CLEARWATER, Fla. - To no one's surprise, today's scheduled game at Bright House Field between the Orioles and Phillies has been rained out. It will not be made up. The Orioles team did bus up here, get set up in their clubhouse and now they will shortly head south back to Sarasota. Nothing to see here, but a few things to report from a session with manager Buck Showalter. The Orioles decision to send right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez to Fort Myers was the right one. They did get that game in...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Tillman will break camp on the Orioles' 25-man roster for the second time in his career. He also will take the mound on opening day for the first time. It just keeps getting better for Tillman. Orioles manager Buck Showalter made the announcement this afternoon, confirming what everyone had anticipated all along. Tillman, 25, will get the call on March 31 against the Red Sox at Camden Yards, his reward for a breakout 2013 season. Tillman started the fifth game last...

LAKELAND, Fla. - Nationals pitching coach Steve McCatty and manager Matt Williams delayed their departure for today's game against the Tigers in order to watch right-hander Doug Fister throw two innings in a minor league game. McCatty liked what he saw, but wasn't ready to slot the right-hander, who is progressing in his recovery from right elbow inflammation, for his first regular season start. "It was fine," McCatty said. "He gave up a hit on a curveball, but he hasn't thrown that...

CLEARWATER, Fla. - It's pouring here at Bright House Field at this hour and it looks unlikely that the Orioles and Phillies will get this game in. There has been no announcements on anything yet, but the tarp has been on the field all morning and the lights have been on. We heard the O's team bus left at 10 a.m. from Sarasota so the players are on their way. The Orioles are scheduled to play two games today with another O's squad hosting the Twins tonight at 7:05 in Sarasota. If somehow...

I was able to check in with assistant general manager/vice president of player development Doug Harris on several Nationals' prospects. I will begin with position players. * Infielder Ricky Hague returned last season after missing most of 2012 with a shoulder injury. He played in 128 games last season and compiled 437 at-bats. "He is going to play a little more third base this year," Harris said. "We will see where that takes us. Looking forward to him bouncing back this season as...

LAKELAND, Fla. - Greetings from Joker Marchant Stadium, where the Nationals are supposed to play the Tigers today at 1:05 p.m. I say "supposed" because the weather radar is showing a large multi-colored blob of precipitation closing in on us, and the tarp is covering the field. The forecast calls for morning thunderstorms followed by scattered afternoon thunderstorms with damaging winds, conditions not necessarily conducive to exhibition play. But we'll forge on. It's nothing like the snow...

VIERA, Fla. - Many of the Nationals' starters will be making the trip to Lakeland this afternoon to play the Tigers. Right-hander Tanner Roark will take the mound for the Nats. Ryan Zimmerman, who saw time at first base yesterday, will serve as the Nats' designated hitter. Here is the Nats lineup for the game against the Tigers: CF Denard Span SS Ian Desmond DH Ryan Zimmerman LF Bryce Harper 2B Danny Espinosa 1B Tyler Moore 3B Zach Walters RF Jeff Kobernus C Jhonatan Solano RHP...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Alexi Casilla is starting at shortstop today in the Orioles' split-squad game against the Phillies in Clearwater. Casilla was scratched from yesterday's lineup due to swelling in his left knee, same as Friday's game against the Twins in Fort Myers. Suk-min Yoon is on the travel roster after making his debut Saturday against the Yankees. Yoon threw 11 pitches in one inning. He's fresh. The Orioles don't have a designated hitter listed, but that could chance after the...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter told reporters a few days ago that the Phillies weren't allowing his team to use a designated hitter for today's game in Clearwater. The Phillies posted their lineup this morning and Keven Frandsen is listed as the designated hitter. Did they just take the bat out of pitcher Brian Matusz's hands? Here's the Phillies lineup Ben Revere CF Jimmy Rollins SS Chase Utley 2B Marlon Byrd RF Ryan Howard 1B Carlos Ruiz C Domonic Brown LF Kevin...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Has the Orioles' organization become a land of opportunity for the fringe major league player? The answer may well be yes. The 2012 playoff Orioles used 52 players and made a whopping 178 roster moves. That was just the second time in club history an Orioles team had used 50 or more players and was the most since the 1955 team used 54 players. The 2013 Orioles matched that 1955 squad by using 54 players and made 176 roster moves. So only three times in club history have the...