Broken finger leaves Bourn in holding pattern

BRADENTON, Fla. - Outfielder Michael Bourn said today he's had no discussions with the Orioles about extending the March 27 opt-out date on his minor league deal.

Bourn may not play before the middle of April after breaking the ring finger on his right hand last Friday.

"When it's time, we'll converse with them," he said. "They'll pull me to the side and we'll talk about it."

Bourn sat at his locker this morning with a splint on his finger. Manager Buck Showalter said Bourn won't get any at-bats in spring training as a precaution. Trying to move up the timetable could lead to a more serious injury.

"We'll see what happens. He is the manager," Bourn said.

"They talked to the medical staff. They have a pretty good idea. It's more like they don't want me to rush back and injure it even more, and they want me to be fully healthy before I get on the baseball field, which I'm in agreement with, as well, because it's an injury to where you don't want any deformity in your finger. You don't want any setbacks when you come back and we are at the beginning of the season.

"I guess we have to take it one day at a time, let it heal. I want it to heal correctly. I've talked to the hand specialist. We're in communication with each other and we've got a plan to where they don't want me to rush. They want me to be healthy and they want me to play when I'm ready."

Small steps must be taken for the sake of the bigger picture.

"Everybody that knows me knows that I would love to be there on opening day if I make the team and do all that kind of stuff, but you don't want to rush it and hurt yourself as well and be lingering with it the whole time," he said.

"If the pain on a 1-to-10 scale is a two, I'd deal with that, but if it's a four or a five or a six and it's bothering you every day, day in and day out, sleep is bothering you, that's crazy to me at the beginning of April trying to deal with that and you still have five or six more months to go."

Bourn said he can't project when he'd be ready to play once he's cleared for baseball activities.

"I'd have to see how I'm feeling when I'm playing, how I'm seeing the ball, how I'm picking up the ball, how my arm feels when I'm throwing, stuff like that," he said. "I think the hitting part of it will be the most thing to get over. Throwing-wise, I think I'll be OK. I just have to get my arm ... it's not going to be out of shape, but it's not going to be in great shape when I first come back.

"It'll take some time. We're not going to put an exact date on it, though, because I can't predict the future.

"I think hitting-wise will be the key. I don't know how long it takes. In some spring trainings, I came in and the first couple of games I was seeing the ball well. I'm like, I don't know if I want to be doing that in the first two or three games of spring training, but I'm doing that. Sometimes, it took me two weeks, but it just depends, man. It's hard to call. It's hard to see.

"I haven't seen any live pitching. I'll try to make the adjustment. I'll try to get some games under my belt. I'll be ready when they call my number."