SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles will make their shortest trip on the exhibition schedule today with a 1:05 p.m. game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton. Chris Tillman gets the starting assignment, and he's expected to go two innings unless he runs up a high pitch count in the first. Todd Redmond, Steve Johnson and Dylan Bundy also will hop on the bus. Once the Orioles return home for Wednesday night's split-squad game against the Boston Red Sox, manager Buck Showalter and his...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Gio Gonzalez was sporting a small scar on his forehead after his spring debut. Had he gotten hit on the head with a ball unbeknownst to reporters? Had he taken a tumble while taking part in fielding drills during a recent workout? Nope. Gonzalez said the scar was rug burn, the result of a bit of a wrestling match with his French Bulldog, Hollywood. Credit Hollywood with the pin. "She gave me a rug burn. I hate her," Gonzalez said. "And then I love her. And then I...

I can understand that some fans are disappointed that Brian Roberts has not been able to contribute much to the Orioles over the last few seasons. I can get that some fans doubt he can return to the form he once showed or even close to it. I can get that some fans don't think he can come back at all. But I don't get some of the almost nasty comments I see from time to time on various message boards. I can assure those fans, a seemingly small but vocal segment, that Roberts didn't get hurt...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Most pitchers throw fastballs almost exclusively in their first outing of spring in an attempt to build up arm strength and work on their location. Gio Gonzalez went a different route. Gonzalez leaned heavily on his curveball in his first inning of work, throwing at least six hammers, by my count, in a 23-pitch frame. The left-hander didn't have good fastball location, walking Brandon Hicks to put the first two batters on following a Zach Walters error, but man, his...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Two Nationals that were scheduled to make today's trip to Port St. Lucie ended up staying in Viera. Chad Tracy is dealing with a bruise on his right triceps area after getting hit by a pitch yesterday against the Marlins, and manager Davey Johnson said the Nationals' plan is to keep him out of the lineup both today and tomorrow. Tracy's injury isn't thought to be serious. Same goes for Micah Owings, the former pitcher who is trying to reinvent himself as a position...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Here are some highlights from Orioles manager Buck Showalter's postgame session with the media: On Brian Matusz: "Good. Aggressive, attacked the zone. Got a big double play ball. I thought he threw the ball well. All our guys pitched well." On Zach Clark: "I can see why people like Zach Clark so much. He's got an idea. He's a baseball player who happens to be a pitcher." On Brian Roberts getting two doubles: "He's done that before. He can do that. He's capable of...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Of the players the Nationals brought with them on today's road trip to Port St. Lucie, likely just three will find themselves on the opening day roster. Gio Gonzalez will get the ball against the Mets tonight, in a game being broadcast in the D.C. and Baltimore regions on MLB Network, but behind him will be a host of prospects with incredibly long odds at cracking the 25-man roster come April 1. Tyler Moore and Steve Lombardozzi made the trip, and veteran Chris Snyder...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Brian Roberts is 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles today against the New York Yankees at Ed Smith Stadium. Roberts' second double was an opposite-field shot off the fence in left. He scored on Nick Markakis' single to give the Orioles a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Roberts was 0-for-2 in Saturday's opener against the Minnesota Twins. Tommy Hunter gave up a single and a bunt hit in the third, but he escaped the jam with a strikeout and ground ball. Hunter...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Brian Matusz escaped a jam in the first inning today and breezed through the second to shut out the New York Yankees in his first exhibition start of 2013. Matusz threw 19 pitches in the first inning, 13 for strikes. He threw 11 pitches, seven for strikes while retiring the side in order in the second. His fastball mostly ranged from 91-93 mph. Brett Gardner began the game by reaching on an infield hit despite first baseman Chris Davis making a diving stop. Jayson Nix...

VIERA, Fla. - A few years ago, Brandon Mann was living in the Washington D.C., area, watching Stephen Strasburg dominate in his first season in the majors while Mann tried to scrap together a career on the diamond himself. A former 27th-round pick of the Rays, Mann's baseball journey took him from Double-A ball in 2009 to Independent League ball in 2010 to Japan in 2011. The left-hander played two the last two years for the Yokohama Bay Stars in Japan, working his way up from the minors to...