BRADENTON, Fla. - Former Pirates manager John Russell was announced as the third base coach, bringing a huge outbreak of indifference. You could have heard a pin drop - much like the crowd's reaction at every joke from last night's Oscar telecast. No applause for Russell, no jeers, nothing but absolute silence. So much for a warm homecoming. J.J. Hardy struck out looking to begin today's game. Felix Pie followed with a sharp grounder that deflected off third base and skipped into left...

A full season of summer friends, peanuts and Cracker Jacks and the highs and lows of Nationals baseball is now upon us. Whether you're excited, optimistic or cautious about the season, we can all agree that it's time to get rolling and start playing real, live Nationals baseball games. With that in mind, here's a list of television games for the Nationals this spring, including tonight's tape delayed game on MLB Network. Monday, February 28 @ 9:30 p.m. on MLB Network Sunday, March 6 @ 1...

So now we get to the next phase of spring training. The games begin. They don't count, but for the fans not heading to Sarasota, it gives them some stats, pitching lines, home runs, and wins and losses to track. Mike Hargrove used to say something about September and March being like fool's gold. A player's performance at the end of the year after the callups, or in spring training can be quite deceiving. Every year, someone hits a ton in March then can't buy a hit the first week of...

BRADENTON, Fla. - For the Pirates: Jose Tabata LF Josh Rodriguez SS Andrew McCutchen CF Pedro Alvarez 3B Lyle Overbay 1B Garrett Jones RF Ryan Doumit DH Chase d'Arnaud 2B Jason Jaramillo C Paul Maholm LHP Jeff Karstens, Tyler Yates, Jeff Locke and Mike Crotta also are scheduled to pitch for the Pirates. The Pirates have two split-squad games, and former Oriole Garrett Atkins is in Port Charlotte. Sorry. Jeremy Guthrie, Rick VandenHurk, Mark Hendrickson, Jason Berken, David Riske and...

The Washington Nationals announced today that 106.7 The Fan will serve as the official flagship station for Nationals baseball games beginning with the upcoming 2011 season. Owned and operated by CBS RADIO, 106.7 The Fan has signed on to broadcast Nationals spring training match-ups as well as regular-season and postseason games. Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler will serve as the team's radio voices during these broadcasts. "With 106.7 The Fan's great roster of talent and focus on local...

SARASOTA, Fla. - For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Felix Pie RF Mark Reynolds 3B Vladimir Guerrero DH Adam Jones CF Nolan Reimold LF Brandon Snyder 1B Craig Tatum C Cesar Izturis 2B Brad Bergesen RHP Other pitchers on the trip include Ryan Drese, Koji Uehara, Kevin Gregg and Jeremy Accardo.

Right-hander Garrett Mock is looking to rebound from neck surgery that derailed his 2010 season. Nationals pitching coach Steve McCatty said Mock has worked hard to get healthy and is ready to just put it on the field "Garrett and I have talked so much the last four years," McCatty said. "All I tell him is, 'Just sit back and let your ability speak for you.' He has tremendous stuff. We all try to get it to surface on the field. Sometimes you just have to get out of your own way, so to...

SARASOTA, Fla. - First baseman Joe Mahoney received treatment after taking a foul ball off his right knee, and he'll be re-evaluated tomorrow morning before the club decides whether to send him to Bradenton for the exhibition opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Mahoney had a slight limp as he returned to his locker following his team's 7-4 intrasquad victory. "Missed the knee cap, though" Mahoney said, showing off the red mark on the inner part of his knee. "I'm just happy I didn't...

SARASOTA, Fla. - First baseman Joe Mahoney fouled a ball off his right knee in the top of the sixth inning and limped to the clubhouse. Mahoney, named the organization's minor league Player of the Year in 2010, took a few steps up the first base line and bent at the waist. Head athletic trainer Richie Bancells and manager Buck Showalter came out of the dugout, and Showalter stopped the inning with two outs. Mahoney, who was facing left-hander Pedro Viola, grabbed his bag of bats and walked...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Adam Jones is the latest Oriole to clear the 366-foot sign in left-center field, connecting off Rule 5 pick Adrian Rosario in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jones, Mark Reynolds and Randy Winn have homered today. Reynolds flied to the fence in his second at-bat before Jones stepped to the plate. Rosario knocked Cesar Izturis to the ground with an inside pitch in the third inning. He's allowed two runs, two hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings. Josh Bell singled off Troy...