SARASOTA, Fla. - Here's the Orioles lineup for tonight's game vs. the Twins: J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Vladimir Guerrero DH Mark Reynolds 3B Luke Scott LF Jake Fox 1B Matt Wieters C Cesar Izturis 2B Brian Matusz LHP

When watching the MLB Network's "30 Clubs in 30 days" show this week on the Orioles, they listed the club's potential starting lineup. 2B - Brian Roberts RF - Nick Markakis 1B - Derrek Lee DH - Vladimir Guerrero LF - Luke Scott CF - Adam Jones 3B - Mark Reynolds C - Matt Wieters SS - J.J. Hardy This lineup makes a lot of sense in that it puts several players in spots where they figure to be quite comfortable and where they have succeeded before. When batting second last year, Markakis...

Minor league camp is in full swing as they get into a daily game schedule similar to what the players will see in early April. The pitchers have focused on fundamentals from day one, but there is a precise term and action the coaching staff wants to see the guys do with every pitch. On the mound, the coaching staff wants the guys to concentrate on keeping the ball down in the zone. They do that by getting their pitchers to focus on the term "hollow of the knee." "All we really care about...

SARASOTA, Fla. - We're under the lights again tonight, which means the clubhouse won't open to the media until 2 p.m. You know the drill. The Twins are coming to town, and left-hander Francisco Liriano will try to forget about his last visit to Sarasota. He allowed six runs in 1 2/3 innings back on March 9 in an 11-2 loss to the Orioles. Joe Nathan also is scheduled to pitch for the Twins. Left-hander Brian Matusz will make his fourth appearance for the Orioles. He's allowed four earned...

Non-baseball entry alert! I promise I will get back to baseball talk with another entry in a few hours, but I want to start off today with a memory from an NCAA tourney 20 years ago. If it matters, it involves a kid from Maryland and Cole Field House. Hope you take the time to read on. If you're not interested and only want a baseball entry, I will file one in a few hours, so check back. Anyhow ... Watching the Richmond Spiders beat Vanderbilt Thursday afternoon reminded me of a special...

BRADENTON, Fla. - It never fails. A team is almost no-hit one night, and it erupts for 13 runs the next day. Josh Rupe extended his scoreless innings streak to 11 2/3 by completing the last three today. I guess we can't eliminate him from the bullpen discussion. Manager Buck Showalter playfully reminded reporters that he batted Matt Wieters fourth today. Showalter didn't seem real sympathetic about the higher bullpen mound and how it distracted Chris Tillman. "I don't really want to...

BRADENTON, Fla. - The Orioles pushed across three runs against left-hander Joe Beimel in the top of the eighth to increase their lead to 12-3. Matt Angle had an RBI single. Nick Green and Brendan Harris drove in runs with ground balls. Robert Andino's RBI triple in the eighth upped the lead to 13-3. Pirates right fielder Miles Durham crashed into the fence and had to leave the game after staying down for several minutes. Matt Wieters has four hits to raise his average from .207 to...

The Baltimore Orioles and Delaware North Companies Sportservice will hold a food tasting of new signature menu items for media at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 23, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Representatives of the news media and blogs that focus on the Orioles or regional food tastes will have the opportunity to sample the menu items, most of which will be available to all fans in general concessions, and ask questions of Orioles and Sportservice representatives. Scheduled to attend are...

BRADENTON, Fla. - Jake Fox is out of control. Fox homered for the second time today, and the seventh time this spring. It was another two-run shot that easily cleared the left field fence. Contact was so loud, he made heads turn all the way down in Fort Lauderdale. Matt Wieters has three hits, including two doubles. He reached second base in the top of the seventh and trotted home on Fox's blast. Update: Wieters just reached on an infield single, his fourth hit of the game. Fox leads all...

The Washington Nationals today optioned right-handed pitcher Cole Kimball, first baseman Chris Marrero and outfielder Corey Brown to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League and re-assigned catcher Derek Norris to Harrisburg of the Double-A Eastern League. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. The Nationals currently have 38 players in their big league camp.