It would make more sense if I drove to Tampa for a game against...wait for it...the Tampa Bay Rays, but I'd have a devil of a time finding The Trop. The Orioles will conduct a two-hour workout beginning at 3 p.m. in preparation for tomorrow night's opener. Media access is scheduled from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. I'm switching hotels after a terrific stay at Homewood Suites Sarasota, a Hilton property that took very good care of me for almost seven weeks. I'll apologize in advance for the mess...

Minor league outfielder Matt Angle will undergo surgery this week to remove a broken hamate bone in his right hand. Angle suffered the injury during his final at-bat of spring training, and I don't mean because he no longer could play. It happened in the eighth inning of Friday's game in Tampa. He wasn't expected to make an appearance in yesterday's finale in Sarasota. Typical of this injury, it happened when Angle swung the bat and didn't make contact. He wasn't hit by a ball and he...

Has it really been almost seven weeks? I'll be loading up the rental car and driving to St. Petersburg tomorrow morning so I can attend the 3 p.m. workout at Tropicana Field. In the meantime, it's pretty quiet today because the Sarasota complex is closed to the media and most of the players have scattered. Brad Bergesen is throwing a few innings before making his regular-season debut Friday at Camden Yards. And I still have to pause while figuring out the days, since the opener is ...

Kam Mickolio is angry - at himself. Mickolio looked like a strong bet to make the club after impressing manager Dave Trembley in the early days of camp, but he couldn't pitch because of a groin injury and was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. Mickolio hurt more than his groin. He also hurt his chances by walking seven batters in 9 1/3 innings, which countered a 1.93 ERA. "I'm disappointed and very mad at myself mostly," he said. "They said they'd like me to start working up to an...

Robert Andino knew his days with the Orioles were numbered once they traded for Julio Lugo. He walked into manager Dave Trembley's office after today's game and got the official word. The Orioles designated him for assignment after he batted .241 with three homers and 10 RBIs in 24 games. They'll try to pass him through waivers. Though angry about the move, Andino chose his words carefully while standing at his locker. "They said I wasn't good enough from what they've seen," he said....

The Orioles optioned Kam Mickolio to Triple-A Norfolk. Now it's Robert Andino's turn to visit the manager's office. Mickolio was told to stretch out to multiple innings because the Orioles have so many short relievers at Triple-A. Update: Andino was designated for assignment after the Orioles failed to work out a trade. They want him to play shortstop at Norfolk if he clears waivers. I'll be filing quotes from Mickolio and Andino in a few minutes.

Brian Matusz was satisfied that he got in his work today. He'll also take the four scoreless innings. "Fifty to 60 pitches was what we were looking at," he said. "It was nice to work with Matt [Wieters] to get on the same page. I didn't shake Matt one time. When I faced Luis Castillo the second time, we went four fastballs down and away, and he ended up coming back to me. I was unsure why we were going four pitches down and away in a row and then I talked to Matt afterwards. I didn't...

Nolan Reimold hit a two-run homer off Sean Green in the bottom of the sixth inning to increase the Orioles' lead to 7-0. Reimold has two home runs this spring. He's also singled and walked today. Maybe that's why manager Dave Trembley waited to replace Reimold with Felix Pie. He knew that home run was coming. Talk about being one step ahead. Mark Hendrickson allowed two hits in a scoreless top of the sixth. Update: Brian Roberts delivered another run in the sixth with a ground ball....

Miguel Tejada hit a grand slam off Mets left-hander Jon Niese in the fifth inning to give the Orioles a 5-0 lead. Tejada hadn't homered before today. The Orioles strung together five straight singles to open the inning, but scored only once. Nolan Reimold was thrown out trying to steal, and the Orioles were playing station-to-station baseball. Adam Jones' third hit scored Garrett Atkins for a 1-0 lead, and Tejada followed with a towering fly ball that cleared the left-field fence. Matt...

In a move that surprises no one, the Orioles placed pitcher Koji Uehara on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring. The move is retroactive to March 26. Uehara posted a 1.69 ERA in six exhibition games covering 5 1/3 innings. He limped off the mound during a March 18 game against the Blue Jays in Dunedin. Uehara was supposed to be the seventh-inning reliever and a bridge to set-up man Jim Johnson. Maybe one of these days. The Orioles must turn in their final roster to the...