With the countdown now on to the start of the new season, today I am taking an in-depth look at the Orioles' 2013 schedule. Here are some notes on the schedule: * The Orioles will play nine of their first 12 games on the road with series at Tampa Bay, Boston and New York. They will play 20 of their first 32 games on the road. The Orioles went 46-35 on the road last year and that was the best road record in the American League. Only Washington (48) and Cincinnati (47) has more road wins in...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles continue to dodge the raindrops in today's intrasquad game on the Camden Yards field. Jason Hammel went four innings, allowing two runs and five hits, with no walks and four strikeouts. Jair Jurrjens went three innings, allowing one run and two hits, with no walks and eight strikeouts. He stayed on the mound in the second inning to record a fourth out and elevate his pitch count. Taylor Teagarden, Nolan Reimold and Wilson Betemit batted every half-inning....

The Orioles today announced that they have named Nelson Norman as Director of Baseball Operations for the Dominican Republic. In his new role Norman will oversee all aspects of the club's activities in the Dominican Republic, including their Academy operations as well as their Dominican Summer League team. A former major league infielder born in San Pedro de Macoris, Norman, 54, has over two decades of experience in player development with Montreal, Atlanta, Boston, Minnesota, St. Louis and...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis has been diagnosed with a small disc herniation in his neck. He flew to Baltimore today to be examined by spine specialist Dr. Lee Riley at Johns Hopkins Hospital and is expected to return to camp Wednesday. The slight tear, discovered yesterday after he underwent an MRI, is located in C4-C5, according to manager Buck Showalter. The normal healing period is seven to 14 days, and Markakis already has been shut down for week. The hope is that...

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals have their second off-day this spring today, which allows the players a chance to play in their annual golf tournament. I'll try and pass along who won at some point tomorrow, but we do know it won't be Davey Johnson. The Nationals manager - a scratch golfer who plays as often as he can during spring - joked that the players didn't invite him this year. I wouldn't if I were them, either. I wouldn't want the skipper taking any of my money. Now the guys just...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Today is technically an off-day for the Orioles, which means that manager Buck Showalter scheduled something for them to do. Not all of them. Most of the position players can hit the links or the beach. But Jason Hammel and Jair Jurrjens will start in the 10:30 a.m. intrasquad game that Showalter arranged on the Camden Yards field. Steve Johnson, Troy Patton, Mike Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez also are listed as available pitchers today for a game that will last eight to 10...

Has the day many Orioles fans have been hoping for finally arrived? Are the New York Yankees finally going to take a step back in the American League East? Have age and injuries finally caught up to this team? I am sticking to my opinion that I will believe the demise of the Yankees when I finally see it. This is a franchise that has averaged 97.5 wins the last four seasons and has made the playoffs in 17 of the last 18 seasons. But this time you can make a solid case that they could be in...

VIERA, Fla. - There isn't a stadium radar gun at Space Coast Stadium, but Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki said he was pretty sure Stephen Strasburg was throwing in the 95-97 mph range today in the right-hander's fourth start of spring. "Easy," Suzuki said, indicating Strasburg was bringing heat without using much effort. "So easy." Strasburg dominated through his first five innings of work today before struggling in the sixth. He retired just one of the five hitters he faced in the sixth,...

VIERA, Fla. - Outside of a Carlos Rivero RBI groundout and a Tyler Moore solo home run in the ninth inning, the Nationals were shut down today by a group of Braves hurlers led by Paul Maholm. Maholm held the Nats scoreless over five strong innings, striking out five, and the Nats fell to Atlanta 7-2. Had Stephen Strasburg been pulled after five innings, he would have finished with a dynamite stats line with a big zero in the run column. Because his pitch count was so low to that point,...

BRADENTON, Fla. - Well, it's not much of an update, but Nick Markakis had an MRI on his neck this afternoon and the Orioles will examine the results later tonight. The club isn't expected to pass along the results until Tuesday morning. Also, Zach Britton will take off three days and make Friday's start against the Boston Red Sox in Sarasota. Britton only went two innings today, and manager Buck Showalter wants to get him back on the mound and extend him. It worked today with Jake...