SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles pitcher Justin Duchscherer will undergo an MRI on his left hip this week after being scratched from today's simulated game. Duchscherer likely will have to wait until Tuesday for the MRI. He'd be a day behind second baseman Brian Roberts, who will have an MRI on his back tomorrow. Duchscherer threw off flat ground this morning and complained of soreness in the hip. He was examined by the training staff. The Orioles are paying Duchscherer $700,000 this year, but...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz made some adjustments in his delivery today after working with pitching coach Mark Connor. "The results, not happy about the results, but I'm really happy about the process," he said after being charged with three runs (two earned) in 3 1/3 innings. "I feel like I'm making some adjustments that I need to, and I'm excited to sit down with Goose (Connor), look at the video for this game, kind of see where I need to be mechanically. I...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Yes, I went there again. J.J. Hardy hit his first home run as an Oriole leading off the bottom of the fourth inning. He drove a pitch from Charlie Furbush over the left field fence to reduce Detroit's lead to 4-1. The Orioles had one hit off Tigers starter Adam Wilk through three innings, a single by Vladimir Guerrero. And if you've never heard of Wilk, you're not alone. He's a former 11th-round pick who's trying to make the staff as a reliever. He's regarded as a...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Left-hander Brian Matusz would like a do-over against the Detroit Tigers. Matusz threw 33 pitches, 20 for strikes, in the first inning. He's charged with one earned run (two total) and three hits, and he walked a batter. The Orioles would like to get four innings out of him. That's going to be tricky. Austin Jackson opened the game with a single and stole second with one out. Ryan Raburn struck out, but Miguel Cabrera doubled to center field for a 1-0 lead. Brandon Ingle...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter is waiting to hear back from his athletic training staff after Justin Duchscherer declined to pitch in the simulated game on the Camden Yards field. Duchscherer alerted the club that he felt some discomfort while throwing off flat ground. "He just came out here and wasn't able to pitch," Showalter said. "I don't really know where we're at. Richie (Bancells) just said he felt some discomfort and wants to get it looked at. Doesn't feel good...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Justin Duchscherer wasn't able to pitch in today's simulated game because of discomfort in his left hip. Duchscherer threw on flat ground and said he didn't feel comfortable. The medical staff is checking on him. The Orioles could go with a four-man rotation early in the season because of the April 5 off-day, giving them more time with Duchscherer. The simulated game involved a pitcher, batter, catcher and umpire. Nobody else. It gave guys like Jim Johnson and Mark...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles play three straight home games, so I can leave my GPS at the hotel. I've got this route memorized. The clubhouse was closed to the media in the morning because of meetings. Players are participating in drills on the main field. Justin Duchscherer is getting ready to pitch in an intrasquad game on one of the back fields. It's the "left-handed game" that manager Buck Showalter organized. Players were brought over from the minor league side, including first...

The Washington Nationals today optioned left-handed pitcher Atahualpa Severino to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League and outfielder Bryce Harper to Hagerstown of the Single-A South Atlantic League and re-assigned right-handed pitchers Ryan Mattheus and Tim Wood to minor league camp. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. The Nationals currently have 42 players in their big league camp.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Brandon Snyder collected his third hit in the ninth inning, a run-scoring single that completed the Orioles' 6-4 victory over the Houston Astros. Snyder came within a triple of the cycle while raising his spring average to .360. Ryan Adams also had three hits and is batting .500 with six RBIs. "We had some things we wanted him to get adjusted with before he went on the field, and I can see why he has the potential offensively," manager Buck Showalter said. "He has a...

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - We had a long delay in the top of the seventh inning after a woman was hit by a Jake Fox foul ball behind the Astros' bullpen area. She was removed on a stretcher. Players left the Astros dugout and walked to the railing. Fox eventually returned to the Orioles' dugout and watched from the top step. He struck out once play resumed. Brandon Snyder homered off Casey Fien leading off the top of the eighth. Orioles 5, Astros 0. Ryan Adams reached on an infield hit to open the...