Manny Machado has a doctor's appointment later this week, and it is expected that he will be cleared to begin baseball activities.

Machado suffered a season-ending left knee injury running to first base at Tropicana Field during a game against the Rays on Sept. 23, and Dr. Neal ElAttrache repaired a torn medial patellofemoral ligament in the knee on Oct. 14.

Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg was in a great mood at NatsFest on Saturday, and for good reason. Three months after having arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow, Strasburg told the media that he is 100 percent healthy and will not be in rehab mode when Spring Training starts.

"I feel great. Normal schedule. Doing my throwing, lifting, running, the whole shebang," Strasburg said. "Just kind of getting ready for Spring Training with no problems."

Joe Mauer, holding court with reporters on Saturday, admitted that it's been a little strange hearing, 'first baseman,' before his name while at TwinsFest this weekend, but that he's starting to get used to it now with Spring Training approaching.

"Seeing the name tag at my signing booth with '1B' next to it is a little different," Mauer said with a laugh. "But interacting with fans, and they're excited, it makes me excited, too."

Pain was almost a constant part of Bryce Harper's 2013 season with the Nationals. 

So when he realized recently that he was able to now run and hit without pain, it served as an encouraging sign for his third Major League season.

"To be able to hit with no pain and run with no pain was a lot of fun," Harper said on Saturday during NatsFest. 

When Orioles position players report to camp, third baseman Manny Machado, recovering from surgery on his left knee, will be there, but he doesn't have a target date for his return.

"Not yet," said Machado, who on Friday night attended a bowling event hosted by Cardinals outfielder Jon Jay. "When I'm 110 percent -- I don't know whether it's in two months or next week -- it's something I'll just have to get a feel for. And once I'm out there playing every day, I'll have more of an idea when and where I can start."

Derek Jeter has resumed on-field work for the first time since his 2013 season was cut short.

Jeter hit off a tee in a batting cage and fielded 108 grounders on the grass in front of the infield dirt on Monday.

Jeter, who turns 40 in June, was limited to 17 games last year after breaking an ankle during the 2012 playoffs.

"I don't think about it, and that's a good thing," Jeter said.

Reliever Joe Beimel, who hasn't pitched since 2011 and had Tommy John surgery in 2012, has agreed to a Minor League deal with the Mariners with an invitation to Major League camp, according to Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports.

Beimel, 36, is an 11-year Major League veteran who has appeared in 567 games.

The Baltimore Orioles have received a good report on Manny Machado and his surgically repaired left knee.

Los Angeles Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who operated on Machado on Oct. 14, performed the recent checkup in L.A.

Machado was reportedly told that he is six to eight weeks ahead of schedule, putting him on track for Baltimore's March 31 season opener, against the Boston Red Sox.

Derek Holland underwent micro-fracture surgery on the left knee last week, the Texas Rangers have acknowledged.

The Rangers are planning to be without Holland until the All-Star break.

Holland injured his knee at home during an incident involving his dog.

If Rangers fans are looking for something to blame for Derek Holland's knee injury, which likely will keep him out until midseason, it was Holland's dog, Wrigley, a boxer.

"He was running up the stairs and clipped me," Holland said Saturday. "I hit my knee on the step, and if it wasn't for me grabbing the rail, I might have fallen all the way down the stairs and cracked my head open."