The performance of Jake Fox last year in spring training should remind us to never get caught up too much in spring training statistics. Yet, it's all we will have to go on until opening day and we can't say that spring stats don't matter at all. But when Fox hit 10 spring training homers last year to lead all big leaguers it led some to jump to the conclusion that he might hit 30 for the Orioles and some even said he should start at catcher ahead of Matt Wieters who was coming off a season...

VIERA, Fla. - A week of rest has apparently benefited Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche, who says that both his surgically repaired left shoulder and his injured left foot are feeling strong after getting a handful of days off. "I feel better," LaRoche said moments ago in the Nats' clubhouse at Space Coast Stadium. "Last couple days, I feel a lot better. Just one of those little frustrating things that came out of nowhere and has kind of lingered a little bit. Fortunately it's early,...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have a 1:35 p.m. game against the Red Sox today in Fort Myers. Once again, most of the regulars will stay back at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. For the Orioles: Endy Chavez RF Ryan Adams 2B Nick Johnson DH Wilson Betemit LF Joe Mahoney 1B Taylor Teagarden C Ryan Flaherty SS Josh Bell 3B Xavier Avery CF Dana Eveland LHP Chris Tillman, Pat Neshek, Jon Link and Oliver Drake also will pitch today. For the Red Sox: Ellsbury CF Pedroia 2B Gonzalez 1B Lavarnway C Ross...

VIERA, Fla. - It was only fitting that Rick Ankiel went yard last night. The pride of Port St. Lucie High School had to put on a show back in his old stomping grounds. In front of a group of friends and some of his high school teachers, Ankiel smacked an opposite-field home run in his first at-bat against the Mets last night, sending a decent portion of the 5,021 in attendance at Digital Domain Park to their feet. "It was his hometown and he gave them something to cheer about," Nationals...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Another day, two more hits for Bryce Harper. The Nationals' top prospect is now an impressive 4-for-7 in Grapefruit League play after tonight's 3-1 Nats win over the Mets, a game in which Harper went 2-for-2 with a walk. But those four hits might not have come the way many people would expect. All four have been ground ball singles, not mashed home runs or smoked line-drive doubles. That's of no matter in Harper's mind. "They're hits. That's all that matters,"...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Let's start with left-hander Brian Matusz, who allowed three runs on six hits and struck out three over two innings. "I felt really good," he said. "It felt nice to be back out there on the mound and let it fly a little bit. I felt strong. Threw a lot of strikes, attacked the zone. It felt really good to be back out there. "The Pirates executed really well and took advantage of the mistakes I made and put the ball in play. But overall I felt like I attacked the zone...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - This spring is a little different for John Lannan. Instead of going into Grapefruit League competition knowing that he's got a spot in the Nationals' rotation all but guaranteed, Lannan is now aware that his chances of making the Nats' starting five are dependent on how he performs in spring training. Still, Lannan says he's approaching this spring as he would any other. "I compete every year," Lannan said in the Nationals clubhouse moments ago. "I've competed...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Kevin Gregg gave up a single to the first batter he faced. Then he gave up a fly ball that put two more runs on the board for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Matt Hague followed Yamaico Navarro's single with a bomb to left field, increasing the Pirates' lead to 5-1. Gregg bounced back to strike out the next three batters - Pedro Alvarez, Gorkys Hernandez and Garrett Jones - but he probably didn't do much to win back the fans who lost patience with him last season. At least Gregg...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - All things considered, John Lannan's first start of spring went just fine. It wasn't great, it wasn't terrible, but Lannan worked his way through three innings tonight against the Mets, allowing one run and three hits, walking one and striking out one. The run came in the first when Lannan allowed a leadoff walk to Mets center fielder Andres Torres, allowed Torres to steal second base and then gave up an RBI single to second baseman Daniel Murphy. But Lannan settled...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Three of the first four batters reached against Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz tonight, and the Pirates grabbed a quick 2-0 lead. That's the bad news. Here's the encouraging part: Only one ball was hit hard - an RBI rope double by Josh Harrison that followed a bloop single by leadoff hitter Alex Presley. Matt Hague delivered the second run with one out on a ground ball that scooted between shortstop J.J. Hardy and third baseman Mark Reynolds. Matusz got called third...