VIERA, Fla. - It was a very quiet morning out on the minor league fields today. Little of note actually went down, as pitchers and catchers took part in a basic rotation of drills that included bunting, pickoff throws to first base, comebackers, pickoff throws to second base and fielding dribblers up the line. The Nationals give their pitchers two days off after bullpen sessions early in spring, so with the "A" group of pitchers having thrown on Thursday and the "B" group taking the mound...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Another camp day is behind us and there are no injuries to report. Luis Ayala, Jim Johnson and Darren O'Day threw their first bullpen sessions in Group 2. Wei-Yin Chen, Jason Hammel and Chris Tillman threw in Group 1; Miguel Gonzalez, Mark Hendrickson and Pedro Strop in Group 3; Daniel McCutchen, Troy Patton and Daniel Schlereth in Group 4; and Mike Belfiore, Kevin Gausman and Eduardo Rodriguez in Group 5. Manager Buck Showalter said he will probably give Ayala, Johnson and...

VIERA, Fla. - Jayson Werth arrived at Space Coast Stadium today, took a look around the Nationals clubhouse and liked what he saw. Werth talked with reporters for more than 20 minutes this afternoon, covering a wide range of topics. But one of the first things Werth discussed was how talented the Nationals are. Such comments drew a question about whether Werth had even been on a team that was as complete on paper as this Nats squad. "Has there ever been a team that's this complete on...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed today that pitcher Jair Jurrjens' contract includes an opt-out clause if the right-hander begins the season in the minors and isn't promoted to the majors at a certain date. Duquette joked that he couldn't remember the exact date. Jurrjens originally agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal that included another $2.5 million in possible incentives, but he settled for a minor league contract after taking his...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Now that he's cleared waivers and been outrighted, Trayvon Robinson is part of the Orioles' camp roster and an extremely crowded outfield. Robinson, obtained from the Seattle Mariners in November for infielder Robert Andino, described his time on waivers as "just a week of misery, just thinking about it. "At the end of the day, I just want to get on the field and play." And try to make the opening day roster, which will prove to be a supreme challenge. Besides Nate...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have 61 players in camp today. It's a full roster, one that includes infielder Yamaico Navarro and pitcher Jair Jurrjens. Jurrjens is wearing No. 48. The Orioles had a uniform waiting for him. They just needed to adjust the deal he agreed upon. Jurrjens received a minor league deal after the Orioles, concerned about his right knee, withdrew a $1.5 million contract that included $2.5 million in possible incentives. "A little bit tweaked, a small tweak,"...

VIERA, Fla. - Rafael Soriano had hoped to arrive to Nationals camp a little early in order to get acclimated to a new team, coaching staff and teammates. A visa issue delayed his arrival by a few days, but after getting his visa stamped yesterday, Soriano arrived at Space Coast Stadium this morning, ready to get things started. He gave a hug to Gio Gonzalez, briefly chatted with pitching coach Steve McCatty as Latin music played from his iPhone and then went to go get in his first workout in...

VIERA, Fla. - It was almost midway through the season last year when Ryan Perry placed a phone call. Perry, a 6-foot-4, 215-lb. right-hander with a power fastball and an intimidating mound presence, was confident that he had the ability to pitch at the major league level. He got a cup of coffee with the Nationals in May, appearing in seven games out of the bullpen before being sent back down to the minors. A former first-round pick of the Tigers with loads of talent, Perry knew he still had...

What makes someone a great Orioles fan? This is clearly a question with no right or wrong answer. It's not a math equation with only one correct answer. But it is an interesting topic to ponder and I would love to read your responses about this during the weekend. This all is very subjective, but two big aspects of a good fan of any team for me are loyalty and longevity. A good fan must be loyal and stick with his or her team through thick and thin. The Orioles have had a lot of thin with...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Jair Jurrjens saga has reached its conclusion. The Orioles announced tonight that they signed Jurrjens to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. He's expected to report to camp Saturday. Jurrjens had agreed to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million, with another $2.5 million possible in incentives, but the announcement was put on hold for three weeks. Now comes word that he's receiving a minor league deal. The club apparently had issues with the...