Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis, who has been a vocal advocate for stricter penalties for performance-enhancing drug users, said Saturday the organization’s addition of Nelson Cruz — who was suspended last season for his role in the Biogenesis scandal — doesn’t change his opinion.

Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said he doesn’t believe the club’s reputation has been harmed after Baseball America reported that it was the Phils who reported 2013 Draft picks Ben Wetzler and Jason Monda for using an agent to help them negotiate. Wetzler was suspended 11 games by the NCAA.

The first thing you should know is that Joba Chamberlain is wearing a neat, tightly-trimmed beard, which is just fine around Tigertown. Chamberlain, looking slim and fit, said he’s in a good place: happy to have had his experience with the Yankees and looking forward to helping the Tigers win the World Series.

The Royals feature a defensive crew that is among the best in baseball, led by Gold Glove Award winners Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez and Alex Gordon.

Jaime Garcia will travel back to St. Louis on Sunday to have an MRI on his left shoulder, which began to bother him again this week during his bullpen sessions.

Yasiel Puig returned to the field Saturday after missing two days of workouts with a bruised leg, which somehow got the media to asking Dodgers manager Don Mattingly about his right fielder’s weight.

The Orioles have agreed to terms on a one-year, $8 million contract with free agent Nelson Cruz, a Major League source confirmed to MLB.com on Saturday.

Rangers catcher Geovany Soto underwent arthroscopic surgery on Saturday morning to have a bone removed from his left ankle. Soto is expected to miss three weeks.

Sandy Koufax was struck in the head with a batted ball during a workout at Dodgers Spring Training on Friday, but the 78-year-old legend said he was OK following practice, though he sported a noticeable cut on the side of his forehead.

Masahiro Tanaka took the mound Friday morning to face his first live hitters of the spring, and judging by the baffled reactions from the batting practice group standing in, the right-hander did not disappoint.

Though an injury dashed his hopes of making the team last spring, Matt den Dekker won’t change his style of play as he aims to make a splash in camp.

Henry Urrutia has had a lot to adjust to since arriving in the United States on Feb. 27, 2013, after defecting from Cuba and living in Haiti in the interim. He officially arrived at Ed Smith Stadium on March 6, having last played in a game in 2010, and four-plus months later was promoted to the big leagues. He’s now comfortable with his experience last year and is ready to improve his game with the Orioles.

Although C.J. Wilson doesn’t posses overpowering stuff, the lefty makes use of scouting reports and an awareness of his own skills to succeed.

Billy Butler, a designated hitter who studies his craft as hard as he drives the ball, is spending these early days of Spring Training preparing for a 2014 season in which he hopes to to be more patient at the plate and a bigger leader for the Royals.

Mike Redmond told Garrett Jones he’d play every day, and the chance to shed the “platoon” label is what brought the first baseman to Miami.

Ryan Kalish felt nearly as bad as the U.S. women’s hockey team after it lost to Canada in the finals of the Winter Olympics. Kalish, a non-roster invitee in Cubs camp, trained with some of the U.S. women a year ago.

It’s not enough that starting pitcher Johnny Cueto wants this season to be different than last year. Both Cueto and the Reds need it to be.