The Orioles are down to their last exhibition game, and their first year at Ed Smith Stadium has been a rousing success at the gates. They've drawn 94,405 fans for 14 dates and will exceed 100,000 at a Grapefruit League ballpark for the first time in club history. The Reds drew 77,758 fans in 15 dates last year before moving their spring home to Arizona. We've had seven sellouts going into today's game. On four occasions, the Orioles have topped the previous record for highest attendance...

Orioles manager Dave Trembley notified the team this morning of Mike Cuellar's passing. It was one of the most difficult meetings he's ever conducted in baseball. Trembley let us know later how close he had become to Cuellar over the past two years, when the former Orioles great had served as a guest instructor at spring training. "If there was ever a guy who epitomized what the Orioles are all about, it's Mike Cuellar," Trembley said. "All he ever wanted to do was help. It's really a...

Manager Dave Trembley expects to split today's DH duties between Nolan Reimold and Felix Pie. Each player will get two at-bats under the current plan. David Hernandez and Jason Berken will pitch in a minor league game today. Cla Meredith has been dealing with a stomach virus for the last three days. Trembley wants to give him an inning today, but might have to settle for one batter. Trembley indicated that the final roster decisions are set, but a few players still need to be notified. He...

Felix Pie said there's "no question in my mind" that he'll be ready for Opening Day after being hit near the right ankle by a Mariano Rivera pitch during yesterday's game in Tampa. Pie said the ball struck the edge of his shin guard. X-rays taken on his ankle were negative. "I feel a lot better," he said. "There's a little pain when you touch it, but I'm OK." Pie thought he might have broken a bone until being examined. Though he's not in today's lineup, Pie said he could swing...

Brian Roberts 2B Adam Jones CF Nick Markakis RF Miguel Tejada 3B Luke Scott LF Matt Wieters C Nolan Reimold DH Garrett Atkins 1B Cesar Izturis SS Brian Matusz LHP Kam Mickolio will throw another bullpen session today and pitch in an intrasquad game tomorrow. "From there," he said, "I have no idea."

One of the biggest sports thrills of my life, and it may rank No. 1, was attending the final game at Memorial Stadium and choking back tears as the Field of Dreams music played and the four 20-game winners from the '71 season stood together on the mound. I can't believe only one of them is still with us. We lost Mike Cuellar today after a courageous battle with stomach cancer that he never had a chance to win. I guess heaven needed another crafty left-hander. David McNally passed away in...

For all the energy and enthusiasm Nyjer Morgan adds to the team, he brings something else as well. The fun-loving outfielder has a big heart and he wants to do his part to be a positive influence on the African American community, especially in the nation's capital. Morgan was involved with Kidney Foundation awareness events and fundraising throughout the winter. The speedster hopes to start another campaign to donate money for each of stolen bases this season, but it's still in the works....

The dog days of summer are coming to a close, but not before the Nationals welcome our four-legged friends to Nationals Park to enjoy the national pastime for a weekend. Today and tomorrow, fans can bring their furry friends to watch the Nats take on the Marlins from the Left Field Mezzanine. The team has set up a relief station with water and pet sitters near Section 201. MASN's Rob Dibble wished he could have brought his three dogs -- Kobe, Samson and Delila -- to the Nats inaugural...

Today, the University of Virginia Cavaliers traveled to Nationals Park to be honored by the Nats. The team met with Ryan Zimmerman on the field and watched the game from the PNC Diamond Club. And leave it to Ryan to send them home happy with a walk off home run against the Marlins. Last spring, Virginia competed in their first College World Series and captured the school's third ACC championship. They were 49-15-1 for the season. Much of their recent success has been attributed to...

Elijah Dukes knows a little something about hitting a home run during a Major League debut. In April of 2007, in the fifth inning of the Rays season opener, a then 23 year old Dukes took Yankees starter Carl Pavano deep in his first official at bat. Fortunately, the ball lodged itself in Yankee Stadium's center field wall and Dukes had no trouble recovering it as a keepsake. "Nothing can compare to that [experience]," Dukes said tonight after watching his 23 year old teammate accomplish...