Buck Showalter continues to evaluate his Rule 5 pitchers (game update)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Today's starter for the Pirates, Radhames Liz, hasn't pitched in the majors since making two appearances with the Orioles in April 2009, allowing 10 runs and eight hits in 1 1/3 innings.

Liz, 31, is 6-8 with a 7.50 ERA in 28 appearances (21 starts) over parts of three major league seasons, all of them with the Orioles.

Manager Buck Showalter isn't in a rush to make a decision on Rule 5 pitchers Jason Garcia and Logan Verrett, who can't be optioned without passing through waivers and being offered back to their former teams. He expects to hold onto them until at least the final days of camp.

"I don't see why not," Showalter said. "Neither one of them has presented themselves where you wouldn't continue to look at them in the light that we did when we drafted them. We like both of them and would love to have them."

Garcia has been limited to two appearances because of a sore hamstring, allowing three hits over three scoreless innings. Has Showalter seen enough of the right-hander to evaluate him?

"No, but we will, we will," Showalter said. "Hopefully, we'll get him back in the mix and we'll get a lot of looks at him between now and the end of spring."

Verrett has allowed two runs in nine innings over his five appearances, with only one walk and eight strikeouts. He's shown plenty so far.

"I was looking at his stats again the other night, his strike-throwing," Showalter said. "The guy throws the ball over. That always plays well."

Verrett replaced Ubaldo Jimenez in the fifth yesterday with two on and none out, and he didn't let an inherited runner score.

"We set that up," Showalter said. "I remember Dom (Chiti) and Wally (Dave Wallace) were talking how we'd like to have him come in and finish an inning. That was a perfect spot for him. It was impressive."

Showalter isn't sure whether the Orioles will need a fifth starter early in the season, saying it's "yet to be determined." He could carry an extra reliever, perhaps allowing him to retain at least one of his Rule 5 pitchers.

"Trust me, we've looked at every possible way," he said. "I'm kind of anxious to hear in the meeting today how some other people view it. You look at everything - six-man, five-man, go with four and float the guy around. Some way to make it work where we keep all our bullets.

"I know a lot of people say, 'Oh, it will work itself out, so don't worry about it.' I'm not so sure this one is going to just emerge and part the clouds. We've got a lot of quality here that we're having to decide between. It's not the last man standing anymore."

Update: Manny Machado singled to lead off the bottom of the first inning, stole his second base of the spring and scored on Adam Jones' single past a drawn-in infield.

Jones is 5-for-26 with two RBIs this spring. Machado is running as though he's got brand new knees.

The Pirates tied the score in the top of the second on Jordy Mercer's single and stolen base and Elias Diaz's sacrifice fly.

Chris Tillman has thrown 31 pitches, 20 for strikes, in two innings.