Pearce: "We still have a lot of talent"
By Roch Kubatko
The offseason for Steve Pearce and Brad Brach included a visit today to Dave & Buster's at the Arundel Mills Mall, where they signed autographs and served lunch to students from Callaway Elementary School in Baltimore.
Pearce isn't accustomed to showing up at spring training with a guaranteed spot on the 25-man roster, but he's a candidate to start in right field and also could play left field and first base, as well as serve as the designated hitter. Just not at the same time.
"I'm still working just as hard as always," Pearce said. "Less stressful as far as getting an apartment ready for spring training and I have a place in Baltimore, but I'm still working just as hard if not harder than I've ever worked to get ready for the season."
Nick Markakis' departure as a free agent leaves a vacancy in right that Pearce would fill if the season started today, according to manager Buck Showalter. Actually, Pearce might start at first base while Chris Davis serves the last game of his suspension, but the outfield beckons.
"I guessed with the guys that we lost that I'd be the next in line," Pearce said. "I'm ready for it. Right field, left field, first base, it doesn't matter wherever he puts me in the lineup.
"In spring training, I'll be doing a little bit of everything."
Including taking ground balls at third base, according to Showalter.
"I played third base in the minor leagues," he said. "I played there briefly in Pittsburgh before I got hurt. I can play. It's just pretty much to freshen up and play in a pinch if something were to happen. Buck likes to be prepared, likes to use all his options. I'm familiar with the position. I can play it defensively."
Pearce assumed that Markakis would re-sign, but the longest-tenured Oriole has moved on to Atlanta. The Orioles were leery of offering a fourth guaranteed year with Markakis needing surgery to remove a herniated disc and fuse vertebrae.
"It can happen to everybody, but it's next person in line," Pearce said. "That's how it goes. It's sad, it stinks, but that's the way baseball works. He's a guy that's been here for a long time, but for the team and the player, they've got to do what's best for their family and what's best for the team. The organization has guys that can step in and fill those roles."
Markakis isn't the only missing piece from the team that won the American League East by 12 games and advanced to the American League Championship Series. Outfielder Nelson Cruz signed a four-year deal with the Mariners and left-hander Andrew Miller signed a four-year deal with the Yankees.
"I was sad to lose those guys," Pearce said. "Big parts of our offense, big part of our bullpen, but it means the next guy has to step up. We've done it last year and we'll find a way to do it this year.
"We still have a lot of talent. We lost some big pieces, but we also have some big pieces coming back. It stinks to lose those guys, but there are guys who are returning to help and help us compete."
Asked whether he expected Markakis to come back, Pearce said, "Of course I did. Nick's been a part of the team for a long time and Nelson was a big part of the offense last year. We wanted them back, but we can't control how it works. We can't play GM."
Pearce had a career year with the Orioles, batting .293/.373/.556 with 26 doubles, 21 home runs and 49 RBIs in 102 games.
"I'm not going to go up there and try and do too much," he said. "I'm just going to try and play my game. I didn't try to do too much last year. I'm going to do everything I can to get ready.
"Last year was a fun year, I'll tell you. Just with everybody. Probably winning the AL East and the celebration with my teammates, that's probably the most memorable thing I've been a part of. Winning in the playoffs, the series against Detroit, (Derek) Jeter's last game. We were part of so many great moments last year. It was just a fun year for not just me, but for everybody."
Then came the Royals in the ALCS and a four-game sweep that still stings.
"That loss hurt, especially how it ended, being swept," Pearce said. "We would have liked to be a little more competitive in the series, but I just look back on what we all accomplished, the adversity that we overcame and how we do it. It's a fun year. Everybody stepping up, everybody relying on each other, somebody new every night. That just made the season that much more enjoyable."
Pearce believes the key to his own success was having the chance to play every day.
"I was able to not stress as much because I was out there every day," he said. "Just finding that comfort zone. That's what it's about. The opportunity was finally there. My role in the past has always been spelling somebody every now and then. I wasn't able to get into a groove and be as consistent, but when you play every day, if you get more comfortable you can be more consistent."
"I'm still working just as hard as always," Pearce said. "Less stressful as far as getting an apartment ready for spring training and I have a place in Baltimore, but I'm still working just as hard if not harder than I've ever worked to get ready for the season."
Nick Markakis' departure as a free agent leaves a vacancy in right that Pearce would fill if the season started today, according to manager Buck Showalter. Actually, Pearce might start at first base while Chris Davis serves the last game of his suspension, but the outfield beckons.
"I guessed with the guys that we lost that I'd be the next in line," Pearce said. "I'm ready for it. Right field, left field, first base, it doesn't matter wherever he puts me in the lineup.
"In spring training, I'll be doing a little bit of everything."
Including taking ground balls at third base, according to Showalter.
"I played third base in the minor leagues," he said. "I played there briefly in Pittsburgh before I got hurt. I can play. It's just pretty much to freshen up and play in a pinch if something were to happen. Buck likes to be prepared, likes to use all his options. I'm familiar with the position. I can play it defensively."
Pearce assumed that Markakis would re-sign, but the longest-tenured Oriole has moved on to Atlanta. The Orioles were leery of offering a fourth guaranteed year with Markakis needing surgery to remove a herniated disc and fuse vertebrae.
"It can happen to everybody, but it's next person in line," Pearce said. "That's how it goes. It's sad, it stinks, but that's the way baseball works. He's a guy that's been here for a long time, but for the team and the player, they've got to do what's best for their family and what's best for the team. The organization has guys that can step in and fill those roles."
Markakis isn't the only missing piece from the team that won the American League East by 12 games and advanced to the American League Championship Series. Outfielder Nelson Cruz signed a four-year deal with the Mariners and left-hander Andrew Miller signed a four-year deal with the Yankees.
"I was sad to lose those guys," Pearce said. "Big parts of our offense, big part of our bullpen, but it means the next guy has to step up. We've done it last year and we'll find a way to do it this year.
"We still have a lot of talent. We lost some big pieces, but we also have some big pieces coming back. It stinks to lose those guys, but there are guys who are returning to help and help us compete."
Asked whether he expected Markakis to come back, Pearce said, "Of course I did. Nick's been a part of the team for a long time and Nelson was a big part of the offense last year. We wanted them back, but we can't control how it works. We can't play GM."
Pearce had a career year with the Orioles, batting .293/.373/.556 with 26 doubles, 21 home runs and 49 RBIs in 102 games.
"I'm not going to go up there and try and do too much," he said. "I'm just going to try and play my game. I didn't try to do too much last year. I'm going to do everything I can to get ready.
"Last year was a fun year, I'll tell you. Just with everybody. Probably winning the AL East and the celebration with my teammates, that's probably the most memorable thing I've been a part of. Winning in the playoffs, the series against Detroit, (Derek) Jeter's last game. We were part of so many great moments last year. It was just a fun year for not just me, but for everybody."
Then came the Royals in the ALCS and a four-game sweep that still stings.
"That loss hurt, especially how it ended, being swept," Pearce said. "We would have liked to be a little more competitive in the series, but I just look back on what we all accomplished, the adversity that we overcame and how we do it. It's a fun year. Everybody stepping up, everybody relying on each other, somebody new every night. That just made the season that much more enjoyable."
Pearce believes the key to his own success was having the chance to play every day.
"I was able to not stress as much because I was out there every day," he said. "Just finding that comfort zone. That's what it's about. The opportunity was finally there. My role in the past has always been spelling somebody every now and then. I wasn't able to get into a groove and be as consistent, but when you play every day, if you get more comfortable you can be more consistent."
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