SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have designated left-hander Dana Eveland for assignment to make room for infielder Zelous Wheeler, who was claimed off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers. Eveland allowed three runs and six hits in four innings during yesterday's start against the Blue Jays. He was 1-2 with a 3.46 ERA and 17 hits allowed in 13 spring innings. The Orioles acquired Eveland from the Dodgers at the winter meetings for minor league left-hander Jarret Martin and outfielder Tyler...

The Orioles today announced that they have claimed infielder Zelous Wheeler off of waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk. Wheeler, 25, is a career .271/.371/.408 hitter in 538 minor league games over five seasons. He spent last season with Double-A Huntsville (65 games) and Triple-A Nashville (17 games), hitting a combined .272/.378/.459 with 33 extra-base hits in 329 at-bats. Wheeler was originally drafted by Milwaukee in the 19th round of the 2007 draft out...

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals' M.A.S.H. unit currently trails the Braves 1-0 here entering in the sixth inning Edwin Jackson has been fantastic so far, allowing just two hits and a walk, retiring 10 hitters in a row at one point. Braves center fielder Jason Heyward rudely snapped that streak leading off the fifth inning, however, demolishing a pitch over the batter's eye in center field, a wall which is about 400 feet from home plate and must be at least 30 feet high. That ball was...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Shortstop J.J. Hardy (shoulder) and outfielder Endy Chavez (groin) won't make the trip to Tampa for tonight's game against the New York Yankees. Hardy could return on Friday. Chavez has been day-to-day for more than a week. Hardy, who received a cortisone injection on Tuesday, will take off again today and attempt to throw Friday morning. If the shoulder feels good, he'll be in the lineup against the Tigers. "I'm kind of hoping I'll get over the hump tomorrow," he...

VIERA, Fla. - Just what the Nationals needed - another corner infielder/corner outfielder going down injured. Mark DeRosa, who was scheduled to start in left field today, has been scratched from the Nats' lineup. The Nationals did not give a reason for DeRosa being scratched, but we do know the veteran has been battling calf cramps recently, and didn't make yesterday's trip to Port St. Lucie after manager Davey Johnson gave him the day off. Xavier Nady will move from right field to left...

VIERA, Fla. - Manager Davey Johnson has made some tweaks to his starting rotation for the next few days. Ross Detwiler has been moved up and will start tomorrow's game against the Marlins, while Stephen Strasburg will be bumped back a day, and will now start Saturday's game against the Cardinals. This means John Lannan's turn in the rotation will be skipped, but Johnson says he plans to piggyback Lannan with Strasburg on Saturday, with both guys getting 60-70 pitches. It will be...

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals made three cuts this morning, reassigning outfielder Jason Michaels and infielder Andres Blanco to minor league camp and optioning left-handed pitcher Atahualpa Severino to Triple-A Syracuse. Michaels and Blanco both have opt-outs in their contracts, meaning that they can decline the demotion to Triple-A and can look around for a big league job elsewhere. The cuts leave the Nats with 34 players on their major league roster. "Jason was the hardest," manager Davey...

VIERA, Fla. - Well, today's the day. Adam LaRoche finally returns to the Nationals lineup for the home half of today's split-squad games. LaRoche will join the rest of the Nats' veterans in taking on the Braves after missing the last couple weeks with a bone bruise in his left foot. LaRoche will play first base today and will hit sixth. Xavier Nady is in the lineup again today, this time playing right field. Mark DeRosa will play left today, with Jayson Werth sliding over to center....

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are preparing for their final Grapefruit League game under the lights when they travel to Tampa to play the New York Yankees. The clubhouse opens to the media at 2 p.m., so there's no morning lineup to post. I'd expect plenty of regulars to make the trip after they were allowed to stay back in Sarasota yesterday, but shortstop J.J. Hardy won't be among them. He'll need another day off after receiving a cortisone injection in his aching right shoulder. Jason...

At a time when it angers and disappoints many Orioles fans that the club has misfired on some key first-round draft picks in recent years, we should probably remember that Mike Mussina was a big hit. Just not with hitters. Taken 20th overall in round one out of Stanford in 1990, he went on to become one of the Orioles' all-time best pitchers and is a clear candidate for the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. But the news that he was elected to the Orioles Hall of Fame yesterday was not met with...