BRADENTON, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter wanted to get four innings out of starter Brad Bergesen, but the right-hander's pitch count stands at 48 after the second. Even worse, the Orioles trail the Pirates, 4-1. The run in the first inning was unearned after Craig Tatum's error, but Bergesen surrendered four hits and walked a batter in the second. The defense let him down again, with right fielder Nolan Reimold sailing a throw over his cutoff man and allowing Gorkys Hernandez to take second...

BRADENTON, Fla. - Jake Fox is starting in left field tonight, but he's primarily competing for the backup catching job. Though Fox could make the club in a utility role, it seems apparent that he's mostly going head-to-head with Craig Tatum, who's starting behind the plate against the Pirates. Asked what he's looking for in a backup catcher and whether versatility is a factor, manager Buck Showalter replied, "It's a moving target. It depends on what we go with in that other spot in the...

BRADENTON, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter arrived during batting practice because he stayed back in Sarasota to watch Brian Roberts hit on the field. Roberts could return to the lineup tomorrow after being sidelined with back spasms. He won't make the trip to Kissimmee on Saturday. Pitching coach Mark Connor also stayed back to watch Koji Uehara throw on flat ground. How flat? We're talking the outfield. Uehara's arm seems fine, but he'll be re-evaluated tomorrow. Derrek Lee...

VIERA, Fla. - Nationals fans, please give a warm welcome to MASN's newest color analyst, F.P. Santangelo. The energetic young broadcaster shared his thoughts in this Q&A with Nats Buzz at Space Coast Stadium on Thursday afternoon. What are your thoughts about the Nationals heading into this season? "Well, I just think they are playing really good baseball. I don't really want to get caught up in wins and losses in spring training, but I think when you are coming off of a tough year, it's...

The Nationals hope this is the season they make their way out of the cellar of the National League East and get some momentum going for what promises to be an enticing future as top prospects and No. 1 picks make their way to Nats Park. What do some of the experts think? Can the Nats make a pre-emptive strike in the NL East before Stephen Strasburg returns from injury and Bryce Harper arrives? The 2011 Baseball Prospectus is available now (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., $24.95), and I got the...

BRADENTON, Fla. - For those of you scoring at home, here's the Pirates lineup: Jose Tabata LF Matt Diaz RF Neil Walker 2B Lyle Overbay 1B Garrett Atkins 3B Ronny Cedeno SS Gorkys Hernandez CF Jason Jaramillo C Paul Maholm LHP No designated hitter for the Pirates tonight. Their choice. Jeff Karstans, Joel Hanrahan, Evan Meek, Chris Resop and Jose Veras also are slated to pitch for the Pirates. Atkins is hitting .250 (4-for-16) with one homer and four RBIs. The Orioles get left-hander Cliff...

VIERA, Fla. - Want to win eight front row tickets to watch the Nationals beat the World Series champion Giants this April? Venga, a new website and mobile phone application, is running a contest to generate buzz about their new platform. The program will allow users to track happy hours, social events and special deals in restaurants, bars and music venues with a custom-built mobile application for iPhone and Android. "It's built so you get just the information you want, and only when you...

VIERA, Fla. - It's official. Fans can now follow two of the Nationals' brightest stars on the popular social networking platform, Twitter. Stephen Strasburg will be tweeting from @stras37. Bryce Harper's @BHarp34 account has also been confirmed by the Nationals. In addition, fans can follow newcomer Todd Coffey (@ToddCoffey60). Other tweeting Nationals players include Drew Storen, Craig Stammen, John Lannan and Collin Balester.

SARASOTA, Fla. - I haven't started my drive to Bradenton, but I've already got a lineup for you. For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 3B Vladimir Guerrero DH Jake Fox LF Nolan Reimold RF Brandon Snyder 1B Craig Tatum C Ryan Adams 2B Brad Bergesen RHP Josh Rupe and Jeremy Accardo also are slated to pitch tonight. Fox gets a chance to further show off his versatility with a start in left field. Update: Former Oriole Garrett Atkins will start at third base and bat...

VIERA, Fla. - In the wake of the news that Atlanta Braves minor league manager Luis Salazar was struck by a foul ball and hospitalized on Wednesday, Nationals manager Jim Riggleman reflected Thursday on the many hazards of baseball. Several baseball-related accidents in recent years have created a greater awareness about the safety hazards - for both team personnel and fans sitting close to the action. "You're not going to a game thinking about a foul ball," Riggleman said. "It almost...