Bourn won't be ready to play before April (and other notes)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Outfielder Michael Bourn no longer is expected to get at-bats in spring training due to the broken ring finger sustained during a Feb. 24 workout at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. He's officially removed from the outfield competition.

Bourn broke the finger while trying to catch a football as part of a conditioning and footwork drill. The Orioles projected that he could be out for a month.

The Orioles signed Bourn to a minor league deal on Feb. 20 in a continuing effort to upgrade their outfield defense. He was placed in the mix with Craig Gentry, Chris Dickerson and Logan Schafer, among others, with the list of camp outfielders growing to 12.

Bourn can't be cleared to play until the finger heals and the Orioles won't risk any complications.

"They had a discussion with me yesterday about what has to happen and if you don't get that right, he's going to end up with a slight deformity in there," said manager Buck Showalter. "You're going to have to really make sure that sets and gets right. The thought that he might be a little earlier than we thought is probably not going to happen.

"Obviously, he's got a good track record and we know him and he's been here, but he's still going to need some time when they take the splint or whatever we're calling it off of there. This thing could last until the middle of April. If you told me right now he was a major league option in the middle of April, I'd sign up for that in blood."

The four-week projection for Bourn apparently didn't include when he could start baseball activities.

"It is still four weeks and it may be five before he does activity," Showalter said. "It depends on how it heals. We're not going to take any chances with it and not have it right. You have to figure in the time it takes him to start up again. He's going to start spring training all over again. He started late, so it's not like he's going to take two days and be available for us. It's going to take some time."

Showalter will attempt to make both split-squad games, including the nightcap against the Yankees in Tampa. He may have to leave early, but he's also got Carlos Tosca lined up to manage tonight if he's late.

"It's something we do," Showalter said. "We spent the whole day making sure the guys who are playing in Tampa tonight aren't playing in Bradenton. You've got to prioritize things.

"It's important that we see these games and see these guys pitch and play. I tell them all the time, somebody coming in the seventh inning in Tampa tonight, we're going to see them in Baltimore. Right now you may not think so, but you better have mileage on them. I keep saying we can out-opportunity and out-look other teams so we make good decisions there."

Adam Jones, Manny Machado and Welington Castillo will make the short trip to Bradenton for Friday afternoon's game against the Pirates. They won't go to Port Charlotte for Saturday's game against the Rays.

Infielder Sean Coyle is listed among the reserves for today's game against the Twins. He's hit a two-run double against the Phillies in Clearwater and a three-run homer yesterday against the Red Sox after coming over from minor league camp.

Coyle, 25, signed a minor league deal in December. He was a third-round pick of the Red Sox in 2010 and batted .295/.371/.512 with 23 doubles, 16 home runs and 61 RBIs in 97 games with Double-A Portland in 2014. Injuries have wrecked his last two seasons.

"He was like the 17th-ranked prospect in the Red Sox's system in 2015," Showalter said. "It's interesting. Maybe he's back."

Coyle is listed a 5-foot-8, but that may be generous. He drew early comparisons to Dustin Pedroia before the injuries and drop in production.

Here's the Orioles lineup for tonight's split-squad game:

Aneury Tavárez LF
Robert Andino 3B
Chris Dickerson RF
Trey Mancini 1B
Logan Schafer CF
Anthony Santander DH
Caleb Joseph C
Adrian Marin 2B
Erick Salcedo SS

Tyler Wilson RHP

Vidal Nuño has declined Team Mexico's request to be a starter in the first round of the World Baseball Classic. He's going to pitch in relief, which comes as a relief to the Orioles.

"He's a smart guy," Showalter said. "He said, 'My priority is here with the Orioles and I know looking at the tea leaves where my opportunity is going to be.' The problem with the 65 pitches, it could happen in five innings, it could happen in four innings, and that's too much. I know they had a starting pitcher pull out on them, but that's not our ... we're trying to help anyway we can."

The new rules are out and they include teams eliminating the four pitches proceeding an intentional walk. The manager signals to the umpire and the batter takes first base.

Other rules announced today by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association:

* A 30-second limit for a manager to decide whether to challenge a play and invoke replay review.

* When a manager has exhausted his challenges for the game, crew chiefs may now invoke replay review for non-home run calls beginning in the eighth inning instead of the seventh inning.

* A conditional two-minute guideline for replay officials to render a decision on a replay review, allowing various exceptions.

* A prohibition on the use of any markers on the field that could create a tangible reference system for fielders.

* An addition to Rule 5.07 formalizes an umpire interpretation by stipulating that a pitcher may not take a second step toward home plate with either foot or otherwise reset his pivot foot in his delivery of the pitch. If there is at least one runner on base, then such an action will be called as a balk under Rule 6.02(a). If the bases are unoccupied, then it will be considered an illegal pitch under Rule 6.02(b).

* An amendment to Rule 5.03 requires base coaches to position themselves behind the line of the coach's box closest to home plate and the front line that runs parallel to the foul line prior to each pitch. Once a ball is put in play, a base coach is allowed to leave the coach's box to signal a player so long as the coach does not interfere with play.