Orioles revert back to subs after starters last night

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles make their only trip to Dunedin this afternoon to play the Blue Jays. No one celebrates it.

Don't bother checking for starters. The lineup won't come close to resembling the one posted for opening day. I can only guarantee that nine players will be on the field, including left-hander Jayson Aquino, who gets his turn at trying to claim the fifth starter's job.

Aquino has been flying under the radar, but check his numbers. He's allowed one run and seven hits in 11 innings, with only one walk and 10 strikeouts in games against the Tigers, Phillies (twice), Twins and Yankees.

Aquino hasn't gone more than three innings this spring, surrendering his only run in a March 5 game against the Phillies. Catcher Cameron Rupp homered off him.

Gabriel Ynoa will be a tough act to follow after he shut out the Twins last night on one hit over five innings.

The game actually gave manager Buck Showalter a chance to write out a lineup that included his starting infield - third baseman Manny Machado, shortstop J.J. Hardy, second baseman Jonathan Schoop and first baseman Chris Davis - catcher Welington Castillo and right fielder Seth Smith. Joey Rickard led off and played left field, which he could do against left-handers this season. Mark Trumbo was the designated hitter.

"It was really nice to get everybody back together," Showalter said. "Adam (Jones) got some work done on the back fields. I think you see a little different look on everybody's face and you see the moving truck, see the boxes. You see a lot of things.

"It's an uneasy time for a lot of guys, too. I try to keep that in mind. Kind of at the point now where guys may not make the club, but they're not going away."

Craig Gentry isn't going away. I just don't see how he gets reassigned.

Gentry started in center field and reached on an infield hit, again flashing his speed. He moved to right field, made a diving catch and fired to first base to double up the runner. He's batting .311/.404/.489 with two doubles and two home runs and there isn't much more he needs to do except stay healthy.

"There's a clock of when the season will start," Showalter said, "and then that sense of urgency about making sure you get locked in before you go."

Gentry is locked in, but he's not alone.

Rickard went 0-for-3 with a walk last night, but he's batting .349/.517/.581 with three home runs, seven RBIs, 14 walks and five stolen bases.

Showalter often talks about players having to adjust their "clocks" as they move up to the next level. Rickard knows what time it is despite being a Rule 5 pick last year.

"I think Joey was doing that last spring, too," Showalter said. "He was mature at a young age. It comes from playing winter ball and getting a lot of reps.

"Joey's just reminded everybody how good he was for us last year, not only in the spring, but this guy did a lot of good things for us. It was a loss for us last year that some of the club's we were competing against very conveniently forgot about."