SARASOTA, Fla. - If we could name a Most Valuable Oriole for the first week of workouts, I'd cast my vote for left-hander Zach Britton. And then we would discuss how it's a ridiculous award, considering that the Orioles haven't played a single game, intrasquad or otherwise, and I'm basing it exclusively on two bullpen sessions and one warmup. That's still good enough for me. Britton has been exceptional on the side, popping the catcher's mitt while keeping the ball down in the strike...

If there is one thing that stirs up Baltimore sports fans, it is a diss or perceived diss of the Ravens or Orioles by someone with a national forum. I guess over-under odds for the season fits that bill, especially one that sets the number for the Orioles at 76.5. Those of you not familiar with these numbers, they are set by casinos and sports books that can legally take sports bets for a club's wins total for the season. Bettors wager on whether they feel the club will have a wins total over...

VIERA, Fla. - Players, coaches and reporters braved the elements this morning for the first full-squad workout of Nationals camp, spending about 1 hour, 45 minutes on the minor league fields. OK, so I know low-40s and windy is nothing compared to what those of you up north are dealing with these days. But humor me as I continue a baseball writer's spring training tradition of complaining when the temperature dips below 55 degrees. It was a fairly quiet, low-key workout today; pitchers in the...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he used "every piece of the facility" for today's workout. All of the mounds and cages. All of the equipment. Every field was occupied. "We needed every piece to get done what we needed to do," he said. Showalter watched Jair Jurrjens warm up before the right-hander's first bullpen session with the Orioles. "I just wanted to see him throw," Showalter said. "I saw him from the other dugout, so I've got a little something to...

VIERA, Fla. - Nationals fans got a glimpse of Cole Kimball's immense ability in the early part of the 2011 season. Unfortunately, it was just a brief glimpse. Kimball posted a 1.93 ERA over 12 appearances in 2011, holding hitters to a .174 batting average and not looking at all like an intimidated 25-year-old rookie. A torn rotator cuff derailed Kimball's career, however, costing him the rest of the 2011 campaign and limiting him to just six minor league rehab appearances last season. After...

VIERA, Fla. - Gio Gonzalez is excited to pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, but the Nationals lefty will need to wait until the second round of the tournament before taking the mound for his country. Nats manager Davey Johnson was informed by Team USA pitching coach Greg Maddux that Gonzalez will pitch in the WBC March 12, should Team USA not be eliminated in the initial pool stage. This would allow Gonzalez to make three spring training starts for the Nationals, which Johnson...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Jair Jurrjens did more today than put on a uniform and participate in fielding drills. He also completed a bullpen session in the indoor batting cage. Jurrjens threw off a mound outside the media workroom around 11:55 a.m. before heading to the cage, where hitters were tracking pitches for the first time. You can't determine a lot from a side session, but he seemed to have a fluid motion during his 10-minute warmup. Minor league catcher Allan de San Miguel set the target for...

SARASOTA, Fla. - It's been a quiet morning here at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. A few players competed in bumper billiards and cornhole. Others talked, listened to music and munched on breakfast, courtesy of Kevin Gausman. Well, courtesy of his locker. Gausman arrived at 8 a.m. and found 35 packets of mini-powdered donuts taped around the edges of his locker. Bags were stuffed inside of it - enough that every player was given one later. A "Hostess" sign hung above his nameplate. Pitching...

VIERA, Fla. - With Rafael Soriano's visa issue in the past and all their position players having reported, the Nationals now have all 53 of their guys in camp. The physicals have all been taken, the eye and dental exams complete. It's time for the first official full-squad workout of spring. It's a chilly 40-degree morning here on the east coast of Florida, and before the Nationals take to the fields for bullpen sessions, batting practice and various drills, manager Davey Johnson will step...

SARASOTA, Fla. - You probably figured out a long time ago that manager Buck Showalter is on top of everything. Nothing gets past him, including the little things that mean more in the big picture. A few days ago, Showalter noticed how the first row of seats for a team meeting was occupied by guys like Matt Wieters, Jason Hammel, Darren O'Day, Jim Johnson and Pedro Strop. That's leadership. Here's another example: Kevin Gausman, taking part in his first major league camp after being the...