Five days. We will have regular season baseball starting on Monday, which is five days away. But before the Orioles open against the World Series champions the Boston Red Sox, make sure you catch up on any stories you might have missed on the Orioles from National writers. * Toward the end of last week, one of my favorite baseball writers Tyler Kepner of The New York Times, wrote a really nice column on the 2014 Orioles. Kepner starts his column by detailing executive vice president Dan...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter informed infielder Ryan Flaherty that he's heading north with the team after it breaks camp this weekend. Flaherty could start at third base in Manny Machado's absence. Showalter hasn't revealed his plans for opening day. Wei-Yin Chen will start the third game on April 3 against the Red Sox at Camden Yards. Showalter is deciding on the order for Miguel Gonzalez and Bud Norris, who will pitch in Detroit. Rule 5 pick Michael Almanzar had an...

This time next week, meaningful baseball will be played. That's right - in just five days, the regular season will be under way. You may have missed some stories from national outlets coming out of the last week of camp. Don't worry, I have you covered. * Several of the Nationals' core players have been together for many years. Many were part of the 2012 team that won the National League East title, but suffered a National League Division Series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Last...

VIERA, Fla. - Instead of starting the Nationals' final Grapefruit League game this spring against the Mets on Thursday, right-hander Doug Fister will instead pitch in a minor league game that day, with Jordan Zimmermann getting the ball at Tradition Field against the Mets. Fister, who is still working back from right elbow inflammation that caused him to go 19 days in between big league spring starts, is scheduled to throw around 60-65 pitches in the minor league game, manager Matt Williams...

VIERA, Fla. - Stephen Strasburg will make his final spring training start against the Mets, a game that will be broadcast on MASN HD at 1 p.m. Manager Matt Williams said this morning that he hopes to get the right-hander, who will start the Nats' season opener in Flushing, N.Y., against the Mets, about five innings today. That could increase to six innings if Strasburg's pitch count is low. Here's the Nationals lineup against the Mets: CF Denard Span 2B Anthony Rendon RF Jayson Werth 3B...

The Baltimore Orioles announced the "home team" lineup for a celebrity softball game versus a "visitors" team of military veterans scheduled for Sunday, April 6 at Ed Smith Stadium. The game will be part of a full day of free activities at the All-American Family Day & Concert, featuring a performance by Grammy Award-winning band America. The event is part of the Orioles' "Arts in the Ballpark" series and the Legacy of Valor campaign. "The Orioles are proud to field an enthusiastic...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Steve Clevenger says he was called into manager Buck Showalter's office yesterday and told that he made the club. Clevenger's agent, Joshua Kusnick, tweeted the news last night, but it's always nice to get confirmation. "They called me in and told me, but I'm going to continue to play out the spring. You just never know what could happen between now and then," said Clevenger, who graduated from Mount Saint Joseph and lived in Pigtown. "I just tried not to concentrate...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Steve Lombardozzi will make his Orioles debut today, batting second and playing second base against the Twins in Fort Myers. David Lough is leading off and playing center field. Bud Norris is opposed today by Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson. In his last start, Norris held the Pirates to one run and two hits over five innings in Bradenton. He's been strong in three of his four outings, permitting one run over 10 combined innings. Relievers making the trip include Zach...

VIERA, Fla. - Last night's release of catcher Chris Snyder leaves the Nationals with 34 players remaining in big league camp, 33 of which are active and participating in games. Right-hander Erik Davis is progressing from a right elbow injury, but he will start the season still on the 60-day disabled list, and so he is not currently on the 40-man roster or a factor in the decisions the Nats must make before opening day. The 33 remaining active players are listed below, split up into position...

The Orioles were the featured team last night on MLB Network's "30 clubs in 30 days." Analysts Harold Reynolds and Mitch Williams talked about the O's in the studio, while Ron Darling reported from O's camp in Sarasota, Fla. We'll save some of their season predictions later, but here is what they said on several O's topics. Darling on the rotation: "This is the crux of the Baltimore Orioles, and why they went out and got Ubaldo (Jimenez). They feel like a team of two and three-type...