SARASOTA, Fla. - Trey Mancini, who was removed yesterday after two at-bats because of some lingering effects from his illness, isn't in today's lineup against the Nationals in West Palm.
Austin Hays also is sitting out the game, with Yusniel Diaz getting the start in center field. Diaz tripled yesterday for his first spring hit.
Hanser Alberto is leading off and playing second base. Mason Williams is in right field.
Anthony Santander continues to serve as the designated hitter.
Ryan...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are on a rotation roll of late, with Asher Wojciechowski the latest starter to impress yesterday with three scoreless innings. They've got Tommy Milone throwing this morning at the Ed Smith Stadium complex and Wade LeBlanc prepping for Wednesday's start in Jupiter.
John Means retired all nine batters he faced Sunday in Clearwater. Alex Cobb impressed in his simulated game and hasn't experienced any discomfort in his hip or knee.
Other candidates are making their...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Andrew Velazquez lined a single into right-center field this afternoon off Rays starter Charlie Morton, who handed the ball to his manager and exited one out short of completing the third inning.
At the plate again in the fifth, Velazquez coaxed a walk out of former Orioles reliever Oliver Drake. He's 4-for-9 with three stolen bases this spring.
Velazquez is the last Orioles player to crack the camp roster after a Feb. 19 waiver claim. He's also migrating toward the front of...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Alex Cobb is going to wait a little longer before making another start.
Cobb will pitch in a simulated game Friday while the Orioles play the Yankees in Tampa. His next start is March 11 versus the Blue Jays in Dunedin.
"He threw right around 50 pitches yesterday and looked great and he felt great after," said manager Brandon Hyde. "Actually threw a little bit more than we had planned for and he felt outstanding during it and after, so we're good to go."
The adjustments...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The device used by Orioles pitcher Wade LeBlanc to measure his spring training is built with the most basic parts.
"They haven't told me to go home yet," he said, "so it's going pretty good."
Sounds pretty accurate.
LeBlanc has made only one exhibition start, back in the Feb. 23 home opener. He's scheduled to take the ball again Wednesday afternoon against the Marlins in Jupiter.
Part of a "pretty standard" camp for the 35-year-old lefty, who's getting lots of work on...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Reliever Hunter Harvey is making his exhibition debut today with the Orioles hosting the Rays.
Harvey is recovered from his illness and threw a simulated game to pass his final test.
Pat Valaika is playing shortstop today and Andrew Velazquez is the second baseman.
Martin Cervenka is the designated hitter.
Chris Davis is batting third and playing first base and Renato Núñez is getting another start at third base.
Chance Sisco is catching Asher Wojciechowski.
Available...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The pushing started at a young age. Brother and sister inspiring each other to be better in sports. In games played at the family table. Pretty much anything that determined a victor and a loser.
Trash talking was optional but pretty much a constant. Verbal jousting also qualified as a sport.
Bending the rules was an exercise. Breaking them, as Madison McCoy accuses Mason McCoy of doing, was a ploy that illustrated, better than anything she can cite, just how badly he wanted to...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Five non-roster players have been removed from the Orioles spring training camp roster, including infield prospects Rylan Bannon and Mason McCoy and left-handers Zac Lowther and Alexander Wells.
Infielder Malquin Canelo, a longshot candidate to win a utility job, also has been reassigned to minor league camp.
Bannon, McCoy, Lowther and Wells never were in line to head north with the club. They'll report to Twin Lakes Park and await their assignments, which could lead to a...
SARASOTA, Fla. - José Iglesias has video stored in his phone of three at-bats in the same game that concluded in the same fashion.
Three outs that remind him of J.J. Hardy's mastery at shortstop.
Grounders in Hardy's vicinity that appear to be infield hits until Iglesias hears the popping sounds from the first baseman's mitt. The ball beats him to the bag by a fraction of a second.
So impressive that Iglesias can't get angry about it. The opposing shortstop instead tips his cap to Hardy,...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Alex Cobb was held back in camp this morning and assigned a simulated game on the Ed Smith Stadium field while left-hander John Means traveled to Clearwater.
The top two starters in the Orioles rotation got in their work on the same day.
Cobb threw a lengthy bullpen session prior to the sim game, with Austin Wynns catching him. The veteran right-hander has gotten over the illness that slowed him in camp and restricted him to one inning in his only exhibition start.
Whatever he...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Ryan Mountcastle is in left field today against the Phillies and Stevie Wilkerson is playing first base as the Orioles attempt to run their winning streak to five games in a row.
Dilson Herrera keeps moving around, with today's game putting him in right field. Hanser Alberto is leading off and Rio Ruiz is batting cleanup.
Mason Williams gets the start in center field.
Regulars who are staying back in Sarasota include Austin Hays, Trey Mancini, Anthony Santander, Chris Davis...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The shifting of players to various positions in camp bumped Rio Ruiz to the bench yesterday after he started at third base the previous afternoon in Bradenton.
He's also played first base in a game.
He hasn't stopped hitting.
Ruiz singled twice against the Pirates and is 7-for-12 with a double, RBI and run scored. He's driving the ball to the opposite field. Nothing cheap about his production.
"I like the way he's swinging the bat," said manager Brandon Hyde. "He's off...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Don't fall in love with spring training stats.
Pretty sound advice, but what about a crush?
Chris Davis is threatening to take back his old nickname. The first baseman with his 25 extra pounds of good weight hit his third home run this afternoon, a three-run shot to right-center field off former Orioles farmhand Stephen Tarpley.
Davis walked in the first inning and flexed in the second, this time pulling the ball after taking aim at left and left-center in previous starts. He...
SARASOTA, Fla. - As the pages of the calendar flip to a new month on Sunday, the chances of the Orioles bringing in a veteran starter could be moving further away from reality.
Time is running out to get a pitcher ready for opening day and the preferred scenario doesn't include innings and arms built up in extended spring training.
Manager Brandon Hyde must proceed as though he's got to choose from among the pitchers already in camp.
"I think you have to," he said. "We go on the mindset...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Davis is batting fifth today for a 1:05 p.m. game against the Marlins in Sarasota.
Davis has reached base in seven of his eight plate appearances, with two singles and two home runs.
Yusniel Diaz was the designated hitter yesterday and he's in left field this afternoon. Anthony Santander remains in the designated hitter role when he's in the lineup.
Pedro Severino is catching. Pat Valaika, a super-utility candidates, is starting at second base.
Left-hander Keegan Akin...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Richie Martin is blocked at shortstop and unsure whether he can claim second base or a utility job.
He's no longer hearing how he should focus only on his defense at short and not worry about what he offers at the plate. Hold the gravy.
Spring training 2020 certainly has a different feel and sound for Martin, the former Rule 5 pick who came within a home run yesterday of the cycle.
Martin was allowed back at his old position while José Iglesias stayed in Sarasota for...
BRADENTON, Fla. - Austin Hays didn't have a seat on the team bus this morning, his workout schedule keeping him back in Sarasota while the Orioles made the 20-minute trek to play the Pirates.
Ryan Mountcastle peeled away from his friend and handled first base and cleanup duties at LECOM Park.
They both cleaned up yesterday at Ed Smith Stadium. Hays doubled twice and had two RBIs, made two diving catches and was on the front end of an 8-4-2 putout. Mountcastle doubled twice, hit a long home...
BRADENTON, Fla. - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde broke out a sheet of paper this morning with the list of players who are recovering from injuries and illnesses and the next stages of their individual progressions.
Too many names and tasks to memorize with so many other activities happening at the complex.
Hunter Harvey, who's been able to shake his flu-like symptoms, threw a simulated game today in Sarasota.
Kohl Stewart (biceps) and Alex Wells (oblique) are throwing in the bullpen Saturday....
SARASOTA, Fla. - As the Orioles' player representative, Chris Davis is ready to offer an opinion on the Astros cheating scandal, the punishments handed down and how opponents might deal with it.
"I think the discipline that the players are going to get this year is going to be very interesting, and I say that meaning that a lot of that is going to be handed out between the lines," Davis said.
"Obviously, what went on was awful for the game, for the fans, just for everybody involved. But it...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Rule 5 pick Brandon Bailey gets his first start today, as the Orioles travel to Bradenton to play the Pirates in a 1:05 p.m. game.
Bailey pitched in relief in Sunday's home opener against the Red Sox and allowed one run and three hits with no walks and two strikeouts over two innings.
Yusniel Diaz makes his spring debut today as the designated hitter. Dwight Smith Jr. is leading off, followed by Hanser Alberto.
Ryan Mountcastle moves to first base after playing left field in...