Here are a few more pregame comments from manager Buck Showalter: On whether he anticipates Brian Matusz being amped up for Monday's start vs. the Yankees: "He did that a little bit this spring as far as, first time out it was like he was running pretty fast. There were a lot of hamsters running around pretty quick there. He slowed them down. I expect it. That's part of it. All of these guys had it and got back in control. That's part of it. It'll happen till the day he quits playing. It...

The four Orioles full-season minor league affiliates are underway in their seasons with a combined record of 5-6 so far. * Triple-A Norfolk is 1-2, averaging 4.0 runs per game with a 5.57 ERA. * Double-A Bowie is 1-2, averaging 3.0 runs per game with a 6.00 ERA. * Single-A Frederick is 1-1, averaging 8.5 runs per game with a 5.00 ERA. * Single-A Delmarva is 2-1, averaging 6.3 runs per game with a 4.50 ERA. Among individual players, Manny Machado is batting .273 for Bowie, going 3-for-11 so...

Mark Reynolds didn't roll up his pant leg while sitting at his locker, so I'll take him at his word that he's got a bruised left calf. Reynolds said he's fine, and it's apparent that he wants to be in the lineup. He wasn't his usual jovial self after manager Buck Showalter excluded him. "He just told me I wasn't playing," Reynolds said. "I'm fine. There's nothing wrong." Asked if he expects to play tomorrow, Reynolds said, "You've got to ask Buck. I don't know." Is his leg...

CHICAGO - Just got word that 2011 first-round pick Anthony Rendon's injury has been diagnosed as a badly sprained left ankle. X-rays on Rendon's ankle were negative. The Nationals will need to wait until the swelling goes down in Rendon's ankle before they have an idea of how long the third baseman will be out. The team obviously won't like seeing Rendon in the trainer's room yet again (he twice injured his right ankle a few years ago and suffered a right shoulder injury while in...

It is safe to say that Orioles third baseman Mark Reynolds has not gotten off to the start on defense that he wanted. After leading the American League with 31 errors last season, he made an errant throw on opening day but first baseman Chris Davis saved him with a nice stretch and catch. Last night, Reynolds made an error in the eighth that led to both Twins runs that inning being unearned. "That was a tough play last night. A lefty hit a slicing cue off the end (of the bat) down the...

CHICAGO - Rick Ankiel went yard again yesterday for Double-A Harrisburg, giving him two homers in as many rehab games. He's now batting .429 in three contests for the Senators. Harrisburg center fielder Eury Perez went 3-for-6 yesterday to raise his season average to .400, but he was caught stealing and picked off first base. Easy, Eury. There were a couple strong pitching performances in the Nats' system yesterday, as Yunesky Maya threw six shutout innings for Triple-A Syracuse, striking...

Third baseman Mark Reynolds isn't in the lineup for today's game against the Twins at Camden Yards. Wilson Betemit is playing third. Reynolds fouled a ball off his left calf last night, but he said it's fine and he could have played. He has a bruise, but no X-rays were taken. For the Orioles: Endy Chavez LF J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Nick Johnson DH Wilson Betemit 3B Chris Davis 1B Robert Andino 2B Jason Hammel RHP

CHICAGO - We know about what Tyler Clippard, Brad Lidge and Drew Storen can bring to the back end of the Nationals' bullpen, when healthy. But when you add in quality performances from guys like Craig Stammen, Ryan Mattheus and Henry Rodriguez, who all helped the Nationals secure a 7-4 comeback win yesterday over the Cubs, you start to see that this could be a special group the Nats are working with. "We've got a pretty good bullpen," Stammen said. "You could tell by the way they made...

CHICAGO - There's not much new information to pass along just yet on Anthony Rendon, the Nationals' top pick in the 2011 draft who had to be helped off the field last night after suffering an injury during Single-A Potomac's game at Lynchburg. Rendon fell to the ground after slipping while making a turn around third base. The good news, if there is any, is that Rendon's injury apparently is to his left leg, according to reports out of Lynchburg. The 21-year-old third baseman tore...

Yes, it's only been two games and no one will confuse this Minnesota lineup with the Yankees. But the back to back solid starting pitching outings by Jake Arrieta and Tommy Hunter may remind you of how the O's starters started last year. In the first series of the 2011 season, the Orioles swept the Rays in Tampa Bay as Jeremy Guthrie, Chris Tillman and Zach Britton combined to pitch 20 innings and allow just six hits and one run in that three-game sweep. The next game was the home opener...