VIERA, Fla. - I've got one quick final note to pass along from today, since I shared quotes from Matt Williams yesterday about how detail-oriented he can tend to be. A couple of hours ago, well after today's workout had ended and players had gone home, Williams and new third base coach Bobby Henley emerged from the Nationals clubhouse and made their way up to the corner of the home dugout nearest home plate. Henley then trotted out to the third base coach's box, and he and Williams...

VIERA, Fla. - Slowly over the last couple of years, one aspect of Stephen Strasburg's game has jumped out at him as an area that has to be improved. The numbers show it, and the results within games have made it plenty evident. Strasburg needs to get better at holding runners. The right-hander has only picked off one runner in his career, and of the 38 runners who have attempted to steal off Strasburg in his 75 big league games, 30 have been successful, a 72 percent success rate. Pitching...

VIERA, Fla. - The deeper we get into spring training, the more that we'll talk about roster construction scenarios with new Nationals manager Matt Williams. You don't want to spring too much on the guy right out of the gate, especially when he's still learning about his players and seeing many of them for the first time with his own eyes. But Williams did get a couple of questions today about the battle for spots in the bullpen, and while he didn't reveal much information, the Nats skipper...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter knew that reporters were waiting for third baseman Manny Machado to enter the interview room today, so he offered to cut short his post-workout session with the media. Machado had to meet with the training staff, shower and put on his street clothes, which gave Showalter a few extra minutes to address a variety of subjects. Let's start with Showalter's refusal to pester Machado every day with questions about the knee. "He knows how much we...

VIERA, Fla. - Danny Espinosa said at NatsFest last month that he had been told by general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Matt Williams that he would have a chance this spring to - as he phrased it - win his starting second base job back. Today, Williams essentially confirmed that, saying that the Nationals will have an "open competition" for the second base job between Espinosa and Anthony Rendon this spring. "That's all you can say about it at this point," Williams said. "They haven't...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles third baseman Manny Machado worked out for the first time in spring training today, though he's been on the field for a couple of weeks and has been hitting for more than a month. It just seemed different in an Orioles uniform. "It was the first time out on the field, the first time putting an Orioles shirt on," he said. "It was some team activities. Overall, I felt great. I'm just getting ready to get this show on the road." Machado still isn't sure whether...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Jimmy Paredes, claimed off waivers from the Marlins yesterday, hasn't reported to camp and we may not see him here. Paredes is a candidate to come off the 40-man roster once the Orioles officially sign pitcher Suk-min Yoon. He could be claimed by another team or outrighted and sent to the minor league camp at Twin Lakes Park. We'll see. If the Orioles wait much longer to confirm the Yoon signing, his press conference may be pushed back to Tuesday. Most of the position...

VIERA, Fla. - It felt like Florida weather this morning for the first time in a few days, as the sun came out and the temperatures rose into the 70s while the Nationals got their second workout of spring into gear. That allowed Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Ross Detwiler and a host of others to throw their first bullpen sessions of spring in solid conditions. Those three were joined by Tanner Roark in the first group to throw 'pens today. I tried to take a few minutes watching each...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles third baseman Manny Machado reported to camp today and took his first rounds of batting practice. Machado has been cleared to hit and do some running. He also took grounders at third base. Also, Alfredo Aceves had his first bullpen session, throwing with Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz. They walked back to the clubhouse together after exchanging fist bumps. Jim Palmer and B.J. Surhoff are here. Surhoff is working as an instructor. Here are some videos from today's...

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals' workout schedule today will pretty much mirror the one that they had yesterday. They'll head out to the back fields around 10 a.m., get in some stretching, rotate through a few stations (bullpen sessions, pick-off practice, bunting drills and pitchers' fielding practice) and then likely wrap up sometime around noon. Those scheduled to throw bullpen sessions today: Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, Tanner Roark, Ross Detwiler, Ryan Mattheus, Drew Storen,...