SARASOTA, Fla. - Reliever Alfredo Aceves was informed tonight that he won't make the Orioles' 25-man roster coming out of spring training. As a result, Aceves will opt out of his contract, according to an industry source. Aceves, 31, allowed five earned runs and 11 hits in 10 innings, with two walks and six strikeouts. The Orioles signed Aceves to a minor league deal on Jan. 15 after he spent the last three seasons with the Red Sox, saving 25 games in 2012. Evan Meek appears to have...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles designated hitter Nelson Cruz came out of tonight's game in the bottom of the fourth inning after being hit on the left side of the batting helmet by a pitch from Rays starter Alex Cobb. Cruz dropped to his knees but quickly stood up as head athletic trainer Richie Bancells and manager Buck Showalter ran out of the dugout. Cruz walked to the clubhouse with Bancells as fans gave him an ovation. Bancells kept a hand on Cruz to steady him, but he appeared to be...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Ubaldo Jimenez has thrown three scoreless innings tonight against the Rays, escaping jams in the first and third. Jimenez, closing the Grapefruit League portion of the Orioles' schedule, gave up a leadoff double to Matt Joyce in the first inning before retiring the next three batters, striking out Evan Longoria to end the frame. He got three groundball outs in the second on only eight pitches, but threw 28 in the third. Joyce reached on a two-out, two-strike bunt single...

SARASOTA, Fla. - While the Orioles performed pickoff and outfield drills and took batting practice on the replica Camden Yards field this afternoon, Johan Santana quietly threw a bullpen session between two other practice fields, away from the view of his teammates and manager Buck Showalter. Santana advanced to a full mound and drew praise from assistant athletic trainer Chris Correnti and pitching rehab coordinator Scott McGregor. "I felt pretty good, and the thing is I'm able to recover...

They are both young, big, and strong, and the Orioles believe they have bright futures in their organization. On Jan. 30 the Orioles announced the additions of two international players in 16-year-old third baseman Jomar Reyes (who turned 17 Feb. 20) and 17-year-old first baseman Carlos Diaz. When I was at spring training in Sarasota, Fla., I had the chance to meet and interview both players with the interpreter help of Felipe Alou Jr., who is in his seventh year as the Orioles' coordinator...

SARASOTA, Fla. - As he waits for the Orioles to officially place him on the 15-day disabled list, outfielder Nolan Reimold wants to stress again that he hasn't suffered a new injury to his neck. He hasn't experienced any setbacks. His recovery from corrective surgery in July to fuse two vertebrae in his neck has enabled him to swing the bat without discomfort. The issue is playing the outfield and looking up while running after fly balls. "I don't have a problem swinging," said Reimold,...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles may not make any cuts tonight, with the majority coming on Saturday. They're supposed to play Triple-A Norfolk in an exhibition game at Harbor Park. However, the forecast is calling for a 100 percent change of rain. Doesn't look promising. Thirty-six players remain in camp and the Orioles need to get down to 25 by 3 p.m. Sunday. The Orioles continue to check the waiver wire. They considered a claim yesterday - I don't know which player - and decided against...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - The Nationals are currently on their way to the airport, ready to ship on back to D.C. ahead of Saturday's exhibition game against the Tigers. They wait for word on Doug Fister, who will see the team doctor tomorrow after being diagnosed with a right lat strain, which caused him to leave his minor league start today after just one inning. The Nats closed out their Grapefruit League slate here today with a 4-0 win over the Mets. Jordan Zimmermann went five scoreless...

As a free agent following the 1991 season, pitcher Rick Sutcliffe had no intention of playing in the American League in 1992. He figured he'd sign with St. Louis so he could be close to home and stay in the more familiar National League. Johnny Oates, the Orioles' manager at the time, had other ideas. He brought Sutcliffe to Camden Yards on a cold December day and sold him on becoming an Oriole. "He told me I was going to make Orioles history by throwing the first pitch in Camden Yards,"...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - The Nationals were hoping that Doug Fister would make it through a minor league start today, possibly pitch in one more minor league game five days from now, and then be good to slide into their regular season rotation. That plan will have to be adjusted, and Fister's status for the start of the regular season is now in question. Fister cut short his start today after just one inning due to a right lat strain, according to manager Matt Williams. Fister, working back...