SARASOTA, Fla. - David Lough is at the Ed Smith Stadium complex today, but he remains out of the lineup while dealing with neck stiffness. Alexi Casilla is starting at second base and batting ninth. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz LF Matt Wieters C Delmon Young DH Ryan Flaherty 3B Alexi Casilla 2B Wei-Yin Chen LHP Other Orioles pitchers on the lineup card include Tommy Hunter, Brad Brach, Evan Meek, Suk-min Yoon and Kelvin De La...

SARASOTA, Fla. - And down the stretch we come. The Orioles have 10 games remaining on their Grapefruit League schedule, including split-squad games March 26 against the Red Sox in Fort Myers and the Rays in Port Charlotte. They also play their Triple-A affiliate, the Norfolk Tides, on March 29 at Harbor Park. They're home today against the Rays at 1:05 p.m., with Wei-Yin Chen making his fourth start. He's allowed three runs and struck out six over nine innings. Manager Buck Showalter...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy and outfielder Adam Jones are two of just four players last season to win both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award. The others are Yadier Molina and Paul Goldschmidt. That is a nice double of defense and power, two elements that can help any team win. Hardy leads all major league shortstops with 77 homers and 224 RBIs since joining the Orioles in 2011. So is he more proud of his bat or his glove? "That's a tough question. Both," he said....

SARASOTA, Fla. - When I interviewed pitcher T.J. McFarland on Saturday morning in the Orioles clubhouse, I asked the left-hander a question. And I pretty much knew what answer I would get. I asked McFarland if he would rather pitch out of the bullpen for the Orioles or get starter innings at Triple-A Norfolk? "That's an easy one," he said. "I don't know what is going to happen. I don't think anyone does right now. Just want to keep throwing well and have them make a tough decision. But...

We are so close to the regular season starting. Now, if only this pesky snow would leave us so the spring temperatures can come to Baltimore. While we wait for the season to begin, make sure you're up to date with all the latest on the Birds. Here are a few stories from around the nation that you may have missed about the Orioles. * Tommy Hunter, the favorite to be the O's new closer, has an interesting take on the game he plays for a living. "Baseball is failing man's sport and...

Friday marks the 10-day countdown until the start of the season. We've all missed seeing the boys in red play some meaningful baseball. Don't worry, the Nationals will be playing the Mets very soon. We'll just have to wait a few more days to see the team at Nats Park. Here are a few stories about the Nationals you may have missed from other media outlets. * Nobody can argue that left fielder Bryce Harper is one of the most exciting young talents currently taking the majors by storm....

The Orioles and Major League Baseball are partnering with Autism Speaks to recognize April as National Autism Awareness Month, with the Orioles hosting Autism Awareness Night on Saturday, April 12. Discounted Upper Reserve tickets are available for purchase at www.orioles.com/tix/autism; $5 of every ticket sold through this website will benefit Autism Speaks, an organization dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of...

MELBOURNE, Fla. - You'll notice a change in dateline for today's entry. The Nationals have reached the 32nd day of spring training, and are enjoying their first off-day of camp. How off are they? There's not even a pithy motivational quote from Matt Williams on this morning's lineup sheet. In fact, there's no lineup sheet at all. The collective bargaining agreement between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association mandates that each team receive two days...

VIERA, Fla. - So it's down to three pitchers vying for the fifth starter's spot after Matt Williams announced Monday that left-hander Ross Detwiler, the presumed No. 5 heading into camp, would open the season as a multifaceted reliever. Which of the remaining competitors, all right-handers, do you like? Is it the promise of Taylor Jordan, who sometimes looks equal to the task and at other times appears in need of more seasoning? Is it Tanner Roark, who did nothing last season but win and...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are supposed to be off today. It says so on their spring training schedule. However, manager Buck Showalter arranged for the Triple-A and Double-A games against Minnesota to be moved from Twin Lakes Park to two fields at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. It's being done to provide work for pitchers Brian Matusz, Kevin Gausman and Steve Johnson, whose games yesterday were canceled due to heavy rain and the threat of ark construction. Matusz really wanted to bat...