After spending about a week at spring training, one impression that struck me is how hard some players worked over the winter to get better. And it’s not just the hard work they put in, but that much of it is very specific, very targeted, and there is a clear plan at work. 

It is one of many things this organization is doing well right now. They take good players and make many of them better. Heck, they have taken some little-known players and some that once looked like longshots to make and/or help the team and turned them into All-Stars.

That has happened over the last few years for relievers Félix Bautista and Yennier Cano. Both were 2023 All-Stars for the Orioles.

Bautista’s first pro year was 2012 with Miami. The Marlins released him in 2016. On Aug. 4, 2016 the Orioles signed him. Through 2018 on their watch he never got out of rookie ball. In 2019 and 2021, he walked nearly six batters per nine innings on the farm. That same pitcher had a 3.5 walk rate and 1.85 ERA in 2022 and 2023. In the big leagues.

Cano in 2022 gave up 23 runs in 18 major league innings. A year later he started the season lights-out with the Orioles, was an All-Star and had a 2.11 ERA.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The first wave of John Means’ news in camp arrived on the first day, with executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias indicating to the gathered media that the former All-Star was a month behind the other starters and probably would begin the season on the injured list.

Nothing with the elbow that qualified as a setback. Just a lengthy delay in clearance to begin his throwing program.

At that time, the Orioles seemed to be aiming for an early April return to the rotation.

The next splash came earlier this week with manager Brandon Hyde confirming that Means wouldn’t pitch in an exhibition game.

The club is arranging live batting practice outings for Means, who also could start in simulated games on the back fields. But he’ll need to go on an injury rehab assignment before the Orioles activate him.

SARASOTA, Fla. – As we watched right-hander Albert Suárez emerge it seemed out of nowhere to fan seven Philadelphia Phillies in three scoreless innings yesterday in Clearwater, we could wonder further if there is another to come out of nowhere in that clubhouse?

Suárez got 12 whiffs on 23 swings while touching 97.5 mph on the radar gun.

Brandon Hyde was rather impressed.

"He really threw the ball extremely well," said the Baltimore skipper. "I'm really impressed with his strike throwing ability, big-time life to his fastball. He was throwing his fastball by good major league hitters. He's got four pitches he throws for strikes, and he's got command of them. It's going to be fun to watch him. We didn't know a whole lot about him, and he's come in and thrown 97 with good secondary stuff, so really impressed with him today."

Is lefty Ronald Guzmán next to surprise us?

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles break camp in less than three weeks, proving again that spring training moves just as fast as the offseason.

Are we any closer to figuring out the 26-man roster? Not really. The club hasn’t made a particular move that serves as a spoiler.

We know that Sam Hilliard fell out of the outfield competition quickly, returning to the Rockies on a waiver claim. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias gave us more to think about by signing pitcher Julio Teheran and second baseman Kolten Wong to minor league contracts.

It’s an absolute possibility that the Orioles bring both players to Baltimore, Teheran perhaps in long relief and Wong as this year’s version of Adam Frazier – at least to begin the season. Frazier lasted through all of it rather than serve as a placeholder.

Jackson Holliday says, “Hold my non-alcoholic beverage.”

SARASOTA, Fla. – After missing the team’s first 10 games – and their 9-1 start – Gunnar Henderson will make his spring training debut today as the Orioles host a Minnesota Twins split squad at 1:05 p.m. He's playing shortstop and batting third.

Henderson has been rehabbing a sore left oblique, an issue that came up late in his winter workouts at home while long-tossing. The Orioles have been careful to nurse that along, and now the 2023 American League Rookie of the Year is ready to take the field.

“He’s doing great,” manager Brandon Hyde said this morning. “(Has) taken some live at-bats a couple of days ago and had kind of a normal workday yesterday and is cleared and ready to go.”

Hyde is not worried about Henderson feeling any pressure to produce or exceed his ’23 stats.

“Gunnar is so driven that sometimes you have to slow him down a little bit. He has got incredible makeup, unbelievable worker and plays the game as hard as anybody. You know you want him to enjoy it a little bit, but he is so easy to coach and so fun to watch play.”