SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles will play under the lights tonight for the first time this spring, busing to Tampa for a 7:05 p.m. game against the Yankees. It's possible that Brian Roberts will draw a crowd of Baltimore reporters, and seeing him in a Yankees uniform will be a shock to the system. In case you missed it, here's my interview with him that I posted on Jan. 27. Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen starts for the Orioles tonight, while the Yankees counter with right-hander David Phelps. The...

Today, I'm taking my shot at ranking the position players in the American League East, ranking players from first to last in the division at each position, including designated hitter. This is very subjective and your rankings could be quite different. Mostly, I ranked on past performance with not a lot of projecting and that hurts younger players with potential but not a major league track record. I am ranking one player per position per team and, as we know, there is a chance some of these...

TAMPA, Fla. - The Washington Nationals will not go through their Grapefruit League schedule undefeated. Tears are pouring down your faces right now, I'm sure. The Nationals dropped a 4-2 game to the Yankees today, giving them their first spring loss this year. Ross Detwiler allowed all four Yankees runs (three earned), and Zach Walters homered to provide one of the few offensive highlights for the Nats. Here are pieces from reporters' postgame chat with manager Matt Williams: On...

TAMPA, Fla. - It may only be spring training, and the results may mean nothing, but that doesn't mean that Ross Detwiler wasn't nervous before today's 4-2 loss to the Yankees. After all, it was his first time in a big league game in exactly eight months. Detwiler, who missed the last half of last season with a back injury, went 1 1/3 innings today, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits. He struck out three and walked none, showing good fastball velocity (up to 94 mph on the gun)...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have signed left-hander Chris Jones to a Triple-A contract. The team announced the signing shortly before the end of a 9-2 loss to the Twins at Ed Smith Stadium. The Orioles designated Jones for assignment to make room for Nelson Cruz on the 40-man roster. He cleared waivers and the club released him. The Orioles worked out a new deal with Jones, who is expected to report to the minor league complex at Twin Lakes Park. The Orioles originally acquired the...

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP Score: Twins 9, Orioles 2 Recap: Chris Davis broke a 1-1 tie with a long home run in the sixth inning, the ball hitting more than halfway up the video board in center field. Mike Wright gave up the tying run in the eighth and Tim Alderson was charged with five runs in the ninth without retiring a batter. Need to know: Jonathan Schoop homered in both intrasquad games and he came off the bench again today to double and single, making him 4-for-6 with two doubles and three...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Free agent pitcher Johan Santana stopped by the Ed Smith Stadium complex today, and the Orioles are nearing an agreement on a minor league deal. Former executive Jim Duquette, in camp today with MLB Radio Network, tweeted that Santana got into his car and drove away from the complex. Pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez posted a photo of himself with Santana on Instagram. Welcome to today's media. A team official confirmed that Santana was here, and a source said a minor league deal...

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP SCORE: Yankees 4, Nationals 2 Recap: Ross Detwiler allowed four runs, three earned, in 1 1/3 innings of work in his spring debut, while Zach Walters kept his hot spring going by crushing a solo homer to center. Need to know: Detwiler showed some positive signs, but struggled with his fastball command, while Tanner Roark delivered two uneventful, scoreless frames. Those two, along with Taylor Jordan, are competing for the No. 5 spot in the Nats rotation. On deck:...

TAMPA, Fla. - Matt Williams has made it very clear to his coaches that he wants input from every one of them throughout spring training. The Nationals' coaches have multiple group meetings every day, discussing the skill-sets of various players, workout schedules and how the pitchers will be used throughout spring. But the input Williams has received from his coaches doesn't end there. The construction of the Nats' lineup has been a group effort, as well. "We sit as a group and make our...

TAMPA, Fla. - Bryce Harper was sent home yesterday after reporting to the Nationals' spring training complex with what manager Matt Williams called "flu-like symptoms," but Williams said that Harper was feeling much better today and wanted to make the trip to Tampa as part of today's travel roster. Williams held Harper back, allowing him to rest up today, but said that he plans to bring Harper with the team tomorrow when the Nats travel to Lake Buena Vista to face the Braves. "After...