Bowie media day: Gausman to pitch, Mancini on Baysox

BOWIE - The defending Double-A Eastern League champion Bowie Baysox will open a new season at Prince George's Stadium on Thursday night. Orioles reliever Brian Matusz may pitch during that game for the Baysox. And right-hander Kevin Gausman, who like Matusz is also on the O's disabled list, is slated to start on Saturday night for Bowie, according to manager Gary Kendall.

Gausman, who got a cortisone injection on March 20 for shoulder tendinitis, is working his way back to the O's rotation with a target date of April 19 for his season debut in Baltimore.

Right-hander Joe Gunkel, acquired in a trade from Boston last June for Alejandro De Aza, will start opening night for Bowie and face Akron here on Thursday. David Hess is scheduled to start the second game followed by Gausman, then Ariel Miranda, Chris Lee and Jason Garcia. It's a six-man rotation to start the year for the Baysox.

Right-hander Parker Bridwell was slated to start the third game. With Gausman now scheduled to go that night, Bridwell will pitch Saturday in relief of Gausman.

The Baysox team has most of its roster back from last year and a lot of familiar faces that produced the first championship in Baysox history.

"I'm excited," Kendall said this morning at Bowie's media day. "It's long awaited and we had a really good spring training. A lot of tough decisions because there are a lot of good players and there was a trickle-down effect. But we've got a club I think the Baysox fans are going to enjoy. Hopefully, we can get these guys one step further in their careers."

Trey Mancini is back to play at first base with Corban Joseph and Garabez Rosa at second, Adrian Marin set to start at shortstop backed up by Jeff Kemp and with Drew Dosch at third. Chance Sisco will start at catcher backed up by Chris O'Brien. Julio Borbon is expected to start in center field with Glynn Davis also playing some in center. In the corner outfield spots, the Baysox have Quincy Latimore, Mike Yastrzemski and Tucker Nathans.

It was a surprise to see Mancini, the Orioles' 2015 minor league Player of the Year, begin the season back here. In 84 Bowie games last summer, he hit .359/.395/.586 with 13 homers with 57 RBIs and won the league batting title. He certainly did more than enough to move up to the next level.

But Joey Terdoslavich is expected to begin the year as Triple-A Norfolk's first baseman, so Mancini is still with the Baysox. He said he understands the Orioles' decision to start him back at Double-A.

"The situation right now that our organization is in, we have a lot of really good players and veteran guys that are in Triple-A," Mancini said. "The situation dictates that right now I come start the year here. I understand that and I'm really good with it. Wherever I am, I know I have to hit and field well and perform. Wherever I am asked to go, that is what I'll do. I'm glad to be here."

Here is Kendall's take:

"Trey is a pro. We've got other guys who had big numbers," he said. "But it's about playing and sometimes we can't control things above our level. We'll have him for whatever time we have him, and our job is to make him a better player and get him one step closer to the major leagues."

The current Baysox roster:

Pitchers: Parker Bridwell, Jason Garcia, Chris Lee, Joe Gunkel, David Hess, Ariel Miranda, Stefan Chrichton, Ashur Tolliver, Donnie Hart, Jon Keller, Dennis Torres, Paul Demny, Bobby Bundy

Catchers: Chance Sisco, Chris O'Brien

Infielders: Trey Mancini, Corban Joseph, Adrian Marin, Drew Dosch, Jeff Kemp, Garabez Rosa

Outfielders: Mike Yastrzemski, Glynn Davis, Quincy Latimore, Julio Borbon, Tucker Nathans

Bowie begins the year with a seven-game homestand against Akron and Erie before its first road trip starts on April 14. The Baysox went 79-63 last year and Kendall returns for his sixth season as skipper. For more on the the team and/or ticket information, check out Baysox.com.