SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles' bats must be thawing out today. They scored four runs in the second inning off Rays left-hander David Price, their biggest uprising in an inning this spring. They've scored more than four runs in a game only once this spring. Jai Miller crushed a three-run homer to straightaway center field with one out in the second to give the Orioles a 4-1 lead. The ball easily cleared the 400-foot sign. Miller and Chris Davis have hit the only home runs for the Orioles...

SAROSOTA, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter had his usual pregame session with the media today while his team took batting practice. Here are a few highlights: On Taylor Teagarden seeing a back specialist: "An MRI would show something with everybody unless you take it before 15 years old or something. But there are some things we want him to take a look at there and see what the next step is. So far, I'm not going to elaborate, but I think identifying what he's having some discomfort about. The...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Rather than take batting practice on one of the back fields after teammates retreated to the clubhouse, Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts hit from both sides of the plate today against minor league pitching coach Alan Mills on the Ed Smith Stadium field. Once his round was completed, he moved to second base and scooped up ground balls from minor league instructor Bobby Dickerson - first at the edge of the infield grass and later from the edge of the outfield grass. He made...

The Nationals' outfield defense was a major reason the team finished only one game under .500 in 2011. Their defense, with arms such as Rick Ankiel, Jayson Werth, Michael Morse and quite possibly top prospect Bryce Harper patrolling the warning track this season, could take a step forward again as the franchise seeks its first playoff berth since 1981. Looking back at last year's defensive statistics, Ankiel saved eight runs in center field, the best in baseball from that position, according...

SARASOTA, Fla. - I wanted to pass along a few items before heading back to the Orioles' clubhouse. I'll pass along quotes later. Catcher Taylor Teagarden is seeing a back specialist in St. Petersburg today to determine whether his MRI reveals any structural damage. So far, surgery is not being discussed. The Orioles are simply trying to determine the source of his discomfort. Brian Roberts took batting practice on the Ed Smith Stadium field in a group that included Matt Wieters and Endy...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Left-hander Troy Patton is scheduled to pitch today for the first time since Thursday, when he recorded the last three outs to pick up the save against the Braves. I suggested that the Orioles were holding him back for the next time they needed another lead protected in the ninth, but he wasn't buying it. Actually, Patton was supposed to take one day off and throw again, but he requested an extra day because he was "a little bit sore still." "Ideally, I would have...

VIERA, Fla. - We can't count on the 80 degree weather here to cool down Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who is absolutely scorching right now. Zimmerman is on a tear to start his spring, hitting .583 with five of his seven base hits going for extra bases. The new $100 million man has two homers and three doubles in 12 at-bats. That hot stretch continued yesterday, as Zimmerman went 2-for-3 with a homer and a double in the Nats' 8-4 win over the Cardinals. You love to see the strong...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Rays are bringing plenty of regulars to today's game against the Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. Luke Scott is back in Sarasota as their designated hitter. Nolan Reimold is batting leadoff today for the Orioles, and Ronny Paulino is serving as the designated hitter. For the Orioles: Nolan Reimold LF Robert Andino 2B Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Mark Reynolds 3B Ronny Paulino DH Jai Miller RF Jason Hammel RHP For the Rays: Fuld...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The swelling in Nolan Reimold's left cheek is almost gone. Though he's not ready to devour a steak - too much chewing - he's progressed from shakes to soft foods. And he's taking hard swings in the batting cage. Reimold will return to the Orioles' lineup tomorrow afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays, only four days after being drilled in the face by an Alex Cobb fastball in Port Charlotte. "It's healing pretty fast," he said this morning after taking batting...

Here is a question I'd love to get some opinions on today: How important are strikeouts for a pitcher? We tend to think that pitchers with the most strikeouts are the pitchers with some of the best velocity. While that is likely true, there are always exceptions to the rule. But I think it is fair to say that a big strikeout pitcher is generally one with some quality pitches and stuff, as they say. On the downside, a strikeout pitcher can run up his pitch count faster than a control pitcher...