VIERA, Fla. - After his last spring outing, his first in a Nationals uniform, Chris Young called his performance "erratic," saying that he would follow up a solid string of pitches with a handful of disappointing pitches in a row. Young was a little better today, bouncing back from surrendering a leadoff homer to open the game and throwing four solid innings. The veteran right-hander leaves with a 2-1 lead. He allowed four hits and two walks, striking out three. Young threw 72 pitches, 43...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Kevin Gausman couldn't build on his impressive outing in Fort Myers. Gausman was charged with two runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays in his first start of the spring. He gave up two hits, walked three and struck out two. Manager Buck Showalter took the ball from Gausman after Evan Longoria's RBI double with two outs in the third inning broke a scoreless tie. Former Oriole Luke Scott greeted Mike Belfiore with a long two-run homer to right-center field, tagging...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Now I can finally say it. Goodbye, Niuman. The Orioles have reassigned infielder Niuman Romero and catcher Jose Gil to their minor league camp, two cuts that manager Buck Showalter alluded to earlier today while meeting with reporters during batting practice. The moves leave the Orioles with 51 players in major league camp, including 14 non-roster invitees. Romero was 4-for-11 this spring. Gil was 0-for-10. Kevin Gausman tossed a scoreless first inning against the Tampa...

VIERA, Fla. - Earlier today, I wrote about Wilson Ramos working his way back into the conversation about who should be the Nationals' starting catcher on opening day. Until recently, it hadn't actually been much of a conversation. The job was Kurt Suzuki's, both because of the way Suzuki performed down the stretch last season and also because Ramos wasn't expected to be ready to handle a starting workload on April 1, less than 11 months after he tore the ACL and meniscus in his right...

The Orioles today announced that they have reassigned catcher Jose Gil and infielder Niuman Romero to minor league camp. With these assignments, the Orioles now have 51 players at major league spring training, including 14 non-roster invitees.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Tsuyoshi Wada threw in the bullpen today and is ready to take the next significant step in his quest to join the Orioles' staff. He's no longer throwing only to prove that he's recovered from ligament-reconstructive surgery on his left elbow. The focus is shifting in a positive direction. It's about pitching now, not his recovery. "The rehab part of it is 10 months today or yesterday," said manager Buck Showalter. "Now he's going to progress to baseball...

With the start of the season fast approaching, the Orioles will host the return of Tag Day on Saturday, March 23, from 9:00 a.m. - noon at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Tag Day gives fans interested in purchasing either a full or partial Season Plan for the 2013 season the opportunity to "try out" their seats before they buy. Available seats will be tagged with pennants, and Orioles sales representatives will be stationed in each section to discuss season plan options and answer questions. ...

The Washington Nationals today optioned outfielder Eury Perez to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League and right-handed pitcher Nathan Karns, catcher Sandy Leon and infielder Anthony Rendon to Harrisburg of the Double-A Eastern League. Additionally, the Nationals re-assigned left-handed pitcher Pat McCoy and infielders Will Rhymes and Matt Skole to minor league camp. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. The...

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals officially sent seven players to minor league camp today, a group that includes infielders Anthony Rendon and Matt Skole and right-hander Nathan Karns. None of those three had a legitimate chance to make the Nationals' 25-man roster out of spring training, but all three still made good use of their time in big league camp. Rendon was the one who turned the most heads; the 22-year-old - who is the Nationals' top prospect - hit the cover off the ball this spring,...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Reliever Daniel McCutchen was startled when he turned around at his locker this morning and found three reporters waiting to interview him. He probably wondered whether he had been cut. McCutchen has flown under the media radar this spring as a non-roster pitcher invited to camp, but he's gaining attention after the Orioles convinced him to lower his arm slot. Factor in Mark Hendrickson and Adam Russell, and it's definitely become one of the story angles this spring. (See...