Showalter on Walker, Wieters, Kim and more (O's trail 2-1)

DUNEDIN, Fla. - It sure seems like Orioles pitchers give up a lot of first-inning runs this spring, and Chris Tillman allowed two today in his first spring training game. The Orioles were down 2-1 after the first inning.

Tillman allowed a leadoff double to Toronto's Kevin Pillar, and one out later, he scored on a Jose Bautista single. Chris Colabello added an RBI single during the inning as the Blue Jays produced four hits.

Tillman is making his Grapefruit League debut today, but he did pitch in a B game, throwing two scoreless innings and 30 pitches against Pirates minor leaguers on March 10. He was slowed earlier by a left hip injury and got a cortisone injection on March 1.

The O's had taken a 1-0 lead in the first. Ryan Flaherty walked with one out, went to second on Jonathan Schoop's single and scored when Pedro Alvarez singled off the left field fence for his second O's RBI. He is now 2-for-7.

It seems that right about the time that manager Buck Showalter was going to talk to Christian Walker about playing some outfield this year, Walker entered his office with a similar thought.

Walker is starting in left field this afternoon at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.

"It is something we were thinking about coming in," Showalter said right before today's game. "We hadn't signed (Pedro) Alvarez at the time. It actually got to the point where it was as much his idea.

"I think he's got the chance to be a good offensive performer in the big leagues. I love the fact that he's always driven in runs. He's just got a little different gear he goes to when there is someone out there.

"I just think Christian has some skills we might want to take advantage of. Who knows if he is going to be OK out there. Step one is that he wants to do it and wants to be good at it."

It continues to unlikely that Trey Mancini will play in the outfield this year.

The Orioles continue to be encouraged about Matt Wieters and the latest with his sore right elbow. Showalter was asked if he feels he will be able to use Wieters during the season in the manner he intended to coming into camp.

"Similar," Showalter said. "But with the caution that we always try to take with catchers. It is such a demanding position. I think rather than taking each week as it comes, it might be taking every three of four days as it comes."

Showalter today seemed to express some mild concern over outfielder Hyun Soo Kim who is 3-for-29 (.103) this spring. Does he still have a lot to prove to the Orioles?

"I'm not really committing ... I don't think anyone knows exactly how it will work out. There are some things that have gone on just about like I expected," he said. "Defensively, he is what I hoped and expected. Worth ethic has been good, he just hasn't had consistent at-bats like he is capable of and I question why. I'm sure he has some anxiety about it. That is some of it.

<"I think he has gotten out of who he is a little bit. I've seen enough video, he hits ball with authority the other way and we haven't seen that."