World Champions 1983, 1970, 1966

American League Champions 1983, 1979, 1971, 1970, 1969, 1966 American League East Division Champions 2014, 1997, 1983, 1979, 1974, 1973, 1971, 1970, 1969

American League Wild Card 2012, 1996

Monday, March 28, 2016

Game stories:

Orioles highlights: Ubaldo Jimenez doesn't make it through first inning in 5-3 win over

Pirates The Sun 3/27

Orioles highlights: Birds use four homers, six-run sixth to rout Red Sox, 16-8 The Sun

3/26

Orioles recap: Bats stay hot, pitching continues to struggle in 10-inning win over

Yankees The Sun 3/25

Reimold, Alvarez homer in O's comeback win MLB.com 3/27

O's HR parade continues with 4 vs. Red Sox MLB.com 3/26

O's blast 5 HRs, win on walk-off 1B in 10th MLB.com 3/25

Ubaldo Jimenez on tonight's abbreviated start (O's win fourth straight, top Pirates)

MASNsports.com 3/27

Game update and Yovani Gallardo on today's start (Orioles outslug Red Sox)

MASNsports.com 3/26

Alvarez, Reimold homer as Orioles beat Pirates 5-3 AP 3/27

Orioles hit 4 homers, beat Red Sox 16-8 AP 3/26

Nova yields 3 homers; Orioles top Yanks 11-10 in 10 innings AP 3/25

Jimenez pulled abruptly in first inning of Orioles' win CSN Mid-Atlantic 3/27

Gallardo gives up 7, Orioles score 16 CSN Mid-Atlantic 3/26

Tillman says he's satisfied as Orioles beat Yankees CSN Mid-Atlantic 3/28

Columns:

Opponent quality stat sheds light on competition for Orioles regulars in spring training

The Sun 3/28

Orioles slugger Pedro Alvarez homers to cap warm reunion at Pirates' spring stadium The

Sun 3/27

As innings dry up for veteran relievers in Orioles camp, it's either opt out or wait it out

The Sun 3/27

As Joey Rickard emerges for Orioles, Hyun Soo Kim's future becomes unclear The Sun

3/27

Buck Showalter on Matt Wieters' Opening Day availability: 'I know he's planning on it'

The Sun 3/27

Ubaldo Jimenez, in quietly strong spring, is the Orioles' dark-horse Opening Day starter

candidate The Sun 3/27

Orioles' Dylan Bundy paints his path to new spring hobby The Sun 3/27

Orioles' Christian Walker optioned to Triple-A Norfolk to be everyday left fielder The

Sun 3/27

Schoop poised for breakout season MLB.com 3/28

O's pleased by Wieters' progress behind plate MLB.com 3/27

Orioles dismiss report regarding Kim MLB.com 3/27

Led by Hardy, O's bats heating up in big way MLB.com 3/27

Taking another look at the camp roster MASNsports.com 3/28

Ubaldo Jimenez doesn't make it out of the first inning (updated) MASNsports.com 3/27

Ryan Flaherty scratched from lineup (plus other notes) MASNsports.com 3/27

Orioles continue to strengthen bond with Sarasota (plus tonight's lineup)

MASNsports.com 3/27

Afternoon notes on Kim, Wieters and more MASNsports.com 3/27

Talking rotation, Rickard and the roster MASNsports.com 3/27

Could Orioles attempt to part ways with Kim? (Thayer opts out of contract)

MASNsports.com 3/27

Wrapping up a 16-8 win MASNsports.com 3/27

Sizing up spring: Some things have gone well, some not as well MASNsports.com 3/28

The MLB Network analysts size up the Orioles MASNsports.com 3/27

Notes on James Shields, minor league releases and Joey Rickard's walk-heavy night

MASNsports.com 3/26

For third season in row, Orioles' Chris Tillman to start opening day AP 3/28

When Flaherty falls ill, emergency players fill in CSN Mid-Atlantic 3/27

Showalter shares planned return date for Wieters CSN Mid-Atlantic 3/27

Showalter noncommittal on Kim as Oriole CSN Mid-Atlantic 3/27

Report: Orioles discussed Kim return to South Korea CSN Mid-Atlantic 3/26

Is there a place for the 'Vanimal' on the Orioles? CSN Mid-Atlantic 3/26

How fatherhood made J.J. Hardy stronger CSN Mid-Atlantic 3/25

Orioles Name Chris Tillman As Opening Day Starting Pitcher CBS Baltimore 3/28

Orioles 1st Baseman Chris Davis Is Happy Free Agency Brought Him Back To

Baltimore CBS Baltimore 3/28

Orioles Announce ‘O’s Zone’ Events For Fans CBS Baltimore 3/25

Orioles To Auction Spring Training Jerseys CBS Baltimore 3/25

With One Week Until Opening Day, Orioles Outfield Still Unsettled

PressBoxOnline.com 3/28

Mike Wright Looking For Spot In Orioles' Starting Rotation PressBoxOnline.com 3/27

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-highlights-ubaldo-jimenez-doesnt-

make-it-through-first-inning-in-53-comeback-win-20160327-story.html

Orioles highlights: Ubaldo Jimenez doesn't make it through

first inning in 5-3 win over Pirates

By Jon Meoli / The Sun

March 27, 2016

The Orioles won again, despite another bad starting pitcher. Ubaldo Jimenez didn't make it out of

1st.

Ubaldo Jimenez entered Sunday’s game widely considered the Orioles’ best starting pitcher so

far this spring. And in what could have been his final Grapefruit League start, he didn’t make it

out of the first inning.

Jimenez allowed three runs on four hits and a walk and retired just two batters on 38 pitches

before manager Buck Showalter pulled him, putting a sour ending on an encouraging spring.

The Orioles (9-14-4) rallied to tie the game in the eighth inning, then took the lead when spring

darling Joey Rickard singled to lead off the ninth inning and scored on a double by minor league

infielder Garabez Rosa. A second run in the ninth inning made gave them a fourth straight win,

this one 5-3 over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

But it was nearly two hours of epilogue to Jimenez’s return to Grapefruit League action.

“You’re never going to be happy to be out of the game in the first inning,” Jimenez said. “It

doesn’t matter if it’s a Little League game or major league game. But it’s part of the game. The

good thing is, it’s spring training, where I can go in the bullpen and keep throwing more pitches

and have my pitch count up.”

“If I leave him out there, he’s got 40 pitches in one inning, and we’re not going to do that when

he can get the work done down there. There’s nobody in the box there,” Showalter said.

Jimenez got up and down three more times in the bullpen to simulate inning breaks and bring

him to about 80 pitches, he said.

The results were disheartening and came at a time when optimism was high. Manager Buck

Showalter said Jimenez had picked up where he left off in a strong September last season.

Before Sunday, Jimenez had made his past two starts in minor league games, but pitched well in

major league games, too. After retiring one batter and being charged with six runs in the spring

opener March 2, Jimenez turned in two good major league outings.

“He’s been real good lately,” Showalter said.

Jimenez struggled finding the strike zone early Sunday, issuing a walk to leadoff hitter John

Jaso, then allowing a single to center fielder Andrew McCutchen before retiring the next two

batters. A bloop into short left field by second baseman Josh Harrison turned into a two-run

triple when no one covered third base. Jimenez allowed two more singles, one of which scored

Harrison, and his day was done.

Shutdown bullpen: After minor leaguer Richard Rodriguez relieved Jimenez in the first inning,

the Pirates couldn’t muster any offense. Rodriguez, Brad Brach, Zach Phillips, Chaz Roe, T.J.

McFarland, Jason Stoffel and Oliver Drake held the Pirates to three hits over the ensuing 8 1/3

shutout innings.

Reimold heats up: With uncertainty surrounding the status of Hyun Soo Kim and caution being

advised on Rickard’s hot spring, Nolan Reimold has picked a good time to start hitting. Reimold

was batting .150 with six hits in 40 at-bats entering Friday’s game, but has ripped off six straight

hits over the course of three games. He hit his second home run in three games in the first inning.

Rosa rising: Rosa, who has been a frequent extra player this spring, started at second base and

went 2-for-4 with the go-ahead single. He’s 8-for-12 with six RBIs in the Grapefruit League.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-highlights-birds-use-four-homers-

sixrun-sixth-to-rout-red-sox-168-20160326-story.html

Orioles highlights: Birds use four homers, six-run sixth to

rout Red Sox, 16-8

By Jon Meoli / The Sun

March 26, 2016

The Orioles are seeing what their offense might look like at full strength with four more homers

Saturday.

Caution all you want about spring training stats, opponent quality, or the fact that any ball hit

with authority to left field at Ed Smith Stadium likely becomes a home run.

It all adds up to a heap of meaningless baseball that will be forgotten in five days when the

Orioles return north for Opening Day. But games like Saturday’s 16-8 win over the Boston Red

Sox give a glimpse of the absolute best-case scenario for the 2016 Orioles offensively.

Since they began the business portion of spring training Thursday — six of their last eight

Grapefruit League games are at home, and will feature the regulars they’ll rely on during the

season — the Orioles have hit an eye-popping 12 home runs.

On Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, it was three. On Friday, they upped that to five in a

win over the New York Yankees. Four Orioles homered Saturday as the team overcame a

miserable start from Yovani Gallardo to score a spring-high 16 runs against a Boston lineup that

wasn’t representative of its major league roster.

Right fielder Mark Trumbo, who homered in two straight games and four of his past five

entering Saturday, settled for a two-out, two-run double to give the Orioles an early 2-0 lead in

the first inning before scoring on a single by designated hitter Pedro Alvarez. From then on, it

was mostly home runs that supplied the home team offensively.

Shortstop J.J. Hardy homered for the third straight game to drive in Alvarez and cut a 6-3 deficit

to 6-5 in the third. Then with the score leveled at 7 apiece, Ed Smith Stadium couldn’t contain

the Orioles bats. Third baseman Manny Machado, who hit third in a new-look Orioles lineup,

homered on a missile down the left-field line, and first baseman Chris Davis backed that up with

his own home run to left-center field.

Later in the inning, with two men on base, backup catcher Audry Perez cleared the patio seating

in left field to complete a six-run sixth inning. Perez had four RBIs on the day.

The Orioles entered their 25th spring training game with 32 home runs, with Saturday bringing

their total to 36. A third of those have come in the past three games.

Worley strong again

Gallardo was hit around by a mostly minor league Red Sox roster, allowing seven runs on eight

hits in 3 2/3 innings, but right-hander Vance Worley continued his roster push with 2 1/3

scoreless innings of relief. He lowered his spring ERA to 4.61. Worley is out of minor league

options, putting him in a unique place when it comes to roster construction.

Rickard in leadoff spot

Rule 5 outfielder Joey Rickard did everything a leadoff man is supposed to in a rare appearance

at the top of the lineup Saturday. Rickard was hit by a pitch and walked twice in his first three at-

bats, and he stole two bases after reaching. He also added a single in his fifth trip of the day, and

scored twice. He’s batting .392 on the spring, and emerging as a candidate to contribute to the

Orioles this season.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-rail-0326-20160325-story.html

Orioles recap: Bats stay hot, pitching continues to struggle in

10-inning win over Yankees

By Jon Meoli / The Sun

March 25, 2016

The Orioles' pitching continues to struggle while the hitting contiues to mash

This is going to be the type of baseball game you'll see often this year with the Orioles.

Their Grapefruit League matinee Friday saw their starter stake the opponent to a big early lead

on a combination of walks, bad luck and a home run. As the game wore on, the Orioles hit a

bunch of home runs and made it a game.

That they ultimately won 11-10 on a 10th-inning, two-run single by Garabez Rosa is moot.

What this team has to like — a powerful, deep lineup — and what they have to be concerned

about — the rotation — continue to fill their respective roles.

Over the last two days the Orioles have fielded essentially full-strength lineups.

Thursday's, which scored six runs and hit three home runs, was more in line with what manager

Buck Showalter envisioned for Opening Day.

Friday's, which was largely the same — except for Hyun Soo Kim and Pedro Alvarez replacing

Christian Walker and Matt Wieters — outdid them with four home runs by the starters.

Substitute Nolan Reimold added a fifth in the ninth inning.

Mark Trumbo opened the Orioles' scoring with his fourth home run in five games, and fifth of

the spring. He walked in the fourth inning and scored on J.J. Hardy's second home run in as

many days. Catcher Caleb Joseph and third baseman Manny Machado also homered to

contribute to another homer-heavy Orioles attack.

Most of the damage came after the Yankees scored five runs off possible Orioles Opening Day

starter Chris Tillman. Tillman looked his sharpest this spring in the first inning, but was

squeezed on a pair of second-inning walks and saw both of those base runners score on a three-

run home run by Yankees right fielder Chris Denorfia.

An inning later, the Yankees strung a few hits and a sacrifice fly together to bring their total to

five. Tillman left after one batter in the fifth inning having allowed five earned runs on six hits

with three walks and four strikeouts. His ERA is now is now 9.31 in 9 2/3 Grapefruit League

innings.

The offenses remained hot through the 10th inning, when the Yankees scored two runs off Stefan

Crichton and the Orioles responded with three in the bottom half.

An inning of anomalies: Playing first base and batting second, Pedro Alvarez did something he's

just done just 14 times in his six-year major league career: He stole a base. Over half of his steals

came in 2014, when he had eight. Last year with Pittsburgh, however, he stole a bag just twice.

One pitch later, the Orioles' doubled down on rare moments: Center fielder Adam Jones walked

for the second time this spring.

Bundy goes two: For the second time this spring, right-hander Dylan Bundy worked two

complete innings. His first was clean, but the second was an exhibition in near-outs turning into

hits and runs. Several ground balls were just out of the reach of infielders, and Bundy allowed a

pair of Yankees to score. He now has a 4.35 ERA in 10 1/3 innings this spring.

Hardy homers again: Hardy's home run continued what's been a reassuring spring as the Orioles'

shortstop comes back from a shoulder injury that limited him in 2015. He's now batting .333

with four extra-base hits and four RBIs in 36 spring at-bats.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/169316866/orioles-beat-pirates-with-9th-inning-rally

Reimold, Alvarez homer in O's comeback win

By Andrew Astleford / MLB.com

March 27, 2016

BRADENTON, Fla. -- The Pirates chased Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez in the first

inning Sunday night at McKechnie Field, but the Orioles tied the game in the eighth and went

ahead in the ninth for a 5-3 win.

All of Jimenez's trouble came with two outs. After allowing a walk to John Jaso and a single

to Andrew McCutchen, he got Matt Joyce to ground out and Jason Rogers to pop out.

But Josh Harrison hit a triple on a soft fly ball into left field, scoring Jaso and McCutchen. Jake

Goebbert followed with a single to right, scoring Harrison.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter summoned right-hander Richard Rodriguez to enter in relief.

"I just didn't have good command of the fastball. I was falling behind in the count, and they

made me pay for it," said Jimenez, who finished up his outing in the bullpen and reached 80

pitches. "I think the only two good pitches that I threw, they were able to find a hole. McCutchen

[singled] and then the other one [Josh Harrison] hit a blooper. There's not a lot I can do with it.

But I didn't have good command of the fastball today."

Jimenez's problems negated the Orioles' strong offensive start. They jumped to an early lead in

the first after consecutive solo home runs by Pedro Alvarez to right field and Nolan Reimold to

left against right-handed prospect Trevor Williams.

With Reimold batting in the eighth, Xavier Avery scored when a passed ball got byReese

McGuire.

Then in the ninth, Pirates reliever Cory Luebke gave up an RBI double to Garabez Rosa, which

scored Joey Rickard, and an RBI single to Josh Hart, scoring Rosa, and allowing the Orioles to

take the lead.

Williams started for Pittsburgh because right-handed rotation candidate Juan Nicasio threw six

innings during a game against Blue Jays Minor Leaguers on Sunday afternoon at Pirate City.

Williams surrendered two runs and seven hits with five strikeouts in five innings before Tony

Watson entered in relief.

Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer left the game in the fourth inning after he hurt his knee sliding

into third base following Ed Easley's popout to right field. Mercer overslid the bag and limped

slightly after he beat L.J. Hoes' throw. Pedro Florimonreplaced Mercer as a pinch-runner.

Up next for the Pirates: Right-hander Gerrit Cole will take the mound for Pittsburgh against

Minnesota at 1:05 p.m. ET Monday at McKechnie Field. Cole has allowed two runs and two hits

with one strikeout in two innings in Grapefruit League play. Right-hander Tyler Duffey will start

for the Twins. The game is on MLB.TV.

Up next for Orioles: Mike Wright will take the mound for the Orioles, who will play their final

home game Monday at 1:05 p.m. ET against the Red Sox on MLB.TV. Boston will honor

longtime DH David Ortiz in his final spring home game at JetBlue Park.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/169153012/orioles-hit-four-home-runs-in-win-vs-red-sox

O's HR parade continues with 4 vs. Red Sox

By David Wilson / Special to MLB.com

March 26, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Manny Machado and Chris Davis blasted back-to-back home runs in a six-

run sixth inning Saturday to rally the Orioles to a 16-8 win against the Red Sox at Ed Smith

Stadium. Machado, who also homered in Friday's win against the Yankees, lined a two-run home

run over the left-field fence to break a 7-7 tie, and two pitches later, Davis went opposite field to

stretch Baltimore's lead.

Shortstop J.J. Hardy hit a two-run homer in the third, his third homer in as many days, and

catcher Audry Perez added a three-run shot later in the sixth to give the O's a total of four dingers

in the game and 12 in their past three games. The Orioles' latest eruption let them overcome

another poor start from their pitching staff.

Yovani Gallardo skirted through the first inning unscathed before issuing two walks and

allowing a single in the second to load the bases for Boston with no outs. Mauricio Dubon drove

in the first two runs with a single, Mookie Betts drove in the next with another single and

outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. capped the frame with a two-run, opposite-field home run into the

left-field bleachers.

Gallardo was chased after 3 2/3 innings in which he allowed seven earned runs on eight hits and

three walks. Of his 78 pitches, only 37 were strikes. In eight Grapefruit League innings, Gallardo

has a 16.88 ERA.

"You hear a lot of guys say Spring Training is a time to try different things," said Gallardo, who

had a 10.13 ERA last spring and has only once been under 3.50 during Spring Training. "You

can look at every Spring Training I've had throughout my career, and they've been bad. Good

thing they don't count for your career."

The Orioles raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning with a two-run double by Mark

Trumbo and an RBI single by Pedro Alvarez. Hardy's homer cut the Red Sox's lead to 6-5.

Justin Haley, who made his Grapefruit League debut as the Red Sox's starter, allowed five

earned runs on six hits and two walks in three innings. Relief pitcher Carlos Marmol replaced

Haley to start the fourth and was charged with two runs without recording an out to let Baltimore

tie the score at 7. Roenis Elias entered the game in the sixth and allowed three homers in just

two-thirds of an inning.

Adam Jones scored the tying run for the O's as part of a three-hit day and outfielder. Joey

Rickard, a Rule 5 Draft selection, reached safely three times and scored twice.

Betts went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs to lead Boston's offense, and Bradley added two

hits, a run and two RBIs to bring his batting average up to .378.

"I'm seeing the ball well, and I put some good swings on some balls today," Bradley said. "I'm

focused on what I have to do and not really worrying about anything else right now. That's

keeping me locked in, and I'm working hard. I just have a different mindset, and it's a good

mindset."

Up next for the Red Sox: Steven Wright draws the start on Sunday when the Red Sox host the

Phillies at JetBlue Park in a 1:05 p.m. ET matchup. The versatile knuckleballer, who has

showcased impressive control this spring (101 pitches, 82 for strikes), will likely join Boston's

starting rotation to open the regular season, with injured lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (right knee)

beginning the year on the DL. Craig Kimbrel, Matt Barnes and Noe Ramirez are also scheduled

to see action. The game will be shown on MLB.TV.

Up next for the Orioles: Ubaldo Jimenez will make his sixth start of Spring Training, but his

first for the Major League team since March 12, when the Orioles play a 6:05 p.m. ET game

against the Pirates on Sunday in Bradenton, Fla. onMLB.TV. Jimenez has been Baltimore's most

reliable starting pitcher since allowing six earned runs in one-third of an inning in his first

Grapefruit League outing. Including two Minor League appearances, Jimenez has given up just

two earned runs across 17 innings in his past four appearances.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/169153012/orioles-hit-four-home-runs-in-win-vs-red-sox

O's blast 5 HRs, win on walk-off 1B in 10th

By David Wilson / MLB.com

March 25, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Mark Trumbo, Caleb Joseph, J.J. Hardy, Manny Machadoand Nolan

Reimold all cranked home runs, and the Orioles rallied with three runs in the bottom of the 10th

for an 11-10 win against the Yankees on Friday at Ed Smith Stadium. Garabez Rosa delivered a

walk-off single for Baltimore.

"He's one of those guys that I keep asking our guys, 'Are we missing anything on this guy?'"

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of Rosa, who is 6-for-8 this spring. "This guy's been pretty

good up here for two years. He's pretty good."

Neither starting pitcher made it out of the fifth inning and both gave up five earned runs during

their outings. Ivan Nova surrendered three homers in 4 2/3 innings for the Yankees as his bid for

a rotation spot took a hit. O's starter Chris Tillman gave up a three-run shot to Chris Denorfia

during the second and left the game after facing one batter in the fifth.

"I put myself in a really bad position right now if we look at the numbers," Nova said. "I would

say they are going to make the decision, but sometimes you've got to help. I didn't help myself

today."

Tillman's start was his third of Spring Training, and each has been rough. He retired the first four

batters in a row before a pair of walks set the table for Denorfia, who delivered his first home run

of the spring to give New York a 3-0 lead. Tillman allowed five earned runs on three walks, six

hits and one hit batter. He struck out four. In 9 2/3 innings this spring, Tillman has a 9.31 ERA.

But the Orioles fought back with one of their typical power surges. A solo shot by Trumbo -- his

fifth homer of the spring -- sliced the Yankees' lead in the second, and Joseph added a two-run

shot an inning later. In the fourth, Hardy tied the game with another two-run home run.

"We've been talking about this for a little while now. It's fun to watch these guys play and hit the

ball," Tillman said. "One through nine, it's fun to watch."

Machado went deep for Baltimore in the seventh, while Reimold homered in the ninth to send

the game into extras.

Up next for the Yankees: The Yankees conclude a two-game road trip with a visit to Dunedin,

Fla., to face the Blue Jays on Saturday at 1:07 p.m. ET (watch the game on MLB.TV). Bryan

Mitchell will make his fifth appearance and third start of the spring. In 10 2/3 innings, the righty

has a 0.84 ERA.

Up next for the Orioles: The Orioles conclude a three-game homestand against the Red Sox on

Saturday at 1:05 p.m. with Yovani Gallardo on the mound (watch the game on MLB.TV). The

righty is making his third Grapefruit League start of the spring. He allowed six hits and two runs

over four innings on Monday against the Rays in an appearance at the O's Minor League camp.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/03/ubaldo-jimenez-on-tonights-abbreviated-

start.html

Ubaldo Jimenez on tonight's abbreviated start (O's win

fourth straight, top Pirates)

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

March 27, 2016

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP

Score: Orioles 5, Pirates 3

Recap: Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard led off the ninth with a single and scored the tie-breaking run

from first base on Garabez Rosa's single off the scoreboard in left field. Rosa scored on Josh

Hart's single. Ubaldo Jimenez, lined up to be the Orioles' No. 3 starter, retired only two batters

and was charged with three runs and four hits. Pedro Alvarez and Nolan Reimold hit back-to-

back home runs in the first. Alvarez was making his first appearance in Bradenton since leaving

the Pirates. The bullpen tossed 8 1/3 scoreless innings. Brad Brach retired the side in order in the

third and Zach Phillips retired five of six batters. Chaz Roe struck out two in 1 1/3 scoreless

innings. T.J. McFarland worked around a two-out walk in the seventh. Xavier Avery singled in

the eighth and scored the tying run on a wild pitch. Minor leaguer Jason Stoffel survived a

leadoff walk in the eighth. Oliver Drake recorded the save.

Need to know: Jimenez threw 35 pitches, 20 for strikes, and did more throwing in the bullpen

after coming out. He lasted only one-third of an inning in his debut against the Braves. Reimold

had hits in six straight at-bats over three games after his home run and single. The damage

included two homers and four RBIs. Reimold also walked in the eighth. Josh Harrison had a two-

run triple to left field in the first because no one covered third base. Should have been a double.

Rosa, who replaced Ryan Flaherty in the lineup, singled in his first at-bat and is 8-for-12 in

Grapefruit League games. Catcher Chris O'Brien committed a throwing error on an attempted

pickoff at first base. With a four-game win streak, the Orioles are 9-14-4.

On deck: Monday, vs. Red Sox in Fort Myers, 1:05 p.m.

___________________________________________

BRADENTON, Fla. - Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez said he couldn't find his fastball command

tonight.

The search continued in the bullpen, where Jimenez got up three times to run his pitch count to

around 80.

Jimenez threw 36 pitches, 21 for strikes, while retiring only two batters. He explained why

manager Buck Showalter took him out of the game, which the Pirates lead 3-2 in the seventh.

Call it the safety dance.

"Because I think I threw too many pitches in that inning," he said. "I almost was to 40, so they

didn't want me to go that far, especially being spring training."

Jimenez walked leadoff hitter John Jaso and it never got better for him. Five of the seven batters

reached base and he was done, three runs and four hits on the board.

"I just didn't have good command of the fastball," he said. "I was falling behind in the count and

they made me pay for it. I think the only two good pitches that I threw, they were able to find a

hole. (Andrew) McCutchen (single] and then the other one (Josh Harrison) hit a blooper. There's

not a lot I can do with it. But I didn't have good command of the fastball today."

Jimenez could make one more start, when the Orioles are in Philadelphia on Friday after

breaking camp. This isn't how he wanted to leave behind the Grapefruit League.

"Yeah, you're never going to be happy to be out of the game in the first inning," he said. "It

doesn't matter if it's a Little League game or major league game. But it's part of the game.

"The good thing is it's spring training, where I can go in the bullpen and keep throwing more

pitches and have my pitch count up."

The bullpen has shut out the Pirates over 5 1/3 innings. Brad Brach retired the side in order in the

third, Zach Phillips retired five of the six batters he faced and Chaz Roe struck out two batters in

1 1/3 scoreless innings.

With Brian Matusz likely headed to the disabled list, Phillips has emerged as a legitimate

consideration as a second or third left-hander in the bullpen, depending on whether T.J.

McFarland also breaks camp with the team as a long man backing up five right-handed starters.

Phillips has retired eight of the nine batters he's faced in two games since signing with the

Orioles.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/03/game-update-and-yovani-gallardo-on-

todays-start.html

Game update and Yovani Gallardo on today's start (Orioles

outslug Red Sox)

By Rock Kubatko / MASNsports.com

March 26, 2016

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP

Score: Orioles 16, Red Sox 8

Recap: Mark Trumbo had a two-run double in the first and delivered another run with a

grounder in the fourth, giving him 16 RBIs this spring to go with five home runs. J.J. Hardy hit

his third home run in three days, a two-run shot in the third inning. Manny Machado, Chris Davis

and Audry Perez homered off Roenis Elias in a six-run sixth inning. Yovani Gallardo allowed

five runs in the second inning, including Jackie Bradley Jr.'s two-run shot. He was charged with

seven runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings, with three walks and two strikeouts, to leave his ERA

at 16.88 in eight Grapefruit League innings. Vance Worley tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

Odrisamer Despaigne allowed a run in the eighth. Pedro Alvarez had an RBI single in the first.

Joey Rickard walked twice, singled, was hit by a pitch and stole two bases. Perez finished with

four RBIs.

Need to know: Adam Jones had three hits. Rickard and Machado executed a double steal in the

first before scoring on Trumbo's double. Rickard has five stolen bases this spring. Trumbo hadn't

doubled before today. He also stole a base. Gallardo threw 27 pitches, 11 for strikes, in the

second inning and finished at 78/37. Nolan Reimold singled in his first at-bat in the seventh,

giving him three straight hits over two days, including a home run. Today's attendance: 8,518,

the 10th sellout of the spring.

On deck: Sunday, vs. Pirates in Bradenton, 6:05 p.m.

________________________________________

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are trying to beat another team into submission today.

Manny Machado hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to break a 7-7 tie, Chris Davisfollowed

with a shot over the left-center field fence and catcherAudry Perez launched a three-run homer.

All in the sixth inning. All of them against Red Sox left-hander Roenis Elias.

Vance Worley threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief ofYovani Gallardo, who was charged with

seven runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. Odrisamer Despaigne allowed a run in the eighth, and

the Orioles are holding a 13-8 lead.

Gallardo said this was the best he's felt all spring. He also warned that his spring numbers

usually are pretty bad.

Gallardo's ERA is up to 16.88 in eight Grapefruit League innings. He went 0-2 with a 10.13

ERA in 13 1/3 innings last spring with the Rangers.

However, Gallardo posted a 3.98 ERA in 20 1/3 innings with the Brewers in 2014, a 3.54 ERA

in 20 1/3 innings in 2013 and a 1.96 ERA in 18 1/3 innings in 2011.

There are exceptions.

Gallardo had a 4.56 ERA in 23 2/3 innings in 2012 and a 4.29 ERA in 21 innings in 2010.

In today's game, he walked three batters and ran his pitch count to 78 in 3 2/3 innings, with only

37 strikes called by plate umpire Toby Basner. He stranded a runner in the first inning and

allowed five runs in the second.

"That first inning, I was able to get ahead in the count," he said. "I think the second inning was

just falling behind. That's pretty much it. And obviously, walking a couple guys, that doesn't

help. But I made some good pitches whenever I had to. Other than that, the balls that got hit hard

were up in the zone.

"I feel good. Today was the best I've felt. I think I made some pretty good pitches that were

down and away to both lefties and righties. And getting ground balls. I was getting weak contact.

A couple hits that were jam shots or off the end of the bat. Not much you can do about that. It

just shows that you're locating your pitches. The home run (by Jackie Bradley Jr.) hits the foul

pole. It's just one of those things. Not much you can do. But I felt good.

"Felt like the ball was coming out good. Good curveball, good changeup, and most important, a

good two-seamer, which I think is one of the pitches I have to get ready for the season."

Gallardo is trying to keep the stats in perspective while also knowing that many fans are growing

anxious.

"Like I've always said, you want to go out there and obviously do well each and every time out,

no matter if it's spring or during the season. But the most important thing is you're allowed to

work on certain things, and sometimes when you're trying to work on them, the results aren't

going to be there. For me, I think the most important thing was just commanding the fastball,

throwing the fastball away and moving it around over the plate. I didn't get some of those pitches

as strikes and it changes the whole at-bat. Obviously, that and leaving the ball up over the zone

doesn't help, but I felt good.

"You hear a lot of guys say that spring training is the time to try different things, try to add to

what you're able to do during the season. Not only last year, you can look at every spring training

I've had throughout my career and I think it's ... they've been bad. It's a good thing they don't

count for your career.

"It's one of those things. At the end of the day, no matter what you have to do, you're here to

work on things. It's tough. I think throughout my career, it's one of those things I really don't let

it get to me. I know I'm preparing the way that I have to for that first regular season game. We've

got six months. You've for to prepare for six months. You've got to find every little thing that

you can use to your advantage to keep the hitters off balance."

Despite the walks, including three over four innings in a minor league game Monday at Twin

Lakes, Gallardo insisted that he's not worried about his command.

"Not at all," he said. "It's just one of those things. You want to do well each and every time, but

you know, I'm trying different things. If you fall behind in the count, you might try to see if you

can flip him the curveball or throw a changeup. It's a little bit different, just trying to add that and

get it (ready) for the season. Sometimes, it's not going to work out and you're going to get

yourself in trouble. Like today, I was able to get that ground ball in the second inning and turn

two. I gave up the base hit the other way to (Mookie) Betts, I thought it was a pretty good pitch,

but sometimes you have to tip your hat to the hitters."

There can be beauty in an ugly line, as Gallardo kept pointing out.

"I felt good, arm feels good," he said. "I think everything is coming out pretty good. That's what

I wanted. That's what I wanted out there. I think the previous starts before I was leaving sliders

out over the middle of the plate. The one to Chris Young, the double, might have been the only

one. All the other ones were right where I needed them to be, just off the plate or right in the

corner. It's a good adjustment."

http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=360327123

Alvarez, Reimold homer as Orioles beat Pirates 5-3

Associated Press / ESPN.com

March 26, 2016

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Pedro Alvarez and Nolan Reimold hit back-to-back homers for the

Baltimore Orioles on Sunday night in a 5-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Alvarez went deep in the first inning, his first at-bat at McKechnie Field as a visiting player.

Reimold followed with a long shot to left-center off minor league call-up Trevor Williams.

Selected by the Pirates second overall in the 2008 amateur draft, Alvarez signed with the Orioles

three weeks ago as a free agent. He was not in the lineup the previous time the Pirates hosted the

Orioles this spring.

"I'm very sensitive to that," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. "When he first got to us, I

would never ask him about playing against the Pirates or whatever. We had one opportunity

where we didn't, just to kind of let him get settled in a little bit. I think he's handled it real well."

Josh Harrison blooped a two-run triple, one of four hits the Pirates got off right-hander Ubaldo

Jimenez in the first inning. Jimenez lasted just two-thirds of an inning, allowing three runs on

four hits and a walk. He has a 12.27 ERA.

"I didn't have good command of the fastball," Jimenez said. "I was falling behind in the count,

and they made me pay for it. You're never happy to be out of the game in the first inning. It

doesn't matter if it's a Little League game or a major league game."

It was the second time this spring Jimenez did not make it out of the first inning. He managed

only one out and gave up six runs on March 2 against Atlanta.

STARTING TIME

Orioles: To make up for his abbreviated outing, Jimenez got up three times in the bullpen after

he left the game to simulate a longer start.

"I think I threw too many pitches, close to 40," Jimenez said. "They didn't want me to go that far,

especially in spring training."

Pirates: Williams worked the first five innings. He allowed two runs on seven hits and struck out

five. The right-hander, a non-roster invite to big league camp, likely will begin the season at

Triple-A Indianapolis.

"It was a nice surprise to come up here and pitch under the lights," Williams said. "When you

come into big league camp and look at guys you've been watching your entire life, you realize

how close you are. It was tangible tonight, getting big leaguers out."

MORE THAN EXPECTED

Pirates RHP Juan Nicasio threw 98 pitches over six innings in a minor league game. Although he

was signed to be a long reliever, Nicasio has performed well enough in camp to be in the mix for

a rotation spot.

"I'm happy, no matter what my role," he said. "My arm is sharp, my body feels strong."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Orioles: INF Ryan Flaherty was scratched from the lineup due to flu-like symptoms. . Showalter

said he's confident C Matt Wieters, who played in an intrasquad game, will be ready for opening

day. Wieters hasn't caught in a major league game since his right elbow flared up on March 12. .

LHP Brian Matusz (back) threw in the intrasquad game and will throw again on Monday. . INF-

OF Jimmy Paredes (wrist) isn't sure if he'll remain in Florida when the team heads north.

Pirates: SS Jordy Mercer knocked his left knee hard on third base while sliding. He left in the

fourth inning as a precaution and is not expected to miss any time. . RF Gregory Polanco

(shoulder) and LF Starling Marte (tight quad) were not in the lineup, but neither injury is

expected to keep them out of action for more than a day or two longer.

ROSTER MOVES

Orioles: RHP Dale Thayer opted out of his minor league contract and left the Orioles. Baltimore

has 42 players left in camp.

Pirates: LHP Eric O'Flaherty was dealt to the Atlanta Braves for cash. O'Flaherty appeared in

eight games with a 2.89 ERA and a 1.82 WHIP this spring. The move could mean Cory Luebke

will be the second lefty, along with setup man Tony Watson, in the opening-day bullpen. If he is

not assured a spot on the active roster by Tuesday, Luebke can trigger an out clause in his

contract.

JUST GOT HERE

Orioles OF Hyun Soo Kim said he's not aware of reports that Baltimore has discussed allowing

him to return to South Korea. Kim said he's happy he accepted a $7 million, two-year offer to

come to the Orioles. Showalter had no comment on the Foxsports.com report.

"He's competing," Showalter said. "You know what? That's not completely true. We'll see what

the next few days bring. We've got some tough decisions to make."

UP NEXT

Orioles: RHP Mike Wright starts Monday against the Boston Red Sox.

Pirates: RHP Gerrit Cole will pitch Monday against the Minnesota Twins. Slowed by a sore

ribcage at the start of camp, Cole has appeared in one Grapefruit League game, a two-inning stint

March 13 against Detroit.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=360326101

Orioles hit 4 homers, beat Red Sox 16-8

Associated Press / ESPN.com

March 26, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. -- J.J. Hardy homered for the third straight game, Manny Machado for the

second in a row, and Chris Davis hit his second home run of the spring as the Baltimore Orioles

beat the Boston Red Sox 16-8 on Saturday.

The home runs from Machado and Davis were part of a six-run sixth inning against Roenis Elias,

who's a candidate for one of the final positions on the Red Sox's staff.

Minor league catcher Audry Perez added a three-run homer.

Mark Trumbo had three RBI for the Orioles.

Hardy, who missed 48 games last season, is injury free this spring.

"People forget this is a shortstop capable of hitting 20 to 30 home runs and hitting .270 when

healthy," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said.

Yovani Gallardo started for the Orioles and allowed seven runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Boston scored five runs in the second inning against Gallardo, who has a spring ERA of 16.88.

Mookie Betts had three hits and Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two-run homer for the Red Sox.

STARTING TIME:

Red Sox: RHP Clay Buchholz, who was originally scheduled to start this game, pitched in a

minor league game in Fort Myers.

RHP Justin Haley, who was 5-16 with a 5.15 ERA at Double-A Portland, started and pitched

three innings, allowing five runs on six hits.

Orioles: Gallardo tries not to worry about spring training numbers.

"I think throughout my career, it's one of those things I really don't let it get to me. I know I'm

preparing the way that I have to for that first regular-season game," Gallardo said. "You've got to

find every little thing that you can use to your advantage to keep the hitters off balance."

TRAINER'S ROOM:

Red Sox: 3B Pablo Sandoval, who has been limited by a back injury, took ground balls in Fort

Myers and swung from both sides of the plate.

"The last two days have been a marked improvement for Panda," manager John Farrell said.

"How he checks out tomorrow gives us a better indication of when he gets back in a game."

C Christian Vazquez, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, has had a good spring, but is

unlikely to start the season in the major leagues, according to Farrell.

"If it's not Opening Day, he's making strides and getting closer to that," Farrell said.

Orioles: RHP Kevin Gausman (shoulder) will likely start the season on the disabled list. He's yet

to throw since taking a cortisone shot last Sunday.

"I don't want to miss three or four starts. I definitely want to be with the team early on in the

season and be able to make 30-plus starts. My goal is to get there within the first two weeks of

the season," Gausman said.

C Matt Wieters threw to the bases for the first time since his right elbow flared up on March 12.

UP NEXT:

Red Sox: RHP Steven Wright pitches for Boston as it hosts the Philadelphia Phillies and RHP

Jerad Eickhoff on Sunday.

Orioles: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez starts for Baltimore as it travel to Bradenton to face Pittsburgh

and RHP Trevor Williams on Sunday night.

CUT: The Orioles optioned 1B/OF Christian Walker to Triple-A Norfolk so that he could play

left field regularly.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=360325101

Nova yields 3 homers; Orioles top Yanks 11-10 in 10 innings

Associated Press / ESPN.com

March 25, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Trying to win a job as the New York Yankees' fifth starter, Ivan Nova

allowed three home runs Friday and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Yankees 11-10 in 10 innings.

Nova is competing against CC Sabathia for the final spot in the rotation. He pitched 4 2/3

innings, allowing six runs -- five earned- on five hits.

Mark Trumbo hit his fifth home run, a solo shot. Caleb Joseph and J.J. Hardy had two-run

homers. It was Joseph's first and Hardy's second.

"I put myself in a really bad position right now," Nova said. "I didn't help myself today."

Manny Machado hit his third home run in the seventh and Nolan Reimold made it 8-8 in the

ninth with his first home run.

Baltimore starter Chris Tillman allowed five runs on six hits in four innings. Chris Denorfia hit a

three-run homer in the second inning.

The Orioles scored three runs in the bottom of the 10th for the victory.

STARTING TIME:

Yankees: Nova has to fight Sabathia's legacy in the competition for the fifth starter's job. "It's

probably the biggest story in camp right now," manager Joe Girardi said. "That's probably why

there's a lot being made out of it because of who CC is and what he's done in this game, what he

has meant to the Yankees. We don't win a World Series without CC. We don't get to all those

playoffs without CC." ... RHP Michael Pineda threw five scoreless innings in a minor league

intrasquad game.

Orioles: Tillman made his third start of the spring and was pleased with how he threw. "I didn't

think there were very many bad pitches," he said. "There were a lot of good pitches. They made

good contact, I think twice all day, so I wasn't unhappy with it by any means."

TRAINER'S ROOM:

Yankees: OF Jacoby Ellsbury (wrist) is not scheduled to play Saturday against Toronto in

Dunedin. Ellsbury took batting practice for the second time since he was hit by a pitch on March

19. "Today I was taking my normal swing. I feel confident in my swing," Ellsbury said in

Tampa. ... INF Rob Refsnyder suffered a bloody lip trying to field a ground ball. He made two

errors.

Orioles: LHP Brian Matusz (back) will pitch on Sunday in an attempt to avoid starting the season

on the disabled list. Matusz has pitched just two innings this spring. ... C Matt Wieters (elbow)

played in a minor league game and the team may decide on Saturday when he can catch again. ...

INF Steve Tolleson got the wind knocked out of him during a collision with C Francisco Pena.

He said he feels sore but thinks he'll be ready to play Saturday. ... RHP Chaz Roe, whose wife

gave birth to a baby girl, will return to the club on Saturday.

UP NEXT:

Yankees: RHP Bryan Mitchell, in the mix for a job as a long man and spot starter, is scheduled

to start against Blue Jays LHP J.A. Happ on Saturday.

Orioles: RHP Yovani Gallardo starts against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday. Boston has yet to

name a starter.

http://www.csnmidatlantic.com/blog/orioles-talk/jimenez-pulled-abruptly-first-inning-orioles-

win

Jimenez pulled abruptly in first inning of Orioles' win

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Mid-Atlantic

March 27, 2016

BRADENTON, Fla. – The snowbirds have begun their trek north, vacationers are back at work

or school, and the final days of spring training are here.

There are still many more players on hand than the Orioles can carry. By this time next week, the

active roster will be at 25—17 fewer than the Orioles currently have in camp.

A few players will be put on the disabled list, and some moves, perhaps some big ones will be

made. A number of players will optioned to Norfolk and non-roster players sent to minor league

camp.

Men who will not be part of the Opening Day 25-man roster dotted the lineup for Sunday night’s

game with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

That didn’t help Ubaldo Jimenez, who was removed after just seven batters in the first inning in

the Orioles’ 5-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates before 6,002 at McKechnie Field.

Jimenez walked John Jaso to begin the inning. Andrew McCutchen singled, and after Jimenez

got two outs, Josh Harrison’s bloop in left, turned into a triple when no one covered third.

After Jake Goebbert and Jordy Mercer singled, Buck Showalter trotted out on the field and

Jimenez’s start came to an abrupt end.

“I didn’t have good command of the fastball. I was falling behind in the count, and they made me

pay for it,” Jimenez said.

In his first start, On Mar. 2, six of the seven batters Jimenez faced scored, and since then he’s

had two acceptable major league starts and two minor league appearances.

“You’re never happy to be out of the game in the first inning. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Little

League game or a major league game,” Jimenez said.

Richard Rodriguez, an import from minor league camp, rescued Jimenez and pitched a scoreless

second.

After he was removed from the game, Jimenez got up three times in the bullpen to throw,

simulating a start.

“I think I threw too many pitches, close to 40. They didn’t want me to go that far especially in

spring training,” Jimenez said.

Pedro Alvarez, who spent six seasons with the Pirates, spent an extended time on the field before

the game visiting with his former teammates and signing autographs.

In his first at-bat, Alvarez launched a home run to right off Trevor Williams, and the suddenly

hot Nolan Reimold followed with one to left. Those were the second for both this spring, and the

Orioles had a quick 2-0 lead.

Reimold singled in the fourth, and had six straight hits in his last three games.

Alvarez played first base, again without incident.

“We’re going to need him to play some first and play some third,” manager Buck Showalter said.

“On the surface, going into the season, a lot of his role is being the DH, but that could change

with one oblique or whatever.”

Brad Brach worked a perfect third, and Zach Phillips, who signed on Wednesday, retired five

batters without allowing a run. Chaz Roe, who was away for a few days after his wife gave birth

to a daughter, worked the sixth. T.J. McFarland, minor leaguer Jason Stoffel and Oliver Drake

each pitched scoreless innings.

The bullpen did not allow a run in 8 1/3 innings.

Joey Rickard singled to start the ninth, and Garabez Rosa doubled to score him, and Josh Hart

singled to score Rosa, and the Orioles had a 5-3 lead.

Rosa started when Ryan Flaherty was scratched due to flu-like symptoms. Flaherty isn’t

expected to play on Monday.

Showalter said that Rosa, who was regularly on his “JIC” or “Just in Case” list is no longer.

“Rosa has graduated from JIC. He’s in the ‘what if’ list now,” Showalter said. “He’s handled

himself well defensively.”

Rosa is 8-for-12 with six RBIs this spring.

They’re now 9-14-4, and 9-4-2 since their 12-game winless streak to begin spring training.

NOTES: Hyun Soo Kim, who was on the original travel list for the game, is not on the travel list

for Monday’s game in Fort Myers. Many of the players from tonight’s game will play on

Monday.

http://www.csnmidatlantic.com/blog/orioles-talk/gallardo-gives-7-orioles-score-16

Gallardo gives up 7, Orioles score 16

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Mid-Atlantic

March 26, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. – For the second straight day, the Orioles received a subpar pitching

performance from a starter and a huge offensive output.

Yovani Gallardo struggled into the fourth inning, giving up seven runs while the Orioles had 20

hits in their 16-8 win over the Boston Red Sox before a sun-soaked crowd of 8,518 at Ed Smith

Stadium on Saturday.

For the third straight game, J.J. Hardy hit a home run, and Manny Machado hit one for the

second consecutive game. Chris Davis, who hadn’t homered since his first at-bat in the Orioles’

spring home opener on Mar. 2, followed Machado’s homer with his own.

Audry Perez, a catcher likely returning to Triple-A Norfolk, had a three-run home run and four

RBIs, and Mark Trumbo drove in three while Adam Jones had three hits.

Gallardo’s spring ERA ballooned to 16.88 as he gave up five runs in Boston’s second.

“You can look at every spring training I’ve had throughout my career and I think it’s…they’ve

been bad. It’s a good they don’t count for your career. It’s one of those things. At the end of the

day, no matter what you have to do, you’re here to work on things,” Gallardo said.

Manager Buck Showalter wasn’t displeased with Gallardo, who didn’t sign until late last month.

Gallardo will probably start the final game in Sarasota, on Thursday against Atlanta. Showalter

said he’s not looking for big things until early next month.

“In April I am. That’s when the results count,” Showalter said.

One player the Orioles probably won’t be seeing next month is Christian Walker, who was

optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.

Walker’s path to first base is blocked by Chris Davis, and he’ll be going to the Tides to play left

field every day.

He played there twice without incident this spring, and the Orioles want to see if he can play

there in the major leagues.

Showalter said his play in left wasn’t an eye-opener.

“No. He kept them open. They were already open. Christian’s got a track record,” Showalter

said. “He can do this.”

Walker had four homers and 14 RBIs early in camp, but slumped in recent days to finish with a

.227 average, was the team’s organizational player of the year in 2014.

“Obviously, the sample size is very short, and it is learning a new position regardless of how

quickly I can learn something or pick something up, so I’m going to take my time with it and get

the reps I need. Whenever anything’s good and ready, it will be my time,” Walker said.

Hardy is hitting .333 and his spring has delighted Showalter.

"It's been evident to me since the first probably week of spring training, just him moving around

and just the body language, everything when you know J.J. as well as we do,” Showalter said.

“People forget this is a shortstop capable of hitting 20-30 home runs and hitting .270 when

healthy."

The Orioles skipped Gallardo’ first start because of his late signing, and in his first two, both

against Philadelphia, the Phillies scored eight runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Seven days before, Gallardo was supposed to start at Port Charlotte against Tampa Bay, but it

was rained out after the Orioles made two outs in the first.

A minor league start was hastily arranged for Monday.

“It was a little crazy, but it shows the most important thing is the pitch count, to get the pitch

count up,” Gallardo said. “And make sure I didn’t miss that start. Otherwise, I would have been

falling behind like I was earlier in the camp.”

NOTES: The Orioles play Pittsburgh at Bradenton on Sunday night. Ubaldo Jimenez will face

Trevor Williams. … The team still has 43 players in camp. … The Orioles spring record is 8-14-

4. They’re 6-4-2 at home and 2-10-10 on the road.

http://www.csnmidatlantic.com/blog/orioles-talk/tillman-says-hes-satisfied-orioles-beat-yankees

Tillman says he's satisfied as Orioles beat Yankees

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Mid-Atlantic

March 25, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles will set their starting rotation on Sunday, and it will be a major

surprise if anyone other than Chris Tillman is their Opening Day starter.

Tillman pitched in his third official Grapefruit League game on Friday, and though the results

were statistically satisfying for him, he was perfectly content with how he threw.

He allowed five runs on six hits in four innings and left after J.J. Hardy made an error to begin

the fifth in the Orioles’ 11-10 win over the New York Yankees in 10 innings before 8,350 at Ed

Smith Stadium.

Tillman missed his first scheduled start due to a strained hip, and pitched in a “B” game. He’s

given up 10 runs on 16 hits in 9 2/3 innings.

“He’s right where he needs to be. He’s carrying a good, solid fastball,” manager Buck Showalter

said.

Tillman will presumably pitch one final time in Florida, next Wednesday against Detroit before

starting on Opening Day against Minnesota on Apr. 4.

“It was good. I made my pitches throughout. I made a lot of really good pitches with all of them.

I was pretty happy with it,” Tillman said.

Tillman struck out four and walked three, though home plate Clint Fagan’s strike zone may have

been conservative.

“There were five or six strikes that were called balls. That time of year with umpires, too,”

Showalter said.

The Orioles hit five home runs and Chris Denorfia’s three-run homer off Tillman in the second

was their big blow.

“Balls flying all over the park today. Anything in the air,” Showalter said. “It’s one of those

days. You get a few strikes called, and in a night game, it’s probably 3-2.”

RELATED: How fatherhood made J.J. Hardy stronger

Tillman didn’t think the conditions affected him.

“I didn’t think there were very many bad pitches. There were a lot of good pitches. They made

good contact, I think twice all day, so I wasn’t unhappy with it by any means,” Tillman said.

He refused an opportunity to criticize Fagan, too.

“It’s not my job to calls balls and strikes. I’m going out there throwing strikes and doing what I

can to get these guys out. I thought I made some pretty good pitches,” Tillman said.

He’ll be happy with the same kind of run support during the season.

Mark Trumbo hit his fifth home run of the spring. Caleb Joseph and Hardy had two-run shots. It

was Joseph’s first and Hardy’s second in as many days.

“We’ve been talking about this for a while now. It’s fun to watch these guys go up and hit the

ball around the park. It’s like one through nine right now and it’s fun to watch,” Tillman said.

Those were hit off New York starter Ivan Nova, who’s grappling with the fading CC Sabathia

for the final Yankees rotation spot.

Manny Machado hit a home run in the seventh to tie the score at 7 and Nolan Reimold tied it at 9

in the ninth.

Reimold had two hits. In an uninspiring spring, they were most welcome.

“He needed it. He’s been scuffling. Go home to feel good about his swing. When he’s good, he’s

real good. When he’s not in one of those periods, it’s a challenge,” Showalter said.

Minor leaguer Stefan Crichton allowed two runs to the Yankees in the 10th, and the Orioles

scored three runs in the bottom of the 10th for the win.

Garabez Rosa, who’s regularly imported from minor league camp, hit a two-run single for the

win. Rosa is 6-for-8 (.750) this spring.

Showalter said that Zach Phillips, who relieved Tillman with a runner on in the fifth and quickly

got out of the inning, may pitch every other day for the rest of spring training.

There was a scary moment in the eighth inning when third baseman Steve Tolleson collided with

catcher Francisco Pena in the eighth inning.

“It was a pop fly in no man’s land and we were both going after it, and I’m sure we were both

calling it,” Tolleson said. “I had my arms up and had my breath knocked out of me. I tightened

up a little bit. I’m sure I’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”

NOTES: Brian Matusz, who had a cortisone shot on Sunday, threw a side session and is

scheduled to pitch on Sunday. … Matt Wieters got 11 at-bats in an intrasquad minor league

game. The Orioles may decide on Saturday when he’ll catch in a major league game. … Kevin

Gausman (shoulder) got treatment, but did not throw. …Outfielder Felix Perez, who signed a

minor league contract earlier this month, has requested his release to pursue an opportunity in

Japan. …Yovani Gallardo pitches for the Orioles on Saturday against the Boston Red Sox.

…The Orioles recorded their ninth sellout of the spring.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-opponent-quality-stat-sheds-light-on-

competition-for-orioles-regulars-in-spring-training-20160327-story.html

Opponent quality stat sheds light on competition for Orioles

regulars in spring training

By Jon Meoli / The Sun

March 28, 2016

In spring training, one of the most difficult questions anyone can ask is, “What does it all mean?”

The answer most typically arrive at is not a whole lot.

Pitchers will tell you they're working on different things and building up their arms, not

approaching individual at-bats the way they would in the regular season. Hitters are trying to find

their timing and hone the batter’s eye that only game action can allow them to do, and they

disregard the results — unless they’re good, of course.

And everyone will point to the competition. Rosters can be heavy on major leaguers, almost

exclusively feature players ticketed for various levels of the minors, or be anywhere in between.

Now, however, there’s a way to quantify that.

Baseball Reference’s player pages, which are already indispensable, feature a stat using a point

system that assigns a number on a 1-10 scale to the pitcher or batters that a player has faced

based on their highest level of play the previous season.

Major leaguers are worth 10, Triple-A players 8, Double-A 7, High-A 5 and Low-A 4. Short-

season players and rookie-ball players are worth between 3 and 1.5 points, the site says.

Baseball Reference instituted the stat in 2013, and in an explanatory post from that year said

anything at 9 or above meant the player faced mostly major leaguers. Anything below 9 meant it

was more minor leaguers.

There are plenty of other factors that play into it, but it seems useful in assessing spring training

stats as roster decision time looms.

Let’s begin with the spring training darling of Orioles camp, Rule 5 outfielder Joey Rickard.

Decades of baseball experience are driving caution with Orioles manager Buck Showalter, who

despite being regularly impressed by Rickard knows there was a reason he was left unprotected

by the Tampa Bay Rays. He understands there’s still a difference between performing well in

spring training and doing it in actual big league games.

How big of a difference? Rickard has an opponent quality of 7.5 in stats that appear to be

through Friday’s games, meaning the quality of pitcher he has faced is somewhere between the

Double-A and Triple-A level. Among players who the Orioles could reasonably bring north to

Baltimore on Friday, that’s the lowest opponent quality of them all. And that will make for a big

jump come April.

Another outfielder who’s been the topic of much discussion this spring, Korean left fielder Hyun

Soo Kim, unfortunately doesn’t have his spring stats on his page. For a player like him, who’s

already dealing with so much adjusting to American life and trying to translate his skills to the

game here, it would be a very useful tool. But since his page only features his Korean stats, the

spring training stats aren’t there.

There are a few other hitters who this could reasonably used to decipher whether hot springs are

real or not, starting with third baseman Jonathan Schoop. He’s batting .358/.393/.566 with three

home runs this spring, and through Friday has an opponent quality of 8 — a Triple-A pitcher.

Given Schoop is a dead-red fastball hitter, and pitchers are mostly just trying to get their work in,

he could see more of those in the spring and simply be jumping on them. It will be much more

indicative when the season starts if Schoop continues to produce like this when he gets a steady

diet of spin.

Another player who has hit well this spring is right fielder Mark Trumbo, who has a team-

leading five home runs and is slashing .308/.321/.615. His opponent quality through Friday is

8.5, which is tied with first baseman Pedro Alvarez for the highest among the position player

regulars. (Catcher Matt Wieters also has a 8.5 but has only 16 at-bats because of an injury).

Similarly, a healthy version of shortstop J.J. Hardy looks as good as he has since 2014 this

spring. He’s batting .333/.366/.641 with home runs in three straight games, and has an opponent

quality of 8.1.

For reference’s sake, I’ll list every players' opponent quality at the bottom, but first let’s look at

some notable pitchers.

The Orioles’ five starting rotation frontrunners — Chris Tillman, Ubaldo Jimenez, Yovani

Gallardo, Kevin Gausman and Miguel Gonzalez — have seldom gotten good results this spring.

Showalter often chalks that up to the hot, breezy conditions in Florida, and the pitchers say they

feel good but have been made to pay for the handful of mistakes they have made.

Tillman, who has allowed 10 earned runs in 9 1/3 innings over three starts, has an opponent

quality of 9. He faced a full-strength lineup at the Toronto Blue Jays on March 15, and got

similarly strong lineups from Tampa Bay and the New York Yankees in his two ensuing home

starts. That contributes to him having the highest opponent quality among the team’s pitchers.

Given those are division opponents, it’s even fair to assume that Tillman didn’t pitch those

batters the way he would in the regular season.

Jimenez’s stats weren't updated late Sunday night after he allowed three runs without getting out

of the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates to bring his spring ERA to 12.27, and doesn’t

take into account that he faced minor league lineups twice. He has an opponent quality of 8.7.

For Gallardo, the opponent quality of 8.7 doesn’t factor in the barebones Red Sox lineup that

scored seven earned runs off him in 3 2/3 innings Saturday and featured two starters who didn’t

play above Class A in 2015 and several more Double-A and Triple-A players.

Gonzalez has started against major-league heavy lineups in road games against Tampa Bay, New

York, Minnesota and Pittsburgh, and has a 12.56 ERA. His opponent quality is 8.5.

For Gausman, who is battling shoulder tendinitis and seems likely to begin the season on the

disabled list with just two Grapefruit League starts under his belt, the opponent quality is 8.9.

The other candidates for the starting rotation if Gausman can’t go early or someone else is held

out are Tyler Wilson (2.92 ERA in 12 1/3 innings; 8.5 opponent quality) Mike Wright (5.74

ERA in 15 2/3 innings; 8.7 opponent quality), Vance Worley (4.61 ERA in 13 2/3 innings; 8.5

opponent quality) and Odrisamer Despaigne (6.75 ERA in 13 1/3 innings; 8.4 opponent quality).

So it seems like if we’re going to ascribe a level of play to spring training, it’s somewhere close

to Triple-A on average. The beginnings of games, most featuring major league starters against

each other, can be high, but the quality level drops off sometimes drastically by the end.

If nothing else, these can guide a little of the discourse as the Orioles begin to make roster

judgments this week. But it’s just as likely that this, like so many other spring stats, will be

thrown out the window once camp breaks Thursday.

Here’s the opponent quality for the rest of the Orioles who are either on the major league roster

or on its fringes. All ratings appear to be through Friday’s games.

Hitters

First baseman Chris Davis -- .190/.292/.357 with two home runs in 42 at-bats; 8.1 opponent

quality.

First baseman Pedro Alvarez -- .200/.273/.467 with two home runs in 30 at-bats; 8.5 opponent

quality.

Third baseman Manny Machado -- .306/.358/.612 with four home runs in 39 at-bats; 8.1

opponent quality.

Shortstop Paul Janish -- .293/.375/.390 with one home run in 41 at-bats; 7.5 opponent quality.

Center fielder Adam Jones -- .286/.333/.524 with three home runs in 42 at-bats; 8.0 opponent

quality.

Outfielder Nolan Reimold -- .255/.327/.426 with two home runs in 47 at-bats; 7.8 opponent

quality.

Catcher Caleb Joseph -- .311/.326/.400 with one home run in 45 at-bats; 8.2 opponent quality.

Catcher Matt Wieters -- .125/.125/.222 in 16 at-bats; 8.5 opponent quality.

Infielder Ryan Flaherty -- .351/.479/.514 with one home run in 37 at-bats; 7.8 opponent quality.

Pitchers

Closer Zach Britton – 1.29 ERA, 0.71 WHIP in seven innings; 8.2 opponent quality.

Reliever Darren O’Day – 10.50 ERA, 2.33 WHIP in six innings; 8.2 opponent quality.

Reliever Mychal Givens – 1.00 ERA, 1.56 WHIP in nine innings; 7.6 opponent quality.

Reliever Brad Brach – 3.38 ERA, 1.75 WHIP in eight innings; 7.9 opponent quality.

Reliever T.J. McFarland – 7.56 ERA, 2.28 WHIP in 8 1/3 innings; 8.4 opponent quality.

Reliever Chaz Roe – 2.38 ERA, 1.41 WHIP in 11 1/3 innings; 8.0 opponent quality.

Reliever Oliver Drake – 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP in nine innings; 7.8 opponent quality.

Reliever Dylan Bundy – 4.35 ERA, 1.16 WHIP in 10 1/3 innings; 8.1 opponent quality.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-slugger-pedro-alvarez-homers-to-

cap-warm-reunion-at-pirates-spring-stadium-20160327-story.html

Orioles slugger Pedro Alvarez homers to cap warm reunion

at Pirates' spring stadium

By Jon Meoli / The Sun

March 27, 2016

Pedro Alvarez was warmly received by former teammates, fans at the Pirates' spring home, then

homered on them.

Orioles first baseman Pedro Alvarez made his return to the Pirates’ McKechnie Field — the only

spring training home he had ever known until this month — and made it memorable for everyone

except his former team Sunday.

But manager Buck Showalter said he didn’t sense any ill will on what seemed to be a night of

warm reunions between Alvarez and the Pirates.

“I’m very sensitive to, like, when he first got to us, I would never ask him about playing against

the Pirates or whatever,” Showalter said. “We had one opportunity where we didn’t, just to kind

of let him get settled in a little bit.

"You basically kind of grow up with an organization, be a first-round pick and not have some

ties to it. I think he’s handled it real well. I don’t think there’s any [extra meaning] — I didn’t see

any of that. They gave him a great opportunity, drafted him top five in the country. I think

everything I’ve talked to him [about] and heard, he’s very thankful for the opportunity they gave

him.”

Alvarez, nontendered by Pittsburgh this offseason after a difficult 2015 season, signed a one-

year, $5.75 million contract with the Orioles on March 10.

During the Pirates’ batting practice before the game, he caught up with old friends on the field,

embracing manager Clint Hurdle, coach Dave Jauss and star center fielder Andrew McCutchen,

among others.

He received a nice ovation from Pirates fans when introduced for his first at-bat, and promptly

hit his second home run of the spring, onto the boardwalk above the Pirates bullpen in right field.

It was Alvarez’s second home run of the spring, and came before designated hitter Nolan

Reimold hit a homer of his own and helped the Orioles to an early 2-0 lead. The home run

marked Alvarez’s fourth extra-base hit in 30 Grapefruit League at-bats, though he has spent two

days getting work at minor league camp in Twin Lakes this past week. He struck out in his final

two appearances in Sunday's 5-3 win, but the 1-for-3 showing brought his spring batting average

to .200.

Alvarez played against the Pirates earlier this spring, but this was his first trip to Bradenton.

After the game, Showalter outlined just how important Alvarez would be to the Orioles after a

strong defensive game at first base, a position he learned only last year in Pittsburgh.

“The biggest thing is he’s just engaged in it,” Showalter said. "We talked to him and we’re going

to need him to play some first play some third and be available. On the surface going into the

season, it looks like he’s going to serve a lot of his role as the DH, but that can change in one

oblique [injury], one whatever. He’s a big part of the what-if if we’ve got to go somewhere at

first or third [base.]”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-as-innings-dry-up-for-veteran-relievers-in-

orioles-camp-it-s-either-opt-out-or-wait-it-out-20160327-story.html

As innings dry up for veteran relievers in Orioles camp, it's

either opt out or wait it out

By Jon Meoli / The Sun

March 27, 2016

There's not much some veteran Orioles relievers can do about their lack of innings this spring.

As he’s sent out pitching prospects from big league camp this spring, Orioles manager Buck

Showalter has often said it’s because the innings in major league games are disappearing and

there’s no time for them to pitch. For the young, up-and-coming arms, a return to minor league

camp means they can work as starters and get more innings than they would in major league

camp.

But for those non-roster invitees in the bullpen who don’t go back to minor league camp, this

time of year is always the most difficult. On Saturday, veteran reliever Dale Thayer exercised an

opt-out in his contract that allowed him to leave the Orioles and become a free agent. Neither he

nor fellow veteran reliever Todd Redmond had pitched since March 17, though Showalter said

they knew it would be this way.

“They get into a lot of stuff, just not necessarily in the game,” Showalter said. “Not really

[difficult]. It’s like the position players, you look at at-bats and innings, they knew where the

opportunities were going to be. They took advantage of that. It’s time when we have to get guys

at-bats and innings to get prepared for the season. They know that. And they also knew coming

in here the opportunities were going to be in the first three weeks.”

Reliever Pedro Beato, who went from March 16 to March 25 without pitching in a game, also

falls into that category. Beato allowed his first earned run in his fifth appearance Friday, giving

him a 1.29 ERA in seven innings. Thayer left camp with six innings of work under his belt and a

4.50 ERA in six innings. Redmond has allowed five earned runs in seven innings over six

appearances.

After Thursday’s game with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Redmond got his work in in the bullpen. He

said there’s not much he can do about the opportunities dwindling.

“It’s always tough, but you’ve got to do what you can to stay fresh,” Redmond said. “You’re

still competing, all the way until the last day. But I was pitching pretty regularly early on. It was

good. It was fun. I still feel like I can go out there and pitch some more, but besides that, you do

stuff to stay fresh and be ready.”

Redmond said those post-game sessions are ones you “just treat as a normal bullpen.”

Redmond, unlike Thayer, said he doesn’t have an opt-out on the horizon, so it seems to be a

waiting game until he gets his assignment to start the season.

Thayer’s opt-out, which was first reported by MLB Trade Rumors, came as the Orioles were

hosting the first of what they hope to be an annual charity event in Sarasota, Nashville’s Music

Row comes to the Ballpark.

A host of players and team partners crowded into a tent behind Ed Smith Stadium to hear

performances by hit country songwriters Desmond Child, Bob DiPiero, Justin Wilson, and

Nashville newcomer Margaret Valentine. Proceeds from the invite only event benefited the

Sarasota Family YMCA Youth Programs and Music Health Alliance, which provides healthcare

resources to musicians.

Jennifer Grondahl, president of the YMCA Foundation of Sarasota, said the Orioles approached

them about being the local beneficiary for the event.

“We’ve had a relationship for a while,” Grondahl said. “The Orioles have been a huge supporter

of the Y locally, so it was sort of a natural partnership. … The funds from tonight will be used to

help children who otherwise would not be able to participate in sports and summer camp through

scholarships that the Y provides, and we scholarship many children — more than $500,000

worth of scholarships in Sarasota County last year.”

Orioles executive vice president John Angelos said the event is one of many steps they’re taking

“to make the team incredibly ingrained in the community here.”

He said the Orioles’ are proud of their economic impact in the area — in 2015, the county and

state said the Orioles generated $81 million annually. They’ve also supported tourism in

Sarasota, but the community aspect is just as important, he said.

“What tonight’s about is artists and athletes being active in the community,” Angelos said. “We

can really make a tremendous community outreach by using our good fortune as ownership

groups, as Orioles athletes, as great Nashville songwriters. We can create impact in the

community. This is the first of what we hope will be an annual event here in Sarasota."

“It’s Baltimore South,” manager Buck Showalter said. “That’s why we have Camden Yards

South there. It’s a partnership in more ways than one. We get a lot out of it, and we like to think

Sarasota gets quality things out of it. But this isn’t just to repay something. This is what’s right.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-buck-showalter-hesitant-to-say-whether-

hyun-soo-kim-will-make-orioles-roster-20160327-story.html

As Joey Rickard emerges for Orioles, Hyun Soo Kim's

future becomes unclear

By Ed Encina / The Sun

March 27, 2016

BRADENTON, Fla. — When the Orioles signed South Korean outfielder Hyun Soo Kim in

December, they expected him to be the club’s starting left fielder on Opening Day.

Now, with Opening Day just a week away, Kim’s future with the club is unclear. It’s uncertain

whether the 28-year-old still will be in the organization on Opening Day, let alone in the starting

lineup or on the 25-man roster.

Meanwhile, the emergence of Rule 5 draft pick Joey Rickard — whose push to make the club

has been one of the more surprising developments of spring training — has been so impressive

that Rickard is now under consideration to be the club’s starting left fielder. He’s beginning to

appear regularly alongside the team’s starters as the preseason winds down.

“I haven’t heard much so far, and I wouldn’t expect to, honestly,” Rickard said when asked

whether he has been told of his role. “There is a big week left. I would expect that they have

time, and I wouldn’t count on them to make a decision anytime sooner than they’d like.”

The Orioles could be considering severing ties with Kim and his two-year, $7 million contract.

According to a Fox Sports report Saturday, the Orioles have had internal discussions about the

possibility of releasing Kim from his contract so that he can return to the Korean Baseball

Organization, where he was one of the league’s top players for the past decade.

The Orioles made a similar move last year with right-hander Suk-min Yoon, working a deal to

release him from his contract and negotiating his return to the Kia Tigers of the KBO. Yoon

forwent $4.3 million owed to him for the right to return to the KBO and sign a two-year, $8.2

million deal with the Tigers.

The signs that the Orioles are trying to part with Kim are becoming evident. He was on the travel

roster for Sunday's road game against the Pirates in Bradenton but didn't play, and Orioles

manager Buck Showalter said that Kim wouldn't travel to Fort Myers for Monday afternoon's

game against the Boston Red Sox.

Kim has had his opportunities to win the starting job in left field. He started there in nine of the

Orioles’ first 13 Grapefruit League games. But Kim went hitless in his first 24 plate appearances

over his first seven games while struggling defensively in left field with both his range and arm.

Since opening the season hitless, Kim has started to find his form at the plate, going 8-for-23

(.347 batting average) in his past nine games.

Showalter was hesitant Sunday to endorse Kim’s chances of making the big league roster. Asked

whether he believes Kim will make the big league club — according to a clause in his deal, he

must give the team permission to send him to the minors — Showalter said he was "competing,"

then backtracked slightly.

“That’s not completely true,” Showalter said. “So we’ll see what the next few days bring. We’ve

got some tough decisions to make.”

Showalter said Rickard’s surge wouldn’t affect Kim’s chances of making the club. Rickard, a

former Tampa Bay Rays prospect, has all but won an Opening Day roster spot.

Rickard entered the spring competing with Nolan Reimold for one of the final bench spots. He

has been the Orioles’ top hitter this spring, batting .396 (21-for-53) in 23 Grapefruit League

games. His 21 hits this spring lead the club.

Kim opened spring training as the team’s projected starting left fielder, but Rickard has produced

at the plate — mostly from the leadoff spot — and played well defensively.

There is a scenario in which the Orioles can carry both Rickard and Reimold on the Opening

Day roster. After struggling for most of the spring — he had just six hits in his first 40 at-bats —

Reimold is 6-for-7 with two homers and four RBIs in his past three games.

Rickard opened the spring playing center field on the road regularly with the Orioles reserves.

He has made each of his past two starts in left field and batted leadoff in games that featured a

heavy dose of regulars.

Rickard said he wasn’t looking too much into the fact that he was appearing with the regulars

more often.

“I don’t really think like that,” Rickard said before the Orioles' game Sunday, when he came off

the bench in the seventh and started a two-run ninth with a leadoff single . “I just think the last

couple days, I didn’t play, so maybe they put me up there to get at-bats. I really don’t know if

that was anything special or not.”

There are many facets of Rickard’s game besides his bat that are attractive to the Orioles. He can

aptly play all three outfield positions — he came up through the organization as a center fielder

— and his ability to bat leadoff would allow the Orioles to move third baseman Manny Machado

down in the order.

“Maybe to lead off the game, there is a little bit more to see pitches,” Rickard said. “After that, it

kind of depends on the game, how it’s going and what the situation is. With those runners on,

you’re obviously not looking to walk. You’re going to be more aggressive. Maybe the first at-

bat, I was a little more selective.”

Though Kim has struggled, Showalter said his opinion of Kim hasn’t changed.

“No, because I really didn’t have” an opinion, Showalter said. “I really came into it formulating

[my own], listening to a lot of people who had an opinion, listening to what they thought he’d be

or not be. Then you try to formulate your own. … This guy’s drove in, what, 121 runs last year

in 144 games, and with those numbers, he was probably one of the top-five players in the league.

He was pretty good.”

Kim, who said Sunday that he hadn’t seen the Fox Sports report, said he is still happy with the

decision he made to come to the U.S. to play in the major leagues.

“There’s much more I have to show, so as far as performance-wise, there’s more to go,” Kim

said through interpreter Danny Lee before Sunday’s game. “I don’t want to complain or

anything. I’ll just do whatever I can. ... Struggles are always struggles for anybody. I’m just

going to follow along and face whatever is coming in front of me and try my best to overcome

it.”

Asked whether he believes he has played well enough to win the starting left field job, Kim said:

“I haven’t thought about it. ... [The question] hasn't come along yet."

As for Rickard, he’s confident he can play left field and believes he has played well enough to

make the club. But he could end up being more than that. He could be the Orioles’ starting left

fielder on Opening Day.

“I think I can” play left, Rickard said. “But just talking with the guys, spring is spring. The lights

get brighter once the season starts. I feel like I’ve done a decent job in spring training, hopefully

they think so too.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-buck-showalter-on-matt-wieters-opening-

day-availability-i-know-hes-planning-on-it-20160327-story.html

Buck Showalter on Matt Wieters' Opening Day availability:

'I know he's planning on it'

By Jon Meoli / The Sun

March 27, 2016

The O's have avoided timelines for Matt Wieters, until now. Showalter: "I know he's planning

on" Opening Day.

After Matt Wieters caught in a game Sunday for the first time since injuring his surgically

repaired right elbow two weeks ago, Orioles manager Buck Showalter gave his strongest

declaration yet on his All-Star catcher’s availability for the beginning of the season.

Asked Sunday whether Wieters was on pace to be available for Opening Day on April 4 at

Camden Yards, Showalter said he was.

“I know he’s planning on it,” Showalter said.

Otherwise, Showalter said Wieters' intrasquad minor league game at the team’s Twin Lakes

complex “went well as could hope."

“It’s a good step, catching in a game,” Showalter said.

“He had a lot of base runners intentionally. I think he had, like, six or seven throws. The first

one, [bench coach John Russell] thought was a little tentative. After that, it was good.”

Russell said Wieters threw to second base four times, with one of the throws appearing to get the

runner but called safe. He threw out both runners who attempted to steal third base, Russell said.

“His [pop] times got progressively better each time,” Russell said.

Wieters has recovered quickly from the injury, which he suffered in a game March 12 when he

started feeling soreness after a throw to second base in the first inning of a game against the

Minnesota Twins.

An MRI revealed the issue wasn’t structural, and though no diagnosis of what caused the

tightness Wieters felt was given, he said after the injury that he was treating it as the normal

soreness a catcher might get this time of year.

But because of his 2014 Tommy John surgery, the team moved slowly with him. He began

throwing early last week, and stretched out the distances as he added at-bats in minor league

games. He also served as the designated hitter in a major league game March 24, the last day a

player could appear and still have a disabled-list assignment backdated to March 25, which is as

far back as a trip to the DL can be retroactively begun.

Once Wieters reports how he feels Monday morning, they’ll map out a plan to get him back for

Opening Day. That could include more minor league games, as Showalter has said they won’t

have him catch in a major league game unless they’re sure he will be ready by April 4.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-ubaldo-jimenez-in-quietly-strong-spring-is-

the-orioles-darkhorse-opening-day-starter-candidate-20160326-story.html

Ubaldo Jimenez, in quietly strong spring, is the Orioles'

dark-horse Opening Day starter candidate

By Jon Meoli / The Sun

March 27, 2016

Chris Tillman has done it the past two years, but why not Ubaldo Jimenez as this year's Opening

Day starter?

Sunday always loomed as the day when Orioles manager Buck Showalter knew he’d have to get

his starting rotation in order for the April 4 Opening Day game against the Minnesota Twins and

the ensuing week of pitching.

While many will rightly assume that the honor of starting the Orioles’ opener will go to the man

who has done it the past two years, Chris Tillman, a second candidate has emerged this spring

for whom such a distinction would have been unthinkable at this time last year: right-hander

Ubaldo Jimenez.

The veteran Jimenez has been, by all accounts, at his very best throughout spring training after

retiring just one batter in the Grapefruit League opener in Orlando against the Atlanta Braves. In

two major league starts since, he combined for 6 1/3 innings with five hits, one earned run and

five strikeouts to just two walks.

His two appearances ahead of Sunday’s scheduled start against the Pittsburgh Pirates came in

minor league camp against the Boston Red Sox’s Triple-A affiliate. Jimenez allowed one earned

run on one hit and struck out seven in five innings in the first outing, then on Tuesday struck out

eight and walked one in 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing four hits.

“The coaching staff, they’re aware of where I am right now compared to how I was last year or

the year before,” Jimenez said. “They know me now, so they know that I’m in a really good

position with my mechanics, with my pitches, with everything, that every time I get on the

mound, I’m comfortable and confident that I can get people out.”

Manager Buck Showalter has watched video of the starts at Twin Lakes Park with the minor

leaguers, and said it has been more of the same from Jimenez in a good way.

“He’s pitched well in the A games, too,” Showalter said. “Ubaldo’s had a good spring. It’s been

good. He kind of picked up where he left off last year, knock on wood.”

Where he left off last year was the best he has been with the Orioles. Outside of Wei-Yin Chen,

who’s now a Miami Marlin, Jimenez was probably the team’s most consistent starter in the first

half. He struggled through July and August, then rebounded to post a 3.19 ERA in September

and October to finish with a 4.11 ERA on the year.

All of that was a marked improvement over 2014, the first year of his four-year, $50 million

contract with the Orioles. That year, he had a 4.81 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP, eventually lost his

spot in the rotation, and was left off the roster for the American League Championship Series.

Jimenez said he’s not letting how far he has come with the organization, or where he slots in the

rotation, take away from a spring when he says he has never felt better.

“I haven’t even think about it, I’m just trying to get ready for the season and wherever they put

me, I’m going to do everything possible to do my job,” Jimenez said. “But I mean, if you get an

opportunity like that. It’s great. But the main focus for me is to get ready for the season. It

doesn’t matter.

“Last year was the first time that I ever was the fifth starter. I just went out there and tried to do

my job the same as I was the second starter, the first, third — it didn’t matter. So for me, I’ve

been high, I’ve been the top and I’ve been the bottom.”

Jimenez started on Opening Day for the Colorado Rockies in 2010 and 2011, and said the

experience was one he’ll always remember.

“Of course it’s special for anyone,” Jimenez said. “It doesn’t matter if you’ve done it a thousand

[times] — it’s always special to be there on the first day, taking the field with your teammates.”

Whether it happens for him is up to circumstance. As currently lined up, Tillman would be on

schedule to start the game. Jimenez, if his five-day routine isn’t altered, would be on schedule for

April 6, the second game of the season. It would take some adjusting for the Orioles to not have

Tillman start the opener again, but that Jimenez is even an option has to be seen as a good sign

for his prospects in 2016.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-spring-training-0327-20160326-

story.html

Orioles' Dylan Bundy paints his path to new spring hobby

By Jon Meoli / The Sun

March 27, 2017

Dylan Bundy was always artistic, and now he uses those tendencies to fill his time away from

baseball.

A tradition meant to break up the monotony of spring training and lighten the clubhouse mood as

March grinds on, the Orioles' annual talent show has been a venue for acts both serious and silly

over the years.

This year's edition did something more than just endear the rookies to the veterans — it pushed

right-hander Dylan Bundy discover a passion for acrylic painting that has helped him relax

during a demanding spring training where he has had to adjust to life as a reliever.

Every player has his hobbies, and Bundy will sheepishly tell you he's "not that good" at his

newest. But it's an outlet for something that existed in him for as long as he can remember, and

it's something that has consumed a good deal of his time off the field over the past few weeks.

"It just seems like we're always doing something," Bundy said. "There's meetings, there's extra

stuff we've got to do off the field. Anytime you can get about two or three hours to yourself, it's

pretty neat."

"It doesn't surprise me that he's kind of picked up this somewhat new hobby," said Bobby

Bundy, Dylan's older brother and spring training roommate. "But it is nice to see him in a

happier state, him being happy and pitching well and feeling good."

Dylan Bundy has always been artistic, acknowledging he spent his childhood causing the rest of

his family grief whenever they left a marker around the house.

"I've always liked to draw," Dylan said. "Colored pencil, sketching, paint. You can ask my

brother and my dad. I used to draw on everything in the house — the walls, the dressers,

everything."

Added Bobby: "All of his dressers and things like that always got new markings on it. Even if it

was wood, it didn't matter. We had trouble keeping markers and things like that out of his hand

because he was always drawing on things and trying to make something of it."

What Dylan wouldn't share publicly, however, was how he caught the painting bug this spring.

His brother outed him on that — and inadvertently sparked the artistic movement that has swept

over the Orioles clubhouse.

"It all started when he went with his girlfriend to 'Painting with a Twist' down here," Bobby said.

The specialty art studio hosts lively painting classes where a glass of wine or twomakes everyone

feel better about the finished product. Days later, Bobby scrolled through and saw his younger

brother's Instagram post from that night.

"Dude, that was really good," Bobby told him. "I'm kind of impressed. I'm kind of impressed

with your painting that you painted the other day with Caitlin."

"You think so?" Dylan asked.

"It was actually really good," Bobby insisted.

Before long, Dylan decided to make that his talent show act.

"He comes home the next day with six canvases, 15 brushes and all this paint," Bobby said. "He

had it all. He had a stand for his canvas, he laid out a sheet on the bottom so he wouldn't get

paint on the floor — he did it all professional."

That week, he painted a practice version of the red-and-white, windblown horse he chose for his

talent show piece and proudly showed off a picture of it to everyone who would look. When it

came time to do it on the stage set up in the middle of the team's clubhouse for all to see, it

wasn't so easy.

"I was shaking up there," Dylan said, smiling. "I got it done within five minutes. It was neat — a

little horse. It looked good."

"I was shocked to know that he was so talented," first baseman Chris Davis said.

Fellow pitcher Mike Wright liked the work, too. He named the painting Scarlet and has it

hanging on his apartment wall.

"Someone wanting your work is pretty neat, I guess," Dylan said.

According to his brother, that list of patrons is growing.

"Now, it's kind of getting some attention, and you've got four or five guys on the team that want

him to paint something," Bobby said. "So he's painting horses and trees and sunsets and all this

stuff for different guys on the team who, I guess, want to put it in their house. It's pretty cool."

It's not the attention that started Dylan on the painting path, nor is it a terribly deep appreciation

for art. The only thing he understands about million-dollar artwork is that his doesn't fall in that

category, though he believes he could probably mimic that, too.

It provides Dylan with an important bit of solace during a spring when so much has been on the

line for him. The fourth overall pick in the 2011 draft signed a major league contract with a $4

million signing bonus. He made it to the majors at the end of his first full season in 2012, and

was near the top of nearly every prospect list thanks to his lively high-90s fastball and

picturesque breaking ball.

Arm troubles robbed him of the entire 2013 season, leading to Tommy John elbow

reconstruction. That bled into 2014, when he pitched on a limited basis and logged 41 1/3

innings. The next season, he pitched 22 innings before rare calcium buildup in his right shoulder

needed to be addressed and ended his season. He returned to pitch in the Arizona Fall League,

but when arm soreness crept up, he was shut down out of an abundance of caution.

When he entered major league camp this year out of minor league options — he used all three

that players are typically allotted, plus the fourth that he accumulated for not having enough

service time in his first three years. It made his name written in pen for a relief role, as he needed

to build his arm strength back up and stay in the organization that has invested so much in him

already.

Dylan has taken the whole move in stride, adjusting well to the new role after spending most of

his life as a starting pitcher. But even a busybody like Dylan — whose older brother said he'd

rather chop wood or ride around in his buggy and check deer stands than sit still for an hour —

needs something to unwind with. That's what painting has become this spring.

Back home in Oklahoma, Dylan will hunt for days on end to clear his mind. When all he has are

his spring afternoons after a game or workouts in Sarasota, painting suffices.

"Those probably don't go together very much," Dylan said. "You probably don't see a guy from

Oklahoma hunting one day and painting something the next day."

He moved on from painting horses to work on sunset landscapes and elaborate mountain scenes.

The former was a success, he noted as he scrolled through pictures on his iPhone to show them

off. He was only able to describe another picture: "a mountain and some trees and sunset and

fog," Dylan said. There was no picture.

"It wasn't so pretty," he conceded. "It didn't turn out too good."

For the type of person whose high school workout routine was the stuff of lore, it's natural to

hear that he's moving quickly with his newest hobby. His initial plan for the talent show was to

paint for his teammates while upside down, but that proved more difficult.

There might be classes in his future if there's time, and if not, online instructional videos will

suffice. He knows it won't be his livelihood when baseball is done forever, but it's something to

do when baseball is done each day.

"We get out of here by noon," Dylan said. "I've got to figure out something to do."

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-christian-walker-optioned-to-triplea-

norfolk-to-be-everyday-left-fielder-20160326-story.html

Orioles' Christian Walker optioned to Triple-A Norfolk to be

everyday left fielder

By Jon Meoli / The Sun

March 27, 2016

Christian Walker is riding a strong spring into the everyday left field job with Triple-A Norfolk.

The Orioles optioned Christian Walker to Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday, with mandate that the

team’s International League affiliate makes the natural first baseman its everyday left fielder.

With a glut of first basemen already on the major league roster, the organization sees left field as

a way to get Walker’s powerful right-handed bat in the lineup on a more regular basis, and his

minor league work will help that along.

“It’s motivational,” Walker said. “I feel like anytime something like this happens, it’s for an

opportunity. You can’t obviously predict the future or anything like that, but I’m just going to

work on picking it up as quick as I can and playing my game and hopefully the rest falls into

place.”

Before this month, Walker had never played left field in a game. He made his debut there in an

eventful contest that featured several balls hit his way on March 15 against the Toronto Blue

Jays. He most recently played left field in a start Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, which

proved to be his last start in the Grapefruit League.

Walker said he’ll be able to pick the position up quickly. He said working during major league

camp with first base coach Wayne Kirby, and his future work with outfield coordinator Scott

Beerer, will speed up the process.

“Obviously, the sample size is very short, and it is learning a new position, regardless of how

quickly I can learn something or pick something up,” he said. “So I’m going to take my time

with it and get the reps I need. Whenever anything’s good and ready, it will be my time.”

The move out to left field was to possibly accommodate Walker’s hot bat this spring, though an

unsettled left field situation on the major league roster also factored into it. Walker peaked

heading into March 18, with home runs in two straight games giving him a .290/.286/.829 slash

line with four home runs and 14 RBIs. But a stretch of one hit in his last 13 at-bats over six

games lowered his final line to .227/.245/.636.

Showalter said Walker, the organization’s minor league Player of the Year in 2014, didn’t open

eyes this spring but kept them open.

“Christian’s got a track record, and I thought he was more centered,” Showalter said. “He can do

this. And I know he’s excited about playing the outfield. He’s played some third base. He’s

actually been a catcher in high school and some when he first went to South Carolina. He let that

slip out today. Don’t think I didn’t file that one away for a third catcher guy.”

Veteran reliever Dale Thayer also opted out of his minor league contract with the Orioles on

Saturday, reducing the number of players in camp to 42 including seven nonroster invitees.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/169332708/orioles-jonathan-schoop-poised-for-breakout

Schoop poised for breakout season Orioles infielder's main focus is staying healthy

By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com

March 28, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Orioles infielder Jonathan Schoop arrived at Spring Training a little leaner,

more committed to the weight room, with a singular focus for this season: staying healthy.

If Schoop - who missed more than 11 weeks with a knee injury in 2015 -- gave any indication

last season of what he's capable of, he's in line for a huge 2016.

With 15 homers in 86 games, it's not unreasonable to think Schoop -- listed as 6-foot-1 and 225

pounds -- could lead all second baseman in homers and easily eclipse the 25-homer mark. The

24-year-old will be entering his third Major League season and, along with shortstop J.J. Hardy,

has had an impressive Grapefruit League season. Schoop had three homers and nine RBIs

entering Sunday, and appears poised for a breakout season.

"He was pretty good last year," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "He's maintained where

he was. Jon's a well-conditioned guy. [Vice president of baseball operations] Brady [Anderson]

was telling me if you go through cardio stuff, Jon would be right at the top. Jon is primed and

ready to go."

The Orioles wanted to make sure Schoop rehabbed his leg over the winter and regained strength,

and that's exactly what he has done. And despite Baltimore's lineup additions and power at

nearly every position, Schoop has a knack for well-timed homers and feasting off Yankees

ace Masahiro Tanaka.

Schoop posted a .279/.306/.482 line last season and hit in the No. 6 spot most often (28 games),

batting seventh 18 times, eighth 16 times and fifth 15. Schoop was also a dangerous No. 9 batter,

homering three times in nine games out of that spot. While Showalter has a lot of lineup options,

Schoop could see more of the No. 9 spot this season, particularly when catcher Matt Wieters is

behind the plate (as opposed toCaleb Joseph).

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/169298114/orioles-matt-wieters-catches-intrasquad-game

O's pleased by Wieters' progress behind plate Catcher shows off arm in intrasquad game, should be ready to start season

By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com

March 27, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Sunday that Matt Wieters, who

caught in an intrasquad game, is planning on being ready for Opening Day.

Wieters caught Brian Matusz, Darren O'Day, Todd Redmond, Zach Britton and Chris Lee on

Sunday, and his arm got progressively better. Bench coach John Russell said Wieters -- who had

some elbow soreness earlier in spring -- threw out two runners trying to steal third. Wieters also

threw to second base four times.

Showalter said he's confident Wieters will be ready to start the season, and the team will wait to

see how he feels on Monday before deciding the next step.

Matusz, who has been dealing with a low back injury, will pitch again on Tuesday.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/169293362/baltimore-orioles-hyun-soo-kim-report

Orioles dismiss report regarding Kim

By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com

March 27, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Orioles manager Buck Showalter didn't have much of an opinion on

Saturday night's report that the organization has had internal discussions of sending Hyun Soo

Kim back to South Korea.

"That makes for good fodder," said Showalter, who added that he didn't have a reaction to the

FOXSports.com report.

Kim, signed to a two-year, $7 million contract this winter, started the season 0-for-23, but has

fared better recently and raised his average to .182 in 48 Grapefruit League plate appearances.

Originally projected to be the team's Opening Day left fielder, Showalter said Rule 5

outfielder Joey Rickard's impressive spring does not impact Kim.

"We'll see what the next few days bring. We've got some tough decisions to make. "

Kim said through his interpreter on Sunday morning that he was not aware of the report, but he

knows he has a lot more to show performance-wise.

"Struggles are always struggles for anybody," Kim said. "I'm just going to follow along and face

whatever is coming in front of me and try my best to overcome it."

Kim is still happy about his decision to come to the Major leagues and said the adjustment

process hasn't been as difficult as he thought.

"I just have to face new pitchers without knowing what kind of pitches they have, just going in,

not knowing who they are really," Kim said of his biggest challenge. "That's the only thing."

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/169214824/orioles-jj-hardy-homers-3-times-in-3-days

Led by Hardy, O's bats heating up in big way Shortstop hits third homer in as many days as Baltimore racks up 12 dingers over span

By David Wilson / Special to MLB.com

March 27, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. -- For the past two days, the Orioles' starting pitchers have struggled. First

was Chris Tillman, roughed up for five earned runs in four innings Friday. On Saturday, Yovani

Gallardo coughed up seven runs 3 2/3 innings.

In those two games, Baltimore is 2-0. The O's have scored 27 runs.

"It's fun to watch these guys go out and hit the ball all over the park," Tillman said after his

shaky start.

The Orioles' offense is finally clicking, and Baltimore has a three-game winning streak because

of it. After launching three home runs in a win against the Pirates on Thursday, the O's hit five in

Friday's 10-inning win against the Yankees and four more in Saturday's 16-8 rout of the Red

Sox.

During this power display, eight Orioles have combined for 12 home runs -- including six who

are safe bets to be on the Opening Day roster. Three O's have homered in multiple games,

including J.J. Hardy, who has homered in all three in this span.

It wasn't long ago that the shortstop was a centerpiece of playoff teams in Baltimore. He was an

All-Star in 2013 and played 141 games during the Orioles' American League East championship

season in '14.

Last season, Hardy played through a torn labrum in his left shoulder and posted career lows in

batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Manager Buck Showalter has been

confident in his rejuvenation since the spring began. His recent outburst at the plate has been a

culmination.

"It was a big thing for us last year, and it's a tribute to him," Showalter said. "All you had to do

was look at '14, when he was healthy, and '13. People forget this is a shortstop capable of hitting

20-30 home runs and hitting .270 when healthy."

Hardy is now batting .333 in 39 Grapefruit League at-bats with the three home runs and six

RBIs. Showalter said he could tell from the start of Spring Training that this was coming because

Hardy's body language was back to what it was during his best seasons and he was moving more

smoothly.

Hardy's return to form the past three days has helped Baltimore fill out its identity as a team with

enough power and hitting to overcome its deficiencies on the mound.

This turn isn't a surprise to Showalter, either. Once his team found a rhythm, a breakout seemed

inevitable. A three-game homestand provided the perfect opportunity.

"I told everybody in the first week of March, with the schedule and everything, what should

happen," Showalter said. "When we get to this period with these three days at home and guys are

starting to catch up a little bit -- it's good to be right about one thing this spring.

"A lot of guys now get a day or two away from it, and then we'll go back at it hard again toward

the end."

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/03/taking-another-look-at-the-camp-

roster.html

Taking another look at the camp roster

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

March 28, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are making more cuts this morning, according to manager Buck

Showalter. They're going to need a sharp knife with 42 players still in camp.

Seventeen players must be removed, and it's possible that the Orioles will pad their total by

signing another outfielder or pitcher. This roster remains a work in progress.

Starter Kevin Gausman, reliever Brian Matusz and infielder Jimmy Paredes can be placed on the

disabled list. Catchers Francisco Pena andAudry Perez can be removed if the Orioles are

convinced thatMatt Wieters will be ready on opening day. Pena would be optioned to Triple-A

Norfolk because he's on the 40-man roster, while Perez would be reassigned to minor league

camp.

Wieters made throws to second and third base during yesterday's intrasquad game.

"It went as well as we could hope," said manager Buck Showalter.

The Orioles will check on Wieters today and decide on his next game. Their Triple-A team is on

the road Monday and at Twin Lakes Park on Tuesday.

"That's a good step, catching in games," Showalter said.

The Orioles could release Vance Worley and avoid paying him the full $2.6 million he's owed if

he isn't going to crack the rotation or fill a spot in the bullpen. Reliever Todd Redmond threw

yesterday in the intrasquad game and he's making today's trip to Fort Myers, but he hasn't

pitched in a Grapefruit League game since March 17.

Outfielders Xavier Avery and L.J. Hoes would appear to be longshots to make the club, though

the outfield picture is a bit fuzzy. Nolan Reimold isn't a lock, but he brings on-base skills and

some pop. He's also sizzling these last three games.

Here are the 42 players in camp:

Pitchers Brian Matusz

Chris Tillman

Ubaldo Jimenez

Brad Brach

Dylan Bundy

Kevin Gausman

Odrisamer Despaigne

Vance Worley

Yovani Gallardo

Miguel Gonzalez

Zach Britton

Darren O'Day

Pedro Beato

Todd Redmond

Mike Wright

Mychal Givens

Tyler Wilson

Chaz Roe

T.J. McFarland

Oliver Drake

Zach Phillips

Catchers Francisco Pena

Matt Wieters

Caleb Joseph

Audry Perez

Infielders J.J. Hardy

Ryan Flaherty

Jonathan Schoop

Manny Machado

Paul Janish

Steve Tolleson

Chris Davis

Pedro Alvarez

Jimmy Paredes

Outfielders Adam Jones

Dariel Alvarez

Nolan Reimold

Joey Rickard

Hyun Soo Kim

L.J. Hoes

Mark Trumbo

Xavier Avery

Another reminder that the Orioles could carry an extra reliever, outfielder or utility player for the

first week of the season. They'd like to keep shortstop Paul Janish, but he has opt-out clauses in

his contract and the freedom to change teams if offered a major league deal.

There's heavy speculation in the industry that the Orioles will sign outfielder David Murphy if

the Red Sox release him. He opted out of his contract yesterday.

The Orioles talked to the Rockies about Carlos Gonzalez over the winter, but weren't willing to

part with Gausman. They talked to the Astros about Preston Tucker over the winter, but weren't

willing to part with Gausman. They signed Kim to a two-year deal and may try to return him to

the Korean Baseball Organization (though he apparently isn't open to that idea at the moment.)

Dexter Fowler backpedaled from them like an NFL cornerback.

Could the search for a left-handed bat lead them to Murphy? Stay tuned.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/03/ubaldo-jimenez-doesnt-make-it-out-of-the-

first-inning.html

Ubaldo Jimenez doesn't make it out of the first inning

(updated)

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

March 27, 2016

BRADENTON, Fla. - Nothing that happened tonight in Bradenton is going to ease the concerns

attached to the Orioles rotation.

Ubaldo Jimenez lasted only two-thirds of an inning and was removed after throwing 36 pitches,

including 21 for strikes. He headed to the bullpen for more work, so the quick hook must not

have been related to his health.

Perhaps manager Buck Showalter had seen enough from Jimenez, who allowed three runs and

four hits and also walked a batter. Maybe 36 pitches in one inning in spring training, no matter

the late date, were moving Jimenez into the physical danger zone.

John Jaso drew a leadoff walk and Andrew McCutchen grounded a single into left field. Jimenez

retired the next two batters, but Josh Harrison blooped a two-run triple into left field to tie the

score.

Harrison should have been held to a double, but no one covered third base and he kept motoring.

Jake Goebbert followed with an RBI single, Jordy Mercer singled and Showalter came out of the

dugout.

Richard Rodriguez, who made the trip from Twin Lakes Park, retired Cole Figueroa on a pop up

to end the inning, and he tossed a scoreless second.

Jimenez lasted only one-third of an inning in his debut against the Braves, but he held the Twins

to one run in 6 1/3 innings over two starts. He allowed one run over 10 2/3 innings in two minor

league games, making him the most effective projected starter in camp.

Jimenez is lined up to start the third game of the season against the Twins, following Chris

Tillman and Yovani Gallardo.

The Orioles took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on back-to-back home runs by Pedro

Alvarezand Nolan Reimold off Pirates non-roster right-hander Trevor Williams. Alvarez, the

former Pirate, received a nice round of applause when he stepped to the plate and again when he

rounded the bases.

Reimold has hits in five straight at-bats over the last three games, including two home runs and

four RBIs.

Garabez Rosa, who replaced Ryan Flaherty in the lineup, singled in the second inning and is 7-

for-9 in Grapefruit League games.

Update: Reimold reached on an infield single in the fourth inning, running his hit streak to six

consecutive at-bats. Brad Brach retired the Pirates in order in the bottom half.

Jimenez continues to throw in the bullpen, sitting down for brief periods and getting back up to

simulate a start.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/03/ryan-flaherty-scratched-from-lineup-plus-

other-notes.html

Ryan Flaherty scratched from lineup (plus other notes)

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

March 27, 2016

BRADENTON, Fla. - The flu bug has bitten Ryan Flaherty.

It's really making the rounds in Orioles camp. Players, coaches, manager Buck Showalter. No

one is immune.

Flaherty was a late scratch tonight with "flu-like symptoms," according to the Orioles. Minor

leaguer Garabez Rosa will replace him at second base.

Here's the new lineup:

Xavier Avery CF

Paul Janish SS

Pedro Alvarez 1B

Nolan Reimold DH

L.J. Hoes RF

Steve Tolleson 3B

Julio Borbon LF

Garabez Rosa 2B

Audry Perez C

Ubaldo Jimenez RHP

The Orioles are listing Brad Brach, Zach Phillips, Chaz Roe, Oliver Drake and Pedro Beato as

available relievers tonight behind starter Ubaldo Jimenez. They also brought Jason Stoffel and

Richard Rodriguez from minor league camp.

Infielders Ozzie Martinez, Michael Almanzar and Drew Turbin and outfielders Julio Borbon and

Josh Hart also are in Bradenton.

Mike Wright remains the Orioles starter Monday against the Red Sox in Fort Myers. Miguel

Gonzalez starts Tuesday night in Sarasota versus the Braves' Matt Wisler, and Chris

Tillmanstarts Wednesday night in Sarasota versus the Tigers' Shane Greene.

Yes, Tillman is lined up to start Monday on opening day.

Yovani Gallardo is starting Thursday afternoon in Sarasota against the Braves before the Orioles

head to Philadelphia to close out their exhibition schedule. Jimenez could start against the

Phillies.

The Orioles keep checking on available players as cuts are made and opt-out clauses are

exercised.

David Murphy opted out of his deal today and the Red Sox have 48 hours to place him on their

25-man roster or release him.

A left-handed hitting outfielder brings appeal to the Orioles, especially with Hyun Soo

Kimapparently on shaky ground. Showalter didn't comment on a report that the club is

discussing whether to allow Kim to escape his two-year deal and return to South Korea, but he

also failed to offer an endorsement.

"We'll see what the next few days bring," Showalter said.

Murphy drew Showalter's attention yesterday during batting practice and the Orioles have

expressed interest in the past, though they didn't seem to make a strong push for him this winter

in free agency.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/03/orioles-continue-to-strengthen-bond-with-

sarasota-plus-tonights-lineup.html

Orioles continue to strengthen bond with Sarasota (plus

tonight's lineup)

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

March 27, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles claimed another victory yesterday and then gave back to the

Sarasota community. It's one of their finer exchanges and it's become quite familiar over the

years.

Many of the players returned to the Ed Smith Stadium complex last night along with manager

Buck Showalter and his wife Angela, vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson and

the coaches, for "Nashville's Music Row Comes to the Ballpark." A large white tent was set up

on one of the back fields and guests were treated to food and beverages, and performances from

Songwriter Hall of Fame writer and Grammy award winner Desmond Child, renowned

multiplatinum writer Bob DiPiero, country radio hit songwriter Justin Wilson and emerging

Nashville newcomer Margaret Valentine.

Every dollar raised at the charity event directly benefited the Sarasota Family YMCA's Youth

Programs and Music Health Alliance.

The list of Orioles included Chris Davis, Brad Brach, Mark Trumbo, Joey Rickard, Chris

Tillman, Zach Britton, Ryan Flaherty, T.J. McFarland, Kevin Gausman, J.J. Hardy, Darren

O'Day, Caleb Joseph, Darren O'Day and Mychal Givens.

"It's Baltimore South," Showalter said. "It's a partnership in more ways than one. We get a lot out

of it and we would like to think Sarasota gets some quality things out of it. But this isn't just to

repay something. This is what's right. And when you talk about the families that the YMCA

reaches out to, it's important in a lot of people's hearts.

"I know with Angela and I with KidsPeace, it's kind of in a lot of forms a branch of people doing

things that people need you to do. It's quite an honor to do something for a living that can help

you impact other people's lives and that's what this is about. Heck, we're in a nice tent. We're

actually in left field of Field 1. It's fun. It's one of those things you tell the players about and you

explain everything that's going on.

"We've got a great turnout and I'm real proud of our guys. They've been here since 8 o'clock this

morning, but it was a very easy sell. Plus, there are some pretty talented people here tonight. I'm

talking about you all, or me."

Showalter has fond memories of Nashville that came flooding back to him last night.

"I played in Nashville," he said. "The best thing that happened to me in Nashville was meeting

my wife. I asked her for a program after a game. I just got sent down and I was trying to learn the

players, and she wouldn't give it to me unless I paid her for it. Can you imagine that? A player?

"Plus, we did this (last night) after we beat the Red Sox, which always make it more fun. We've

made that trek back and forth to Fort Myers after a loss, or to Tampa, so the last two days have

been gloatingly fun."

Jennifer Grondahl, president of the YMCA Foundation of Sarasota, explained how Orioles

executive vice president John Angelos reached out to her with the idea of hosting an annual

event.

"John Angelos and the Orioles wanted to bring together music and baseball, so we sat down

probably about eight weeks ago," she said. "He had a vision and he approached me about the Y

being the local beneficiary for the event. It was really John Angelos' brain child. The Orioles

have been a huge supporter of the Y locally, so it was sort of a natural partnership, and then with

Music Health Alliance to bring the music aspect.

"The funds from tonight will be used to help children who otherwise would not be able to

participate in sports, summer camp, through scholarships that the Y provides. And we

scholarship man, many children, more than $500,000 worth of scholarships in Sarasota County

last year for families who otherwise can't afford the YMCA or any of its programs or services.

"When an opportunity like that comes about, we can do nothing but say, 'How can we make this

happen, and what do we want this to grow to be in the future?' So we're already talking about

next year."

The Orioles left Fort Lauderdale seven years ago after failed attempts to work out a long-term

deal that would include renovating the aging ballpark and perhaps moving the minor league

complex from Twin Lakes Park. It's turned out to be one of the most important decisions in

franchise history.

"There really are three components to what the Orioles are doing here in Sarasota," Angelos said.

"The first was, be a good corporate citizen, be present, create economic impact. When we first

came here, we projected we would create about $45 million in economic impact. In 2015, the

county and the state of Florida says we've generated $81 million in annual economic impact. So

that was the first piece.

"The second piece was to support the convention and visitors people here by driving tourism

from the mid-Atlantic to Sarasota. Virginia Haley, who is the head of (Visit Sarasota County),

met with her last week. She continues to say how we're over-delivering. That's really what

baseball's about. We sell 75,000 million tickets as major league, another $5 million let's say in

spring training. That's more than all the other sports combined by far. So we have a great

platform to deliver economic impact and marketing and tourism.

"The last piece is community involvement. We have a tremendous platform. What tonight's

about is artists and athletes being active in the community. You've got world-class songwriters,

you've got world-class athletes in the form of the Orioles.

"By the way, we've done four of these. This is the biggest one we've done and the first one in

Sarasota. And Buck and Angela Showalter have come to every one of them. We can really make

a tremendous community outreach by using our good fortune as ownership groups, as Orioles

athletes, as great Nashville songwriters. This is the first of what we hope will be an inaugural

event here in Sarasota."

Country music has grown in importance for Brach, who's married to singer/songwriter Jenae

Cherry.

"Since I met Jenae, it's been pretty much at the center besides baseball," he said. "It's pretty much

the same thing as baseball in our household. Since I moved to Nashville, we listen to it all the

time. She sings it a lot, so it's been pretty important."

So is the Orioles' growing presence in the Sarasota community since leaving Fort Lauderdale.

"It's awesome," Brach said. "I think that's one of the responsibilities when you play for a team is

wherever you're at, whether it's spring training, whether it's Baltimore, whether it's on the road, is

to represent the team you play for and get in the community and do as many things as you

possibly can."

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/03/afternoon-notes-on-kim-wieters-and-

more.html

Afternoon notes on Kim, Wieters and more

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

March 27, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. - Outfielder Hyun Soo Kim said today through his interpreter that he hasn't

read the FOXSports.com article stating that the Orioles are holding internal discussions about

sending him back to Korea. He didn't have a comment for reporters who approached his locker.

Asked whether he feels good about his chances of making the team, Kim replied, "There's much

more I have to show, so as far as performance-wise, there's more to go. I don't want to complain

or anything. I'll just do whatever I can."

Kim started out 0-for-23, but has collected eight hits in his last 21 at-bats.

"Struggles are always struggles for anybody," he said. "I'm just going to follow along and face

whatever is coming in front of me and try my best to overcome it."

Kim added that spring training hasn't been as difficult as he anticipated.

"I just have to face new pitchers without knowing what kind of pitches they have, just going in,

not knowing who they are really," he said. "That's the only thing."

Kim also said that he's still happy that he signed a two-year, $7 million contract with the Orioles.

What's left unsaid is whether he's done enough to warrant the starting job in left field.

"I haven't thought about it," he said. "(The question) hasn't come along yet."

Manager Buck Showalter didn't say much about the report, calling it "good fodder." He had no

real reaction.

"We'll see what the next few days bring," he said. "We've got some tough decisions to make."

Showalter added that Joey Rickard's impressive spring doesn't factor in any decision involving

Kim.

Has Showalter's opinion of Kim changed this spring?

"I really didn't have one," he replied. "I came into it kind of formulating, listening to a lot of

people coming in here that had an opinion on him, telling me what they thought he would be and

what he would not be, and then you try and formulate your own."

Matt Wieters caught Brian Matusz, Darren O'Day, Zach Britton, Todd Redmond and Chris Lee

today in an intrasquad game at Twin Lakes Park. Matusz will pitch again on Tuesday.

Wieters made four throws to second base on stolen base attempts. He threw out two runners

attempting to swipe third.

Showalter, after conferring with bench coach John Russell, told reporters that Wieters' times to

the bases got progressively better.

Showalter said Wieters could be ready for opening day. He added that Wieters is "planning on

it."

The Orioles will make more cuts on Monday.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/03/talking-rotation-rickard-and-the-roster.html

Talking rotation, Rickard and the roster

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

March 27, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles begin a stretch tonight when they'll play four of their last six

Grapefruit League games at 6:05 p.m.

Nothing like being under the lights to get you ready for the regular season.

The Orioles travel to McKechnie Field in Bradenton to face the Pirates, which is more like

playing under the flashlights. Ubaldo Jimenez will take the mound after making his last two

starts at Twin Lakes Park.

Jimenez allowed a combined one run and five hits over 10 2/3 innings against minor league

competition. He hasn't pitched in a Grapefruit League game since March 12, when he

surrendered one run and four hits in 3 1/3 innings against the Twins.

Manager Buck Showalter wants to set his rotation today if possible. He may reveal his opening

day starter, knowing the media gladly will take it on a "slow news day."

The top three are lined up asChris Tillman, Yovani Gallardoand Jimenez. Kevin Gausmancould

go on the disabled list and still be the fifth starter on April 10, in case you hadn't been reminded.

The projected rotation of Tillman, Gallardo, Jimenez, Gausman and Miguel Gonzalez has

surrendered 55 earned runs and 73 hits in 44 2/3 innings. The group has issued 24 walks and

struck out 28 batters.

Odrisamer Despaigne, who's expected to start at Triple-A Norfolk, has posted a 6.75 ERA in

eight relief appearances. He's allowed 10 runs and 19 hits in 13 1/3 innings, with six walks and

five strikeouts.

Mike Wright, who starts again on Monday, has posted a 5.74 ERA in five games. He's allowed

10 runs and 19 hits in 15 2/3 innings, with four walks and 15 strikeouts.

Tyler Wilson is carrying a 2.92 ERA in five games, including three starts. He's allowed five runs

(four earned) and 13 hits in 12 1/3 innings, with no walks and six strikeouts.

The opening day lineup won't be announced until we're back in Baltimore. Rule 5 pick Joey

Rickard started in left field again yesterday and batted first, with Adam Jones hitting behind him.

Rickard will head north with the club, but his role remains undefined.

How about backup outfielder and occasional starter who could occupy the leadoff spot? Or

maybe he fits into a platoon.

"It's crept in my mind," Rickard said last week on the "Hot Stove Show" on 105.7 The Fan. "It's

hard not to think about those things, but like I've been telling people all spring, just take it one

day at a time and just really focus on what you can control, and that's just going out there and

having a good attitude and playing hard every day."

One of the more common questions I field on Twitter relates to why the Rays left Rickard

unprotected in the Rule 5 draft. What were they thinking?

"It is what it is," he said. "I thought there was an outside chance that I would get protected, given

the year I had, but they're a very deep organization, especially in the outfield. They've got a lot of

players ahead of me.

"Once that happened, I was down playing winter ball and people started talking to me, saying,

'Hey, you've got something else to play for now. Don't get down on yourself.' That whole deal,

which I didn't.

"They said, 'You've got something else to play for. They could have made a mistake not doing it,

so you're playing for the rest of the teams now.' And that's kind of the approach I went with and I

was able to stay focused and put together a good winter."

The 25-man roster could take on a different look after the first week. Left-hander Brian

Matuszcould go on the DL retroactive to March 25 and be eligible to return on April 9, with

Gausman joining him the following day.

Breaking camp with four starters would allow the Orioles to carry an extra reliever or position

player until Gausman is activated. Don't get too attached to the roster that's announced before the

opener.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/03/could-orioles-attempt-to-part-ways-with-

kim-thayer-opts-out-of-contract.html

Could Orioles attempt to part ways with Kim? (Thayer opts

out of contract)

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

March 26, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. - As the Orioles attempt to shape their roster with nine games left before

opening day, they're deciding whether South Korean outfielder Hyun Soo Kim will be part of it.

Kim's two-year contract includes a stipulation that he can't be optioned to the minors without his

consent. Meanwhile, the Orioles have held internal discussions about trying to reach a deal with

Kim that would allow him to go back to the Korean Baseball Organization, similar to what

happened last spring with pitcher Suk-min Yoon.

FOXSports.com first reported the discussions tonight, with executive vice president Dan

Duquette stating, "I don't know if we're there yet."

Duquette couldn't be reached for comment when contacted by MASNsports.com

Hyun-Soo-Kim started off 0-for-23 in the Grapefruit League before collecting hits in eight of his

next 21 at-bats, leaving his slash line at .182/.229/.182 with no extra base hits, two RBIs, one

walk and two hit by pitches in 16 games. Two of his hits are infield singles.

The emergence of Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard, a plus defender in the outfield who's batting

.392/.475/.569 with six doubles, a home run, seven RBIs, seven walks and five stolen bases in 22

games, could make it easier for the Orioles to part with Kim. However, Kim would have to agree

to such a deal and another team in Korea would need to sign him.

Rickard reached base four times today as the leadoff hitter in a 16-8 win over the Red Sox and

has 20 hits in 51 at-bats.

The Orioles still have Nolan Reimold, who's out of options, and they continue to check the

waiver wire for outfielders and pitchers. They're aware that David Murphy likely will opt out of

his contract with the Red Sox. Murphy and first baseman Chris Davis are friends and were

chatting on the field today during batting practice.

It must be noted that these are internal discussions regarding Kim's status and not a definite

attempt to get out of his contract.

Kim, 28, signed a two-year, $7 million contract in December after batting .318/.406/.488 in 10

seasons with the Doosan Bears. He had career highs with 28 home runs and 121 RBIs last

season.

Meanwhile, reliever Dale Thayer has opted out of his minor league deal with the Orioles, the

club confirmed tonight.

Thayer, 35, hadn't pitched since March 17. The innings ran out for him as manager Buck

Showalter and pitching coach Dave Wallace needed to stretch out the starters and provide more

work for relievers set to break camp with the team.

Thayer, who signed with the Orioles on Feb. 10, posted a 4.50 ERA in six innings. He allowed

three runs and seven hits, walked three batters and struck out six.

The bullpen may have two openings with Brian Matusz likely going on the disabled list with a

strained muscle in his lower back. However, Thayer still didn't project as part of the 25-man

roster.

Thayer's removal leaves the Orioles with 42 players in camp, including seven non-roster invitees.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/03/wrapping-up-a-16-8-win.html

Wrapping up a 16-8 win

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

March 26, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. - It took two touchdowns and a safety today for the Orioles to run their

winning streak to three games.

Get used to it.

The Orioles broke out the heavy lumber again to compensate for another poor statistical outing

from their starter, pounding out 20 hits and defeating the Red Sox 16-8 at Ed Smith Stadium.

J.J. Hardy, Manny Machado,Chris Davis and Audry Perezhomered for the Orioles, who

improved to 8-14-4 in the spring. Perez drove in four runs after replacing catcher Caleb Joseph.

Machado, Davis and Perez did their damage in the sixth inning against Red Sox left-hander

Roenis Elias. Machado's two-run shot broke a 7-7 tie.

Nolan Reimold singled in his only two at-bats and drove in another run, giving him four straight

hits and three RBIs dating back to yesterday's game. His average is up to .227.

Yovani Gallardo lasted 3 2/3 innings and allowed seven runs and eight hits to nudge his ERA a

little higher, putting it at 16.88 in the Grapefruit League. He walked three batters and served up a

home run to Jackie Bradley Jr.

Gallardo has one more start before the Orioles break camp. Is manager Buck Showalter hoping

to see more from him?

"In April I am," he replied. "That's when the results count."

"Every day we pick up the box scores and guys are giving up seven, eight, nine runs," Showalter

added. "It's just unfortunately part of it. Experience tells you. I can't count on one hand veteran

pitchers who had great springs and it carried over into the season, but it is what it is. We have a

lot of confidence in him."

Gallardo loaded the bases with no outs in the second on two walks and a single, and Mauricio

Dubon plated two runs with a single. Mookie Betts added an RBI single with two outs and

Bradley followed with a home run to the opposite field.

Gallardo also issued a leadoff walk in the third that led to another run on Sandy Leon's sacrifice

fly. Chris Young had an RBI double in the fourth and Gallardo was done.

"You've got probably 30 pitches that could be balls or strikes," Showalter said. Got (his pitch

count) up in the late 70s. I would have liked to get one more inning out of him, but they wouldn't

cooperate.

"You look at his track record and his history, he's pretty much following that. He's actually a tick

or two better than what he was last year at this time just pure velocity, so that's good to know."

Hardy's track record says he hits for power when he's healthy. He's homered in three straight

games and is batting .333.

"It's been evident to me since the first probably week of spring training, just him moving around

and just the body language, everything when you know J.J. as well as we do," Showalter said.

"I told everybody in the first week of March, with the schedule and everything what should

happen. When we get to this period with these three days at home and guys are starting to catch

up a little bit ... it's good to be right about one thing this spring. A lot of guys now get a day or

two away from it and then we'll go back at it hard again toward the end.

"People forget this is a shortstop capable of hitting 20-30 home runs and hitting .270 when

healthy."

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2016/03/sizing-up-the-spring-some-things-have-

gone-well-some-not-as-well.html

Sizing up spring: Some things have gone well, some not as

well

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com

March 28, 2016

The Orioles are now down to just five spring training games remaining. They have four in

Florida and the last one in Philadelphia on Friday night. Opening day is April 4 at home against

Minnesota.

So with the spring almost over here is a look at a few bright spots and a few concerns:

Hardy looks healthy: WhenJ.J. Hardy homered in three straight games from Thursday to

Saturday, that was a welcome sight for any Orioles fan. From 2011-13, Hardy led all major

league shortstops in both homers (77) and RBIs (224). But he has hit just 17 homers combined

the past two years.

Hardy injured his left shoulder late in spring training last year and it clearly impacted his ability

to drive the ball. If some of his pop returns, that would be huge for this team. Hardy is signed

through the 2017 season.

Britton is very ready: Remember when there was a theory going around that the Kansas City

Royals laid off Zach Britton's sinker in the 2014 postseason and other teams would do the same?

Yep, how did that work out? His sinker is great and teams are still beating it into the ground. A

bigger concern may be defending 60-foot grounders. When they get a lead to work with, the back

end of the O's bullpen should be outstanding again.

Homers are coming: As the regulars got more at-bats this spring, the O's started mashing more

homers. They ranked fourth in the American League with 36 this spring through Saturday. Not

sure what to make of this, but the other AL East teams have not hit many. New York ranks last

among AL teams with 14, followed by Tampa Bay with 20 and Boston 22. Toronto ranks 10th

with 26 home runs.

Starting pitching remains a concern: The O's starters didn't do too much this spring to ease

concerns. They are going to have to silence their doubters starting next month. We've heard

several pitchers indicate they threw the ball better than their pitching lines in Florida. They need

to turn that into actual results starting in April.

Heading into Sunday's games, the Orioles ranked last in AL team pitching in ERA (6.49), WHIP

(1.77) and batting average against (.319). Unless and until the Orioles start pitching better, the

concern level will be high here throughout Birdland.

Wieters' elbow is still an issue: Everything seemed to be going well with Matt Wieters until he

left a game on March 12. Wieters was limited to 75 games last year and has not carried a full

load of games since 2013. The O's have a very solid backup in Caleb Joseph, but they'd sure love

to have their top two catchers available to take on the AL East this year.

Gausman's shoulder is still an issue: The Orioles remain hopeful we could see Kevin

Gausman starting as soon as the sixth game of the year. But there has to be some trepidation

about Gausman dealing with shoulder tendinitis for the second year in a row. He was on the DL

last season from May 8 to June 20. At a time when the Orioles could really use Gausman to take

a big step forward, they are going to need him on the field to do that.

So with just a few days left in spring training, what the positives and negatives about the team?

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2016/03/the-mlb-network-analysts-size-up-the-

orioles.html

The MLB Network analysts size up the Orioles

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com

March 27, 2016

When MLB Network made its annual trek to the Orioles spring training camp, the analysts

verbalized a familiar theme - the O's have plenty of offense, but will the starting pitching hold

up?

The Orioles were featured on the network's "30 Clubs in 30 Days" segment last night.

Former player and current network analyst Mark DeRosa interviewed some players in Sarasota,

Fla., and came away impressed by the O's offense.

"A message to the American League teams out there," DeRosa said. "Do not bench-clearing

brawl with this team. They are monsters. Walking through the clubhouse - Jonathan Schoop is

240 and jacked. Adam Jones is a big boy. Mark Trumbo. Up and down the lineup, they are going

to bang.

Davis Hits White.jpg"From Crush Davis hitting 47. Manny Machado's coming out party last

year, 35. Guys like Pedro Alvarez. Offense and the longball in Camden Yards will not be a

problem."

But DeRosa did express concern over the pitching.

"I love the fact that a lot of their (free agent) guys wanted to come back," he said. "But it

surprises me because it is pretty much the same team that went out there last year. I know

Yovani Gallardo is going to help this staff. But is he a bigger addition than Wei-Yin Chen? I

know the money is probably way different, but I would have used it a little differently."

The O's rotation ERA ranked 14th in the AL last year. Is it better now?

"I don't think it is," DeRosa said. "That is why it surprised me the way they spent their money.

They are going to hit home runs and I know they wanted to bring Chris Davis back at $161

million.

"But they could have used some dollars wisely to go out, and not only solidify their bullpen, but

just absolutely kill it. Maybe make a trade. Why is (Aroldis) Chapman in New York? Why is

Ryan Madson signing in Oakland? Just those little pieces from the fifth to the seventh innings to

bridge the gap. It would take their bullpen over the top and take some serious pressure off their

starting pitching. I don't think it is a rotation that can go deep in games."

Former Tampa Bay Ray Carlos Pena was asked if he had any concerns over Gallardo's pitching

this spring.

"I don't think so," Pena said. "You would like to finish up on a positive note, but he's done it for

a long time. Since 2009, he has gone out there 30-plus times every single year and only one of

those years his ERA was above 4.00. He'll give you a quality start every time he goes out."

During an interview with Orioles manager Buck Showalter, they asked him about his outlook for

the 2016 season?

"We will be as good as we are capable of being," he said. "I'm as curious as the next person to

find out where it is. I know where they are telling me (we are predicted to finish). We're laying in

the weeds right where we need to be. But I like our chances."

During an interview with Chris Davis, the O's slugging first baseman was asked his take on bat

flips?

"I think there is a time and place for it," Davis said. "That has never been a part of my game. But

I played winter ball and I understand that part and the emotion and passion and I appreciate that.

You should be the player that you are comfortable being. But you should also respect the player

you are playing against. That is just kind of the way I was raised. It's just not part of my game."

At the end of last night's show it was prediction time:

DeRosa said: "I think Buck is going to be upset with me. I love some of their pieces, but bottom

line is, I don't know if their starting pitching has enough to not tax that bullpen by mid-season.

"You look up and down the AL East, there are some monsters. Teams can run out Chris Archer,

Matt Moore, (Luis) Severino, (Nathan) Eovaldi, David Price, the list goes on and on. I just don't

know how this offense doesn't get tired and slump at some point.

"I have them at the bottom (of the division). It doesn't mean they can't finish .500, but I think

they finish toward the bottom."

From Brian Kenny: "I say like 77, 78 wins makes sense to me. I don't think they're a bad team,

but that starting rotation, as it compares to the rest of the division, I don't think it quite holds up."

Pena said: "The AL East is a tossup. But I still have the Baltimore Orioles fighting for a wild

card spot. You saw how much an offense can take you with Toronto last year. The Orioles could

do the same thing, but I see about 84 wins for the Orioles."

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2016/03/notes-on-james-shields-minor-league-

releases-and-joey-rickards-walk-heavy-night.html

Notes on James Shields, minor league releases and Joey

Rickard's walk-heavy night

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com

March 26, 2016

According to a report from MLB Network's Jon Heyman, the Orioles have been in touch with the

San Diego Padres to inquire about right-handed starting pitcher James Shields.

On the surface, this makes sense with Kevin Gausman's recent shoulder issue and the rotation's

generally shaky overall pitching this spring. But then you have to consider that Shields is 34,

owed at least $65 million through 2018 and coming off his poorest season since 2010.

Considering this, it doesn't quite add up that well.

Shields certainly knows about the American League East, going 87-73 with an ERA of 3.89 for

Tampa Bay from 2006 through 2012. Last year for the Padres, the right-hander went 13-7 with

an ERA of 3.91. He allowed a National League-high 33 homers, averaged a career-worst 3.6

walks per nine innings and had a WHIP of 1.334. Were these the numbers of a pitcher just a little

off his usual production or the signs of a pitcher in decline?

* The Orioles have released three players from their minor league camp at the Buck O'Neil

Baseball Complex at Twin Lakes Park. They are catcher Phil Llewellyn, outfielder Felix Perez

and left-handed pitcher Bennett Parry.

Parry has since signed with the Lincoln Saltdogs of the independent American Association.

The 22-year-old Llewellyn, a native of Curacao, played two seasons with the Orioles. In 72 at-

bats last year between Single-A Delmarva and Single-A Frederick, he hit .167 with no homers

and six RBIs.

The 31-year-old Perez, a native of Cuba, spent the 2010 through 2014 seasons in the Cincinnati

Reds minor league system. He played in 2015 in Mexico and hit .312 with 20 homers and 70

RBIs in 94 games.

The 24-year-old Parry spent five seasons on the O's farm after they drafted him in 2011 in round

40 out of Cal State-Northridge. For Delmarva in 2015, he went 3-3 with a 2.82 ERA in nine

games and 44 2/3 innings. In 64 career games (31 starts) he went 10-12 with a 2.71 ERA over

216 innings.

* Orioles Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard had a .427 on-base percentage last year. It might have

seemed like it, but it did not all come in one game.

Joey-Rickard-throw-spring-sidebar.jpgLast July 7, playing for Double-A Montgomery against

Biloxi, Rickard drew a Southern League-record six walks. He did not swing the bat even one

time in that game. He scored two runs, stole three bases and even drove in a run, drawing his

sixth walk with the bases loaded. Here is the game story from that night.

Between three teams last year, Rickard hit .321/.427/.447 with 28 doubles, eight triples, two

homers and 55 RBIs. He stole 23 bases and scored 62 runs. His .321 average was the best by any

Tampa Bay minor league player in 2015. The Rays selected Rickard, a Las Vegas native, in the

ninth round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Arizona.

Rickard, an outfielder, began the 2015 season in high Single-A ball, moved to Double-A and

ended it in Triple-A. In those 29 games with Triple-A Durham, Rickard hit .360/.437/.472 and he

hit .413 against right-handed pitching. He has a career .283 average and .390 OBP.

Rickard certainly is well on his way to making the Orioles' opening day roster. In recent years,

Rule 5 picks have seem to fit in one of two categories: very low level minor league players with

big upside, like pitcher Jason Garcia last year, or more experienced players closer to the majors

like Rickard.

He may never walk six times as an Oriole, but he has done enough to make this team. By the

way, no Oriole has ever walked six times in a game and just one player ever walked five times.

Bobby Grich holds the club single-game record, walking five times against the Chicago White

Sox on Aug. 9, 1975.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/15083167/chris-tillman-start-opening-day-baltimore-orioles-

again

For third season in row, Orioles' Chris Tillman to start

opening day

Associated Press / ESPN.com

March 28, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Chris Tillman will be the Baltimore Orioles' opening day starter for the

third consecutive season.

Manager Buck Showalter said he considered Yovani Gallardo and Ubaldo Jimenez, but Tillman's

experience was a factor.

Tillman was 11-11 with a 4.99 ERA last year. In the April 4 opener, the right-hander will oppose

Ervin Santana of the Minnesota Twins. The last Baltimore pitcher to start three straight openers

was Mike Mussina from 1998 to 2000.

Showalter also said pitcher Kevin Gausman will begin the season on the 15-day disabled list. He

has been slowed by shoulder tendinitis.

http://www.csnmidatlantic.com/blog/orioles-talk/when-flaherty-falls-ill-emergency-players-fill

When Flaherty falls ill, emergency players fill in

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Mid-Atlantic

March 27, 2016

BRADENTON, Fla. – For each Grapefruit League game, the Orioles bring some players over

from minor league camp to perhaps play in the late innings or be on hand in case of injury.

Buck Showalter calls them “JICs.” That’s short for “Just in Case.”

Sometimes the Orioles will bring in players from the low minors just to expose them to the big

league environment as they did earlier this month with two of last year’s top draftees: Ryan

Mountcastle and DJ Stewart.

Occasionally, they’ll look at lower drafted prospects that Showalter is interested in. Outfielders

Jaylen Ferguson and Cedric Mullins got cameos that way.

He wanted to see pitcher Stefan Crichton, and he was on the list of players added several times

before Showalter got him into Friday’s game against the Yankees in the 10th inning.

The king of the JICs is infielder Garabez Rosa, who has played in 10 games and was a regular

addition last year, too. Rosa is a 26-year-old who has been with Bowie for the last three seasons.

Showalter is impressed with Rosa and asks if the Orioles aren’t overlooking him. He’s 6-for-8

(.750) and won Friday’s game with a two-run single.

Rosa got fortunate on Sunday when Ryan Flaherty was a late scratch with flu-like symptoms.

Not only is Rosa starting, but a second fill-in from minor league camp, Julio Borbon is, too.

Borbon is playing left field.

Borbon was signed earlier this month, and started in the Mar. 19 game that ended after two outs

in the first inning.

Unlike Rosa, Borbon has major league experience, and played for Norfolk in 2014 and 2015.

http://www.csnmidatlantic.com/blog/orioles-talk/showalter-shares-planned-return-date-wieters

Showalter shares planned return date for Wieters

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Mid-Atlantic

March 27, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. – Matt Wieters caught in an intrasquad game at Twin Lakes Park on Sunday

morning, and threw to bases for the first time since Mar. 12 when his sore right elbow forced him

out a game.

Wieters threw four times to second and twice to third to try and nab baserunners, and the Orioles

have a tentative timetable to prepare for the Apr. 4 season opener.

“I know he’s planning on it,” manager Buck Showalter said.

Wieters was the designated hitter on Mar. 24, but won’t appear in a Grapefruit League game

until the team is confident his injury won’t prevent from starting the season on the active list.

If a player appears in an exhibition game for which admission is charged after Mar. 25, the injury

cannot be backdated.

Brian Matusz, was one of several pitchers who threw to Wieters. Matusz has thrown just two

official innings this month because of a lower back injury, and the Orioles don’t know if he’ll be

healthy enough to begin the season on the active roster.

Matusz is scheduled to throw in a minor league game again on Monday, Showalter said.

Jimmy Paredes says his wrist feels stronger, but he doesn’t know when he’ll play again or if the

Orioles will leave him in Florida for rehab when they go north on Friday.

NOTES: Showalter said the team, which still has 42 players on the active list, will make cuts

prior to Monday’s game. … Mike Wright pitches on Monday in Fort Myers against Boston’s

Rick Porcello. Miguel Gonzalez starts on Tuesday, Chris Tillman on Wednesday and Yovani

Gallardo is scheduled for the final Grapefruit League game on Thursday against former Oriole

Bud Norris, who now pitches for Atlanta.

http://www.csnmidatlantic.com/blog/orioles-talk/showalter-noncommittal-kim-oriole

Showalter noncommittal on Kim as Oriole

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Mid-Atlantic

March 27, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. – Hyun Soo Kim says he’s unaware of the reports that the Orioles are

considering letting him return to South Korea, and that he’s happy with the decision he made to

accept a two-year, $7 million contract to come to the U.S.

Kim, who began the spring without a hit in 23 at-bats, has gone 8-for-21 since, and is batting

.182 without an extra-base hit.

“There’s much more I have to show, so as far as performance-wise, there’s more to go. I don’t

want to complain or anything. I’ll just do whatever I can,” Kim said through his interpreter.

“Struggles are always struggles for anybody. I’m just going to follow along and face whatever is

coming in front of me and try my best to overcome it.”

Kim was asked if he was happy he came to the Orioles. He answered: “Yes.”

Manager Buck Showalter had no comment on the Foxsports.com report.

When Showalter was asked if Kim would make the Orioles, he said: “He’s competing. You

know what? That’s not completely true. We’ll see what the next few days bring. We’ve got some

tough decisions to make,” Showalter said.

Showalter said that Rule 5 draft pick Joey Rickard’s performance would “probably not” factor

into any decision on Kim.

He said he didn’t have an opinion on Kim before watching him play.

“I really didn’t have one. I came into it kind of formulating, listening to a lot of people coming in

here that had an opinion on him, telling me what they thought he would be and what he would

not be, and then you try and formulate your own,” Showalter said.

http://www.csnmidatlantic.com/blog/orioles-talk/report-orioles-discussed-kim-return-south-

korea

Report: Orioles discussed Kim return to South Korea

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Mid-Atlantic

March 26, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. – Is the Hyun Soo Kim era reaching an end before it really began? According

to a report by Foxsports.com’s Ken Rosenthal, the Orioles have had internal discussions about

allowing the South Korean outfielder to return to his homeland.

Kim, who began spring training 0-for-23, has improved somewhat, and is batting .182 in 16

games with the team. He has yet to have an extra-base hit.

He signed a two-year, $7 million contract with the Orioles last December.

In 2014, the Orioles signed another Korean free agent, pitcher Suk-min Yoon to a three-year

contract, but after he spent his first season in the minors, the Orioles reached an agreement to

send him back to South Korea.

The Orioles could pursue a similar arrangement with Kim, who contractually cannot be sent to

the minors without his consent.

“I don’t know if we’re at that point, yet,” Duquette told Foxsports.com.

At this point, Kim is set to be the Orioles’ regular left fielder though they are impressed with

Joey Rickard, who the team selected in the Rule 5 draft. Rickard is batting .392.

Duquette could not be reached for comment on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Dale Thayer, who signed a minor league contract with the team last month, has

opted out of his deal.

Thayer, who hadn’t pitched since Mar. 17, allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings.

He was standing by the bullpen in street clothes near the end of Saturday’s game, presumably to

say goodbye to his teammates.

The 35-year-old Thayer has a lifetime record of 11-17 with a 3.47 ERA in seven seasons with the

Rays, Mets and Padres.

The Orioles now have 42 players in camp including seven with minor league contracts.

http://www.csnmidatlantic.com/blog/orioles-talk/there-place-vanimal-orioles

Is there a place for the 'Vanimal' on the Orioles?

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Mid-Atlantic

March 26, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. – Will the “Vanimal” be a part of the Orioles this season? With the Orioles

leaving Florida next Friday morning, Vance Worley isn’t sure where he’ll be.

“I’ve got nothing. Just do as I’m told,” Worley said on Saturday morning.

The Orioles acquired Worley, whose Twitter handle is “Vanimal_46” on waivers from

Pittsburgh in October.

“I’m just doing what I can to contribute here, whether it’s as a starter or go to the pen. I’m trying

to make the club. That’s why I play the game because I like to compete. Being a part of this club

with these guys means a lot to me. That’s what I’m shooting for,” Worley said.

Entering Saturday’s game, Worley has a 5.56 ERA in 11 1/3 innings. He’s given up nine runs,

seven earned and 14 hits.

“I’m here to have a good time and play this game. Whether I’m starting or relieving, that’s on

them,” Worley said.

“I pretty much have shown everything I can do. It’s up to them what they want to do.”

The 28-year-old Worley is happy with how he’s thrown, but the Orioles have a difficult decision

because Worley is out of options.

“I think I’ve thrown the ball really well with the exception of a couple of pitches. Everything’s

been coming out, doing what I want it to do. For the most part, been down in the zone, so I can’t

complain,” Worley said.

He seems happy with the Orioles, who would be his fourth major league team and says he’s

comfortable in the clubhouse.

“It all starts in here. If we’re having a good time, and enjoying each other’s company and

pushing one another, it’s going to translate out there,” Worley said.

NOTES: Matt Wieters said that he’s moving towards catching. He hasn’t caught a game since

leaving one two weeks ago. He’s planning on throwing to bases for the first time.

“We’re getting to the point now where it feels as good as it did before I hurt it two weeks ago.

Hopefully, get back out there, keep it strong and keep it healthy,” Wieters said.

-Ubaldo Jimenez starts on Sunday night at Bradenton against Pittsburgh. Mike Wright is Monday

starter in Fort Myers against Boston, and Miguel Gonzalez is scheduled to face Atlanta on

Tuesday.

http://www.csnmidatlantic.com/blog/orioles-talk/how-fatherhood-made-jj-hardy-stronger

How fatherhood made J.J. Hardy stronger

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Mid-Atlantic

March 25, 2016

SARASOTA, Fla. – J.J. Hardy is enjoying a pain free spring, and he credits fatherhood. Last

October, his son Jay was born, and coming off two injury-plagued years, Hardy decided that he

wanted a change in his workouts.

Instead of leaving in the morning and working out for three or four hours as he’d been doing for

the last 15 years, Hardy decided to maximize his time at home with his infant son.

Under the direction of Orioles strength coaches Joe Hogarty and Ryo Naito, Hardy got to spend

more time at home and feel stronger. Hogarty helped him design a gym and Naito devised

exercises.

“Whenever Jay would take a nap or whatever, I’d go out and work out. It was totally different

from any workout I’d ever done. There was a lot more weight than I’ve ever done. I’ve always

done rehab-type workouts because my body has never felt good. I’ve always had knee pain, and I

had to do light weight because if I did more weight, my knees would flare up and get worse,”

Hardy said.

“The last two years kind of got me to a breaking point where I was going to work harder and lift

heavier weights and see if I can get stronger and see if it helps some of the pain, and I feel like it

has so far.”

In 2012 and 2013, Hardy missed just seven games, but injuries cost him 21 in 2014 and 48 last

year.

“Two years ago, I had back spasms when I was having to put my shoes on on the floor. I

couldn’t swing that year. I tried playing through it, but I wasn’t able to swing like I wanted to.

Last year with my shoulder, same thing, I wasn’t able to swing like I wanted to. It comes down

to just staying healthy, and if I can stay healthy and feel strong, I feel like I’ll be able to swing

like I want to,” Hardy said.

On Thursday, Hardy hit his first home run of the spring to straightaway center, a rare occurrence,

and followed it on Thursday with another one on Friday. His body is feeling stronger, and it

shows.

“I’ve come into spring training plenty times and said that I felt good, and this is the best my body

has ever felt, but this is three, four weeks into spring training, and my body is still feeling good,

which hasn’t happened before. I feel optimistic that these workouts that I’ve been doing have

really been paying off,” Hardy said.

Hardy is one of six Orioles who’ve hit at least 30 home runs in a season. Pedro Alvarez, Chris

Davis, Adam Jones, Manny Machado and Mark Trumbo each have hit at least 30.

“On paper, if you take my most home runs in a season, and say I’m a 30 home run hitter, but I’ve

done it once in 11 years. A lot of these guys are capable of it. I’m capable of it. [Jonathan]

Schoop is capable of it, so yeah if everyone can reach their potential and do what they’re capable

of, then yeah, it can be pretty special, but it’s a lot easier said than done. It’s not like it’s a

guarantee that we’ve got guys who have done it, and they’re going to do it again,” Hardy said.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2016/03/28/orioles-name-chris-tillman-as-opening-day-starting-

pitcher/

Orioles Name Chris Tillman As Opening Day Starting

Pitcher

CBS Baltimore

March 28, 2016

BALTIMORE (WJZ)– For the third consecutive season Chris Tillman will take the mound as

the starter in the Baltimore Orioles home opener.

Last season, Tillman became the 16th Orioles pitcher to record at least three seasons of 30 or

more starts and 10 or more wins in the same season, MASN Sports reports. He finished 10-10,

the fourth year in a row that he avoided a losing record.

The O’s take on the Twins at Camden Yards on April 4th at 3:05 p.m. You can watch right here

on WJZ.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2016/03/28/orioles-1st-baseman-chris-davis-is-happy-free-agency-

brought-him-back-to-baltimore/

Orioles 1st Baseman Chris Davis Is Happy Free Agency

Brought Him Back To Baltimore

CBS Baltimore

March 28, 2016

Chris joined Ed and Steve live from Orioles Spring Training in Sarasota, FL.

Chris started off by talking about re-signing with the Orioles saying “I’m happy and I’m back

where I want to be, the free agency process was grueling but it was worth it.” As for how much

his love of Baltimore played into coming back he said “it was a big part of my decision, looking

back toward the end of the season last year the way the fans embraced me and wanted me

back…this is a first class organization and I wanted to stay in a place I was comfortable and a

place I could win.”

When asked if the new big contract was putting pressure on him and if he could feel the pressure

Chris said “there is a lot of accountability that goes on in our clubhouse and that’s where the

pressure comes from…for me it’s a weight off my shoulders knowing where I’m going to be for

the next couple years.”

Chris also talked about Twitter and whether or not he allows trolls to get to him or if he pays

attention to the keyboard haters at all, and the use of smokeless tobacco in the majors.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2016/03/25/orioles-announce-os-zone-events-for-fans/

Orioles Announce ‘O’s Zone’ Events For Fans

CBS Baltimore

March 25, 2016

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — The Orioles announced dates for their first three O’s Zone events,

including the annual “Birds are Back” rally in Westminster, for fans to celebrate the opening of

the 2016 season.

The first O’s Zone, presented by Budweiser, will take place on Wednesday, March 30 at the

Hard Rock Café Pier in the Inner Harbor from 4 to 6 p.m.

On Saturday, April 2, Orioles fans can attend the second O’s Zone event courtesy of Pennington

Seed inside the Home Depot located at 9190 Baltimore National Pike in Ellicott City from 11

a.m. to noon and will feature trivia and prizes and photo opportunities with the Oriole Bird.

105.7 The Fan will be on site with our promotions team and former Orioles pitcher Rick Krivda

will be available to sign autographs for fans.

On Saturday, April 9, the annual “Birds are Back” rally will take place at Westminster Island

Green from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2016/03/25/orioles-to-auction-spring-training-jerseys/

Orioles To Auction Spring Training Jerseys\

CBS Baltimore

March 25, 2016

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — The Orioles today announced that an onlinecharity auction for the

orange Spring Training jerseys worn this spring beginning today at noon and will run until

Friday, April 1, at 10:00 p.m.

The orange Spring Training jerseys feature the new 2016 design, which includes a Florida patch

on the right sleeve and sublimated lettering and numbers on the back of the jerseys, featuring

various MLB and Spring Training logos.

The jerseys of select players and manager Buck Showalter were autographed and authenticated

following the March 7 game vs. the Minnesota Twins.

Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Orioles Charitable Foundation, which raised nearly

$320,000 through game-used memorabilia and online auctions in 2015.

You can find the jerseys and auction information here and here!

https://www.pressboxonline.com/2016/03/28/with-one-week-until-opening-day-orioles-outfield-

still-unsettled

With One Week Until Opening Day, Orioles Outfield Still

Unsettled

By Stan Charles / PressBoxOnline.com

March 28, 2016

BRADENTON, Fla. -- When I arrived in Sarasota, Fla., a week ago, there seemed to be a

crossroads looming for Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim, a free-agent signee from South Korea.

However, during the last seven days, there apparently is a third, more severe option that implies

the O’s may be looking to cut their losses as they did last spring with former Korean free-agent

right-hander Suk-min Yoon.

When I got down to Sarasota, Kim was just a couple days into a stretch during which he had

started to rebound from his 0-for-23 start in Grapefruit League play to eventually go 8-for-21.

That brief hot streak raised his batting average to .182 with a .229 OBP and .182 slugging

percentage. Kim has no extra-base hits and just two RBIs in 44 total at bats this spring.

His total performance before I arrived to spring training left me ready to see him up close and

make my own judgement. However, with the news that the club is now reportedly holding

internal dialogue on whether to return Kim to South Korea rather than get him to accept a minor

league option gives context to the fact that Kim didn't play with the big league club in Fort

Myers, Fla., March 22, in Bradenton March 23 or in Sarasota March 24. Then, Kim made three

weak outs during a home game against the New York Yankees March 25 and was benched

against during a home game against the Boston Red Sox March 26.

On March 27, before an exhibition game versus the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, a lineup

compromised of mostly minor leaguers and no Kim seemed to lend credence to these rumors

surrounding Kim.

If Kim and the Orioles indeed part ways, the team could look to add another outfielder from

outside the organization.

After Dexter Fowler spurned the Orioles to re-sign with the Chicago Cubs, one player I projected

the Orioles could sign to fill the void was David Murphy, who later joined the Red Sox on a

minor league deal with an opt-out clause. According to reports, Murphy opted out of his deal

with the Red Sox March 27, meaning he will become a free agent March 29 if Boston doesn't

place him on its 25-man roster for Opening Day.

Loaning some credence that Murphy could land in Baltimore if he's released by the Red Sox

could be the embrace the outfielder had with Orioles first baseman Chris Davis in Sarasota about

90 minutes before the March 26 game. The two spent time together with the Texas Rangers as

teammates from 2008-2011. After Davis and Murphy embraced, they walked together for about

five minutes.

The one difference now for the Orioles as opposed to earlier in spring training regarding Murphy

is where he would fit in, as outfielder Joey Rickard has seemingly run the table to go from a Rule

5 guy, to having made the 25-man roster, to being a very serious candidate to start in left field.

Murphy would still offer some nice defensive protection in right field for Mark Trumbo late in

games and give manager Buck Showalter another left-handed hitter off the bench, which is

something the O’s lack.

***

Kudos to veteran reporter and baseball savant Jim Henneman for pointing out the notion that

Kim and right-hander Miguel Gonzalez appear to be on the Orioles' roster bubble. Before my

arrival in Sarasota, I wouldn’t have said one or both of those scenarios would have been likely.

With Kim's chances perhaps fading, he seems like a distant long shot to open the season with the

Orioles, and Gonzalez may have just one more chance to save his roster spot with the big league.

It's highly questionable the O's would want to pay Gonzalez $3.2 million to work on getting

things straightened out at Triple-A Norfolk. That is unless his pitching coaches go to bat for him

in that scenario.

https://www.pressboxonline.com/2016/03/27/mike-wright-looking-for-spot-in-orioles-starting-

rotation

Mike Wright Looking for Spot in Orioles’ Starting Rotation

By Kyle Stackpole / PressBoxOnline.com

March 27, 2016

There's a lot Baltimore Orioles right-hander Mike Wright has enjoyed since arriving in Sarasota,

Fla., Feb. 18 for the start of spring training.

For much of the past five weeks, there have been sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 70s.

Wright, a self-proclaimed country-music fan, and the rest of the Orioles received a personal

concert from LoCash during the team's talent show March 18.

But on the diamond, the 26-year-old hurler has been fighting for a spot in the rotation after

spending the majority of his first five years in the minors. Wright started nine games last season

after the Orioles called him up from Triple-A Norfolk in May, and MLB.com has him sixth on

the starting pitcher's depth chart with Opening Day less than two weeks away.

"Obviously, I would like to go to Baltimore, stay in Baltimore for good, but it's a competition,"

Wright said March 24 on Glenn Clark Radio. "So I'm just out here trying to do my best and fight

for that spot."

Wright finished his first stint in the major leagues with a 6.04 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 44.2

innings. He's made five starts so far this spring, going 1-2 with a 5.74 ERA, and he'll likely have

one more start before the Orioles open against the Minnesota Twins at Camden Yards April 4.

Wright said his numbers don't reflect how he's felt about his performance, though.

After the Orioles drafted him out of East Carolina during the third round of the 2011 MLB Draft,

Wright said this spring is the best he's ever been in terms of executing his pitches and following

the process the Orioles' staff has created for him.

"I'm pretty positive, and coach is always saying, 'Be positive with the process,'" Wright said. "So

if I keep this process, I hope that the organization sees, just like I see, that if this process stays

the same, it's going to start getting some good results."

Should the Orioles name Wright one of their five starters, he'll join a rotation with one of highest

ERAs in the league last year. Baltimore's starters combined for a 4.53 ERA a season ago, the

second-worst mark in the American League behind the Detroit Tigers (4.78).

In an attempt to bolster the starting rotation, the Orioles signed veteran right-hander Yovani

Gallardo, who MLB.com projects will be the No. 2 starter behind right-hander Chris Tillman. As

it stands now, right-handers Miguel Gonzalez, Ubaldo Jimenez and Kevin Gausman round out

the rotation.

Wright thinks manager Buck Showalter should consider him for one of those positions, too.

"My goal this offseason was to come into camp and end up in the rotation," Wright said. "I don't

want to be the sixth, seventh, eighth guy, but I will if I have to be. But right now, I want to be on

the Opening Day roster, and I want to stay there."