Call it the principle of displacement. If the Orioles put Vladimir Guerrero in the fourth spot in the batting order, doesn't that mean it will move others down in the order, displacing them? It should then help the order become stronger if someone who batted fourth can move down to fifth or sixth and so on and so on. One possible batting order for the Orioles is Brian Roberts leading off, followed by Nick Markakis, Derrek Lee, Guerrero, Luke Scott, Mark Reynolds, Adam Jones, Matt Wieters and...

SARASOTA, Fla. - I wanted to dump out the rest of my spring training bag for today. I'll also let you know that tomorrow's workout is slated to begin around 10 a.m., two hours earlier than today. The crowd was pretty small. I'd say it was a modest gathering. But word on the street is that parking was limited because of the construction vehicles. Try again tomorrow. As I mentioned earlier, Koji Uehara threw his fourth bullpen session this afternoon. Unlike the others, he did so under close...

What could be better than winning round-trip airfare and a two-night hotel stay to catch Nationals spring training in Viera, Fla.? What if you also won a behind-the-scenes tour, a meet-and-greet with Nationals players and an opportunity to take on-field batting practice? DC101 and Miller Lite have teamed up to send one lucky Nationals fan on a VIP trip to Florida from March 25-27. To win, listen to Elliot in the Morning on DC101. He'll be giving away tickets to opening day on March 31 and...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter is pleased with how smoothly today's workout ran. No injuries that he's aware of, no reason to be alarmed in any way. "We got through it," he said. "I haven't talked to the trainers and coaches yet, but so far, so good. We got most everybody here with the exception of (Alfredo) Simon, obviously. No red flags yet health-wise. "The physicals were pretty good. Just some of the normal precautions that we already knew about." Pitchers Brandon Erbe...

SARASOTA, Fla. - I tore myself away from the back fields to pass along a few notes from the workout, which began at noon and is expected to run until 3 p.m.. Minor league catcher Caleb Joseph beat the other players onto the field for the pre-workout stretch, but Matt Wieters was close behind him. Twenty-nine of the 30 pitchers are in camp today, the obvious exception being Alfredo Simon. All six catchers are here. Brian Roberts passed his physical and walked onto Field 4 to greet manager...

WBAL Radio (1090 AM) and the Orioles have announced that 16 of the team's spring training games will be broadcast live, beginning with the O's Grapefruit League opener at Bradenton, Fla., against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 1:05 p.m. The next day, Sunday, March 1, catch the O's home exhibition opener at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota against the Tampa Bay Rays. Twelve of the 16 broadcasts will feature 30-minute pregame and postgame shows. Longtime Orioles Radio Network...

SARASOTA, Fla. - As I wait for the pitchers and catchers to complete their physicals and head to the backfields for the first workout, I'll pass along the five exhibition games that will air on MASN: Monday, March 7 at 7 p.m., New York Yankees vs. Orioles Monday, March 14 at 1 p.m., Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Orioles Tuesday, March 15 at 1 p.m., Houston Astros vs. Orioles Saturday, March 19 at 1 p.m., Philadelphia Phillies vs. Orioles Sunday, March 27 at 1 p.m., Boston Red Sox vs. Orioles I'll...

The Orioles and 1090 AM WBAL Radio, the new flagship station of the Orioles Radio Network, have announced that 16 Orioles spring training games will be broadcast in 2011. The schedule includes the spring opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates from Bradenton, FL on Monday, February 28 at 1:05 p.m. as well as the first ever game at the new Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, FL on Tuesday, March 1 at 1:05 p.m. A total of 12 of the 16 broadcasts will feature 30-minute Pre-Game and Post-Game Shows. WBAL...

SARASOTA, Fla. - I woke up to a bunch of spam comments on the blog, most of them from senders claiming to have squirrels in their pants. Is that really how my day is starting? Anyway, pitchers and catchers are taking their physicals this morning and the clubhouse is closed to the media. They'll immediately head to the back fields for workouts, so access will be delayed. I won't be arriving at Ed Smith Stadium before 11 a.m., unless I want to sit in a room and stare at the walls. A team...

For Orioles pitching prospect Chorye Spoone, the long road back from shoulder surgery in September 2008 has just about reached its end. Some fans were worried when he walked eight in just 3 2/3 innings in his last start at Bowie last Aug. 19. But he was simply out of gas, but not hurt again, after throwing 132 innings in 2010 at Double-A. That is not a lot until you remember, he had pitched just 71 innings combined in 2008 and 2009, before and after his surgery. But Spoone, once one of the...