Workouts

The Ravens will start their offseason workout program Monday and, as usual, the bigger story will probably be who isn't there, rather than who is. That's how it is this time of year, even though the workouts are strictly voluntary and the Ravens won't have their first mandatory veteran minicamp until June. So when running back Ray Rice doesn't show up - and that's certainly the expectation - there will undoubtedly be plenty of attention paid to his absence by fans and the media.

Last week, the Ravens locked up their most important restricted free agent, cornerback Lardarius Webb, with a five-year contract extension. Meanwhile, the rival Pittsburgh Steelers are still reportedly experiencing headaches with their marquee restricted free agent, speedy wide receiver Mike Wallace. Wallace doesn't plan to sign his restricted free-agent tender and intends to skip the team's offseason workouts, according to ESPN. He can't be disciplined for doing so because he isn't technically under contract.

Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith, who had hernia surgery in late January, says he is fully recovered from the injury that nagged him throughout his stellar rookie season and is ready to go for offseason workouts. During a Tuesday appearance on Pro Football Talk Live , Smith said he had been dealing with the injury “from about Week 3 on” -- which is noteworthy because that week was his breakout game against the St. Louis Rams. In the 37-7 win, Smith had five catches for 152 yards and three touchdowns, including two in the first quarter on his first two NFL receptions.

Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis , who is recovering from offseason abdominal surgery, participated in the team's first full-squad workout Friday at the Ed Smith Stadium complex, taking live outdoor batting practice as well as taking part in outfield fielding drills. Markakis said he's far from full strength but feels no pain swinging the bat. If anything, it's his lateral movement while fielding balls that needs improvement. "I know I'm not there, but [I'm] on schedule or maybe a little ahead of schedule, depending on how you look at it," Markakis said.

SARASOTA, Fla -- We'll have a late start today because the Orioles' first full squad workout doesn't begin until noon. That's because most of the position players have to take their physicals beforehand. I wrote a story for today's Sun about left-hander Brian Matusz, who spoke to the media for the first time yesterday. He seems upbeat and positive about putting last year's disastrous season behind him, which is a good thing. But from talking to special assistant Brady Anderson and Orioles pitching coach Rick Adair, they seem to think that Matusz has turned the corner with the way he's focused on conditioning.

Second baseman Brian Roberts will be in uniform when the Orioles take the field for their first full-squad workout Friday at the Ed Smith Stadium complex, but it remains to be seen how much he will be able to participate in the early drills. Manager Buck Showalter met with him on the field after Thursday's final pitcher-catcher workout and said the progress that Roberts has made in his recovery from two concussions has been “very encouraging.” “We'll see what tomorrow brings,” Showalter said.

The route Terrance West took from an overshadowed high school player in Baltimore to college star is not typical of athletes. It's not the fact that West had to spend a year in prep school after finishing at Northwestern High to shore up his academics and gain his eligibility. Nor is it that West, who was named Thursday as the top freshman in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, had to start near the bottom of the depth chart once he arrived at Towson last January.

The Ravens got some good news Friday as right guard Marshal Yanda and strong safety Bernard Pollard returned to practice Friday. Yanda had missed the previous two days of practice after suffering bruised ribs and a bruised thigh in Saturday's 20-14 win against the Cleveland Browns. Yanda will likely be limited, but it's unclear if he will have demonstrated enough to start against the Cincinnati Bengals in the regular-season finale for both teams. Pollard did not practice Thursday because of an illness.

Desperately lagging in the world baseball market, the Orioles are attempting to step up their international efforts, and this weekend might serve as a primary example of that change in philosophy. An Orioles contingent — to include manager Buck Showalter, new executive director of international recruiting Fred Ferreira, international operations director David Stockstill and new bullpen coach and Dominican Republic native Bill Castro — will attend a private workout Saturday morning in the Dominican by 26-year-old outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, a Cuban defector.

For Towson University's offensive line, the NFL lockout earlier this year was, in the words of senior right tackle Henry Glackin, "a blessing in disguise. " For former Tigers star Jermon Bushrod, now in his fifth season with the New Orleans Saints, being a part of his former team's early-morning spring workouts was "inspiring. " A turnaround 2011 season continues Saturday afternoon for Towson (7-2 , 5-1 Colonial Athletic Association) against New Hampshire (7-2, 5-1) at Johnny Unitas Stadium, and at the core of this remarkable reversal for the Tigers is what their offensive line learned from their most accomplished predecessor.