SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are posting two lineups today because they're playing two games. They're home against the Minnesota Twins - a game that will air on MASN - and in Clearwater to take on the Philadelphia Phillies. For the Orioles at home: Brian Roberts 2B Manny Machado 3B Nate McLouth CF Matt Wieters C Chris Davis 1B J.J. Hardy SS Conor Jackson DH Chris Dickerson RF Lew Ford LF Steve Johnson RHP Jair Jurrjens, Jim Johnson, Darren O'Day, Tim Bascom and Pat Egan are also listed as...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Now that Jake Arrieta has thrown 8 2/3 scoreless innings in his last two starts, Steve Johnson gets his chance today to complicate manager Buck Showalter's decision regarding the back end of the rotation. Arrieta most likely has become the favorite for the job, though he's still prone to falling behind in the count. The Orioles need him to throw more strikes. Johnson wasn't happy with his last Grapefruit League outing on March 5, when he allowed two runs and two hits in...

VIERA, Fla. - Judging solely by the numbers, last night was another forgettable outing for right-hander Drew Storen. Storen pitched one inning in a 4-2 loss to the Astros, blowing a save opportunity, absorbing the loss and watching his spring ERA balloon to 6.43 after seven outings. Rough springs are nothing new for Storen. Last year, he was limited to two appearances before surgery to remove a small bone fragment from his right elbow, a procedure that cost him half a season. Two years ago,...

VIERA, Fla. - Stephen Strasburg is itching to get the season started. His internal clock, if not his pitch count Saturday night against the Astros, tells him the season should be starting soon, not be more than two weeks away. So what did he take out of tonight's effort, in which he went deeper into a game than any other Nationals starting pitcher this spring, and recorded eight strikeouts, the most by any Washington hurler in Grapefruit League play? The 93 pitches he threw, 64 of them for...

VIERA, Fla. - Ryan Zimmerman's surgically repaired right shoulder felt so good in recent days that he talked Nationals manager Davey Johnson into pushing up his spring debut at third base by a couple of days. Instead of playing defense for the first time in Grapefruit League play Monday against the Tigers, Zimmerman did so Saturday night versus the Astros. He needed to make only one play, and handled that chance with relative ease, but it was enough to wipe away a few jitters that accompanied...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Dylan Bundy got optioned to the minors on Saturday and that was an inevitable move. The kid used his time in big league camp well. He pitched solidly in games while watching and learning from the veterans. It was a positive experience as the process of grooming Bundy into a big league pitcher - maybe even an ace one day - is well on its way. It may not be long before he is a mainstay in the Orioles rotation. It just won't happen on opening day and that is fine. The...

VIERA, Fla. - Ryan Zimmerman's spring debut at third base lasted four innings. He's out of the game, replaced by Chad Tracy at the hot corner for the top of the fifth. Zimmerman handled his only chance with no problems, but it's not like Carlos Corporan's slow roller leading off the second was particularly challenging. Zimmerman charged the bouncer, scooped it and threw across his body fluidly to get the Astros catcher by a couple of steps. We would have gotten a better sense of how...

VIERA, Fla. - Stephen Strasburg is humming along in his fifth start of the spring. He's fanned six in three innings and has thrown 52 pitches (40 strikes) through three frames. He's expected to throw about 75 pitches tonight against the Astros. Houston got two quick singles off the Nationals' opening day starter in the first inning - a leadoff line drive by Trevor Crowe and a windblown pop to left that Bryce Harper lost in the sun that was ruled a single. Since then, the Astros are...

DUNEDIN, Fla. - For the Orioles, it was another day and another good outing by a starter that is not guaranteed a spot in the opening day rotation. Jake Arrieta pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings today in the Orioles' 3-1 win over Toronto and the competition for the fifth starter's job is heating up. Manager Buck Showalter spent most of a 10-minute postgame session with reporters talking about just that. At one point, he asked reporters who they would take, not that he needs any help from...

VIERA, Fla. - The only thing disappointing about Ross Detwiler's experience in the World Baseball Classic was the way it ended. Less than 24 hours after Team USA was eliminated by Puerto Rico, the left-hander returned to the Nationals. Detwiler, who didn't pitch in the Americans' losses to the Domincan Republic and Puerto Rico, will jump right into the fray and start Sunday against the Tigers in Lakeland. Detwiler relished the opportunity to represent his county and get some hands-on...