Orioles option Tyler Wilson, and more from today's 10-2 win

TAMPA, Fla. - The Orioles optioned pitcher Tyler Wilson to Triple-A Norfolk following today's 10-2 victory over the Yankees.

The camp roster has been reduced to 40 players and more cuts are coming on Sunday. Manager Buck Showalter said the roster will be down into the low 30s.

Showalter joked that Wilson never should have given up that one hit in his four scoreless innings.

"We have a high level here," he quipped.

The Orioles want Wilson to get ready for the Triple-A season, and perhaps come up later in the summer as a starter or reliever. He allowed only one run, walked one and struck out 11 in 14 innings.

"He was good," Showalter said. "He had a great spring, a solid spring."

Wilson retired 12 of the 13 batters he faced today.

"There are fleeting opportunities to look (at players) at these venues, regardless of where it is," Showalter said. "You want to take advantage of every chance you can, for his sake as much as yours.

"Tyler comes across to me as a guy who has done nothing but win since 10th grade of high school. Every stop, Friday night pitcher, senior. And now he's gone from a guy 89-91 (mph) to a guy 91-94 for whatever reason. But you always have this little voice in the back of your head, 'Is it going to play at the next level?' Then he goes to Double-A, then he goes to Triple-A. Then he does it in spring training.

"He's got some bullets that he hasn't had, and one of those is knowing that it may play up here. So, he's in a great frame of mind. He got everything out of this spring that you could actually hope for."

Wilson remained calm before, during and after the game.

"He always has a sense of focus, in the moment, that pitch, go to the next one," Showalter said. "He's been impressive. The athleticism, the tempo, the strike throwing, the fielding the position, the holding runners, all that stuff that challenges a lot of guys, he looks like a fourth-year senior should look, especially coming from a good program.

"I like him. It makes us feel good about our depth, especially with where we are in the future."

Showalter figured Wilson would benefit more from making this start than one of the veteran starters who's going to break camp with the team.

"There's not a reason for Chris Tillman to pitch in this game. There is something to be gotten out of him pitching," Showalter said. "And it's not just because it's the Yankees or on the road or anything."

The Orioles will stretch out Wilson at minor league camp, where more innings are available.

"I don't want him to go from four innings to back to two or one," Showalter said. "I want him to be ready to pitch in Norfolk and if we have a need, come back to us as a starter or reliever."

Rule 5 pick Jason Garcia served up a home run to Stephen Drew and walked two batters in two innings, but a couple of his fastballs were clocked at 98 mph.

"A guy like Jason, they're going to take a lot of pitches off him," Showalter said. "So, that's the question you've got to ask yourself. Is he going to throw it over or not? Because his stuff will play.

"You don't really know what you've got with these Rule 5 guys until June or July. (Logan) Verrett has has thrown the ball over everywhere he's ever been, but it might be different up here. Who knows?"

Verrett retired the Yankees in order in the ninth and struck out two batters. He's created another tough decision for the Orioles as they try to piece together their 25-man roster.

"It's good because it's from a strength," Showalter said. "The problem is trying to hold onto all of the pieces. I know if I was a scout or an organization I would be targeting us because they know we can't keep everybody."