The Nationals have announced they will conduct batting practice for their March 29 exhibition game at Nats Park across town that morning at their new Youth Baseball Academy in Fort Dupont Park. Later that day, the Nationals and Tigers conclude their spring schedules in Washington at a 2 p.m. exhibition. The batting practice will be preceded by a ribbon-cutting ceremony involving special guests, including Nationals players and executives, local and federal government leaders, and the academy's...

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP Score: Rays 7, Orioles 4 Recap: Wei-Yin Chen didn't make it out of the fourth inning today, allowing six runs and 10 hits in 3 2/3 frames. The Rays collected five doubles and homered twice off him. On the plus side, Chen didn't walk anybody. Suk-min Yoon served up a home run to Jayson Nix, but retired six of seven batters in his second appearance with the Orioles. Chris Davis singled in the first inning for his team-leading ninth RBI. Need to know: Adam Jones was...

VIERA, Fla. - Veteran reliever Luis Ayala asked for and was granted his unconditional release by the Nationals today, this after the team informed him that he was being cut. Ayala plans to try and land a big league job with another organization. The 36-year-old right-hander signed a minor league deal with the Nationals on February 7, in hopes of winning a spot in the Nats' opening day bullpen. Ayala made six spring appearances with the Nats and was shelled in two of them, although one of...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Reliever Darren O'Day is throwing two innings today at Twin Lakes Park. Grant Balfour is facing the Orioles today - in a minor league game. Do they have brushback pitches at the Charlotte Sports complex? Bud Norris starts Thursday night's game against the Pirates in Bradenton. Steve Johnson, T.J. McFarland and Alfredo Aceves also are scheduled to pitch. Chris Tillman faces the Braves on Friday in Sarasota, and Ubaldo Jimenez faces the Rays on Saturday in Port...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles catcher Johnny Monell looks at this spring training as a fresh start. He spent seven seasons in the San Francisco Giants organization until the Orioles acquired him for cash on Nov. 30. Soon he will find if his destination will be Baltimore or Norfolk come opening day. "Oh, it's a beautiful fresh start for me," Monell said this morning. "Just being able to get away from the situation in San Francisco and have the chance to come to the American League. Want to...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Outfielder David Lough is taking an impact test now as the final step in being cleared to play Thursday in a Triple-A game. Lough had been experiencing dizziness and eye floaters that may have been related to neck stiffness. He said the symptoms occurred after he was thrown out at the plate trying to stretch a triple into an inside-the-park home run March 8 in Fort Myers. "They cleared me to go for activity and stuff, so I feel pretty good about it, getting back on the right...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles third baseman Manny Machado has a 12:30 p.m. appointment on Thursday with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles, and he will take a red-eye flight back to Sarasota that evening. Machado is scheduled to depart at 6 a.m. Manager Buck Showalter said Machado still hasn't run the bases due to scar tissue breaking up in his left knee, but he's doing infield drills. He could run during his examination by ElAttrache, which would seem to be a requirement before clearing him to...

SARASOTA, Fla. - We are still very early into the minor league exhibition games - they just started one week ago - but a few of the Orioles' top pitching prospects are putting up good numbers so far. The club's 2013 first-round draft pick, 19-year-old right-hander Hunter Harvey made his second start for the Single-A Delmarva squad yesterday. Over three shutout innings, he gave up three hits, with no walks and seven strikeouts. In his first outing he went two innings, allowing one run with...

From watching hundreds of baseball games, I've seen some amazing first pitches. I also know that you've seen a fair share of bad ones... Have you ever been watching a first pitch and thought to yourself: "I could throw a better pitch than that." Well, now you have a chance to show off your first pitch skills! MASN is giving you a chance to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Nats Park on Saturday, April 5, during the Nats' first homestand of the season! How can you win this...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Outfielder Francisco Peguero, who remains shut down with a strained right wrist, must wear a brace for two weeks due to inflammation and most likely will begin the season on the disabled list. Peguero is out of minor league options and the Orioles wanted to take a long look at him this spring. He's appeared in only six games, going 4-for-15 with a triple and three RBIs. "It's frustrating," he said. "I can't do anything right now. I'm here to make the team and I can't...