SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter spent about 25 minutes with the media earlier today after conducting a meeting with coaches, instructors and the athletic training staff. He was in a good mood, joking with reporters and telling stories in between nuggets of information. Here's a sampling: "We spent the first 45 minutes, 50 minutes of the meeting updating everybody in camp physically. Working with a whole different timeframe here with the WBC. It's changed at least how we're...

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals' clubhouse at Space Coast Stadium is starting to become a bit more crowded, as a handful of pitchers have been filing in throughout the morning, checking in with team trainers and coaches, and getting their throwing programs started. Christian Garcia, Matt Purke, Ryan Perry and Ryan Mattheus were among the guys to get in a bullpen session this morning, and Stephen Strasburg also took to one of the mounds out by the minor league fields this morning, throwing his...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette didn't have an update on pitcher Jair Jurrjens, saying only that he hoped the matter would be resolved in the next few days. He didn't provide any specifics, including whether the Orioles could tweak the original agreement. Also, the Orioles hope to know by Thursday whether Trayvon Robinson cleared waivers. Tsuyoshi Wada has progressed to a long toss program in his recovery from Tommy John surgery on his left elbow. He's still...

VIERA, Fla. - After fielding five minutes of questions

VIERA, Fla. - After arriving here yesterday and taking part in a workout at Nationals camp this morning, Gio Gonzalez met with reporters and repeated the same message he delivered in a statement a couple weeks ago: He has never taken performance-enhancing drugs. Gonzalez talked with reporters for 15 minutes just a bit ago in the home dugout at Space Coast Stadium, and said that he's fully cooperated with Major League Baseball's investigation into his relationship with Biogenesis, a...

As pitchers and catchers report to camps in Florida and Arizona, here are two predictions for each of the local nines: Zach Britton will be the Orioles' fifth starter and the Nationals will not trade Drew Storen, the closer who has been unseated by Rafael Soriano. The first four in the Orioles' rotation will probably be Jason Hammel, Wei-Yin Chen, Chris Tillman and Miguel Gonzalez, with the No. 5 spot up for grabs. Britton, who was injured last season, will win the job because all he needs...

For the first time ever, the Washington Nationals Racing Presidents - George, Tom, Abe, Teddy and the newest member, Bill - will celebrate Presidents Day from America's definitive presidential landmark when they visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. To kick off the Bill-Teddy rivalry, the two Presidents will "race" from D.C. to Mount Rushmore beginning Friday, February 15 and join the other Racing Presidents at the monument on Presidents Day. Fans can cast their ballots...

VIERA, Fla. - Danny Espinosa was planning on participating in the World Baseball Classic. He had intended to suit up for Team Mexico and was looking forward to wearing a jersey with the Mexican flag, honoring his parents' heritage in the process. That won't be happening. Espinosa told reporters yesterday that he has decided to skip the WBC and will instead stay with the Nationals for the entirety of spring training. The 25-year-old learned early this offseason that he played out the end...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Nothing much to report after yesterday's arrival. The Lifestyle gym that I join every year was taken over by LA Fitness. The Sweetbay Supermarket, also located on North Beneva Road, closed last week. The Publix in the next shopping center remains open, and I can stock up on Kangaroo brand multi-grain garden herb pita chips. No need to worry about me. Oh, yeah, and it's supposed to be 81 degrees today, dipping into the 60s at night. Again, stop worrying. I know it's...

This is the day where hope spring eternal. Orioles pitchers and catchers report today in Sarasota. There is only one day all year we can say that and this is it. Welcome back, Orioles! The start of spring training is always a day to dream big. Maybe this will be the year, fans say. For the first time in a long time, O's fans don't have to ask how many more wins the club will need over the year before. Another 93-win season would likely be good enough at least for contention all year and...