The Washington Nationals today announced that Robert D. Manfred Jr., the tenth Commissioner of Baseball, will throw the ceremonial first pitch on opening day at Nationals Park on Monday, April 6. "We are so honored that Commissioner Manfred has chosen to spend this historic opening day in Washington," said Mark D. Lerner, Vice Chairman and one of the Principal Owners of the Nationals. "His participation will be incredibly special as we kick off our 10-Year Anniversary season." More...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Orioles continue to list left-hander Brian Matusz as the starter for Friday's game against the Red Sox in Fort Myers. Boston is sending Justin Masterson to the mound. Saturday's starter against the Twins in Fort Myers is listed as TBA, but it would be Miguel Gonzalez's turn. Matusz is the subject of intense trade speculation. The Orioles are willing to move him, which has been reported many times since the 2014 season ended, and scouts are getting a prolonged look at...

JUPITER, Fla. - Ian Stewart gets another start at third base today for the Nationals, while Anthony Rendon continues to recover from a sprained left MCL. The seven-year veteran has been swinging a hot bat. Stewart is hitting .389 with two homers, a double and three RBIs. Right-hander Doug Fister will have a good test against Marlins star Giancarlo Stanton in his third start of the spring. Fister also becomes the first Nats pitcher to hit in the exhibition season, with the designated hitter...

In my 30 years of broadcasting Major League Baseball, there have been far too many plane rides, far too many delays and what could have been, far too many wasted hours. Thank heavens, since the earliest years, I have loved to read. Books are friends to me. Libraries are where those friends live. I engage both as often as possible in my travels. Just for fun, with the help of some friends at MASN (the human kind) and the wonderful folks at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, we begin...

VIERA, Fla. - It's hard to read anything into spring training lineups when Nationals manager Matt Williams posts them early in the morning before exhibition games. But while quickly looking at Tuesday's lineup, I recognized that something important was going to happen when the Nats took on the Tigers. Most are probably thinking I'm talking about the hyped matchup between Nats righty Stephen Strasburg and Detroit ace Justin Verlander - and certainly that was fun, if even only for four...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles play three of their next four games in Fort Myers, twice facing the Twins at Hammond Stadium. They should be able to get there with their eyes closed, which may be more than just an expression, considering the challenges of this spring's schedule. Ubaldo Jimenez is making his fourth start, all of them on the road. Anyone remember Mr. Green Jeans on "Captain Kangaroo"? Well, Jimenez is Mr. Gray Pants. Jimenez allowed six runs (five earned) in 1 1/3 innings in his...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Spring training is a time for preparation, a time for players to reenter their comfort zone and get ready for a long and grueling season. But it also lends itself to experimentation. Ramon Martinez, hired by the Orioles as special assignment pitching instructor, taught left-hander Wei-Yin Chen a new grip on his changeup that more closely resembles a palm ball. Darren O'Day is trying again to master his own changeup after ditching the one he briefly tried last spring. Tommy...

LAKELAND, Fla. - Davey Johnson may have retired as Nationals manager after the 2013 season, but he continued to keep close tabs on his former ballclub from afar by watching virtually every game they played on television last year. "It's in your blood," Johnson said. "It was fun. I was addicted to it. I would check the paper. I don't think I missed but one or two games all season long." Despite intently watching his old team from afar, Johnson had not seen the Nats in person since he left...

LAKELAND, Fla. - Stephen Strasburg appeared to be in midseason form throughout today's start. The Tigers only managed three hits while Strasburg struck out five in four scoreless innings in the Nationals' 6-4 victory. Detroit's lineup saw the full repertoire from the big righty. "Two-seamer was working pretty well, changeup got better as the game went on and curveball, I was able to throw it for a strike today," Strasburg said. "Everything was working pretty well." Strasburg threw 44 of...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Nolan Reimold was drafted by the Orioles in 2005 and spent his entire career in the organization until last summer. Designated for assignment by the club last July 1, he was claimed off waivers by Toronto and also played with Arizona. For the first time, he was an ex-Oriole. Now Reimold is back with the club - where he wanted to be this year all along - is hoping to finally return to complete health and to make his way back to the major leagues. Reimold is now fully recovered...