VIERA, Fla. - At one point late yesterday afternoon, after the Nationals-Phillies game had ended, interviews had been completed and reporters had all made our way back up to the press box to work on our postgame stories, I turned to another local writer and asked him if he had any idea what the final score of the game was. About five minutes later, one of the Phillies beat writers, sitting a row in front of me, turned to his left and asked another writer a similar question. "Who the hell won...

I'll save the final predictions for the end of this blog, but let's just say the MLB Network's "30 Clubs in 30 Days" feature last night on the Orioles was real positive. The network spent some time recently with the Orioles in Sarasota and several interviews were featured on the broadcast last night. Analysts Sean Casey, who was in Sarasota, along with Al Leiter and Bill Ripken back in the studio all took turns with positive comments and observations about the club. Here is a sampling...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles' regulars go back to work today. They've basically been given a three-day reprieve. No game on Monday, a road game on Tuesday, a minor league workout yesterday disguised as a game against Team Spain. The Orioles remain in Sarasota today, and they're playing the Toronto Blue Jays for the third time this spring - and the first away from Dunedin. Most of the regulars will be in the lineup, with the exception of right fielder Nick Markakis, who will take off a few...

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Now that we've gotten all the dramatic stuff out of the way ... Outside of the fastball to Chase Utley that nailed the Phillies second baseman in the left ankle, Stephen Strasburg was pretty pleased with his stuff and his outing overall. Strasburg allowed two runs on five hits over 3 2/3 innings, striking out six and walking one. He threw 67 pitches, 40 for strikes, battling through a stiff wind. The right-handed grooved through his first two innings of work, striking out...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Today's game between the Orioles and Team Spain lasted 3 hours, 40 minutes. Jim Johnson was only responsible for part of it. Johnson, making his first appearance this spring, allowed an unearned run and one hit in the eighth inning. His appearance was brief compared to many others on this blustery day. "I got a couple fastballs up," he said. "Other than that, I'm a lot better than where I was at this point last year." Johnson was slowed in camp last spring because of...

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Stephen Strasburg hit Chase Utley on the left ankle. Roy Halladay threw behind Tyler Moore. Strasburg said he had no reason to hit Utley. Halladay said the pitch to Moore slipped. Then Halladay smiled. What was set up to be another quiet Grapefruit League game between the Phillies regulars and a Nationals lineup made up primarily of minor leaguers turned a bit more interesting in the third and fourth innings this afternoon. Strasburg and Halladay already shared their...

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Nationals and Phillies have had some interesting interactions over the years. John Lannan hit Chase Utley with a pitch in a 2007 start, breaking Utley's hand. Lannan was ejected from that game, which was his first major league start. Last season, Bryce Harper was drilled in the back by Cole Hamels, who acknowledged after the game that he hit Harper intentionally. Harper responded by stealing home later in that inning. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo responded by...

SARASOTA, Fla. - This game is moving too quickly for me to track. Seriously though, Niuman Romero had an RBI single in the fifth and Zach Britton gave up another run in the sixth - his third of the day in two innings. Adrian Marin bounced an RBI single into left field with the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the sixth, and Buck Britton had a sacrifice fly. Orioles 10, Team Spain 4. Zach Britton allowed four hits, walked a batter and struck out one. He also threw three wild...

The Orioles will conduct an open tryout to find ballgirls and ballboys for the 2013 season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards at noon this Saturday, March 9.The judges will include members of the Orioles' front office, MASN broadcaster Jim Hunter and former Orioles catcher Chris Hoiles, as well as Reagan Warfield of MIX 106.5 and Greg Carpenter of LITE 101.9. Outgoing and athletic men and women ages 18 and older who are interested in serving as ballboys and ballgirls for the Orioles during the...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Zach Britton allowed two runs and two hits, with one walk, in the top of the fifth inning. The good news: He won't face Team Spain during the regular season. The Orioles lead 7-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jake Arrieta said he took a step forward today after allowing one unearned run in three innings. "Sometimes throughout the week before a start, a light bulb will go off, whether it's something small mechanically in the bullpen or something you are doing on a...