Pitchers Pat Egan and Jaime Esquivel, and outfielder Jeremy Nowak were among eight players released from the Orioles' minor leagues this morning. Among the released players were four O's draft picks, three signed out of independent ball this winter and one minor league free agent. The Orioles also released outfielders Chris Pettit, Will Howard and Buddy Sosnoskie, pitcher Chase Johnson and shortstop Chris Wade. Maybe the biggest name in this group was Egan, a 28-year-old right-hander who...

No more "Viera, Fla. - ..." dateline. What a beautiful sight. I'm back in the mid-Atlantic region, where the temperature isn't really that much colder than it was on the east coast of Florida. The Nationals arrived back in D.C. last night and will take on the Yankees at 2 p.m. this afternoon at Nats Park, an exhibition that will serve as the final chance for guys to get a taste of game action before the regular season arrives. For those of you with the day off or TV access at work, the...

SARASOTA, Fla. - We're down to the last two games on the exhibition schedule, and there used to be an open date on it today before manager Buck Showalter found a way to keep us busy. The Orioles are playing what's become their annual game against State College of Florida. If memory serves, they lost last spring and were subjected to ridicule from national media and a portion of their fan base. Didn't matter that they actually supplied some of the opposition's pitching and their lineup was...

In case you missed it, it snowed last week in Baltimore and the surrounding areas. Yup, snow in late March. As I scraped the snow off my car windshield, trekked around in boots and worked to stay warm in the cold, only one thought kept me from being a complete Debbie Downer in the snowstorm: Baseball season is almost here. While you probably have been keeping your eye on the calendar, just in case you need a reminder, the Orioles open their season at Tampa Bay in four days. After their...

It's been a long winter. I think the snowstorm that many of us saw on the East Coast this week really drove that statement home. After a lengthy offseason and spring training, which was extended due to the World Baseball Classic, I can finally utter the words that I have been waiting to say for months: "Baseball is back." The Nationals will wrap up their spring at home in D.C., facing the Yankees in an exhibition game Friday. If you can't make it out to Nats Park, be sure to check out the...

SARASOTA, Fla. - It's not completely safe to make assumptions about the opening day lineup when rosters don't have to be set until 3 p.m. on Sunday. There are... wait for it... a lot of moving parts as we near the end of spring training. Tonight's lineup created a bit of a buzz. First of all, we didn't receive it until less than an hour before first pitch, which never happens. Manager Buck Showalter named the starters at each position during batting practice, but we didn't have the...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles may decide on Friday whether to place pitcher Steve Johnson on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right latissimus dorsi muscle. Manager Buck Showalter confirmed that Cuban outfielder Henry Urrutia will be in the Orioles' lineup for Friday's game against the State College of Florida. Urrutia will join a bunch of other players being brought over from minor league camp. Nick Markakis was given four choices for Friday - go to Fort Myers to play in a Double-A...

Last season, the Orioles had some of their minor league affiliates at times use six-man starting rotations. This season, the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds and Single-A Frederick Keys are expected to begin the season using six-man rotations and it's possible that Double-A Bowie may as well, O's director of player development Brian Graham confirmed recently. Orioles director of pitching development Rick Peterson said there are several benefits gained from this. "The advantage, quite simply,...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Minor league pitcher Jesse Beal lasted one inning tonight in his starting assignment against the Tampa Bay Rays - a team that's being picked by many "experts" to win the American League East. Beal allowed three runs and three hits, and walked a batter, in the top of the first inning. His fastball touched 93 mph. Beal threw 27 pitches, 15 for strikes, as the surprise replacement for Steve Johnson, who was scratched because of a strained lat. Desmond Jennings led off with a...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Steve Pearce is serving as the designated hitter tonight against Tampa Bay Rays left-hander David Price, who also will face the Orioles on opening day. Should we read anything into it? Go right ahead. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Chris Davis 1B J.J. Hardy SS Nolan Reimold LF Steve Pearce DH Brian Roberts 2B Jesse Beal RHP