ORIOLES QUICK WRAPScore: Tigers 15, Orioles 2Recap: Ubaldo Jimenez struck out two in a scoreless first inning, but the wheels came off in the second. He recorded only one out and was charged with six runs (five earned). Jimenez walked two, hit two batters and threw a wild pitch. Chris Jones replaced Jimenez with one out in the second and served up a three-run homer to Ian Kinsler. Yoenis Cespedes hit a grand slam off Oliver Drake (Navy) in the fourth. Eddie Gamboa gave up an RBI triple to...

VIERA, Fla. - Nationals manager Matt Williams announced this afternoon that Max Scherzer will start Thursday's spring training opener against the Mets. Tanner Roark, who most likely will be bumped from this year's starting rotation due to Scherzer's signing, will be the next to take the mound in the first exhibition game. Williams has a limit in mind for his pitchers. "Two innings, 45-ish (pitches), depending on how it goes, depending how stressful those innings are," Williams said. "It...

LAKELAND, Fla. - Ubaldo Jimenez lasted only 1 1/3 innings today for the Orioles and was charged with six runs (five earned), the last three scoring on Ian Kinsler's home run off left-hander Chris Jones. The Tigers lead 7-0 in the bottom of the third. Jimenez allowed three hits, walked two, struck out two, hit two batters and threw a wild pitch. The strikeouts came against the first two batters he faced. I've got Jimenez with 42 pitches, 21 in each inning, and 27 for strikes. The Tigers'...

LAKELAND, Fla. - It's been a few years since I covered a game at Joker Marchant Stadium. I forgot that press box seating is limited, to put it mildly. One seat for five Orioles beat writers is bad math. When the music stops ... Manager Buck Showalter didn't plan on leaving the Sarasota complex until around 10:30 a.m. The team bus was behind me as I pulled into the stadium lot here and the Orioles just started to take batting practice. The Orioles were 13-9-4 last spring, including 6-5-1 at...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Everth Cabrera is leading off and playing shortstop today in the Orioles' first exhibition game against the Tigers in Lakeland, Fla. Matt Tuiasosopo is serving as the designated hitter and batting fourth. J.P. Arencibia is behind the plate. Henry Urrutia and Dariel Alvarez are on the trip as reserves. For the Orioles Everth Cabrera SSJonathan Schoop 2BNolan Reimold RFMatt Tuiasosopo DHTravis Snider LFJimmy Paredes 3BJ.P. Arencibia CDavid Lough CFChristian Walker 1B Ubaldo...

VIERA, Fla. - Michael A. Taylor's rare combination of power and speed has led him to be considered as one of the top prospects in all of baseball. The 23-year-old made the jump to the majors in August 2014 and hit his first home run in his big league debut at Citi Field in New York. Most would think that would easily be the highlight for his short stint in the majors, but the humble Taylor offered another when asked. "I think being a part of the no-hitter was probably the highlight," said...

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals have agreed to terms with outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. on a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training. The 32-year-old has played parts of eight seasons in the majors with the Brewers, Padres, Dodgers and Phillies. Gwynn played his college ball at San Diego State and was drafted by Milwaukee in the second round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft. His best year in the majors came with the Padres, where his father, Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn,...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The first exhibition game is upon us. All it requires is about a 90-minute drive to Lakeland, Fla. Don't bother looking for the regulars. Orioles manager Buck Showalter already confirmed that Adam Jones, Matt Wieters, Chris Davis, Manny Machado, J.J. Hardy and Steve Pearce aren't making the trip. And neither is Caleb Joseph, who's staying in Sarasota until his son is born. Ubaldo Jimenez gets the start and is scheduled to throw two innings. The bullpen includes Eddie Gamboa,...

Don't worry, Orioles fans, I am honestly not trying to get your blood pressure elevated and I'm not trolling you. But I do want to spend some time today discussing this topic: O's season predictions. Keep in mind this very, very important fact: Predictions are interesting to look at and debate, but they mean nothing. If you don't believe me just go back to some predictions for last year, which missed on the Orioles by a mile. But even after the Orioles posted 96 wins, an American League...

VIERA, Fla. - Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer and Tanner Roark took the hill yesterday, throwing to actual hitters for the first time this spring training. Today brought a chance for the rest of the rotation - Doug Fister, Gio Gonzalez, and Jordan Zimmermann - to show its pitches to live Nationals stepping into the batter's box. "Gio's velocity was really good. His curveball was good," manager Matt Williams said. "Zim was typical Zim in that he just pounded the zone with the exception of...