Choosing this year's spring training dark horse candidate

We're down to six days before pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to the Ed Smith Stadium complex for spring training, though it's expected that the place will be filled with early arrivals. Not a lot of feet drag into Sarasota.

The time has come to offer my dark horse candidate to make the team. The challenge, of course, is doing it with so much uncertainty surrounding the roster.

I could pick a left-handed hitting corner outfielder and he might be ousted by a future signing or trade acquisition. Same goes for a starting pitcher, reliever or utility infielder.

No guts, no glory. I'm going for it.

Joely Rodríguez gets my vote. The Orioles have room for a left-handed reliever, especially with closer Zach Britton headed for the 60-day disabled list, and they want a power-type guy to complement Richard Bleier. Rodríguez is included among 19 non-roster invitees to spring training.

This is a reach, but that's the whole point. Otherwise, the horse would be lit.

Manager Buck Showalter had a chance to meet Rodríguez and watch him throw at last month's minicamp. It certainly won't hurt his chances.

Rodríguez posted a 5.40 ERA and 1.745 WHIP in 38 relief appearances with the Phillies, but those numbers are inflated by his 6.33 ERA and 1.926 WHIP in 26 games last summer. He possesses a mid-90s fastball and a heavy sinker and slider. For the Orioles, he checks a few of the boxes.

Showalter hasn't stated how many left-handers he'd like to carry in his bullpen. Donnie Hart will try to stay off the Triple-A shuttle and might qualify as the biggest threat to Rodríguez if the Orioles keep only two lefties, unless Rule 5 pick Nestor Cortes Jr. fails to make the rotation and the club wants to keep him.

The camp invites include Andrew Faulkner and Josh Edgin, the latter owning a career 3.49 ERA in 177 career games with the Mets. Left-handers are batting .223/.296/.367 against him.

There are plenty of hurdles in front of Rodríguez, but that's why he's a dark horse. I'll choose him on this date, with so many roster moves pending, to medal in equestrian.

* The Orioles haven't announced their minor league staffs, but we know that Buck Britton has been promoted from Single-A Delmarva hitting coach to manager after one season. Ryan Minor is moving up to manage high Single-A Frederick, as he did back in 2013.

Former Frederick manager Keith Bodie will stay in the organization as a hitting coach. One scenario has him taking the job at Double-A Bowie, with Butch Davis moving up to Triple-A Norfolk. Otherwise, Bodie would replace Sean Berry at Norfolk.

In case you missed it, Berry was hired as Marlins minor league hitting coordinator.

* The Orioles will hold their third annual Sarasota Springfest on Feb. 17 at Ed Smith Stadium. It's free of charge and includes a couple of new twists.

Along with watching pitchers and catchers practice on the back fields, fans get the chance to enjoy games and interactive activities in the stadium from 9 a.m-1 p.m.

Fans will have opportunities to play catch on the main field, take a behind-the-scenes tour of the ballpark and participate in a "Pitch for Charity" event to benefit All Faiths Food Bank.

Orioles event staff will provide stadium tours every 20 minutes beginning at 10 a.m. Fans will see areas not usually open to the public, including the press box, World Series Suites, Home Plate Suite, Third Base Lounge and the visiting clubhouse.

Two sessions of "Have A Catch" will be offered at approximately 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Participants must bring their own gloves and sign a liability waiver.

I'm emceeing a Q&A session with outfielder Trey Mancini at approximately 12:30 p.m.