SARASOTA, Fla. - In keeping with a spring training tradition, I woke up this morning and had to search for my rental car and the hour of sleep that I lost. My keys only enable me to find one of them. The Orioles are on the road again today, making the bus ride to Fort Myers for a 1:05 p.m. game against the Twins at newly renovated Hammond Stadium. I'm not sure what they did with the money, but I'll soon find out. Upgrading the media dining room would be one heck of a start. I'd be willing to...

VIERA, Fla. - Most of the focus of spring training has surrounded the Nationals rotation, especially since the addition of Max Scherzer in January. Scherzer and Jordan Zimmermann started the Nats' first two exhibition games. On Saturday, it was Stephen Strasburg's turn. The tall righty looked strong early, as he needed just 12 pitches to retire the Cardinals in the first. But Strasburg struggled in the second surrendering two runs on three hits, two walks and two strikeouts before manager...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph was scheduled to start Sunday's game against the Twins in Fort Myers. However, he's been scratched from the lineup while waiting for his son to be born. It would have been Joseph's first road game this spring. "Everything's going well," said manager Buck Showalter, "but it could be a long process." Ryan Lavarnway is expected to catch starter Ubaldo Jimenez, who lasted only 1 1/3 innings against the Tigers on Tuesday and allowed six runs...

An anniversary passed without too much notice on Friday, but it certainly should be noted. It was 10 years ago that day - March 6, 2005 - that legendary Orioles and Baltimore Colts broadcaster Chuck Thompson died at age 83. Thompson was a Hall of Fame broadcaster and for many of us, the voice of sports in Baltimore in our youth. He received the Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 1993. While he worked with a few broadcast partners over the years, many O's...

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 6, Cardinals 5 Recap: Stephen Strasburg allowed two runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. Strasburg's difficulties began in the second when he walked Randall Grichuk to start the inning. The Cardinals followed with three straight singles taking a 2-0 lead. Grichuk homered off A.J. Cole in the third extending the Cardinals lead to 3-1. The Nationals rallied in the sixth, taking the lead for good on two-run singles from...

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP Score: Red Sox 7, Orioles 6 Recap: Bud Norris lasted only one inning, allowing four runs and four hits, walking one, striking out two and throwing a wild pitch. He threw 30 pitches, 15 for strikes. Former Oriole Jemile Weeks had an RBI triple and Blake Swihart hit a three-run homer. The Orioles scored an unearned run in the first on Chris Davis' two-out single after Alejandro De Aza reached on an error. Adam Jones had an RBI grounder and Davis added a sacrifice fly in the...

VIERA, Fla. - After breezing through a perfect first inning, Stephen Strasburg labored through 28 pitches in the second before Nationals manager Matt Williams removed him with two outs. Williams had previously said that it was his plan for all starters to pitch either two innings or around 45 pitches. Strasburg had thrown 40 pitches, 26 for strikes, when Williams went to the mound. Strasburg walked Randal Grichuk to start the second. Grichuk scored after back-to-back singles from Scott Moore...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The plan called for Orioles starter Bud Norris to work two innings today, but the Red Sox wouldn't allow it. Norris threw 30 pitches, only 15 for strikes, in the first inning and departed with a 4-0 deficit. Chaz Roe replaced him in the top of the second and turned in two scoreless innings. Norris was down 1-0 just two batters into the game after Milton Bradley Jr. led off with a single and former Oriole Jemile Weeks tripled into right-center field. After a walk, wild pitch...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Catcher Caleb Joseph took wife Brooke to the hospital late last night and manager Buck Showalter is waiting for a baby update. Joseph was in the original lineup today, but Steve Clevenger got the start behind the plate. Joseph called Showalter last night to update him. "He was all excited," Showalter said. "He said, 'At this time tomorrow, I'll be ... ' And I said, 'Don't jinx it. You might have one of those 30-hour labors.'" The Orioles will play a game on March 14...

VIERA, Fla. - Yunel Escobar will miss seven to 10 days with a Grade 1 left oblique strain according to Nationals manager Matt Williams. "It's very light, but we still have to shut him down for a few days to make sure that it gets out of there," Williams said. "We would anticipate him being back and playing in spring training games and ready for opening day ,but he'll just be a little bit delayed on that." "(Escobar) says that he doesn't feel it taking grounders or turning pivots. The...