SARASOTA, Fla. - Nolan Reimold is back in the Orioles' lineup today, batting third and serving as the designated hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin. Reimold has been receiving treatment for a sore right shoulder. He homered in his last at-bat before being shut down. Conor Jackson, who homered twice Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies, is batting fourth and playing first base. For the Orioles: Alexi Casilla SS Manny Machado 3B Nolan Reimold DH Conor Jackson 1B Steve Pearce...

SARASOTA, Fla. - On the road again. The Orioles are making their second trip to Dunedin to play the Toronto Blue Jays, who apparently can't find their way to Sarasota. Actually, they'll be here Thursday, but I'm on a roll, so don't stop me. Steve Johnson gets today's start, with manager Buck Showalter deciding to slot him ahead of Jair Jurrjens. Johnson originally was supposed to pitch in relief on Sunday before Showalter made the change. Jurrjens, Zach Clark, Mike Belfiore and Kevin...

The agent for Angels star Mike Trout was not happy over the weekend when the team renewed the contract for its star center fielder. Trout was given a salary of $510,000 - just $20,000 over the big league minimum - for the 2013 season. "During the process, on behalf of Mike, I asked only that the Angels compensate Mike fairly for his historic 2012 season, given his service time," agent Craig Landis said in a statement. "This contract falls well short of a 'fair' contract and I have voiced...

SARASOTA, Fla. - You may notice something different about Camden Yards when the Orioles play their home opener against the Minnesota Twins on April 5. Check out the warning track, which no longer will be made of a synthetic material. The track is being replaced with a natural surface made out of a crushed stone. The color has been designed to match the brick throughout the ballpark and the warehouse. Actual samples of the same brick have been ground up and are being used in the final...

VIERA, Fla. - Chris Young has never been a guy who wows scouts with his overpowering stuff or blows hitters away with a fastball that reaches the mid-to-upper 90s. The veteran right-hander has made a nice career out of throwing strikes, deceiving hitters with his repertoire and using his 6-foot-10 frame to create a different pitch trajectory than batters are used to. Today, pitching in a minor league intrasquad game inside Space Coast Stadium, Young looked a lot like the guy the Nationals...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Ed Smith Stadium complex is closed today, but there's plenty of action at Twin Lakes Park, where minor league pitchers and catchers are working out. Position players who reported to the early camp also took the field today - guys that manager Buck Showalter wanted to be ready in case they were needed in Grapefruit League games. Matt Hobgood, the fifth overall selection in the 2009 First-Year Player draft, threw off a mound today for the first time since instructional...

VIERA, Fla. - Zach Walters admits he has a bit of flair. Born in Cheyenne, Wyo., but raised in Las Vegas, Walters has a colorful personality, and he's got a bit of a colorful wardrobe, as well. One day earlier this spring, Walters, an eager 23-year-old shortstop in the Nationals' organization, was getting ready for a workout at the team's facilities at Space Coast Stadium. He tossed on a pair of sneakers that had what Walters described as "blindingly neon green" shoelaces on them. As...

As the World Baseball Classic gets under way around the world, here are the burning questions back home in Arizona and Florida: * Are the Angels being cheap by signing second-year outfielder Mike Trout, the AL Rookie of the Year, to a $510,000 contract for this season? His agent Craig Landis told reporters that he, not Trout, was disappointed in the Angels' contract. Given that Trout is going into his second season, the Angels have the hammer, which is how the labor agreement works. The...

VIERA, Fla. - Today marks the Nationals' first day off so far this spring, and of course it comes on a day when temperatures are expected to barely make it into the 60s. It's currently 38 degrees here on the east coast of Florida. So much for a beach trip this morning. The Nationals' facilities will be open to players and coaches looking to work out today, but there will be no media availability. I will, however, make my way over to the back fields at the Space Coast Stadium complex this...

It was the ninth inning of an insignificant spring training game last Wednesday night. The Orioles would go on to beat Boston 5-3 and, in that ninth frame, Pedro Strop struck out three batters. Sure they were against players ticketed for the minors and not Dustin Pedroia or Jacoby Ellsbury, but it was the dominant pitches Strop was throwing, or at least it sure appeared that way during the MASN telecast. Strop looked to have his usual mid-90s, or better, heat that game, but also a dominant...