Taking a look at a few spring performances

SARASOTA, Fla. - Left-hander Jeff Beliveau made his spring debut yesterday at Twin Lakes Park and threw a scoreless inning against low Single-A Bowling Green. He walked one batter.

Beliveau hadn't pitched since undergoing labrum surgery in April.

I wondered yesterday why the Orioles hadn't brought over first baseman/outfielder Mike Carp from minor league camp. Well, I've got my answer. He's sidelined with a right rotator cuff strain.

We're less than two weeks away from opening day at Camden Yards. Thirteen days to be exact.

The Orioles will play the Twins in a three-game series, which seems appropriate when you consider how they may as well share a spring training facility for as often as they've been on the same field.

They're playing again today in Fort Myers. Someone needs to get a restraining order.

The Orioles are 2-3 versus the Twins in the Grapefruit League, winning their last game 4-1 with a split-squad in Sarasota. Adam Jones and J.J. Hardy are making their first road trips today, and Manny Machado could join them.

Manager Buck Showalter confirmed Jones and Hardy on Sunday while mentioning how Chris Davis, Hyun Soo Kim, Pedro Alvarez and Matt Wieters will play in Triple-A and Double-A games at Twin Lakes Park. It's a good way to get them additional at-bats, with the Orioles able to "control the environment," as the kids say, and manipulate how often the foursome comes to the plate.

Davis is 4-for-29 with 11 strikeouts and no one in the organization is the least bit concerned. They just want to build up his at-bats. He's currently got the same amount as Steve Tolleson and three fewer than Dariel Alvarez, to put it in perspective.

Kevin Gausman has injected a health scare into the Orioles' camp with his right shoulder tendinitis. They seemed to have dodged a bullet with T.J. McFarland (elbow) and Brian Matusz (back), and Wieters threw from 60 feet on Sunday while continuing to take batting practice. Optimism is on the rise concerning his availability for opening day.

Matusz will need to build up innings in a hurry after being limited to two appearances. His outing on Sunday following a March 2 debut. Captain Obvious says that's a significant gap.

Matsuz retired the Rays in order in the ninth inning, but two balls were lined to center fielder Julio Borbon and there was at least one three-ball count. I was multitasking.

Showalter noted afterward that Matsuz was "feeling" for his command a little, which is understandable.

Coming out of the off day, it's worth mentioning again that outfielder Joey Rickard has been a star in camp and making folks scratch their heads over the Rays' decision to leave him exposed in the Rule 5 draft. Don't fall in love with spring training numbers, but don't ignore what your eyes tell you.

Rickard gets on base - a lot. He's hitting .357 with a .426 on-base percentage. In other words, he comes as advertised. He owns a career .390 on-base percentage in four minor league seasons.

Rickard also has three stolen bases. His speed isn't wasted. And he's outstanding in the field. Watch him play center field and glide underneath fly balls hit in the alleys. Showalter and executive vice president Dan Duquette have noticed, for sure.

There's no way Rickard, who leads the Orioles with 52 plate appearances, doesn't break camp with the team.

Kim is 8-for-17 since going hitless in his first 23 at-bats. He's making better contact, not just beating out choppers to the left side of the infield. He's driving the ball to the opposite field. And he looks more comfortable in left field, even if he's not a Gold Glove candidate.

Nolan Reimold is 6-for-34 with two doubles this spring. His strikeout on Saturday came off the books when the game was cancelled, which is only fair. He was trying to find the ball through sideways rain.

Reimold is out of options and still expected to make the club unless there's some sort of change over these final 13 days. Christian Walker shares camp star status with Rickard, but the Orioles seem inclined to option him to Triple-A Norfolk and give him starts in left field to grow more comfortable at a new position. They'd rather not experiment in the American League East. Jimmy Paredes is out of options and likely headed to the disabled list after being sidelined with a left wrist injury.

The Orioles could begin the season with a four-man bench consisting of Rickard, Reimold, infielder Ryan Flaherty and catcher Caleb Joseph - assuming Wieters is behind the plate and Kim is in left field.

Duquette isn't done making calls and searching for ways to upgrade the roster and the depth in the organization, but this is how it looks on March 22.

Flaherty is batting .375/.488/.531, going 12-for-32 with two doubles, a home run and four RBIs. Anything he contributes offensively is gravy. He's made the club based on his ability to play all four infield positions, and more than just adequately, while also serving as an extra outfielder in emergencies.

Hardy continues to give the Orioles plus defense at shortstop, but he's also batting .370/.414/.481 with a double and triple in 27 at-bats. His left shoulder feels great, one of the most important developments in camp. The challenge now is to keep it that way and get a full season out of him.