VIERA, Fla. - There's been much hype in the Nationals organization and around baseball regarding the high ceiling of outfielder Michael A. Taylor. It didn't take long for him to introduce himself to the big leagues when he homered in his major league debut last August. Taylor reached a new level yesterday when he drew the attention of Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander. The 23-year-old Taylor homered twice off the former American League MVP and Cy Young Award winner, including a solo shot to the...

Every day is special for prospects who get to work with the big leaguers at spring training. Today is an even bigger day for 20-year-old third baseman Drew Ward, who makes his first start in spring training with the major league club as the Nationals take on the Yankees. The game will be aired on MASN HD at 1 p.m. "It's a big deal," low Single-A Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson said. News of Ward's first start today was big news at his church, not to mention the entire small town of...

Just when it looked like the Orioles were having a strong spring training in terms of few injury concerns, on came the news that catcher Matt Wieters will most likely start the year on the disabled list. So will minor league right-handed pitching prospect Hunter Harvey. The Wieters news is not surprising, as April 17 will be when he is 10 months removed from surgery. Whatever date Wieters starts his 2015 season, the Orioles will want to feel certain he can play a full season from that point...

LAKELAND, Fla. - The future of the Nationals was on display and shining bright in today's 7-7 tie with the Tigers. Center fielder Michael A. Taylor and right-hander A.J. Cole, both 23, helped the Nats get out to an early lead against former American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander. It was the first time Taylor had ever faced Verlander. In his second at-bat, Taylor worked the count full before smacking a solo home run the opposite way over the right field fence. "That was a...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles don't have a game scheduled today. The complex is closed. The media also is discouraged from wandering over to Twin Lakes Park. This, my friends, is the one off-day of spring training. Too bad the forecast calls for an 80 percent chance of thunderstorms. We haven't had rain all spring and it arrives today. Back in my Fort Lauderdale days, I'd pick up friend and colleague David Ginsburg at his hotel by 9 a.m. and head down to South Beach under what always managed...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter wasn't upset by the news that No. 2 pitching prospect Hunter Harvey may be sidelined four to six weeks with a slight fracture of his right fibula. Harvey was hit by a comebacker yesterday in a minor league game against the Twins in Fort Myers. An X-ray came back clean, but a CT scan today revealed the injury. "If there's actually such a thing as a good (injury)," Showalter said following an 8-6 loss to the Cardinals that snapped their winning...

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP Score: Cardinals 8, Orioles 6 Recap: Adam Jones hit two home runs and drove in four runs. Bud Norris retired the last six batters he faced, but he threw 71 pitches (by my count) in four innings, only 41 for strikes, and left with the Orioles down 3-2. He allowed two earned runs and three hits, walked four and struck out five. Norris loaded the bases with one out in the first, but struck out the next two batters. Matt Adams hit a two-run homer in the third. Manny Machado hit...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed this afternoon that a CT scan on Hunter Harvey's right fibula revealed a slight fracture. Harvey will be on crutches for a month. The recovery time is expected to be four to six weeks, "and then it's back to work," Duquette said. Harvey was struck by a comebacker yesterday during a minor league start against a Twins' Single-A team in Fort Myers. Initial reports stated that the ball hit his right ankle, but the Orioles...

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 7, Tigers Recap: Center fielder Michael A. Taylor banged two solo homers off Tigers ace Justin Verlander to lead the Nats over the Tigers 7-6. Taylor also added a single on the 2-for-3 day to raise his spring batting average to .324. The 23-year-old now has three home runs to go along with two triples and two doubles in the exhibition season. Right-hander A.J. Cole pitched well, giving up just one hit, a two-run homer to Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez....

SARASOTA, Fla. - Manny Machado hit his first spring home run today, a solo shot in the bottom of the first inning. The Cardinals tied the score 1-1 in the second inning on a Machado error, a walk, a double steal and Jon Jay's RBI bouncer. The run was unearned. Bud Norris has thrown 45 pitches in two innings, including 26 for strikes. The first four Cardinals reached against Norris in the first, but Steve Clevenger threw out Jay trying to steal second base after a leadoff single. Norris has...