SARASOTA, Fla. - Stop me if you've heard this one: Reliever Luis Ayala says he will decide tomorrow whether to pitch for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. Ayala was expected to announce his intentions this morning, but he's going to wait one more day. Ayala still hasn't thrown a bullpen session in spring training because of his workload in the Caribbean Series. The Orioles would prefer to bring him along slowly in camp - and have him stay in camp. Ayala said he isn't sure when he...

VIERA, Fla. - Assuming Mother Nature doesn't play a factor, we should have plenty going on around Nationals camp today. Pitchers and catchers will take to the fields again this morning, with the hurlers who did not take part in bullpen sessions yesterday doing so today. We'll also see a host of guys trickle in throughout the morning and afternoon, as today is the report date for all position players. While three members of the Nationals' rotation got in a bullpen session yesterday, Jordan...

Spring training is here, and baseball is back! MASNsports.com's Dan Kolko is in Viera, Fla., keeping you posted with the latest news surrounding the Nationals. Keep checking his blog, and, for minute-by-minute updates, give him a follow on Twitter. Pitcher Gio Gonzalez spoke to reporters Tuesday, addressing the offseason news that linked him to the Miami-area Biogenesis clinic. The hurler announced that he felt he would be cleared, and he also spent time talking about his decision to play...

Baseball's back. Spring training officially started Tuesday with pitchers and catchers reporting to Sarasota. With almost all players reported to camp, both coaches and the media have started to get their first looks at the roster. Nolan Reimold is healthy and working on regaining full strength. The outfielder is coming off last year's neck injury and surgery, which ended his season. Also, Nick Markakis is back from thumb surgery and pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada is long-tossing. His first bullpen...

For a few seasons, he was the only Bundy in the Orioles organization. But last summer, he watched his younger brother Dylan blaze a trail through the O's minor league system while his own career was going in another direction, eventually hitting brick wall. The Orioles drafted Bobby Bundy in the eighth round out of Sperry High in Oklahoma in June 2008. He worked his way to Single-A Frederick, where he had a breakout season in 2011. But a year later, trying to show his stuff at Double-A Bowie,...

SARASOTA, Fla. - We have another 10 a.m. team stretch today. Same schedule as yesterday. The temperature is falling here and the forecast still includes rain. It's actually dipping into the 50s tonight and we'll have a low of 40 on Sunday. I don't expect a pity party, considering the snow that fell in the Baltimore area Wednesday, but it's still a shock to the system. We're in Florida, for crying out loud. I'd like to have the ability to measure how many miles manager Buck Showalter...

Attending youth baseball and softball openers for local teams has been a tradition since the Orioles arrived in Sarasota for 2010 Spring Training. On Saturday, February 16, the Oriole Bird will participate in Opening Day ceremonies for two little leagues, one in Sarasota and one in Venice, and two more youth baseball openings in March. The Oriole Bird will open the Sarasota Little League season with an appearance on Saturday morning from 9:00-10:00 a.m. at Twin Lakes Park at 6700 Clark Road in...

VIERA, Fla. - During his session with reporters earlier today, Bryce Harper was asked whether he felt moving to a spot in the middle of the batting order would be a normal progression for him. "I hope not. I like the two-spot," Harper replied, before adding that he'd gladly hit anywhere in the Nationals order as long as he remains in the lineup. Davey Johnson doesn't exactly buy that, largely because he says Harper has been telling him something else. While Harper might be keeping his...

VIERA, Fla. - As Wilson Ramos dropped into his crouch and prepared to receive the first pitch thrown by Zach Duke late this morning, Nationals pitching coach Steve McCatty hollered at the 25-year-old catcher from behind the pitcher's mound. "The Tin Man's back!" McCatty shouted, referencing the all-grey gear that Ramos sports behind the plate. It had been a while since Ramos had tossed on his gear and squatted behind the plate. The last time he did so was May 12, when he tore the ACL and...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The media's interest in today's bullpen sessions peaked with Kevin Gausman's spring debut. Gausman, the fourth overall pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft, joined Mike Belfiore and Eduardo Rodriguez in Group 4. Minor league catcher Allan de San Miguel set the target. "It's all good," Gausman said. "First time in front of the coaches in front of the mound. They've seen me in Tampa when I was kind of in-season and after it. Nobody's expecting me to throw 95 today....