The Orioles and OriolesREACH have announced a series of upcoming youth initiatives in the Sarasota area and at Ed Smith Stadium. On Friday, March 9, the Oriole Bird will fly to Tuttle Elementary School to participate in the Tuttle Turtle's Walk to help students raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Tuttle Elementary is located just across the street from Ed Smith Stadium, at 2863 8th Street. On Saturday, March 10, current and former Orioles players and coaches, including...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Wei-Yin Chen seemed more relaxed today in his exhibition debut against the Minnesota Twins. It didn't matter that a crowd was watching. Pitching in front of empty seats for the intrasquad game didn't do much to soothe his nerves. "Last time, I didn't feel comfortable on the mound, but today I adjusted a lot and I felt more confident to throw the ball to Matt (Wieters)," Chen said through his interpreter after blanking the Twins on one hit and striking out three in two...

VIERA, Fla. - These Nationals starters keep matching each other. It'd be nice if they can do it when the games count, as well, but manager Davey Johnson will take strong innings anytime he can get them. Jordan Zimmermann is done after three scoreless frames this afternoon. The righty allowed three hits and a walk and hit a batter, but struck out three, including a third-inning punch-out of Cardinals third baseman Eugenio Velez on a filthy slider. Zimmermann threw 44 pitches, 25 of which...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The last time we saw Wei-Yin Chen, he was throwing 31 pitches in two-thirds of an inning in an intrasquad game. He allowed one run and two hits, walked one and struck out one. Fast-forward to today's exhibition game against the Minnesota Twins. Chen was much more effective, allowing one hit in two scoreless innings and striking out the side in the second. Chen's fastball topped out at 91 mph, but he fanned Brian Dinkelman and Sean Burroughs with 89 mph heaters. The only...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The injury news is good concerning pitchers Tsuyoshi Wada and Willie Eyre. Wade (elbow) and Eyre (groin) looked good during their bullpen sessions this morning. "Obviously, Willie Eyre is healthy, and Wada was outstanding," said pitching coach Rick Adair. "The ball's coming out of his hand much better. I think we're always concerned to a certain degree until you know and they get in game speed, but it was good today. Encouraging." Wada mixed in his changeup and slider...

VIERA, Fla. - Pitchers don't start hitting during Grapefruit League games for another week or so, but this morning, they got a chance to place orders for what type of bat they'd like to use. The result was a few blank stares and some general confusion in the Nationals clubhouse about what style and model number each guy should go with. Reliever Brad Lidge joked that while he knew the type of the bat he swings, he's less certain of how to, you know, use it. That's kinda the important...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Minor league catcher Michael Ohlman was involved in an accident yesterday while leaving the Ed Smith Stadium complex. Manager Buck Showalter told reporters that Ohlman appeared to be fine, but doctors were checking the catcher's right shoulder. "He's got some discomfort there," Showalter said. "We're just happy that it isn't anything life threatening." Ohlman, who played in 105 games with Single-A Delmarva last summer, was brought to camp because of a shortage of...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Second baseman Brian Roberts said he's having more good days than bad days, but he still can't provide a timetable for his exhibition debut this spring. Nothing much has changed with Roberts. He's still taking ground balls and running sprints and taking batting practice from coaches. "It's a pretty systematic approach," he said. "I don't just go and do whatever I want every day. My doctor lays out a plan each day and we kind of go by that." Asked if he sees himself...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Wei-Yin Chen makes his first exhibition start for the Orioles today after lasting two-thirds of an inning in last week's intrasquad game. Hopefully, he'll be more comfortable on the Ed Smith Stadium mound this afternoon. For the Orioles: Endy Chavez RF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 3B Wilson Betemit DH Nolan Reimold LF Robert Andino 2B Wei-Yin Chen LHP Armando Galarraga, Matt Lindstrom, Luis Ayala and Steve Johnson also are...

VIERA, Fla. - Two days ago, after watching Chien-Ming Wang throw two innings in an intrasquad game, manager Davey Johnson declared that the veteran right-hander looked to be stronger than he was at the end of last season, when he made 11 starts for the Nationals after recovering from a shoulder injury. "He looks like the old Chien-Ming," Johnson confidently stated. The old Chien-Ming was a workhorse, a top-of-the-rotation guy with the Yankees, who won 19 games in both 2006 and 2007,...