ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Finally, the games count. No more Grapefruit League action. No more Team Spain and State College of Florida. No more torturous drives to Dunedin and intimate candle-lit gatherings in Bradenton - at least until 2014. The Orioles begin their regular season this afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. We're still in Florida, but now it matters. Manager Buck Showalter feels as though he's been at spring training for, roughly, an eternity. Yet, to him,...

These are fearless predictions because, if I am wrong, the sun will still come out. Well, unless it rains. But here are my American League East predictions for the 2013 season, where I am predicting a one-game difference at the top and only an 11-game difference from top to bottom with every team at .500 or better. Baltimore: 92-70 Tampa Bay: 91-71 Boston: 86-76 Toronto: 85-77 New York: 81-81 I was feeling pretty confident about the Orioles and then the words of Buster Olney and Jayson Stark...

With his mom and dad in attendance along with 45,272 others, Bryce Harper put on a show in the Nationals' regular season opener. Harper crushed two home runs in his first two at-bats of the season, scored the Nationals' only two runs of the day and started a dramatic double play in the seventh inning that brought an end to a would-be Marlins rally and preserved a two-run lead. Talk about an impressive start to a season in which some are projecting Harper as one of the favorites for the...

Davey Johnson probably couldn't have drawn up a more perfect game if he tried. Johnson and the Nationals got two home runs from Bryce Harper, seven exceptional innings from starter Stephen Strasburg, a couple tremendous defensive plays, a strong eighth inning from Tyler Clippard and a perfect 1-2-3 ninth from Rafael Soriano. Add it all up, and it's a 2-0 Nats win. There was plenty for Johnson to like about today's effort, but Strasburg and Harper were paramount in his mind. "Oh, Stras...

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg had a seamless start to the 2013 season, going seven innings and allowing no runs in a 2-0 Nationals win over the Marlins. Strasburg allowed a hit to Juan Pierre to lead off the game and then recorded 19 consecutive outs. He walked none. But probably his most impressive feat to begin a long season? He struck out just three batters. That's right, just three. He got comebackers and weak grounders. He relied on stellar defense by Ryan Zimmerman, Bryce Harper and...

Having trouble deciding on the right word to describe Bryce Harper's two-homer performance in the Nationals' 2-0 win over the Miami Marlins in Monday's season opener? How about the double play Harper started in the seventh with a laser throw from left field? Or the way, after going deep twice, he faked a bunt that would have caught Placido Polanco so by surprise that Harper might have run to second before the Marlins third baseman could react? Consult your thesaurus. Nationals shortstop Ian...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Nick Markakis will lead off and Matt Wieters will bat cleanup for Tuesday's opener against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Nolan Reimold will start in left field and bat seventh. 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 Jason Hammel RHP Markakis' availability came into question during spring training after an MRI revealed a herniated disc...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Manny Machado hasn't batted higher than sixth in the majors and he's never hit second as a professional except for exhibition games. May as well do it on opening day. Against the reigning Cy Young Award winner. When Orioles manager Buck Showalter posts his lineup later today, Machado will be listed as the No. 2 hitter against Tampa Bay Rays left-hander David Price. Nick Markakis most likely will bat leadoff. "Buck does everything for a reason," Machado said....

Following a record-setting spring training campaign, Orioles players and coaches have headed north to St. Petersburg to open the regular season tomorrow against the Tampa Bay Rays. Although the major league Orioles won't play games in Sarasota again until 2014, the club will continue to maintain a year-round presence in the Suncoast community, including year-round athletic training through Extended Minor League Spring Training, Summer Gulf Coast League, Fall Instructional League, and other...

The Nationals plated two runs today. Both came off the bat of Bryce Harper, who clubbed solo home runs in his first two at-bats of the season. The Nats shut out the Marlins. Seven of those scoreless innings came from Stephen Strasburg, who retired 19 in a row at one point, allowed just three hits and failed to walk a batter. A sellout crowd of 45,274 - the largest paid attendance in Nats Park history - got quite a show this afternoon, as the Nats beat the Marlins 2-0 in their 2013 regular...