A few notes from the first day of minicamp

SARASOTA, Fla. - New Orioles minor league pitching coordinator John Wasdin is at minicamp this week. The club hasn't announced his hiring, but he's assisting with the workouts at the Ed Smith Stadium complex.

No one threw in the bullpen today, but there will be numerous sessions on Tuesday.

Outfielder Joey Rickard and catcher Chance Sisco are working out in California with vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson. Rickard has told the Orioles that his right thumb is much better.

Chris Tillman dropped by the complex sporting a full beard. He lives in Sarasota and figured to pay a visit.

Manager Buck Showalter said he doesn't envision playing Trey Mancini in the outfield, though everything is subject to change. Mancini could break camp with the club as a bench player and part-time designated hitter, depending on other moves that are pending.

The Orioles are still in the market for another outfielder and seem to prefer a left-handed hitter despite trading for Seth Smith. And despite batting .234 against southpaws last season, the lowest average in the American League.

"Probably left-handed because of the way the at-bats would work out," Showalter said. "You're talking about 400 or 500 at-bats as opposed to 100 or 200. (But) if you look at our division and the number of left-handed starters that are in it now, you've got to stay on top of that. Especially Boston."

The Orioles envision Smith playing the outfield corners, maybe a little first base and occasionally serving as the designated hitter.

"A baseball player, very trustworthy," Showalter said. "He's kind of evolved. Watching him through the years, he's evolved into a professional hitter. He brings two things that it would be nice to have in our batting order, the low strikeouts and the high walks. You see a guy who's on-base percentage 100-plus points higher than his batting average. Every time you face him, it feels like he's hitting about .320.

"He was a tough out for us. You've got to be careful. Through the years I've found that really coveting people who do well against you ... then all of a sudden you see they're hitting .220. Someone's getting him out. But Smith has always hit good pitching late in the game. He would always put a good at-bat on somebody. Maybe it had to do with us picking around the strike zone some. He doesn't go out of the zone much."

Showalter doesn't view the Orioles as having too many outfielders, though there are nine listed on the 40-man roster.

"We only have really eight and that's counting Adam Walker," he said. "Christian Walker is kind of a swing guy between first and the outfield. Got (Aneury) Tavarez and (Anthony) Santander. You look at the schedule, there's going to be plenty of playing time and opportunities for these guys."

Walker will continue to play the outfield in spring training, but he also will get some innings at first base.

Mychal Givens played catch in the outfield after making the drive from his home in Tampa. He's still on the preliminary roster for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. However, the final roster isn't set until next month.

Teams usually have a higher level of concern over pitchers getting injured in the WBC. Givens is the only Orioles pitcher on a preliminary roster.

"First of all, my and our job description is doing what's best for the Baltimore Orioles and there's nobody more patriotic than I am," Showalter said. "It means something to Manny (Machado) to play for the Dominican. It means something for Jonathan (Schoop) to play for (Netherlands). It means something for Jonesy (Adam Jones) to play, and that's fine. But I think I have more concern about the pitchers because we can stop the clock when the position players get here. But it's unfamiliar territory.

"People feel like it's great for our game and whatever and that's fine, but I stand accused. I'm looking at what's best for the Orioles and it's a challenge for the pitchers. It is because they're starting that competitive clock early and then they're shutting it down and then they're turning it back on again. That's the first thing we're going to do when they get back.

"It's not like Mychal's going to go there and pitch a bunch of innings. Jimmy Leyland and Joe (Torre) are really going to watch that closely, and you know if the player wants to do it, we're not allowed to give them any advice and ... They are precious commodities and assets to us and our fans, so I stand accused if I have some concerns about it because I do.

"These guys are creatures of routine and habit and when you take them out of it, you create some challenges that aren't normally there. There's two finish lines now."

Showalter has scheduled intrasquad games on Feb. 22-23. The Orioles play their first Grapefruit League game on Feb. 24 against the Tigers in Lakeland.

The early minor league camp starts on Feb. 18 at Twin Lakes Park.