Bridwell healthy and eager for spring training

SARASOTA, Fla. - Not only did right-hander Parker Bridwell refuse to stress over the possibility of being added to the Orioles' 40-man roster, he had no idea when teams were required to protect players from the Rule 5 draft. The deadline could have been hours or months away for all he knew.

The Orioles shocked Bridwell on Nov. 20 by including him on the roster, along with pitchers Andrew Triggs and Chris Lee.

"I was very surprised," said Bridwell, 24, who's in Sarasota to attend minicamp. "Honestly, I didn't even know the deadline was that day. I didn't even pay attention to it, which is good. I didn't want to kind of sit there and wait for a phone call. You know what I'm saying? So, I was more surprised than I've probably ever been in my whole life."

Kent Qualls, the Orioles' director of minor league operations, contacted Bridwell with the news.

"He called me when I was on my way to Texas for Christmas from Owasso (Okla.)," said Bridwell, the Orioles' ninth-round pick in 2010. "I was driving back to where I'm from for Christmas and he called me. I got the chills."

Bridwell, standing at his locker, glanced down at his left arm.

"I'm getting them again right now," he continued. "I was excited. It was definitely one of the good days in the offseason."

Bridwell made 18 starts at Double-A Bowie before being shut down with right elbow tendinitis and receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection from Dr. James Andrews.

"I'm all good. I feel healthy, 100 percent," Bridwell said.

"I just had elbow tightness, I guess, a little elbow pain. I got the PRP injection from Dr. Andrews and came up here and rehabbed for two or three weeks and then shut it down until mid-December, late December. Started playing catch and stuff like that. I feel great, so I'm excited.

"I'm pumped. I'm ready to start getting in the routine and stuff like that. I feel like it's been a year since I pitched and I only missed a month. I'm excited. I feel good."

Bridwell played catch today and may throw off a mound Tuesday or Wednesday.

"Just a touch feel," he said.

Right-hander Joe Gunkel and left-hander C.J. Riefenhauser were the only pitchers to throw in the bullpen this morning. Plenty more will take the mounds over the next two days.

The Orioles acquired Gunkel from the Red Sox on June 3 for outfielder Alejandro De Aza. He went 10-5 with a 2.79 ERA in 21 games (20 starts) with the Baysox.

The Orioles sent catcher Steve Clevenger to the Mariners on Dec. 2 for Riefenhauser and first baseman/outfielder Mark Trumbo.

Chris Tillman played catch with Miguel Gonzalez in the replica Camden Yards outfield. Other players ran sprints and did some tossing before heading to the weight room. A few position players hit in the indoor cage.

Manager Buck Showalter will meet with the media later today. And by "media," I'm referring to three of us who currently are sitting in the workroom.

The sun rose over the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota, Fla., site of the Orioles minicamp. It was a chilly 49 degrees in Sarasota this morning.

Miguel Gonzalez (foreground) and Chris Tillman were among the veterans to arrive at minicamp, both sporting beards, and played catch this morning.