VIERA, Fla. - A few Nationals players not in the lineup today are making their way over to Daytona International Speedway for the Daytona 500, which led manager Davey Johnson to reminisce about his own experience at the race. Johnson says he was invited to ride in the pace car before the Daytona 500 some 40 years ago, and while he didn't recall who won the race that year, other important details about that day came to mind. "I got to sit with Ms. Stick Shift in the bleachers. You remember...

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals are confident that Christian Garcia's wrist/forearm strain isn't anything serious, but they're not taking any chances with the promising right-hander. As a result, Garcia will be held out for the next 10-14 days, according to manager Davey Johnson. Garcia said today that he's been feeling better in recent days after first experiencing some tightness in his throwing wrist/forearm area when throwing a bullpen session last Sunday. The 27-year-old, who has had...

VIERA, Fla. - The new-look Marlins (is that a nice way to say it, or what?) come to town this afternoon to take on the Nationals in their home opener at Space Coast Stadium. Danny Espinosa and Kurt Suzuki will make their spring debuts this afternoon under cloudy skies, as the Nationals face young right-hander Henderson Alvarez, one of the arms the Marlins got from the Blue Jays in that massive trade this offseason. Jordan Zimmermann gets the ball for the Nats, with Zach Duke scheduled to...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Nolan Reimold is starting in left field for today's game against the Blue Jays in Dunedin. Conor Jackson, limited in camp by a soreness in his lower back, will bat fourth as the designated hitter. For the Orioles: Alexi Casilla 2B Nolan Reimold LF Wilson Betemit 3B Conor Jackson DH Lew Ford CF Steve Pearce RF Danny Valencia 1B Taylor Teagarden C Ryan Flaherty SS Jair Jurrjens RHP Notes: Chris Tillman is listed as Tuesday's starter against the Pittsburgh Pirates in...

VIERA, Fla. - There was a time not too long ago when Stephen Strasburg would have thrown a mini fit had he allowed a two-run homer to the light-hitting Ruben Tejada and needed 31 pitches to get out of his first inning of spring. That time might've even been last February. "I think last year at this time, if he would've done what he did in that first inning, we would have seen gloves flying, cups flying," shortstop Ian Desmond said yesterday. "He was pretty fairly composed...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Today is the first road exhibition game of the spring, and it's a grind getting there from Sarasota in rush-hour traffic. I'm leaving early this morning for Dunedin - or, as I apparently mispronounce it, done-eatin'. A friend laughed hysterically and made me paranoid to say it out loud. Most of the "regulars" are staying back at camp, but it's important for Jair Jurrjens to turn in a clean inning after struggling in his one intrasquad appearance, when he loaded the...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Adam Russell stranded two runners in the top of the ninth inning to record the save in the Orioles' 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Russell issued a walk and gave up a single with one out before getting a strikeout and a line drive to short. Dylan Bundy wasn't especially pleased with his outing, when the Twins loaded the bases in the fifth inning on two singles and a walk. Bundy struck out two. "First batter was good," Bundy said. "Other than that, I was a little...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - If Stephen Strasburg wasn't going to harp on the negatives from his spring opener, manager Davey Johnson sure wasn't. The Nationals skipper knew that Strasburg would be throwing mostly fastballs, and he knew that Mets hitters would be looking to tee off. This early in spring, Johnson was mainly happy that Strasburg made it through his two innings and was able to get his full work in. "I thought he threw the ball all right," Johnson said. "He kind of jumped a little...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - If you've watched Stephen Strasburg pitch enough, you're aware of the fact that he can be one of his toughest opponents. The Nationals right-hander is so competitive and gets so amped up for big starts that he can end up fighting himself on the mound, resulting in stretches where he overthrows and loses his effectiveness. You can understand, then, why Strasburg was, as he put it, "really geeked up" for this afternoon's spring training opener. Not only was it his...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Not much has changed from last year. Davey Johnson's still getting plenty of use out of Craig Stammen's right arm. Stammen worked two innings this afternoon, throwing 39 pitches, and apparently will get a workload similar to that of the Nationals' starters early in spring. Stammen allowed three hits and one run, knotting the game at 3-3 for a brief time. It's now 5-3 Mets here in the top of the eighth inning. With both teams emptying their benches and using minor...