LAKELAND, Fla. - Greetings from Joker Marchant Stadium, where the Nationals are supposed to play the Tigers today at 1:05 p.m. I say "supposed" because the weather radar is showing a large multi-colored blob of precipitation closing in on us, and the tarp is covering the field. The forecast calls for morning thunderstorms followed by scattered afternoon thunderstorms with damaging winds, conditions not necessarily conducive to exhibition play. But we'll forge on. It's nothing like the snow...

VIERA, Fla. - Many of the Nationals' starters will be making the trip to Lakeland this afternoon to play the Tigers. Right-hander Tanner Roark will take the mound for the Nats. Ryan Zimmerman, who saw time at first base yesterday, will serve as the Nats' designated hitter. Here is the Nats lineup for the game against the Tigers: CF Denard Span SS Ian Desmond DH Ryan Zimmerman LF Bryce Harper 2B Danny Espinosa 1B Tyler Moore 3B Zach Walters RF Jeff Kobernus C Jhonatan Solano RHP...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Alexi Casilla is starting at shortstop today in the Orioles' split-squad game against the Phillies in Clearwater. Casilla was scratched from yesterday's lineup due to swelling in his left knee, same as Friday's game against the Twins in Fort Myers. Suk-min Yoon is on the travel roster after making his debut Saturday against the Yankees. Yoon threw 11 pitches in one inning. He's fresh. The Orioles don't have a designated hitter listed, but that could chance after the...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter told reporters a few days ago that the Phillies weren't allowing his team to use a designated hitter for today's game in Clearwater. The Phillies posted their lineup this morning and Keven Frandsen is listed as the designated hitter. Did they just take the bat out of pitcher Brian Matusz's hands? Here's the Phillies lineup Ben Revere CF Jimmy Rollins SS Chase Utley 2B Marlon Byrd RF Ryan Howard 1B Carlos Ruiz C Domonic Brown LF Kevin...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Has the Orioles' organization become a land of opportunity for the fringe major league player? The answer may well be yes. The 2012 playoff Orioles used 52 players and made a whopping 178 roster moves. That was just the second time in club history an Orioles team had used 50 or more players and was the most since the 1955 team used 54 players. The 2013 Orioles matched that 1955 squad by using 54 players and made 176 roster moves. So only three times in club history have the...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are playing split-squad games today if the weather allows it. Lots of rain is in the forecast. Brian Matusz gets the start against the Phillies in Clearwater, followed by Kevin Gausman. Ubaldo Jimenez was supposed to get the start tonight against the Twins in Sarasota, but manager Buck Showalter told reporters yesterday that the right-hander will pitch in a Triple-A game in Fort Myers. Showalter is anticipating a cancellation due to the weather and he wants to...

VIERA, Fla. - When an opposing baserunner steals against the Nationals, who's at fault? Sometimes it's the pitcher, who didn't do enough to hold the runner on, disrupt his attempt to swipe a bag or get the ball quickly enough to the plate. Sometimes it's the catcher, who didn't uncork a strong enough throw to nab him. And sometimes no one's at fault - even when you execute properly, the guy trying to steal may execute a little better. All three situations were apparent to an extent in...

VIERA, Fla. - When Matt Williams strolled out of the first base dugout in the seventh inning of Sunday's game to challenge a safe call by first base umpire Gary Cederstrom, the Nationals manager knew that the initial call was correct. So why did he endure a 1:56 replay review to confirm what he already knew? "At some point during the game, you have to practice and we want to work the process as much as we can. ... It wouldn't be right for us to go through the whole game and not use one if...

DUNEDIN, Fla. - Minor league outfielder Dariel Alvarez had a chance to be a hero today for the Orioles with a homer in the top of the 10th. But Toronto scored twice off Kelvin De La Cruz in the last of the inning to beat the Birds, 4-3 in 10 innings at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. The Orioles almost lost this game in the last of the ninth. After he pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, Ryan Webb came out for the ninth leading 2-1, but Toronto greeted him four straight singles to tie the game. De La Cruz...

VIERA, Fla. - Nationals right-hander Jordan Zimmermann had one of those days. He battled with his command, fought a gusty wind and the opposing catcher didn't believe Zimmermann when the pitcher told him that he was bunting with two outs and requested a fat pitch over the middle of the plate. That was Zimmermann's fourth spring start in a nutshell. He threw 44 of his 66 pitches for strikes, gave up his first run of the spring and still managed to adroitly work around four singles in four...