SARASOTA, Fla. - Michael Weiner, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, is making the rounds again this spring, and he's scheduled to stop by the Ed Smith Stadium complex this morning. This is an annual visit, which closes the clubhouse to the media. Players won't be available until after today's 1:05 p.m. game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Chris Tillman will make his second start. He allowed one hit, walked two batters and struck out one in 1 2/3...

JUPITER, Fla. - Gio Gonzalez didn't seem to think a strikeout-less outing was anything abnormal for him, given the circumstances today. Neither did his manager, Davey Johnson. Johnson attributed some of Gonzalez's issues with a lack of command of his secondary pitches to the conditions. It was a cool (by Florida standards) and breezy day in Jupiter today, leaving Gonzalez's hands dry and the ball a little slick. "He really didn't have a good feel for the ball because it was a little...

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - The Orioles lost their second exhibition game of 2013, falling to the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 at Charlotte Sports Park. The Orioles brought only one projected starter, third baseman Manny Machado. Don't judge them too harshly. Tommy Hunter recovered from the Sean Rodriguez home run and Ben Zobrist single to retire the last six batters he faced. Left-hander Troy Patton retired the side in order in the seventh, striking out two batters. He had allowed three runs and six...

JUPITER, Fla. - While reporters were talking to Gio Gonzalez about his outing, Anthony Rendon ripped a double to center. Rendon now has two home runs and three doubles in seven games and is batting .438. Decent, I guess. Nathan Karns labored a bit through a scoreless fourth inning and Ryan Perry followed with three shutout innings of his own. Drew Storen is now on to work the eighth with the Nats leading 6-2. It's incredibly rare, even in spring, to see a pitching line next to Gonzalez's...

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Tommy Hunter entered the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, and the first batter he faced, Sean Rodriguez, lined a home run to right field. Tampa Bay 4, Orioles 0. Rodriguez was 0-for-12 this spring before the homer. Alexi Casilla reached on an infield hit in the top of the sixth, but he was thrown out trying to steal second base. Manny Machado tripled to center field with two outs. Update: Machado scored on Jason Pridie's single into right field. Machado is...

JUPITER, Fla. - Davey Johnson has stated unequivocally that Anthony Rendon has no shot of making the Nationals' opening day roster. Rendon doesn't seem to be letting that bit of news affect him in the least. The 22-year-old infielder just crushed his second home run of the spring, a long fly to dead center that bounced high off the batter's eye. It was a two-run shot, giving the Nationals a 4-1 lead heading to the third. Rendon now is 6-for-14 this spring and four of his hits have been...

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Wei-Yin Chen worked two scoreless innings today in his Grapefruit League debut, allowing two singles on ground balls up the middle. Chen threw 23 pitches, 17 for strikes. Left-hander Brian Matusz began to warm in the Orioles' bullpen as Chen took the mound for the second inning. Tampa Bay's Ben Zobrist singled to center field leading off the bottom of the first, and Yunel Escobar did the same with two outs. In between, Kelly Johnson and Evan Longoria flew out to deep...

JUPITER, Fla. - After getting examined by medical director Dr. Wiemi Douoguih this morning, catcher Wilson Ramos has been cleared to take part in some sliding drills back at the Nationals' complex at Space Coast Stadium, according to manager Davey Johnson. This will mark the first time sliding for Ramos since undergoing surgery to repair a torn right ACL and meniscus last summer. Ramos typically tucks his right leg when he slides, which has him a little worried about how the knee will...

JUPITER, Fla. - Spoiler alert: I'm about to provide updates of the Netherlands/Korea World Baseball Classic game, which is apparently airing on a time delay on MLB Network. I got scolded on Twitter by one fan who said that I ruined the game by posting an update on Roger Bernadina, so be warned, everyone. If you're really into the game on TV and don't want me to spoil your entire morning, stop reading now. Batting third in the Netherlands' lineup, Bernadina went 1-for-5 with a double and...

VIERA, Fla. - We've been here before, with Jordan Zimmermann feeling like he's turned a corner with his changeup, so to speak. Zimmermann has been working on his changeup for three straight years, hoping to get it to the point that he has enough confidence in the pitch to use it in games. Last year, Zimmermann thought he was at that point. He worked on the changeup for much of the early part of spring, felt it was improving, and then barely touched it during the regular season. That led...