The Washington Nationals today reassigned catcher Carlos Maldonado to minor league camp. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. The Nationals currently have 33 players in their big league camp.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter was asked whether Taiwanese left-hander Wei-Yin Chen is assured a spot in the rotation. "Barring something that could happen," he replied. "There's always a way, but barring something outside what we have here, yes." Chen served up three home runs today, but Showalter laid partial blame on the conditions. None of the runs were earned on Desmond Jennings' grand slam following an error by shortstop J.J. Hardy, who dropped the ball as he was removing...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles hit four home runs today and still lost to the Rays, 8-5, at Ed Smith Stadium. J.J. Hardy homered twice. Nick Johnson and Nick Markakis also connected. The last three homers came against Rays reliever Matt Torra. I'll pass along manager Buck Showalter's quotes a little later, including how he confirmed that Wei-Yin Chen is in the rotation. He also mentioned that Alfredo Simon didn't pitch in a minor league game today. It was the club's decision and it wasn't...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Wei-Yin Chen said he mostly threw fastballs in today's start against the Rays. The Rays didn't miss many of them. "They're a great team," Chen said through his interpreter after giving up three home runs in five innings and allowing seven runs total (three earned). "They have great hitters and they hit me well with my fastball." Chen said he was making adjustments with pitching coach Rick Adair. "the first inning I was still getting a feeling and in the last three...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Wei-Yin Chen faced his third division opponent of the spring today, and he learned that the Rays' lineup can be dangerous from top to bottom. Tampa Bay outfielder Desmond Jennings had no homers and one RBI before today, when he launched a solo shot in the third inning and a grand slam in the fourth. Evan Longoria also homered leading off the fifth, Chen's final inning of the day. Update: Jennings hit his third home run, a solo shot off Kevin Gregg in the top of the seventh....

JUPITER, Fla. - Poor Adam Wainwright. The Cardinals right-hander was just minding his business, enjoying a day in-between starts, when he saw his truck being driven onto the field and "given away" to a lucky "fan" at Roger Dean Stadium. The "fan" came sprinting down from the seats, celebrating his "prize" with a small child in his arms, as a stunned Wainwright watched from the Cards' dugout. Then Wainwright saw teammate Lance Berkman pop his head out of the driver's side window...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Zelous Wheeler is still adjusting his body clock after going from Arizona to Florida for spring training. Nothing to be alarmed about. The Orioles claimed Wheeler off waivers from the Brewers on Thursday and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk, but he'll stay with the team through Wednesday's exhibition game against the Tides. "It's been kind of crazy," he said. "I got in last night. Everything's fine. Just trying to get used to the time. It's three hours behind here....

JUPITER, Fla. - Roger Bernadina is back with the Nationals after flying down to Curacao for his father's funeral, but he's not in manager Davey Johnson's starting lineup today against the Cardinals. Jayson Werth will start in center field today, with Mark DeRosa in left and Xavier Nady in right. Johnson said yesterday that Werth is his third option in center behind Rick Ankiel and Bernadina, but option No. 3 will be put into action this afternoon. Ankiel - who is now looking like he might...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Matt Lindstrom just returned to the Ed Smith Stadium complex after starting a 10 a.m. game against the Orioles' Triple-A team at Twin Lakes Park. Lindstrom faced four batters and struck out two of them, including third baseman Josh Bell on a backdoor slider after getting ahead in the count with his splitter. He also induced a ground ball and a fly ball. "The first three got themselves out pretty quick," Lindstrom said. Lindstrom said he used all of his pitches and didn't...

The Nationals' minor league affiliates' regular season rosters are starting to take shape with the major league club finalizing their 25-man major league club. Here are some of the highlights of what each of the affiliates could look like this season: Single-A Hagerstown catching duties will be split by Adrian Nieto, Cole Leonida and others. I have confirmed the infielders are Matt Skole, Brett Newsome, Bryce Ortega, Cutter Dykstra and Justin Miller. Outfielders include Brian Goodwin, Caleb...