Outfielder Destin Hood and shortstop Stephen Perez worked extremely hard in the offseason to prepare for this upcoming campaign and it is showing so far in spring training. The soon-to-be 24-year-old Hood is listed at 6-foot-1 and 215 lbs., and is from Mobile, Ala. He has long been considered a top-10 prospect in the organization, but last season hit .224 as he battled through injuries and illness, with 116 strikeouts in 112 games while with Double-A Harrisburg. Nationals assistant general...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Alexi Casilla was scratched from today's lineup with a hyperextended left knee. Jonathan Schoop has replaced him at shortstop. Casilla had recently been cleared to play after being shut down with a right hamstring injury. He's 0-for-5 in three games. Manager Buck Showalter learned of Casilla's injury via a phone call from bench coach John Russell as he prepared to make the drive to Fort Myers. Matt Wieters' right ankle is still a little swollen, and he probably won't...

A team's effort to get closer looks at everyone in camp while also being extremely cautious with everyday regular season players makes spring training look abnormal when compared to the actual season. If you don't know what I mean, look at the Orioles this week. After rolling his ankle in a game Tuesday, Matt Wieters was immediately removed. However, he says he would have toughed it out if it was a regular season game. Miguel Gonzalez was also told to take it easy this week after being hit...

LAKELAND, Fla. - Right-hander Doug Fister, who has been sidelined since March 2 with inflammation in his pitching elbow, threw a bullpen session this morning in Viera, Fla., one day after feeling tightness in the affected arm following three consecutive days of throwing. Nationals manager Matt Williams was awaiting the arrival of pitching coach Steve McCatty with a report on Fister's progress, but continued to preach that the team wasn't as concerned with Fister missing a couple of spring...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Today's game against the Twins at Hammond Stadium is another instant replay game. The Orioles may have challenged a call here during their last visit, but a replay wasn't available to them. That qualifies as a flaw in the system. Saturday afternoon's game against the Yankees at Ed Smith Stadium will air at 1:05 p.m. on MASN. The Orioles will start Chris Tillman, while New York counters with left-hander Vidal Nuno. Other Orioles scheduled to pitch include Suk-min Yoon,...

Spring training gives the Nationals their first look of the year at pitchers, players rehabbing from injuries and more. Well, this year, it's also giving Major League Baseball teams their first look at instant replay. While veterans and regular starters are less likely to make road trips during spring games, this week the regulars all traveled to Kissimmee to face the Astros. It was there that the Nats were first given access to challenges and a glance at the new replay system. Beyond rule...

LAKELAND, Fla. - Greetings from Joker Marchant Stadium, where the Nationals will face the Tigers at 1:05 p.m. today. Actually, they'll be playing one another three out of the next four days, but we're concentrating on today. Taylor Jordan gets the start for the Nationals today, with Luis Ayala, Michael Gonzalez, Drew Storen and Blake Treinen also available to pitch. For the Nationals: CF Denard Span 2B Anthony Rendon RF Nate McLouth DH Scott Hairston C Jose Lobaton 1B Tyler Moore LF Jeff...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles today optioned pitcher Dylan Bundy to Double-A Bowie. The move doesn't change much for Bundy, who is not yet pitching in any games. It's just that his rehab work could shift from Ed Smith Stadium to the O's minor league complex. "Don't know if it's my place to say exactly what we are going to do (with where my rehab will be). We are still looking into what we can do, but I'll be down there throwing for the next week for sure," Bundy said. He underwent...

The Orioles today announced that they have optioned right-hander Dylan Bundy to Double-A Bowie. With the assignment, the Orioles now have 46 players at major league spring training, including nine non-roster invitees.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Kevin Gausman went through a few changes last year, his first full season in pro baseball. He ended the year with a second changeup and some tweaking of his mechanics. It would seem surprising that he made some changes during the season, especially for a pitcher that was the fourth overall pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft. After such success in college, was Gausman surprised that he changed a few things once he got to pro ball? "Not really. As a pitcher, you always...