So how do the Orioles rank against the rest of the American League East in terms of outfield play? They have an All-Star in Adam Jones and some questions after that. They are trying to replace Nick Markakis, who started 147 games in right field, and Nelson Cruz, who had 60 starts in left field when he was not serving as the O's designated hitter. Here is a look at players that are expected to see time in the outfield around the division. Of course, playing time is subject to change, but these...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Bud Norris will make his first exhibition start for the Orioles on Saturday against the Red Sox in Sarasota. Ubaldo Jimenez returns to the mound on Sunday against the Twins in Fort Myers, and Chris Tillman makes his first start Monday against the Phillies in Sarasota. Wei-Yin Chen and Miguel Gonzalez will pitch Tuesday against the Yankees in Sarasota. I wrote earlier that Mike Wright is pitching Friday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, but here's a reminder. Playing in his...

VIERA, Fla. - Jayson Werth took another step, albeit a small one, in his rehab from surgery to repair the AC joint in his right shoulder on Jan. 9. "I took some dry swings and I took like five swings off the tee or something like that," Werth said. "I don't think I'm supposed to take swings off the tee, but it's a little too late now, isn't it? I've just got to be smart though. I can't do something to put myself at risk, but I didn't feel like that was a big risk. It's real light....

VIERA, Fla. - It wasn't exactly Roy Hobbs blowing fastballs by "The Whammer" in a field next to the train tracks, but Wednesday morning's faceoff between flame-throwing Stephen Strasburg and violent-swinging Bryce Harper was certainly the highlight of the first two weeks of spring training. The Nationals made Strasburg and Harper the No. 1 overall picks in 2009 and 2010, respectively. But never had the two faced each other at any time during their years with the organization. Until...

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP Score: Tigers 5, Orioles 4 Recap: J.J. Hardy had both Orioles hits before leaving the game for a pinch-runner in the sixth inning. Ryan Flaherty singled in the seventh. The Orioles scored three runs in the eighth on Dariel Alvarez's RBI single and Nolan Reimold's two-run single. Jayson Nix hit a two-out homer in the ninth, the Orioles' first longball of the spring. Kevin Gausman faced three batters in a scoreless first inning, allowing a leadoff single to Anthony Gose,...

The Orioles today announced that they have named Ramon Martinez as Special Assignment Pitching Instructor. Martinez will concentrate on developing Latin American pitchers throughout the organization. Martinez, 46, pitched 14 seasons in the Major Leagues, spending time with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1988-98), Boston Red Sox (1999-00), and Pittsburgh Pirates (2001) organizations. Over 301 games (297 starts), he went 135-88 with a 3.67 ERA (1895.2IP, 772ER). He won a career-high 20 games with the...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Kevin Gausman worked only one inning today, throwing 10 of his 16 pitches for strikes by my unofficial count in a scoreless first. Gausman's fastball touched 96 mph on multiple pitches. He allowed a leadoff single to Anthony Gose before getting a double play grounder from Jose Iglesias and striking out J.D. Martinez, who froze on a 96 mph heater. Gausman was ahead of Gose 1-2 before the Tigers designated hitter lined a single up the middle. J.J. Hardy reached on an infield hit...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Tillman and Bud Norris aren't scheduled to pitch in an exhibition game before the weekend due to the amount of innings they logged last season as the Orioles reached the American League Championship Series. Showalter said he pushed them back and provided extra work days because of the "extra load in October last year." Tillman told me that he's starting on Monday against the Phillies in Sarasota, but the Orioles haven't confirmed it. Norris could start this weekend....

SARASOTA, Fla. - Left-hander T.J. McFarland and right-hander Dylan Bundy will follow starter Kevin Gausman to the mound today in the Orioles' home exhibition opener against the Tigers. Mike Wright is listed as the Orioles' starter Friday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin. Toronto is starting knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. Another reminder that left-hander Wei-Yin Chen and Miguel Gonzalez are starting the two split-squad games on Thursday. The Rays are starting Nathan Karns in Port Charlotte and...

VIERA, Fla. - Just one more day of practice left before the Mets visit Space Coast Stadium for the Nats' Grapefruit League opener. Nationals manager Matt Williams revealed yesterday that Max Scherzer will take the mound first on Thursday followed by Tanner Roark, each throwing two innings or around 45 pitches. This morning, we found out the other pitchers who could also pitch against the Mets: right-handers Blake Treinen, Heath Bell, Aaron Barrett, Eric Fornataro and Rafael Martin, and...