Baseball can sometimes be broken down to an individual sport, especially for the closers. If a batter makes an out, he still has eight other guys that can make a play, his team still has two more outs. A closer has defenders behind him, but it's ultimately one pitcher versus one hitter. One pitch can end the game. One pitch can also turn into a blown save. In a new book, "Closer: Major League Players Reveal The Inside Pitch On Saving The Game" (Running Press - 2013, $15.00), Kevin Neary...

Are these the dog days of spring training already? The excitement of the early games is starting to wear off as we all realize there is a long way to go - almost a month - before the fun of a new season will be here. When you see a baseball team with a record of 7-2-1 like the Orioles, you quickly realize it must be spring training or that you clicked on the NHL standings by mistake. While the game results are not very important right now, it has been fun to track the early mashing at the...

SARASOTA, Fla. - As the Orioles file into the Ed Smith Stadium complex this morning and head to the dining area for breakfast, I fully expect Conor Jackson and Steve Pearce to arm wrestle for the last Pop-Tart. Two out of three falls to determine who gets turkey bacon and who gets the regular stuff. Jackson and Pearce aren't the only players in camp competing for a bench spot, but they've started to separate themselves from the reserve pack. Jackson is 8-for-19 with three homers, six RBIs...

VIERA, Fla. - Earlier in his career, when Tyler Clippard was a starter in the Yankees' system, he complemented his fastball and change-up with a curveball, a pitch that he was able to throw consistently because he'd obviously work multiple innings at a time. Clippard made the switch to a long reliever a few years ago, and now that he's in his current role as a one-inning, late-game reliever, the curveball has gotten left behind. Last year, Clippard threw his curve just 2.2 percent of the...

VIERA, Fla. - Following today's 7-1 win over the Astros, the Nationals optioned left-hander Matt Purke to low-A Hagerstown. Purke, who is recovering from shoulder surgery he underwent last summer, will head over to minor league camp to continue his rehab. The 2011 third-round pick has been throwing bullpen sessions every Tuesday and Friday at about 50 percent effort. "His rehab is coming along great, but he's not going to be ready to work here, so we're sending him over (to minor league...

DUNEDIN, Fla. - Conor Jackson singled, doubled and homered today. Steve Pearce homered twice and drove in three runs. Those two performances stood out the most in the Orioles' 6-6, 10-inning tie with the Toronto Blue Jays. "I feel good," Jackson said. "I'm swinging at strikes and getting ahead in counts and not getting behind and getting good pitches to hit and taking advantage of it. That's really the name of the game and that's what's happening right now. "There's a lot of spring...

The Washington Nationals today optioned left-handed pitcher Matt Purke to Hagerstown of the Single-A South Atlantic League. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. The Nationals currently have 49 players in their big league camp.

VIERA, Fla. - Rafael Soriano just faced three hitters in a scoreless seventh inning, throwing 12 pitches (seven strikes) and striking out Astros outfielder Robbie Grossman to end the frame. Making his Grapefruit League debut with the Nationals, Soriano gave up a flyout to deep center off the bat of Justin Maxwell, then allowed a single to J.D. Martinez, which bounced off the glove of Ian Desmond. Just a couple of pitches later, Martinez was caught stealing, thanks to a strong throw by catcher...

DUNEDIN, Fla. - The wind is blowing out to left field, and the Orioles are taking full advantage of it. Conor Jackson's home run didn't need much help. He crushed the ball. The Orioles have 14 hits in seven innings, three more than the Toronto Blue Jays, and they continue to lead, 6-5. Kevin Gausman's fastball was hitting 97 mph in the bottom of the seventh. He allowed two straight singles to begin the inning, but he got a fly ball and a called third strike on a 97 mph heater. The next...

VIERA, Fla. - Dan Haren worked both sides of the plate, mixed in some sharp off-speed stuff and cut his way through the Astros' lineup through his first two innings of work this afternoon. Haren retired the first six Astros hitters he faced, not letting a ball out of the infield in that time, before hitting a bit of a bump in the third. The veteran righty allowed a run on two hits and a walk in that third inning, but he'll likely leave Space Coast Stadium today pleased with his...