SARASOTA, Fla. - Josh Bell is included in today's cuts. He's been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk and told he'll play third base every day. Left-hander Zach Britton hasn't been called into the manager's office and is expected to make another start here. Here's the Orioles' lineup for tonight's 7:05 p.m. game against Pittsburgh: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott LF Felix Pie CF Mark Reynolds 3B Matt Wieters C J.J.Hardy SS Jake Arrieta...

The Washington Nationals today optioned right-handed pitcher Craig Stammen and catcher Jesus Flores to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. The Nationals currently have 35 players in their big league camp.

Come Saturday April 16, Oriole Park at Camden Yards will play host to an intense, pressure-packed game with plenty on the line. Nope, the Yankees aren't in town to face the O's that weekend, and the Red Sox won't be setting up shop in the visitor's clubhouse, either. The players taking the field at Camden Yards that day will be members of two Baltimore city high schools, and they'll be duking it out for the championship of the inaugural President's Cup. This morning, flanked by...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles will play their second consecutive night game, but they won't do any traveling. The Pirates are coming to Sarasota. I made it back to my hotel from Fort Myers around midnight, so I had no problem staying in bed a little longer this morning. Jake Arrieta will start for the Orioles. He's allowed six runs and 12 hits, with two walks and eight strikeouts, in his last two outings covering 8 1/3 innings. He's posted a 5.40 ERA in 13 1/3 innings this spring, allowing...

As if Buck Showalter hasn't already done enough to get Orioles fans energized and excited for the new season, now there is this: Although, the headline on ESPN.com may be a bit misleading. Showalter didn't exactly "rip" Derek Jeter. "The first time we went to Yankee Stadium, I screamed at Derek Jeter from the dugout. Our guys are thinking, 'Wow, he's screaming at Derek Jeter.' Well, he's always jumping back from balls just off the plate. I know how many calls that team gets - and...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The ninth inning took on special meaning tonight because shortstop Manny Machado stepped to the plate against Twins reliever Chuck James. Of course, it happened while reporters were racing down from the press box to the seats beside the Orioles' dugout. Machado grounded to short in the Orioles' 5-2 loss at Hammond Stadium. Nervous? "No, not really," he said. "I was just a little too patient." Machado, the third overall pick in last June's draft, didn't know he...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - It wasn't until left-hander Brian Matusz returned to the bullpen to continue throwing that he salvaged part of his night. Matusz recorded only four outs and allowed four runs and four hits, with three walks and no strikeouts. He threw 56 pitches, but the most important ones came afterward. That's when Matusz says he found the rhythm that abandoned him while the Twins were teeing off and home plate kept moving on him. "From the get-go, warming up, I couldn't find my...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - It was hardly worth the drive over here. Left-hander Brian Matusz recorded only four outs tonight and was charged with four runs and five hits, with three walks and no strikeouts. The Twins lead, 4-1, in the third inning. Manager Buck Showalter summoned left-hander Alberto Castillo after Joe Mauer's two-run single, which came on Matusz's 56th pitch. The ball slammed off the left-center field fence, but Tsuyoshi Nishioka inexplicably stopped at second base. Matusz went to...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Good thing the Orioles relaxed their facial-hair policy, or half the team would be in violation right now. The Twins forced Brian Matusz to throw 34 pitches in the first inning, 18 for strikes. Matusz had four full counts, walked two batters, gave up a hit and fell behind, 1-0. Denard Span walked and stole second base without a throw. Tsuyoshi Nishioka laid down a sacrifice bunt, and Span scored on Joe Mauer's sharp grounder down the third base line. Mark Reynolds made a...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Since manager Buck Showalter is all about finding nuggets, I wanted to pass along a few from today's pre-game media session. On Brian Roberts making the trip: "We were going to wait until after (yesterday's) game was over. Robby and I talked about 6 o'clock last night at the stadium. He wanted to get some right-handed at-bats, Obviously, (Francisco) Liriano presents that. It was probably more his idea than mine. I think it's a great idea." On the number of cuts that...