Jonathan Tucker CF Justin Turner 3B Lou Montanez LF Luke Scott DH Ty Wigginton 2B Jeff Salazar RF Brandon Snyder 1B Craig Tatum C Pedro Florimon SS Brad Bergesen RHP Also scheduled to pitch: Chris Tillman, Mark Hendrickson, Cla Meredith and Alfredo Simon. Not exactly the A lineup for this Fort Myers trip. Scott is the only player you could classify as a starter.

The Orioles will be taking their swings against Tim Wakefield, Brian Shouse, Jonathan Papelbon and Hideki Okajima. Good luck. The club is expected to make some cuts this morning. Felix Pie said his left shoulder feels "much better." He'll do exercises today and attempt to hit and throw tomorrow before returning to the lineup. "The pain is almost gone," he said. Pie was diagnosed with tendinitis in his shoulder after lifting too much weight while working out. "It has to calm down,"...

The Orioles optioned four players this morning and assigned three others to minor league camp. The Orioles optioned Brandon Erbe and Troy Patton to Triple-A Norfolk, and Luis Lebron and Chorye Spoone to Double-A Bowie. Armando Gabino, Chris George and Mike Hinckley were assigned to the minor league camp. You're "optioned" if you're on the 40-man roster. You're "assigned" if you're a non-roster invitee.

Michel Hernandez, who was competing for the backup catching job, will miss the next four to six weeks with a fractured right index finger. The competition is down to Chad Moeller and Craig Tatum. Hernandez suffered the injury while blocking a ball in the dirt. He got three at-bats Saturday in Tampa, but he couldn't throw the next day. X-rays revealed the fracture. Trembley said the club might add a catcher, along with some other players, for Saturday's split-squad game.

You can choose your own dipping sauce. David Hernandez, Koji Uehara and Dennis Sarfate are slated to pitch tomorrow against the Twins in Fort Myers. Kevin Millwood is scheduled to throw five innings in the B-squad game in Sarasota, with Jim Johnson going the last two. Matt Wieters will catch Millwood. Jason Berken will start Wednesday against the Blue Jays in Sarasota, followed by Kam Mickolio and Cla Meredith. Jeremy Guthrie pitches Thursday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, followed by...

Manager Dave Trembley understands why Troy Patton believes he could evolve into a reliever in this organization, with so many young starters ahead of him and jostling for position in the upper levels of the minors. But the left-hander's role won't undergo any immediate changes. "I brought that up early in the year in our meetings, if we could ever envision him being a guy like (Mark) Hendrickson - a long guy, a left-handed guy, a swing guy. But I don't think we're ready to do that with...

The Boston Red Sox loaded the bases against Brad Bergesen without scoring. Mike Cameron grounded the first pitch to third baseman Justin Turner. Mike Lowell, playing for the first time this spring, followed with a single into right field. Victor Martinez flied to right on a 3-1 pitch, and David Ortiz got ahead, 3-0, before walking. J.D. Drew singled to right field, with Lowell holding at third. Adrian Beltre hit a tapper in front of the batter's box, and catcher Craig Tatum stepped on the...

Brad Bergesen needed only nine pitches, including seven strikes, to get through the second inning. His count stands at 30. Tug Hulett reached on a two-out bunt single, but Mike Cameron flied to right. Bill Hall grounded out to begin the inning, and Jeremy Hermida became Bergesen's first strikeout victim. Brandon Snyder hit a wind-blown ground-rule double in the top of the second, and Craig Tatum was hit by a pitch, but the Orioles didn't score. Justin Turner singled to lead off the...

David Ortiz hit a two-run homer to right field, where a strong wind is blowing out, and Brad Bergesen has come out of the game with two outs in the third inning and the Orioles leading, 5-2. Bergesen allowed five hits, walked one and struck out one. He threw 41 pitches, 27 for strikes. Victor Martinez singled with one out before Ortiz hit a towering fly ball that cleared the fence. Cla Meredith has entered the game.

...A guy sits on a bus for 90 minutes so he can throw one pitch. Cla Meredith replaced starter Brad Bergesen with two outs in the third inning and retired Adrian Beltre on a grounder to second. One pitch, one strike. Chris Tillman entered the game in the bottom of the fourth, and not because he's been bumped from the rotation. The rainout on Friday disrupted the pitching schedule. Luke Scott doubled in the top of the fourth. He's having quite a day.

Manager Dave Trembley went to his bullpen again in the bottom of the sixth, bringing in right-hander Frank Mata. I'm sure Trembley had other ideas for this game, but Chris Tillman only gave him 2 2/3 innings. Tillman is charged with two runs and four hits, including Josh Reddick's long blast. He walked three and struck out one. The unofficial count is 59 pitches, 29 strikes. Mata ended the inning with a strikeout, so props to him. There's nothing the Mata with him. Update: There's...

Brian Roberts was examined by back specialist Dr. Lee Riley at Johns Hopkins and is heading back to Sarasota. "He's on a plane as we speak," president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said. MacPhail wouldn't confirm whether Roberts received an epidural for his lower back, which was anticipated yesterday once the club revealed that the second baseman was leaving camp. "Now we'll wait and see how he responds to the medication. In a day or two we'll know," MacPhail said. Roberts...

Opening statement: "Bergesen was better. He looked more comfortable. His slider will get better. He had good sink, but he'll get better when he gets a little more extension on his pitches. But he was improved. Tillman had too many three-ball counts. He was working on pitching in today, so that's why he was missing a little bit in there. He was working on just fastball command and trying to pitch in. Hendrickson threw strikes. Did a nice job. Snyder had a big game. Tucker's had a great camp....

Again, a real reach. I admit it. I'm tired from all the driving today. Have mercy on me. Chad Moeller caught Brian Matusz yesterday, so I sought his opinion on the rookie's performance and future in baseball. Me: "What did you think of the way he was throwing?" Moeller: "Good." Me: "What specifically was he doing that impressed you?" Moeller: "Throwing strikes." The veteran catcher's devilish grin widened. He had me on the ropes. Work with me here, Chad. I'm begging...

Robert Andino SS Justin Turner 2B Nolan Reimold DH Luke Scott LF Lou Montanez RF Scott Moore 1B Josh Bell 3B Chad Moeller C Jeff Salazar CF David Hernandez RHP I had a tough call to make this morning. The Orioles are in Fort Myers for another game against the Twins, hopefully without the rain that soaked their last meeting, but the club's also playing an intrasquad game in Sarasota. Kevin Millwood is throwing five innings, and Jim Johnson the last two. Their combined ERAs equal the...

Closer Mike Gonzalez, who's been bothered by some tightness in his lower back, continues to increase his workload and believes he's close to pitching again. "I feel much better," he said. "I did more activities yesterday and I'll do a little more today. I've been playing catch every day to keep my arm in shape. It's just a matter of getting back on the mound and seeing how it goes. "We're going out there today to see how it feels. I'll run a couple sprints and see how it feels,...

Zach Britton was scheduled to go two innings in today's intrasquad game in Sarasota. Kevin Millwood allowed a hit and walk through two innings, striking out four consecutive batters. David Hernandez will be on a 50-pitch limit today in Fort Myers. Nolan Reimold will serve as the designated hitter again tomorrow, giving him consecutive starts. The club is hoping he'll get seven at-bats over the two days. Felix Pie is supposed to hit and throw today and might return to the lineup for...

Ben Revere CF Orlando Hudson 2B Joe Mauer C Michael Cuddyer 1B Jason Kubel DH Brendan Harris SS Danny Valencia 3B Jacque Jones LF Juan Portes RF Scott Baker RHP Mike Maroth, Clay Condrey, Jesse Crain, Pat Neshek and Jose Mijares also are available to pitch today. A reminder that Jason Berken makes his first spring start tomorrow. Brian Tallet starts for the Blue Jays.

Kevin Millwood made it through five innings in today's intrasquad game at Ed Smith Stadium, taking a shutout into his last frame before surrendering three runs. He threw 88 pitches, 56 for strikes. Millwood allowed three hits, walked two and struck out seven. I'm told his curveball was outstanding. Millwood's fastball topped out at 88 mph. He usually sits in the low 90s. Brandon Waring hit a two-run homer off Jim Johnson in the fourth inning. Johnson threw 29 pitches, 19 for...

Matt Wieters' work schedule is about to gain a few more pounds. It's getting heavier. Wieters caught Kevin Millwood today, as I mentioned earlier. He'll catch tomorrow, serve as the designated hitter on Thursday and catch back-to-back games over the weekend, as I mentioned earlier. So why am I writing about him again? Because he's 1-for-13 this spring, which prompted me to ask manager Dave Trembley about Wieters' slow start at the plate. "I've seen good at-bats," Trembley said. "He...