The last word from Jason García

SARASOTA, Fla. - Mike Wright is back on the mound today for the Orioles, making his third start and attempting to clear four innings live on MASN. As always, it's dictated by pitch count.

Wright has faced the Phillies twice and allowed two earned runs (three total) over five innings. He still hasn't walked a batter.

The Orioles are playing the Pirates for the fourth time this spring. They've gone 1-2 if anyone cares.

I've got one leftover for breakfast today and it comes from Jason García, who stood at his locker recently and talked to me about the improvements he made in his last outing - two scoreless innings against the Tigers in Lakeland. He had surrendered a combined five runs and six hits and walked four batters over 3 2/3 innings in his two earlier appearances.

García took that confidence-builder to Twin Lakes Park. The Orioles optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk a few days after our chat.

I blame myself.

"Yeah, it's always good to get a little better outing under your belt, especially in the spring," García said. "I think the two outings before I felt pretty good, just a little erratic, all over the place, maybe trying to do too much."

The Orioles had to tinker with García's delivery. Specifically, where he was positioned on the rubber.

García, the former Rule 5 pick, stood on different spots depending largely on the pitch.

"Last year, I kind of went back to moving a little bit around the rubber," he said. "It was a little adjustment I made when I struggled with left-handed hitters since I get a lot of run sometimes. Maybe move more toward the first base side. That kind of seemed to help a little last year. And then this spring at first I guess it was maybe too much."

The Orioles didn't want García tipping his pitches. Batters were bound to figure it out.

"I've always been pretty self-conscious about being alert," he said. "I try not to get into a rhythm where, if I come here I'm going to throw this all the time. I try to keep it mixed up. But hitters at this level, they'll probably pick that up if I kind of get in a rhythm or pattern."

García took a few deep breaths before his third appearances and focused on not putting too much pressure on himself. Stay relaxed and forget about the past.

"I try to not worry too much about those first two outings," he said. "I felt good, I felt healthy, the ball was coming out good. So I tried to find some positive things to take away from those outings."

He took them to Twin Lakes, and most likely to Double-A Bowie again. The Norfolk rotation probably won't have room for him.