Rogers ready for first spring start

SARASOTA, Fla. - Josh Rogers is starting today for the Orioles, so turn off the pitch clock. The spring's fastest worker doesn't need any prodding.

Manager Brandon Hyde loves Rogers' pace, but there's more to him. There's also performance and personality.

"Besides the tempo, which is unbelievable, aggressive. Attacks hitters. Multiple pitches," Hyde said, rattling off some of Rogers' other appealing qualities.

"Unpredictability in what he's going to throw. A little bit of deception. I just like the way he can throw multiple pitches for strikes and he isn't afraid to attack hitters. And so we're to get more looks at him as we go along."

Rogers respects the veterans and knows his place, having only three major league games to his credit after the Orioles acquired him from the Yankees in the Zach Britton trade. He's respectful and behaves in the appropriate clubhouse manner, but he isn't shy. He isn't going to fade into the background.

"He's got a great personality and it's coming out more and more every day, which is phenomenal," Hyde said. "He's funny, he likes to joke around and I think that's awesome. I love that kind of stuff.

"Maybe his pitching style is because of how he is a little bit. But I like his pitchability on the mound and the way he can throw strikes with different pitches."

The Orioles encourage their players to have fun as long as they're doing their work and giving a full effort. Rogers doesn't need to be told twice.

"I'm pretty comfortable," he said. "I get to be myself. I think Hyder and the staff has done a really good job of kind of expressing that, just be who you are.

"I'm not the quietest guy. I know I'm a rookie, but it's still a lot of fun. I love to give those guys crap."

Rogers has gone two innings in each of his last three appearances and gets the chance to start today versus the Phillies. He didn't allow a run in his first three outings, but the Pirates' Kevin Kramer hit a solo homer off him Tuesday in Sarasota.

"I've always been a starter, so it's something I'm very comfortable doing," Rogers said. "I'm excited to get the opportunity to get back out there and show this new staff what I can do from inning one on."

Jumping into the rotation is a natural act for Rogers, who could be starting for Triple-A Norfolk in April. The Orioles might resist a bullpen role with them in favor of continuing his development as a starter, assuming he doesn't crack their rotation.

He's currently behind David Hess and Mike Wright in the unofficial rankings and the Orioles have an ample supply of left-handed relief candidates despite removing Donnie Hart and Josh Osich.

The Dodgers claimed Hart on Thursday. Osich was designated for assignment on Friday to make room for outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. on the 40-man roster, but his mid-90s fastball and splits made him an intriguing figure for a while.

"I've got no idea. I'm literally just trying to go out there and put up zeros and get the team back in the dugout as quick as possible to get some at-bats," Rogers said.

"I don't know whether I'm close to being in the rotation or if I'm going to make a bullpen spot or if I'm even going to make the team. I have no idea. But I know what I can do is just control every single day when I'm out there and put up numbers."

With a few weeks left before the Orioles break camp, Hyde hasn't revealed how many relievers he'll bring to Yankee Stadium on March 28 or who's going to handle specific duties.

"I'm not ready to give anybody roles right now," he said. "I'm just trying to win games, and whatever role they fall into during the game ...

"Obviously, you'd like to have a real structured-type 'pen and you'd like to have a structured closer and you'd love to have an eighth inning guy."

In a perfect world, but the Orioles don't reside in one.

Britton isn't around to close and Darren O'Day, the healthy version, isn't here to set up. Brad Brach isn't around to work the seventh or eighth and to back up as closer.

Mychal Givens arrived in camp as the favorite to close and two lousy outings in spring training didn't impact his status. He allowed six runs in 1 1/3 innings, failing in both attempts to record three outs, but bounced back last night by retiring the side in order in the sixth.

He should be fine. It's a different routine for Givens, who's been doing much of his throwing on the back fields. And this is spring training, so take the good and bad with equal grains of salt.

Hyde can live without specific designations for his relievers.

"I think we're in a situation here where we're just going to try to match up as best as possible," he said. "Guys that can go multiple innings will go multiple innings. Left-handers that can face right-handers are going to face right-handers as well. We're just going to give our team opportunities to have success by matching up as best that we can on the last four or five innings of the game."

Meanwhile, more roster cuts could happen today. Hyde was waiting until yesterday's split-squad games.

He offered a firm "maybe" when asked about it yesterday.