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As a Friday deadline approaches, advocates are working to find housing for the homeless men and women living at a Baltimore encampment set to be cleared. Christina Flowers, president of Belvedere Homes, stopped by the site between Interstate 83 and the Fallsway on Wednesday with a promise to find housing for those who want it. She said her organization secured a three-bedroom house in the Harwood neighborhood to accommodate six of the roughly 18 men and women at the encampment. "At this point, it's just about being able to move forward," said Flowers, whose organization on North Charles Street provides housing for those who are homeless, suffer from disabilities or have a mental illness.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Michael Weiner, the executive director of the MLB Players Association, stopped by Orioles spring training camp to the annual MLBPA meeting with players. After Weiner met with the team, he spoke with reporters on a variety of issues. Here's what he said. On the investigation into South Florida anti-aging lab Biogenesis: “We have a process that we'll engage in. The Commissioner's office has a process, and the hope is, it's a joint program, so the hope is if there's anything that needs to be investigated coming out of that story we do it together.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Matt Wieters seemed like the perfect choice to catch for the U.S. team in the World Baseball Classic, but the two-time All-Star made it clear early on that he wanted to spend as much time as possible in spring camp with the Orioles. “I'd love to be able to play for my country," Wieters said Tuesday, “but, at the same time, you have responsibilities to your team and responsibilities, for me, to the pitching staff - to be able to get to know them and go through spring training with them.” There are all sorts of reasons for him to stay in Sarasota.

SARASOTA, Fla. - On the tiny Caribbean island of Curacao, located just off the northern Venezuelan coast, baseball is the unofficial national sport. Kids growing up there have dreams of playing in the Little League World Series, following in the footsteps of a group that brought the world championship back to the island in 2004. Orioles infield prospect Jonathan Schoop played on that team. One of his teammates was Rangers shortstop Jurickson Profar, now heralded at the top prospect in baseball.

Record-setting Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps is scheduled to visit the Orioles' spring-training facility before Thursday's 1 p.m. intrasquad game at Ed Smith Stadium. Phelps is in town with renowned golf coach Hank Haney promoting their new show on The Golf Channel titled "The Haney Project. " The show focuses around Haney teaching the 22-time medalist the game of golf.   Phelps, the most decorated athlete in Olympic history, followed the Ravens during their run to the Super Bowl.

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado returned to camp Tuesday morning after missing Monday's workout to have additional testing for his physical. The 20-year-old planned to be a full go for Tuesday's workout, which included a variety of drills, including sliding, bunting for base hits and hitting off the curveball machine. “[I'm a] full go,” Machado said. “I'm ready to get back out there. I was bored yesterday. I'm ready to come back out here and participate with the team.” Machado said the test was for “something personal,” but Orioles manager Buck Showalter alluded that Machado had some sort of acid reflux issue show up on his tests.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Orioles right-hander Jair Jurrjens, signed to a minor league contract Friday evening, joined spring training camp this morning for the team's first full squad workout of the spring. Jurrjens, who initially agreed to a major league deal worth $1.5 million pending a physical, settled for a minor league contract with spring training invite when his physical raised health concerns. “There's no hard feelings,” Jurrjens said before Saturday's workout. “That's part of the business.” Jurrjens will compete for a rotation spot, but since he's signed to a minor league contract, the team could easily send him to Triple-A Norfolk.

The wait on Jair Jurrjens is finally over. Three weeks after the right-hander reportedly agreed to a major league deal with the Orioles, the club announced Friday night that it has instead signed Jurrjens to a minor league deal with an invitation to major league spring training. Jurrjens, 27, is expected to arrive in camp Saturday, in time for the team's first full-squad workout of the spring. According to sources, Jurrjens and the Orioles agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million major league deal (with $2.5 million more available in bonuses)

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The rain is currently falling here at the Ed Smith Stadium complex, but the Orioles were able to complete their second workout for pitchers and catchers before the skies opened. The Orioles continued with pitchers fielding practice today. Right-hander Kevin Gausman and left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, the second and third top pitching prospects in the Orioles organization, threw their first bullpen sessions of the spring. The position players who have reported took batting practice afte PFPs were completed.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles reliever Luis Ayala, who is listed on Mexico's provisional roster for next month's World Baseball Classic, said Thursday that he has yet to decide whether he will pitch in the event. The 35-year-old right-hander, who was a key piece of a strong Orioles bullpen last season, said he would make a decision Thursday night and announce it Friday. “[The Orioles] said it's my decision, you know,” Ayala said. “They haven't said [anything]. I'm looking [out]