PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - The Nationals announced this morning that left-handed reliever Michael Gonzalez has rejoined the team on a minor league deal. I'd imagine Gonzalez will report to Triple-A Syracuse, although the team has not announced Gonzalez's assignment. Gonzalez, 35, was released by the Nats on Tuesday. He originally signed a minor league deal with the team early this month, and allowed four runs on seven hits over four Grapefruit League innings. The veteran lefty joined the Nats...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Well, after six weeks, we're finally about done down here in Florida. Today marks the last day on the Nationals' Grapefruit League schedule, and once this afternoon's game against the Mets is complete, only Saturday's exhibition at Nationals Park and a couple of off-days stand in between us and opening day. Jordan Zimmermann will get the ball for the Nats today at Tradition Field, while back at the Nats' minor league complex in Viera, Doug Fister will throw around...

SARASOTA, Fla. - We've reached the end. It's the last Grapefruit League game before the Orioles break camp. They're playing at night again, and they're playing the Rays again, and they're facing Alex Cobb again after he struck out 12 Orioles in seven innings Saturday in a game that, yes, ended in a tie. It's really time to go home. Ubaldo Jimenez makes his last start before taking the mound on April 2 at Camden Yards. He allowed two runs over six innings in his most recent outing...

With the 2014 regular season now just days away, here are five questions facing the Orioles this year. * How will the rotation hold up? Isn't this always the key question? As the season begins, the rotation of Chris Tillman, Ubaldo Jimenez, Wei-Yin Chen, Miguel Gonzalez and Bud Norris looks solid. There is also plenty of depth as well with pitchers like Kevin Gausman, Steve Johnson and T.J. McFarland possibly at Triple-A waiting for their chance. On the farm, could this be the year when...

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Josh Stinson posted an unusual line tonight. Two innings, no hits, one unearned run, three walks, six strikeouts. The tying run scored in the ninth on Stinson's throwing error. The Orioles have played to four ties this spring. It's time to go home. Stinson didn't allow an earned run in nine innings. "Josh has had a good spring," said manager Buck Showalter. "He's making it tough on us." Seems simple to me. Stinson is out of options and has earned a spot in...

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP Score: Orioles 4, Rays 4 Recap: In his last start before opening day, Chris Tillman allowed two runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings, with one walk and one strikeout. He threw 79 pitches. Zach Britton had back-to-back outings for the first time this spring and struck out the only batter he faced. The Rays scored once off Darren O'Day in the seventh, the tying run crossing the plate on Adam Jones' error. The Orioles broke the tie on a Brett Wallace sacrifice fly in the...

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - The Rays scored a run off Orioles starter Chris Tillman in the bottom of the first inning tonight, but Delmon Young's RBI grounder tied the score in the top of the second. Nelson Cruz led off with a single and Matt Wieters doubled before Young tied the game with one out. Wieters is 10-for-26 this spring. Chris Marrero, batting for the first time this spring after recovering from an oblique injury, bounced out to end the inning. Tillman gave up two hits in the first,...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - A few hours following this afternoon's loss to the Cardinals, the Nationals' second-to-last Grapefruit League game of spring, the Nats trimmed their roster down to 26 active players by optioning infielder/outfielder Jeff Kobernus to Triple-A Syracuse and catcher Sandy Leon to Double-A Harrisburg. Both guys had been mentioned yesterday by manager Matt Williams as candidates to make the team's opening day roster, but today's signing of infielder Kevin Frandsen...

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Nolan Reimold can swing the bat without any discomfort in his surgically repaired neck. It's playing the outfield that's causing problems and has led to the Orioles' decision to place him on the 15-day disabled list, a move that will be announced before opening day. "The two times he tried, looking up bothered him some," said manager Buck Showalter. "You've probably got to be able to look up to play the outfield, depending on your pitching staff. But this buys us...

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Orioles outfielder Nolan Reimold will begin the 2014 season on the 15-day disabled list. Reimold was scratched from tonight's game against the Rays in Port Charlotte. He hasn't been able to play the outfield comfortably following corrective surgery on his neck In January to fuse two vertebrae. Reimold played yesterday and collected a hit, so his assignment will be backdated to today. Manager Buck Showalter stressed that Reimold didn't experience a setback. He can...