep all the pieces." I'll say that it's an incredible long shot...

VIERA, Fla. - After a spring training filled with Nationals starting position players dropping like flies with injuries, manager Matt Williams finally was able to exhale when he received news on the team's latest medical scares. First baseman Ryan Zimmerman left Friday's game prematurely after banging his left shoulder on a diving stop. But Zimmerman was able to participate in full pregame drills today and expects to play tomorrow when the Nationals travel to Jupiter to take on the...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are expected to make at least five cuts later today. They won't be announced until after the split-squad games in Sarasota and Dunedin. The vast majority of players optioned or reassigned will be position players. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said shortstop J.J. Hardy's left shoulder is much better today. The club is encouraged, but an MRA is still scheduled for Monday. Hardy injured the shoulder while diving for a ground ball on Friday. "J.J.'s a lot...

VIERA, Fla. - Center fielder Michael A. Taylor could be the Nationals' leadoff man against the Mets on opening day. He's occupied that spot in the order for much of the Grapefruit League season since both center fielder Denard Span and third baseman Anthony Rendon went out with injuries. Taylor has produced 14 hits in a team leading 47 at-bats this spring for a .298 average. Eight of those hits have gone for extra bases, including three homers and two triples. Mike Carp showed up to camp as a...

With veteran first baseman Adam LaRoche moving on as a free agent over the offseason, it was no secret that the Nationals were looking to add some left-handed power in 2015. You can see it at third base, with the possibility that the left-handed hitting Ian Stewart could get a shot because of the knee injury to Anthony Rendon. Stewart has done pretty well in spring training, batting .270 in 18 games with three homers and four RBIs. He has played most of his career with the Rockies, and last...

SARASOTA, Fla. - With J.J. Hardy unable to play today due to a sore left shoulder, Ryan Flaherty is starting at shortstop in the Orioles' split-squad game against the Twins at Ed Smith Stadium. Manager Buck Showalter will stay in Sarasota rather than watch Ubaldo Jimenez in Dunedin. The bullpen includes Zach Britton, Darren O'Day, David Hess, Branden Kline and Jon Keller. David Lough is listed among the reserves, but he's expected to miss one more game while recovering from back spasms. For...

VIERA, Fla. - Try to digest this with your Sunday morning waffles: The fifth starter in the Nationals rotation has started eight postseason games, including one in the World Series, and posted a 16-6 record with a splendid 2.41 ERA last season. In fact, one of those playoff starts came for the Nats in Game 3 of last year's National League Division Series. And tall right-hander Doug Fister delivered the Nats' only win of the 2014 postseason when his team needed him most. Facing a must-win...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have two lineups to post this morning, and they've started with the group that's traveling to Dunedin to play the Blue Jays. Nolan Reimold will lead off and play left field. Everth Cabrera is in center field and Steve Clevenger is behind the plate. T.J. McFarland and Chaz Roe are listed in the bullpen behind starter Ubaldo Jimenez. The bench consists of players brought over from minor league camp, including Rey Navarro, Michael Almanzar, Glynn Davis, Adrian Marin...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are playing two games today at the same time, leaving me to chose between the Ed Smith Stadium complex and Dunedin. Give me a half-second to decide. I'll be watching Miguel Gonzalez in Sarasota. The Twins are countering with Ricky Nolasco. I'll watch him, too. Gonzalez has allowed six runs in 12 2/3 innings, with no walks and 11 strikeouts. He'll try to complete five innings today. Ubaldo Jimenez makes his sixth start, all of them on the road. The Blue Jays are...