The Washington Nationals today reassigned right-handed pitcher Gabriel Alfaro, catcher Jeff Howell, left-handed pitcher Tyler Robertson and first baseman/third baseman Matt Skole to minor-league camp. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. The Nationals currently have 59 players in big league camp.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Miguel Gonzalez's shin keeps changing color. The red mark has turned to purple and the soreness has increased. Just as you'd expect after a baseball slams off a tibia. Gonzalez will throw a light bullpen session today - 15 to 20 pitches - and remains hopeful that he can make his next start. The Orioles have him scheduled to take the mound on Tuesday. A liner up the middle from Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp nailed Gonzalez on the lower leg Friday afternoon and caused him to...

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals made their first round of cuts this morning, sending infielder Matt Skole, catcher Jeff Howell, right-hander Gabriel Alfaro and left-hander Tyler Robertson to minor league camp. Update: Just before first pitch here today, the Nats announced two more players have been sent to minor league camp - infielder Josh Johnson and catcher Brian Jeroloman. Johnson is recovering from surgery on his left wrist to remove a broken hamate bone. He said today he's been taking...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles conclude a stretch of four consecutive scheduled home games today with a visit from the Pirates, who will serve as hosts Monday afternoon in Bradenton. Heavy rains forced the cancellation of Thursday's game, so it's three in a row at Ed Smith Stadium. The Orioles are 7-2 after taking both split-squad games yesterday. The standings are meaningless during the Grapefruit League season, but winning is better than losing, and you can quote me on it. Nelson Cruz is...

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals are making their first round of roster cuts today, and left-handed reliever Tyler Robertson is among the group getting sent down. Robertson was informed this morning that he's being sent over to minor league camp. He pitched two scoreless innings this spring, notching two saves, striking out two and walking one. The burly left-hander re-signed with the Nats on a minor league deal this offseason. He was claimed off waivers from the Astros last year, but did not...

VIERA, Fla. - Now that Taylor Jordan is three appearances into spring training and he's settled in, having put up a couple of solid outings, he can admit it: he came into spring training feeling pretty nervous. In both of Jordan's first two spring outings, he took a look down at the ground before throwing his first pitch and noticed something. "My legs were literally shaking," Jordan said yesterday. "I could see my legs shaking. It was bad." Two factors went into that - Jordan's...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis doubled twice and tripled Friday afternoon as part of a four-hit day. He doubled and scored yesterday. All that training over the winter and the extra muscle added to his arms and legs haven't gone to waste. Markakis is 8-for-13 with four doubles, a triple and four runs scored in four spring training games. He's running the bases aggressively and tracking down balls in the gap and near the line. He did it twice in the top of the fourth...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Former reliever Todd Frohwirth is leaving camp Sunday morning and heading to Arizona, where he will resume his scouting duties for the Orioles. His work here is done. Frohwirth has been tutoring Darren O'Day on refining his changeup. O'Day threw four or five of them today while retiring the Red Sox in order in the fifth inning on a strikeout and two ground balls to first baseman Chris Davis. "It went about as well as it could have," O'Day said after the Orioles' 7-3...

VIERA, Fla. - Here in Viera, the Nationals beat the Braves 8-2. Over in Jupiter, where the Nats had the other split-squad contest today, a game with the Cardinals ended in a 4-4 tie after 10 innings. In the road split-squad game, Jamey Carroll had an RBI single and Destin Hood hit a three-run homer. Chris Young allowed a run over three innings, A.J. Cole struck out three in 2 2/3 scoreless, Aaron Barrett had two Ks in 1 1/3 innings, and Clay Hensley struck out two Cardinals in a scoreless...

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 8, Braves 2 Recap: The Nats added some cushion to their one-run lead in the fifth by homering twice off former Nationals righty Yunesky Maya. Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche hit back-to-back blasts, and the Nats coasted to a win over Atlanta. Need to know: Taylor Jordan looked really sharp in his three innings of work, allowing one run and striking out six. Ross Detwiler allowed a run in his two-plus innings, while Tyler Clippard and Xavier Cedeno threw...