The Orioles announced that Tommy Hunter will start the second game of the season Saturday, so we know the top three pitchers in the rotation.
Jake Arrieta, Hunter and Jason Hammel will start against the Minnesota Twins at Camden Yards.
The assumption is that left-handers Wei-Yin Chen and Brian Matusz will start the first two games against the New York Yankees. Manager Buck Showalter told reporters in Norfolk today that he'll announce the rest of the rotation and the Orioles' 25-man roster...
TAMPA, Fla. - I made it to my Airtran gate at the Tampa airport after having my hands "tested" by security because my photo ID was in my back pocket.
I've had them slapped before, but never tested.
Anyway, I'm happy to report that my hands passed the test and I'm allowed to fly home, where the forecast apparently calls for temperatures in the 70s (good news) and rain (bad news.)
I'm up to exactly 6,600 Twitter followers (@MASNroch) after arriving at spring training below 6,000, so...
SARASOTA, Fla. - This is my final spring training blog entry from Sarasota. The next time you hear from me, I'll be filing early Wednesday morning from the Marriott at the Tampa airport before stumbling to my gate for a 6:45 a.m. flight home.
Now if I could only remember where I parked my car seven weeks ago. And my address.
Here's manager Buck Showalter on the decision to place Tsuyoshi Wada on the 15-day disabled list:
"Wada will probably take a minimum of two outings. He'll stay here....
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have decided to place Japanese left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada on the 15-day disabled list. The move will be backdated to make Wada eligible to join the Orioles on April 12.
The plan calls for Wada to make two starts, the first being at extended spring training. He could make a second one in Sarasota or report to one of the affiliates on a rehab assignment.
In both starts, the Orioles want Wada to throw 90 pitches.
The Orioles have 26 players in camp, leaving two...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Tsuyoshi Wada is waiting to find out whether he's going to be included on the 25-man roster or if he'll stay back at extended spring training.
Is he ready to start the season?
"I feel like my condition is normal," Wada said through his interpreter. "It's not really good and it's not really bad. It's normal. If I'm going to throw next week in the season, I'll work on it and get more ready, get my body condition more ready for the season.
"I'm ready to go to...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles made two more roster cuts today, reassigning reliever Pat Neshek to minor league camp and outrighting outfielder Jai Miller to Triple-A Norfolk after he cleared waivers.
The Orioles have 27 active players in camp.
Relievers Darren O'Day, Zach Phillips and Troy Patton, and starter Tsuyoshi Wada are vying for the last two spots.
The Orioles have 38 players on the 40-man roster, which leaves room for Nick Johnson and Ronny Paulino.
Manager Buck Showalter has...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The two starting pitchers are done for the day.
Jason Hammel and Tsuyoshi Wada each went five innings. Wada stayed on the mound for two extra batters in the fifth after recording the final out, getting a fly ball and giving up a double before manager Buck Showalter halted the inning.
Hammel allowed two runs and three hits, with one walk, three strikeouts and a wild pitch. He threw 65 pitches, 43 for strikes.
Wada allowed one run and five hits, with one walk and two...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter is waiting to make the final cuts until checking on "a couple physical issues."
"We've still got a couple days, so we don't want to get ahead of ourselves," he said.
Showalter has contingency plans in case certain players aren't ready for opening day. He isn't providing specifics.
Showalter is monitoring Tsuyoshi Wada's health and trying to get him stretched out. Wada is starting today for the State College of Florida.
Ronny Paulino is...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Former Orioles pitcher Jason Johnson is in camp and hoping to get a tryout as he attempts a comeback from labrum surgery.
Johnson lives in Tampa, about an hour away from the Ed Smith Stadium complex. He contacted special assistant Brady Anderson, a former teammate, who invited him to camp this morning.
Johnson is getting ready to throw off one of the bullpen mounds. He's hoping that a team will sign him and send him to extended spring training.
The San Francisco Giants...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles haven't posted their lineup for today's game against the State College of Florida. I guess there's no rush on the final day of spring training.
They didn't take the field for the pregame stretch until 10:30 a.m. and the clubhouse closed to the media more than an hour ago, which meant one more breakfast at the 12th St. Cafe.
It's my second one of the day, but who's counting?
Jason Hammel will oppose Tsuyoshi Wada today, as the Orioles supply pitching for...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Jim Johnson kept hearing all winter how he'd make a start in spring training. It just took until the next-to-last game in Florida for it to happen.
Johnson pitched the first inning tonight and retired all three Florida Southern batters that he faced, striking out two of them.
"Everything's fine," he said. "I had to stay on a schedule. I'm not going to be on a mound the next two days."
That's because Johnson will be with his wife, Elizabeth, when doctors induce labor...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Ryan Flaherty doesn't show much emotion. He's about as low-key as they come in the Orioles' clubhouse. But he clearly was moved by today's news that he had made the team as a Rule 5 pick.
Manager Buck Showalter informed Flaherty earlier today that the Maine native won the utility job.
"They told me I was going to make the team, so it's pretty special to get told that," he said.
"It was good. It was in front of the team. He said, 'Obviously, you've got a few days...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter called Jake Arrieta into his office today with news that the right-hander would start the April 6 opener against the Minnesota Twins at Camden Yards.
Arrieta had a pretty good idea that Showalter was informing the pitchers of their slots in the rotation. And now everyone knows.
"Jake will pitch on that day and we will go from there," Showalter said.
Arrieta, 26, went 10-8 with a 5.05 ERA in 22 starts last season before undergoing surgery to remove a...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter will reveal his opening day starter before tonight's game against Florida Southern.
Initially, Showalter told reporters that he'd wait until after the game, but he relented and promised to tell us sooner so we can interview the pitcher.
Jason Hammel apparently will pitch the third game on Sunday, but that's not official. The rotation could be adjusted. Don't write down anything in permanent marker.
Reliever Matt Lindstrom's right hamstring...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are breaking out most of their regulars for tonight's game against Florida Southern, but they'll lean heavily on their bullpen to cover nine innings.
For the Orioles:
Nolan Reimold LF
Nick Markakis DH
J.J. Hardy SS
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Mark Reynolds 3B
Chris Davis 1B
Robert Andino 2B
Ryan Flaherty RF
Jim Johnson RHP
Johnson will go one inning. Troy Patton will follow him and go two innings.
Don't read too much into it. The Orioles aren't changing...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are preparing for tonight's game against Florida Southern at Ed Smith Stadium, and I'm guessing that we'll have a lot of first-pitch swinging.
Alfredo Simon won't be part of it. He's already left the complex carrying his equipment bag, still uncertain where he'll be unpacking it.
The Orioles placed Simon on waivers Friday, so it shouldn't be much longer before the right-hander learns his fate.
"I don't know nothing yet," he said. "I'm thinking maybe...
SARASOTA, Fla. - I always know we're nearing the end of spring training when I buy a case of bottled waters and immediately stress over the possibility that I won't have enough time to drink all of it before boarding my flight to Baltimore.
Two days and 17 bottles left.
Unless I'm confronted with a major thirst, I don't like my chances.
The four Myoplex french vanilla protein shakes, the two yogurts, the one bag of frozen Brussels sprouts and the half an avocado are going down. Just not...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter was asked whether Taiwanese left-hander Wei-Yin Chen is assured a spot in the rotation.
"Barring something that could happen," he replied. "There's always a way, but barring something outside what we have here, yes."
Chen served up three home runs today, but Showalter laid partial blame on the conditions. None of the runs were earned on Desmond Jennings' grand slam following an error by shortstop J.J. Hardy, who dropped the ball as he was removing...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles hit four home runs today and still lost to the Rays, 8-5, at Ed Smith Stadium.
J.J. Hardy homered twice. Nick Johnson and Nick Markakis also connected. The last three homers came against Rays reliever Matt Torra.
I'll pass along manager Buck Showalter's quotes a little later, including how he confirmed that Wei-Yin Chen is in the rotation. He also mentioned that Alfredo Simon didn't pitch in a minor league game today. It was the club's decision and it wasn't...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Wei-Yin Chen said he mostly threw fastballs in today's start against the Rays.
The Rays didn't miss many of them.
"They're a great team," Chen said through his interpreter after giving up three home runs in five innings and allowing seven runs total (three earned).
"They have great hitters and they hit me well with my fastball."
Chen said he was making adjustments with pitching coach Rick Adair.
"the first inning I was still getting a feeling and in the last three...