Mancini gets first start in the outfield (O's lead 3-1)

Trey Mancini's education as a major league outfielder continues tonight under the new LED lights at Camden Yards, with Orioles manager Buck Showalter choosing the rookie to play right instead of veteran Craig Gentry.

There are multiple methods to the madness.

Showalter said the only way to find out whether Mancini can handle the position is to play him, which is happening tonight against Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ.

"It's just another part of the process," Showalter said. "There's nothing you can do. It's just like, how do you find out if Steve Pearce can play second base? How do you find out if Joey Rickard can play right as well as left? How do you find out if Manny (Machado) can play third base? Sooner or later you've got to play them up here.

"It's a different look. Are you going to wait until we have to make some decisions on roster and stuff, which is coming on Sunday? And we all know the ball gets to you."

That's one reason, with the Orioles needing to know whether Mancini can play the outfielder if they're forced to reduce their bench to four players. Left-hander Wade Miley comes off the disabled list on Sunday and a fifth starter is needed on April 15.

Mark Trumbo stays in his current role of designated hitter, without any late-inning maneuvering.

"It allows us to not have to take Trum out of the game," Showalter said. "Last year, a few times we had to take him out in the eighth inning. We didn't have to, but we did with a one-run lead. It was a big process for us. And do you have a whole lot better upgrade, which was a challenge for us last year."

Which brings us to another reason for Mancini's start in right field. Showalter wants Gentry in the dugout to potentially complicate or influence decisions made by Jays manager John Gibbons.

"That's one of the advantages of having Craig Gentry on the bench, because now it gives us a piece on the bench to do some things," Showalter said. "(Mancini) did well with what was presented to him and showed himself as an option. Now we take the next step and see if it will work in a major league game. There's no easy way around it.

"If we play Gentry, our bench becomes a lot less versatile. Now we have a weapon they have to defend late in the game, and that he can defend. We haven't had that. You put him in the game, you're going to have to do something different to keep him from showing his skill. Trying to make them adjust to what we're doing instead of us constantly adjusting to what they're doing. I want to dictate it to them instead of them dictating it to us."

Mancini worked out in the outfield over the winter and began playing in exhibition games in March when he wasn't tutored on the back fields at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. He took plenty of fly balls in right during Sunday's workout and again in batting practice Monday and this afternoon.

Mancini also has fielded advice about playing right field at Camden Yards, "but you've got to be careful about too much," Showalter said.

"Just trust yourself. Trust your instincts. The third deck is always tough to get used to. I know Joey went through it last year and just the depth perception, the wall. But athletically he can handle it. This is a guy who can score from first on a double, score from second on a single. I think we got to see the side of him as a first baseman this spring as opposed to the year before when he had a little, I don't want to say 'nervous' or 'anxiety.' But Trey's such a pleaser, wants to please and wants to be good at everything. He's willing to do anything and it just creates another good option for us if we can do it. And then the next step is whether he can play both corners or not.

"You want to keep your versatility as you go forward the way injuries happen and different things come up. You want to be able to move things around. And he's not afraid. He's not going to get timid. He's one of those guys who goes for it and that's what I like about him. He's going to be as good as he's capable of being out there. I think the reps are going to be somewhat of a challenge early on, but those things have a way of working their way out. He's been working very hard at it and this is a reward for him. He's been doing it for a while now."

The new lights could further illuminate how Mancini still is in experimental mode. They apparently caused Rickard to pull up on a line drive on opening day that fell in front of him.

"I think the ball that Joey had hit to him the other day was in the lights," Showalter said. "I like things brighter for the most part. Tonight it's going to be interesting to see if it's a factor. I don't think it will be. I know one thing, we can make them blink now. I'm going to look away. I don't need anything messing with my eyes at this point in my life."

I wrote earlier today that Chris Tillman completed his third bullpen session and could come off the disabled list in the first week of May. Here's more from Showalter on the topic:

"It will be May. There's the potential that you could do something the last start in April, but I think it will carry into May if I was a guessing man. Something would have to change where he just feels so good and he's able to extend his innings. I want to make sure he's ready for the rest of the season when he comes back."

Update: Adam Jones lined a two-run homer into the left field seats in the third inning to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead. His 223 home runs as an Oriole tie Rafael Palmerio for fifth on the all-time list.

Dylan Bundy retired the first seven batters, striking out the side in the first, before three straight singles in the top of the third gave Toronto a 1-0 lead.

Update II: Chris Davis hit his 200th career home run as an Oriole, a solo shot into the home bullpen to increase the lead to 3-1 in the fourth.