More Orioles notes while waiting out a rain delay (game postponed)

WASHINGTON -The start of tonight's game at Nationals Park will be delayed by rain.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter would have played Adam Jones tonight if not for the back spasms that basically took the decision out of his hands.

"He's not available to start," Showalter said before tonight's game against the Nationals. "We'll see what the rest of the game brings. Just a little wear and tear from four days on the turf and a long season of playing center field every day. Hopefully, it will manage itself and he'll start tomorrow."

When the importance of tonight's game was brought up to Showalter, he replied, "He's got some back spasms. He can't start."

Jones never mentioned his back while talking to reporters at his locker this afternoon. Now his exclusion from the lineup makes more sense.

"Everybody has some different spasms now and then," Showalter said. "Believe me, if Adam could play, he'd play. It's my decision. I'm not going to run him out here.

"He's played many a game here as an Oriole that he had some issues. His 70 percent is not as good as somebody else's 100 percent. Sometimes it is, (but) tonight's not one of them."

Showalter chose Junior Lake as Jones' replacement in center field against Nats left-hander Gio Gonzalez.

"He's got the most experience in center field," Showalter said. "He's played 64-65 games in center field this year with the Cubs and later. He's played a lot. He's our best option tonight with Gonzalez. I've been wanting to get him back out there anyway, and the situation with Adam - if not him, then who kind of thing. But he's our most experienced center fielder. I know the Cubs thought a lot of him as a center fielder."

Gerardo Parra would have started in center field against a right-handed pitcher. He does bring an added element coming off the bench. Parra is 10-for-19 with two doubles, a triple and three RBIs as a pinch-hitter this season.

"In a National League game, you like to have someone coming off the bench and Parra's a really good pinch-hitter," Showalter said.

Showalter confirmed that rookie Tyler Wilson will start Wednesday night's series finale. Wilson stays in turn after allowing six runs in 4 1/3 innings Friday night at Tropicana Field.

"Tyler will pitch," Showalter said. "We got through those four games. And Mike (Wright) will be in the bullpen for tonight. He was yesterday. I was trying to give (Wilson) one more day if we could.

"We've already seen Tyler pitch some out of that bullpen. We'll probably, at some point, like to see Mike, how he looks out of there."

Showalter downplayed the possibility of Miguel Gonzalez coming off the disabled list to start over the weekend at Fenway Park.

"I know what Wally (Dave Wallace) is thinking. I don't think so," Showalter said. "I'll have to look at it. We'll see how Wednesday ... No, that would probably be too quick.

"I'd have to talk to Wally first, but let's see how Wednesday goes. He'll pitch about 10 innings in that sim game. No, I'm not sure. Wally and them are so good at what they do, I just let them do their thing."

The simulated game is Wednesday, and no, Gonzalez won't pitch 10 innings.

"I told him if things didn't work out he was going to have to go to Instructional League to take his spot start over there (in Sarasota), so we have plans Wednesday to have a sim game here, weather-permitting," Showalter quipped.

"I really felt good about him feeling good today after yesterday because he stretched it out pretty good yesterday on the side. And I know Wally and him are upbeat about it, so if things go well Wednesday, we'll consider where we go from there."

Outfielder DJ Stewart, the Orioles' first-round pick this year, turned his ankle in the fall instructional league. He will have the ankle X-rayed.

Nats manager Matt Williams is aware that Showalter would prefer to skip interleague games this late in the season. And that's putting it mildly.

"It's a different perspective for an American League club," Williams said. "I can understand it and I can understand the challenges that come with playing one style of baseball the whole year and then all of a sudden and you've gotta adjust. I can understand that.

"Regardless of who they put out there, they've got a pretty potent lineup one through eight or one through nine, so we'll have to play well if we're going to beat these guys. A bunch of homers. They drive the baseball and they're aggressive, too."

Update: Tonight's game has been postponed due to rain and will be made up at 4:05 p.m. Thursday. There goes the off-day.