Braves

The Orioles play their second straight day of split-squad games today, with the Birds going on the road to play the Braves at Champion Stadium at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in the afternoon before a nightcap tonight at home against the Yankees. I'm here at the Braves game, where Orioles LHP Tsuyoshi Wada will make his Grapefruit League debut today. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Wada will be limited to “30ish” pitches today. Some other items of note: - Orioles LF Nolan Reimold was scheduled to play in this afternoon's game because his wife was scheduled to deliver their baby in Jacksonville, which is closer than Sarasota.

It is hard not to give in to despair. In the hours since bombs exploded at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, forever marking in blood a day that celebrates spring, our nation's founding and the joy of the human body, there has been a lot of talk about resilience. About the resilience of the American people, of Boston people, of running people. "Boston is a tough and resilient town," President Barack Obama told the country. "So are its people. " The Boston Globe's columnists are defiant, too. "Tomorrow, this city is going to get up and live its life," wrote Farah Stockman.

Remember one thing about those of us on the other side of the keyboard. We are suckers for a good story. That doesn't mean "trying to sell newspapers" or "trying to make a name" for myself or any of the complaints that make the rounds about the decisions that go into what to put in a piece and what to leave out. It would be great to instinctively know about the staying power of a story. But the best we can do is to make an honest evaluation whenever we sit down at a keyboard. Still, caveat emptor is a wise policy in regards to the glowing reviews of the Braves and their unusually polished prospect, the powerful Jason Heyward.

BOSTON -- The Orioles traded veteran reliever Luis Ayala to the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday, receiving minor league left-handed reliever Chris Jones in return. But the move was less about unloading Ayala than it was allowing the Orioles the opportunity to keep Rule 5 pick T.J. McFarland while moving to a seven-man bullpen. It lets the team go to back a four-man bench after playing short-handed since Saturday. The Orioles purchased the contract of outfielder Chris Dickerson from Triple-A Norfolk, and he replaced Ayala on the 40-man and 25-man rosters.

Orioles left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada made his first major league Grapefruit League appearance, striking out three batters in two relief innings in a 2-2, 10-inning tie with the Braves at Champion Stadium at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. After entering the game in the sixth inning, Wada struck out Braves second baseman Martin Prado swinging on three pitches, fooling Prado with his change-up. He also struck out Dan Uggla looking to end the inning. “It being the first official spring training game for me, of course I was very glad to be ready to start,” Wada said through interpreter Danny McLeith.

The Orioles have traded minor-league left-hander Cole McCurry to the Braves, reportedly for cash. McCurry was 0-7 with a 6.10 ERA in 51 2/3 innings this season, mostly at Double-A Bowie, but had joined Triple-A Norfolk to work two outing in relief. Six days ago, when the Orioles added 49-year-old left-hander Jamie Moyer to Norfolk's roster, McCurry was assigned to short-season Class-A Aberdeen. On Saturday morning, McCurry -- a 43rd-round selection of the Orioles in 2007 -- acknowledged the trade on Twitter, saying, "Would like to thank the orioles for the opportunity.

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles won their second straight Grapefruit League game, backed by another superb pitching performance Thursday afternoon in a 2-1 victory over the Braves at Ed Smith Stadium. Right-hander Jason Hammel, making his first Grapefruit League start in an Orioles uniform, tossed a pair of scoreless innings despite allowing back-to-back one-out singles in the second inning. “Honestly, for the first time out, considering all things, results were good,” Hammel said.

Atlanta is about as middle-of-the-road as a team can be. The Braves are stuck in the middle of the National League in ERA and batting average and head to Camden Yards with a 29-30 record after losing their past two at home to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Braves have shuffled things a little in an attempt to spark the club. Top pitching prospect Tommy Hanson, who throws a 97 mph fastball, was promoted last week and will make his second big league start today against the Orioles. Former Orioles general manager Frank Wren traded three prospects to Pittsburgh recently for outfielder and leadoff hitter Nate McLouth.

ATLANTA -   Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz's outing on Friday night came down to one batter - and specifically one pitch - against a rookie shortstop playing in just his 12th game in the major leagues. Matusz spent most of the night dodging disasters against the Braves at Turner Field, making key pitches to get critical outs. With two outs in the sixth, he was one out away from getting a quality start - and inched closer to his fifth win in his last seven decisions. But that's when Matusz hung a two-seamer split - one that was supposed to be low and away - over the plate to 22-year old Andrelton Simmons, and the Braves shortstop of the future sent Matusz's mistake into the left-field stands for a two-run homer.

ATLANTA -- There are two important things to know about Terry Pendleton.One is that the Atlanta Braves third baseman is always talking to someone. Pitchers, infielders, outfielders, coaches and managers alike are constantly getting the benefit of Pendleton's wise counsel.The other important thing to know about Pendleton, as he prepares to lead the Braves into their second straight World Series tonight against the Toronto Blue Jays, is that he truly is a leader.And most of the time, those two important things are interrelated.

The estimable Jonathon Owen has published an article on towards  and toward  at Visual Thesaurus , presenting an interesting and plausible theory that the prevalence of the latter form in American published writing can be attributed to the efforts of copy editors. I commend it to you.  One thing that caught my eye was a comment appended to the article, from one Craig J. of Mundelein, Illinois: Pity the poor prescriptivists who suffer the slings and arrows of outraged descriptivists for holding the line against anarchy (the inevitable result of untempered democracy)

Like yours, my mind is still swirling. It doesn't exactly hurt like a hangover, and it's not racing like Jacoby Jones' record-setting kickoff return. It's simply still comprehending, ever so slowly, that our city's football team was crowned world champions last night. But I saw something extraordinary last night, and after the clock ran out, I was positive there was no place I'd rather be than Federal Hill, the neighborhood many love to hate, or at least love to roll their eyes at like, "Really, Fed?

Jair Jurrjens is eager to jump into a crowded Orioles rotation competition come spring training. The former Atlanta Braves right-hander - who agreed to terms with the Orioles on a one-year deal this week - said he feels healthy for the first time in years. And he hopes to recapture the promise that made him one of the game's top up-and-coming pitchers. According to industry sources, the Orioles agreed to a one-year deal with Jurrjens that would pay him a guaranteed $1.5 million this season, pending a physical.

The Orioles have agreed to terms with free agent right-hander Jair Jurrjens on a one-year deal, according to a report from CBSSports.com. According to the report, the former Atlanta Braves pitcher will receive a major league deal worth $1.5 million and could earn up to $4 million with incentives. He was non-tendered by the Braves this offseason after earning $5.5 million in 2012. Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette did not immediately return a text message late Thursday night.

The deadline for submitting sports copy is 9 a.m. on Monday. We prefer email (howardcountysports@patuxent.com). We do not accept results by phone. When two Howard County teams play, players from both teams (first and last names) must be mentioned in the write-up. Questions? Call 410-332-6606. Running There were 95 runners who turned out on a warm, foggy afternoon Jan. 13 to participate in the third Howard County Striders winter weekly series 5K race at Lake Elkhorn. Karsten Brown won the overall race and Kendra Smith was first among the women.

Residents and tourists deserted downtown Ocean City on Sunday afternoon after officials ordered an evacuation of the town's southernmost blocks as Hurricane Sandy began to whip the shores. But at the Purple Moose Saloon on the Boardwalk, owner Gary Walker was waiting until the very last moment to close up. With a single customer nursing a beer at around 3 p.m., he wasn't holding out for a surge of business. Rather, Walker said he wasn't impressed by the power Sandy had shown so far. Despite the evacuation south of 17th Street, he planned to stay near the bar through the storm - or inside it if the storm worsened, on a single mattress made up with clean sheets in the back of the bar, under black lights and a disco ball.

Catcher Mike Heath, who had one season remaining on a guaranteed $2 million, two-year contract, was placed on unconditional release waivers yesterday by the Atlanta Braves.Heath, who played in only 49 games last season before surgery on his right elbow, hit .209 in 1991 with one homer and 12 RBI. He will get $1 million from the Braves: his $900,000 salary for 1992 and $100,000 as a buyout of Atlanta's $1.1 million option for 1993."Thirteen years; my first release. I can't be too unhappy about that," said Heath, who had only two at-bats this spring.

Free-agent relief pitcher Gregg Olson was on the road again yesterday, visiting the Atlanta Braves for a workout and medical examination that could be the final steps in his six-week quest for a new contract.His agent, Jeff Moorad, has said he will sign today, though it still is not entirely clear which way he will turn. The Braves are making no secret of their desire to pursue a contract and the New York Yankees reportedly tendered him a two-year offer last night that could stretch to three years if he requires elbow surgery during the 1994 season.

Damp from sweat, soot smeared beneath his eye, Anne Arundel County Council Chairman Derek Fink tried to regain his composure as smoke poured from a burning building at the county's fire training center. "I knew it was going to be tough, but this is 10 times harder than I thought," Fink said. Moments earlier, Fink and Councilman Peter I. Smith were each outfitted with 55 pounds of fire gear, crawling on their hands and knees beneath black smoke, searching for a dummy hidden among the flames.

Undeterred by the wet weather, thousands strolled Saturday among the art displays, the crafts tables and the Italian sausage vendors of Artscape. "I think it's great," said Jerry Fields, keeping dry under a poncho fashioned of plastic garbage bags. "It's free, the music's still going on. It would be better if it were 75 and sunny, but we're having a good time. " The first full day of the mostly outdoor festival opened under heavy rains Saturday morning, with thunderstorms forecast for the afternoon.