FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Nationals released Jason Michaels on Thursday. Now the veteran outfielder is back with the organization. The Nats announced today that they've agreed to terms on a minor league contract with Michaels, who will report to Triple-A Syracuse. Michaels hit .220 with one homer and seven RBIs in 41 at-bats with the Nats this spring. The 35-year-old had an opt-out clause in his original minor league deal with the Nats, and after looking around for a major league deal with...

When the Orioles open the 2012 season Friday against the Twins - and begin a season-long celebration of the 20th anniversary of Camden Yards - they'll turn back the clock to 1992 for the ceremonial first pitch. Rick Sutcliffe and Chris Hoiles, who were the pitcher and catcher during the ballpark's debut two decades ago, will reprise their role as battery mates for Friday's festivities. Sutcliffe, you'll remember, threw a five-hit shutout against the Indians on April 6, 1992 in the first...

The Orioles have announced plans for the first game of their 59th season and the 20th anniversary celebration of Oriole Park at Camden Yards - The Ballpark That Forever Changed Baseball. The team will face the Minnesota Twins on Friday, April 6, at 3:05 p.m., 20 years to the day that Camden Yards hosted its first regular season game in 1992. Pregame fun around the Yard To allow fans the opportunity to experience the excitement of opening day, the entire ballpark will open at noon on Friday....

One of the major benefits to the Orioles' move to Sarasota, Fla., from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., three years ago was the shortening of the distance between the club's major and minor league spring facilities. Even though the O's big league camp had been at Fort Lauderdale Stadium from 1996-2009, the minor leaguers remained at least a three-hour drive away at Twin Lakes Park in Sarasota, making it difficult to get pitchers extra innings against farmhands or for a major league manager to easily...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Good morning from Fort Myers, where I spent the night last night ahead of today's Nationals spring training finale against the Red Sox. Unfortunately, the Nationals had to make the nearly two-hour drive back from Jupiter to Viera following yesterday's game against the Cardinals, and then leave their Space Coast Stadium complex at around 7 a.m. this morning in order to head all the way across the state to make it here. Yeah, I bet all those guys are ready to head north to...

SARASOTA, Fla. - I always know we're nearing the end of spring training when I buy a case of bottled waters and immediately stress over the possibility that I won't have enough time to drink all of it before boarding my flight to Baltimore. Two days and 17 bottles left. Unless I'm confronted with a major thirst, I don't like my chances. The four Myoplex french vanilla protein shakes, the two yogurts, the one bag of frozen Brussels sprouts and the half an avocado are going down. Just not...

I see that several fans are expressing the opinion that the Orioles should be starting their top pitching prospect, Dylan Bundy, at Single-A Frederick and not Single-A Delmarva, where he is going to begin the season. I think the Orioles are doing exactly the right thing with Bundy in sending him to the Shorebirds right now. The fans' expectations are that Bundy will dominate from the start and blow through the South Atlantic League like a hot knife through butter. That could happen, but it...

JUPITER, Fla. - Danny Espinosa ripped a solo home run to right field in today's win over the Cardinals, giving him his first homer and first RBI this spring. But the Nationals second baseman was actually more pleased with his single to left off Cardinals closer Jason Motte in the top of the ninth inning than he was with the longball earlier in the game. "That was a two-strike count," Espinosa said. "I stuck with my approach I try to stay with all the time. I was able just to really put...

JUPITER, Fla. - The Nationals made one roster move after today's game, reassigning catcher Carlos Maldonado to minor league camp. Maldonado, who really impressed manager Davey Johnson this spring, will back up Jhonatan Solano at Triple-A Syracuse. "I hate to lose him," Johnson said. "He's been like my favorite chair." The Nats now officially have 33 players left in major league camp. Gio Gonzalez didn't just throw five very impressive innings today in his final outing before the...

JUPITER, Fla. - Davey Johnson walked into the Nationals clubhouse after today's 2-1 win over the Cardinals with a giant smile on his face. "That's baseball at its best," Johnson said. "If that doesn't get your motor running, nothing will." The last inning and a half of today's ballgame was incredibly entertaining. Working in a tie game in the bottom of the eighth, Henry Rodriguez was involved in an intense battle with Cardinals leadoff hitter Tyler Greene, and eventually struck out...