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...

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP Score: Blue Jays 4, Orioles 3 in 10 innings Recap: Making his fourth spring outing, Miguel Gonzalez allowed just five hits and one run over four innings. It was his longest outing this spring. He gave up a run in the fourth but pitched out of a bases-loaded jam. Steve Clevenger had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI. The Orioles had a lead heading to the bottom of the ninth, but Ryan Webb gave up a game-tying single to Munenori Kawasaki....

VIERA, Fla. - Nationals manager Matt Williams just challenged a call by first base umpire Gary Cederstrom, and was unsuccessful. With two down in the seventh, Ezequiel Carrera singled to left, but left fielder Bryce Harper fielded the ball and threw behind the runner at first, firing a strike to first baseman Ryan Zimmerman. Carrera appeared to get back to the bag ahead of Zimmerman's tag, but Williams strolled out of the dugout and requested the video replay to be reviewed. After review...

DUNEDIN, Fla. - The Orioles took a 2-0 lead on Toronto today on RBI doubles by Steve Clevenger and Ryan Flaherty in the top of the fourth. Clevenger is 2-for-2 today with a pair of opposite field doubles to left and he is now 11-for-21 this spring. Miguel Gonzalez has rolled through the Jays lineup through three innings allowing just one hit, a one-out single by Colby Rasmus in the top of the first. He is facing Toronto's regulars here this afternoon. Gonzalez has walked none and fanned...

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Tigers 2, Nationals 1 Recap: Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann allowed his first run of the season during a four-inning stint in a match-up against Tigers ace Justin Verlander. Zimmermann yielded four hits, hit a batter and fanned four, and his spring ERA now stands at 0.69. Need to know: Zimmermann became the first pitcher to bat this spring, and was under orders from Nats manager Matt Williams to bunt with two outs in the third, even though he was hecked after...