Drake allows spring homer, but still could emerge in O's 'pen come April

Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday, there are reasons to believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening day in April.

Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons. They include his strong finish last year, a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he is now out of options.

The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and he's been in the organization ever since. If he truly turned a corner late last year, the Orioles may be inclined to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp.

Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 4.00 in 18 big league innings last season. In September, he pitched to an ERA of 1.64 and a batting average against of just .128. Over 11 innings, he gave up five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts.

In addition to getting more consistent outs, he also showed better pitch efficiency, an improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make. Over his last few games of the year, he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches, an outing of 1 2/3 innings on 23 pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches.

So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year. Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard, but not the only one.

"I tell you what, I've seen a little different split from him," Showalter said in the final days of the 2016 season. "There is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball. And last couple of outings, his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like. It's been later (with its movement), it's been harder. He's gotten my attention the last two or three outings. He's got a good look on his face. And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters. He has really worked hard with command of his fastball. That has helped some. He's done well, I'm proud of him."

Further helping Drake's cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-inning reliever. At Norfolk last season, all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning or less. After that, he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games.

In his big league career, Drake has fanned 38 in 33 2/3 innings and has also shown an ability to get out left-and right-handed batters. At Norfolk in 2016, lefty batters hit .171 against him and right-handers batted .244. In the majors, he gave up a .154 average versus left-handed batters and a .175 mark versus right-handed hitters.

According to BrooksBaseball.com stats from last year, Drake gave up a batting average against of .231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and .074 on his split-finger pitch. He used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent. Over the years, that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it.

The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton, Darren O'Day, Brad Brach, Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart. If they go with a seven-man 'pen that would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander.

The Orioles bullpen doesn't have many openings. It might be hard for a pitcher that hasn't been a bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one. But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that has thrown well and can go multiple innings, they are going to have to think hard about that one.