SARASOTA, Fla. - Today's starter for the Pirates, Radhames Liz, hasn't pitched in the majors since making two appearances with the Orioles in April 2009, allowing 10 runs and eight hits in 1 1/3 innings. Liz, 31, is 6-8 with a 7.50 ERA in 28 appearances (21 starts) over parts of three major league seasons, all of them with the Orioles. Manager Buck Showalter isn't in a rush to make a decision on Rule 5 pitchers Jason Garcia and Logan Verrett, who can't be optioned without passing through...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles clubhouse was closed to reporters this morning as the players met with Tony Clark, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association. He makes the rounds and meets with players at every camp and today he saw the Orioles. "These meetings are an opportunity to share with guys a state of the union of sorts," Clark said. "But also to make sure that we go through any of the issues that have been part of the headlines the last few months. Whether...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles catcher Matt Wieters is having his right elbow X-rayed today as a precaution after being shut down with tendinitis. He's expected back in camp by the start of today's game. "Just making sure everything's structurally right," said manager Buck Showalter. "Richie (Bancells) and them decided by the time I got back (yesterday) they were just going to go ahead and set it up and get it done. They talked with Dr. (Michael) Jacobs a little bit just to make sure we've got...

VIERA, Fla. - It's hard to say anyone in the Nationals organization has been negatively affected by the offseason signing of right-hander Max Scherzer. But coming off a season where he went 15-10 with a sterling 2.85 ERA as a starter, it appears righty Tanner Roark will get bumped from the rotation due to Scherzer's arrival. Manager Matt Williams continues to say that Roark is preparing as a starter during spring training, although he's made only one start and that was on the road in a...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Steve Clevenger is catching today for the Orioles while Matt Wieters remains shut down with tendinitis in his right elbow. Ryan Flaherty returns to the lineup after being hit on the batting helmet and leaving Tuesday's game. He was scratched from Wednesday's trip to Fort Myers. Manny Machado is leading off and Jimmy Paredes is starting in left field. The bullpen includes Brad Brach, Tommy Hunter, Darren O'Day, Steve Johnson, Chaz Roe, Mike Wright, Jon Keller and Jesse...

VIERA, Fla. - Michael A. Taylor came to Viera with the goal of making a shorter trip back north to D.C. instead of to Triple-A Syracuse at the end of spring training. He had no idea that would entail being the Nationals' opening day center fielder. That could be Taylor's role since Denard Span's abdominal surgery has likely cost him the beginning of the season. Taylor has answered the call by hitting .292 with a homer, two triples, a double and three RBIs in eight starts this spring....

VIERA, Fla. - Clint Robinson has bounced around the minor leagues for nine years since Kansas City drafted him in 2007. Despite swinging a heavy bat to the tune of a .302 average with 141 homers and 587 RBIs in the minors, Robinson has only taken in the bright lights of the majors for 13 games - four with Royals in 2012 and nine with the Dodgers last season. "It's tough," Robinson said. "It's a good place to be, the big leagues. You want to get up there and you want to stay, but there are...

Right-hander Reynaldo Lopez took a major step forward in July and August last season. After some early struggles at low Single-A Hagerstown, Lopez went to short-season Single-A Auburn and was able to make a mechanical adjustment in his throwing motion that turned his season around. Nationals minor league pitching coordinator Paul Menhart, along with current senior baseball advisor Spin Williams and pitching coaches Tim Redding and Sam Narron, worked with Lopez to adjust his release point. Lopez...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are back home today to play the Pirates at 1:05 p.m. at Ed Smith Stadium, where they've sold out seven of the eight games. Chris Tillman makes his third start, but only the second in a Grapefruit League game. He tossed three scoreless innings against the Puerto Rico Development Program, which didn't appear to have a player more than five feet tall. Tillman really was challenged to keep the ball down. Matt Wieters won't be catching today. He won't be serving as...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have done pretty well when it comes to signing and developing Cuban outfielders. In December, they added another Cuban to the organization. Henry Urrutia was signed in 2012, was the O's minor league Player of the Year a season later and is having a strong spring camp this year. So is Dariel Alvarez, who was signed a year after Urrutia and had a strong minor league season last summer. Now the O's have added another corner outfielder from Cuba. They signed...