Caleb Joseph and Steve Pearce on playing game without fans and more

Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph said the players have certainly spent a lot of time in recent days talking about the rioting seen in Baltimore.

"We are talking a lot about it," Joseph said. "It's our home, too. For six months, this is where we reside. We get to know a lot of people we live around.

"It is a little scary, because you don't know what is going to happen. Try to put your faith into those making decisions that they get control of it. We are thankful for the brave men and women out there trying to preserve peace and protect. Want to get back to enjoying the city that a lot of people love so much."

He was asked if it will be hard to focus today with no fans in the stands.

"We get paid to focus for three hours a day for 162 days," Joseph said. "As long as we feel like our families are safe, we can come to work with or without 35,000 people there."

Joseph, along with all the players I heard from here this morning, realize that safety comes first right now.

"It is probably more important the people in the city, who are really dealing with this, have the right support and the right safety that they need," Joseph said. "At the end of the day we understand, this is just a ballgame. And there are a lot more important things going on inside the city.

"I think it is a good idea that we play the game and try to have no safety concerns. Then we can get out of town for a bit and hopefully things start to smooth over, and when we come back, have the fans ready to support us again."

Here is Steve Pearce's take on the strange circumstances regarding today's game.

"It will feel like a spring training backfield game," he said. "But we don't have a choice. No matter the circumstances, you have to find a way to deal with it. It will be weird, be tough. We feel the atmosphere here when the crowd gets into it. We won't have that on our side today, so we have to find a way to overcome it."

The Orioles will also lose their scheduled home series this weekend and play Tampa Bay on the road while serving as the home team.

"Stinks to take away from home games," Pearce said. "Home games are crucial, especially division games. To lose home games, that will hurt a bit.

"It is definitely not going to be in our favor, but we have to deal with it. Have to find a way to overcome it. We always feel like our backs are against the wall anyway. We'll be able to pull through it."

A reporter asked Pearce if he thinks the Orioles should play this game at all today.

"Maybe the baseball game will help to take their minds off of what is going on around here," he said.