VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals dropped a 7-5 ballgame to the Mets this afternoon at Space Coast Stadium, a game that was decided almost entirely by minor leaguers in the late innings. Manager Matt Williams was pleased with what he saw from most of the guys that he'll carry north with him in a few weeks, however, especially his pitchers. Left-hander Ross Detwiler allowed a run over 3 2/3 innings, Rafael Soriano bounced back from two rough outings with a strong scoreless sixth, and Tyler Clippard...

TAMPA - Rule 5 pick Michael Almanzar walked to lead off the top of the ninth today and would have scored on Dariel Alvarez's two-out double if the ball hadn't hopped the left field fence. Mike Yastrzemski struck out to complete the Orioles' 6-0 loss to the Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Manager Buck Showalter offered up his opinion on a few players, including starter Bud Norris, who allowed three runs and four hits in 1 2/3 innings. "He was OK," Showalter said. "A little off...

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP Score: Yankees 6, Orioles 0 Recap: Bud Norris left today's game after 1 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and throwing 60 pitches, but he felt good physically. Kevin Gausman gave up one run over two innings. Ryan Webb gave up two runs in the eighth. Alex Gonzalez and Henry Urrutia each had two hits, as the Orioles dropped their third consecutive game. Need to know: Urrutia made a baserunning mistake in the first inning that served as a valuable lesson moving forward - and...

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Mets 7, Nationals 5 Recap: Ross Detwiler was solid in his third start of spring, allowing a run over 3 2/3 innings. The Nats took a 2-1 lead into the eighth, but allowed six total runs in the last two frames. Brock Peterson's three-run homer in the eighth wasn't enough to overcome the damage. Need to know: Christian Garcia, Rafael Soriano and Tyler Clippard combined to allow just one baserunner and strike out four over their 3 1/3 collective innings. Impressive...

TAMPA - Orioles pitcher Bud Norris didn't make it out of the second inning today in his worst start of the spring. Norris had tossed five scoreless innings over two starts before today, with three hits, one walk and six strikeouts. However, he gave up three runs and four hits in 1 2/3 innings against the Yankees, with two walks and two strikeouts. Norris threw 60 pitches, 35 for strikes. He also committed a throwing error that allowed a run to score. Brad Brach replaced Norris with two outs...

TAMPA - Orioles pitcher Mike Wright has been shut down with tendinitis in his right elbow. Wright, one of the Orioles' top pitching prospects, didn't reveal the discomfort until reporting to the minor league complex at Twin Lakes Park. Wright wasn't sharp this spring, allowing one run and three hits in three innings, with three walks and two strikeouts, before being optioned. Center fielder Adam Jones is the proud father of a baby boy. Manager Buck Showalter exchanged text messages with...

This week, I'm throwin' it back to an early moment from 2013. But describing it as just an "early" moment doesn't do it justice. Yes, it is from very early in the season, but this moment was so much more. In the third series of the season, the Orioles traveled to Boston to face their division foes. The Birds entered the top of the ninth down 5-3. The inning started off with a solo home run from Chris Davis, which cut Boston's lead to one run. With two quick outs following the homer,...

VIERA, Fla. - After throwing off flat ground this morning, the third straight day he'd done so, Doug Fister felt "a little bit tight" in his right arm, according to Nationals manager Matt Williams. As a result of that tightness, the Nationals will evaluate Fister tomorrow morning before clearing him to throw his scheduled Friday bullpen session. Fister has been sidelined since March 2 because of inflammation in his right elbow. He had thrown off flat ground the last two days without any...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Zach Britton can do the math. The Orioles have five spots in their starting rotation and right now he doesn't figure to get one. But he wants to make the team, of course, and if it is as a reliever, that is fine with him. He is out of options, but he certainly doesn't want to be out of a job with the organization that drafted him in the third round in 2006. Britton is having a good camp, showing some mid-90s velocity at times. He pitched a 1-2-3 fourth inning at Ed Smith...

TAMPA - Johan Santana, signed to a minor league deal earlier this month, remains encouraged by the condition of his left shoulder and the progress he's making in his throwing program. "Once I get into the routine of baseball and doing everything with the team, but also with the trainers, it's definitely much better," he said. "I'm feeling good so far." Santana is throwing off flat ground from 120 feet, "just to make sure it feels good," he said. "Actually, what we're trying to do...