More on Álvarez and Rodriguez being removed from camp

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are down to 55 players in major league camp after optioning outfielder Dariel Álvarez to Triple-A Norfolk yesterday and reassigning pitcher Richard Rodriguez to the minor league complex.

Here's the yearly reminder that players on the 40-man roster are optioned and the rest are reassigned and later placed with an affiliate or released.

Pitching coach Roger McDowell summoned Rodriguez to manager Buck Showalter's office following yesterday's game. It's the equivalent of an NFL player being told to bring his playbook.

Rodriguez figures to slot into Norfolk's bullpen this summer. He appeared in 48 games with the Tides last year and went 6-2 with a 2.53 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 81 2/3 innings, and he held opponents to a .216 average.

The Orioles loaned Rodriquez to the Dominican Republic team yesterday and he allowed the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning on Sean Coyle's single, an Aneury Tavárez walk and Audry Perez's RBI single on a ball that probably should have been fielded by third baseman José Reyes.

Reyes moved over from shortstop as Manny Machado's replacement. They're not on the same defensive level, to say the least.

Rodriguez got called third strikes on Trey Mancini and Anthony Santander before Perez's single and his meeting with Showalter. He had no shot at breaking camp with the team. His reassignment was a matter of when, not if.

Álvarez seems to have no shot at being an outfielder with the Orioles. There are too many players ahead of him and they really want him to convert to a pitcher.

Álvarez has previous mound experience in Cuba and a fastball that touches the upper 90s. He also has secondary pitches. We're not talking about a guy who would just rear back and see how hard he could throw without blowing out his arm.

There are multiple reasons why Álvarez is reluctant to make the switch, but the Orioles have one counter argument. He has a real chance to pitch in the majors.

Maybe they could lock him in a room with Mychal Givens and let the former shortstop try to sell him on the idea.

The Blue Jays are making their first visit to Sarasota today. They return on March 21 and the Orioles luck out by having only one trip to Dunedin on March 26.

Today's game airs on MASN at 1:05 p.m.

Wade Miley is on the mound for the first time since a line drive from the Pirates' Elias Diaz on March 3 deflected off his left forearm and nailed him in the ribs. The Blue Jays are starting Mat Latos.