Machado on playing shortstop in the WBC and more

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado said last night that he expects to slide over to shortstop for the World Baseball Classic.

One look at the Dominican Republic's roster and it's easy to understand why.

Adrian Beltre figures to handle the hot corner. Other infielders include Machado, Robinson Cano, Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes.

Which player would you put at shortstop? Seems like a no-brainer to me.

"I kind of let them know that, hey, whatever it is, wherever you want me to play," Machado said last night on the "Hot Stove Show" on 105.7 The Fan.

"We have a pretty stacked lineup. I can play short, I want to play short, and I most likely will be, but it's more about the experience and representing the country where your mom came from and all my family's been there. It's going to be fun. I'm going to be excited for my mom and my family to watch me play there. I'm excited about it, to be honest."

The Dominican is the defending WBC champions after Japan won the first two tournaments. The rosters were announced Wednesday night and Machado said the title is up for grabs.

"Everyone's stacked," he said. "Everyone's All-Stars, everyone's big leaguers throughout the board, so it's just whoever's hot. Whichever team can play as a team for that short amount of time. It's going to be interesting.

"I think we have a pretty good chance of going back-to-back, but it's just going to be a matter of us playing together for the couple of weeks that we're together and see what goes on."

One of Machado's new Orioles teammates, catcher Welington Castillo, also will leave camp to play for the Dominican. His inclusion caught a few folks by surprise.

It also means that Castillo will have to interrupt the all-important bonding process with the pitching staff.

"I did not know, but I'm sure that he's getting to spring training early," Machado said. "I know the type of person that he is, that he's going to go out there and from Day One he'll be talking to the pitchers and see how he's going to help, what his goals are going to be as an everyday catcher.

"I think he's going to go out there and do his job and players are going to like him, pitchers are going to like him and they're going to feel comfortable throwing to him. The matter of him being gone for a couple of weeks, he's playing for his country. It's always an honor to play in front of the crowd, in front of where your parents are from.

"I think he's doing the right thing. I think he's going to probably get in early and do everything extra that he's going to need to fill in those couple weeks that he's going to be gone."

I'm not sure where Machado will bat in the WBC, but it's a pretty safe bet that he won't lead off for the Orioles. They like him hitting third, his spot for 114 games last season.

How would Machado react if asked to bat first?

"There won't be a reaction," he said. "I've proven that I can hit in the leadoff spot. I've done better in the third spot, hitting 37 (home runs) and driving in runs. I did have a little slump last year in the second half, which I'm trying to improve this year. But we go up there and we're going to try to drive in runs.

"The best-case scenario would be to get a leadoff hitter who will be on base for guys like Adam (Jones) and myself and (Mark) Trumbo and (Chris) Davis coming back. I'll say that Adam did a great job last year. Adam was a great leadoff hitter. He did a great job stepping in. He got a lot of pitches to hit and he did a lot of his damage there.

"I think realistically speaking we should go out there and try to look for a leadoff hitter and get someone to fill that hole and push Adam back. Adam shouldn't be hitting first. Adam should be hitting lower in the lineup because he's one of the guys who can do damage and do the things that we need to do."

To review, Jones thinks Machado should bat third and Machado thinks Jones also should bat lower than first. They won't get an argument from me, but I still don't know who's the best candidate to lead off among players projected to be in the lineup on a regular basis.

Machado was asked about his contract status at FanFest and it's going to happen again on the first day that he's available to the media in spring training. He can't be a free agent until the conclusion of the 2018 season, but it's possible that the Orioles again will engage in extension talks.

"It's obviously going to be a distraction if it keeps being brought up (by reporters)," he said, "but at the end of the day, those are things I can't control, to be honest. Would I like to stay here? Of course. I'd love to stay here. This is the only organization that I know of, it's the only uniform that I've put on.

"Hopefully, they come up and try to (do) something. I know they went back and forth through the arbitration meetings and all that. I know Dan (Duquette) knows what's going on. I know Peter (Angelos) does, but at the end of the day, it's about putting the best team out there. I'm under contract for the next two years, so they don't really have to worry about me until then.

"Would it be easier to try to (do) something now? Yeah, but it's not up to me. I can just go out there and play baseball and keep doing what I've been doing, and things will turn out. I know they want me to stay here. I'm looking forward to the season, looking forward to the next two years in the organization with everyone here, and hopefully I can be here for the long term."