Duquette on trade and more from today's workout

The Orioles will assign catcher Chris O'Brien to Double-A Bowie after acquiring him and pitcher Ben Rowen from the Dodgers for reliever Ryan Webb, catcher Brian Ward and a competitive balance pick that slots at No. 74.

"We have good reports on O'Brien," said executive vice president Dan Duquette. "He's an average catcher and he's got some potential with the bat. He's also a switch-hitter and he had a really good year with the bat last year, particularly left-handed. And he grew up around the game. His dad (Charlie) was an excellent catcher and receiver. And he went to a good program at Wichita State.

"When given the opportunity last year, he stepped up and had a really good year. He's continuing to improve. I know he's a hard working player because he's improved his skills the last couple of years. He improved at Double-A and he improved his catching skills this year in major league camp with the Dodgers. He has a good approach at the plate, a good background and he's a hard-working kid who has a chance to help our major league team in the future.

"He's been around the game a long time. I'm sure he's had a lot of conversations with his dad on how to get hitters out. His dad was a good one."

Duquette compared Rowen, who attended Virginia Tech, to Darren O'Day due to their similar deliveries.

Rowen's last three appearances in the majors came last season against the Orioles at Camden Yards on June 30, July 2 and July 3. He allowed two runs and four hits over 2 2/3 innings, with three walks and one strikeout.

"Rowen had an underhand delivery," Duquette said. "It's a unique release point, and he has a lot of success getting ground balls in the minor leagues. He releases the ball about six inches from the ground. Those ground balls don't travel over 400 feet."

The Orioles lose their competitive balance pick, but the Dodgers are picking up the $2.75 million left on Webb's contract.

"We value the picks," Duquette said. "In this case, we think we're getting some players who could help our major league team quicker than the player we would get out of the draft. And the Dodgers valued it, as well.

"We're going to have some other picks this year and some other picks next year, and we like the players we got back from the Dodgers. They could help our major league team."

During today's workout at Camden Yards, manager Buck Showalter talked about shortstop J.J. Hardy taking dry swings to test his left shoulder.

"First time he's actually taken that movement into play," Showalter said. "That's going to be the biggest challenge for him, I think, is the offensive part of it initially. And if he gets through that the next day or two, then it could move faster, but there's an unknown there. I'll know a lot more after today and tomorrow."

Showalter expects the emotion of opening day to be amped up because the Orioles arrive as defending American League East champions, an achievement that will be celebrated.

"I hope so," he said. "I like the feel of all our opening days, though. Every one I've been fortunate to be a part of has been very special here. I don't think anybody does opening day as well as Baltimore, but I'm biased. I've seen a lot to compare it with over the years, home and away. But I think it does add a little added pride, and also a reminder what a good season can bring. Just hope the weather cooperates."

Showalter said he hasn't talked to first baseman Chris Davis about the significance of being back on the field at Camden Yards for the first time since his suspension.

"I don't try to beat him up on some things that are pretty obvious," Showalter said. "I don't say, 'Hey, how are you feeling?' How's that going to be?' Like I said, Chris had 209 days without playing a major league game. I'm trying to let him kind of sort his way through it. A lot of new things going on."

"There are a lot of emotional challenges and he'll be the first to tell you that some of them were self-inflicted, but you've got to fight your way through them.

"It's going to be nice. We had a great turnout down in Sarasota with attendance and so many people came down for spring training, but it's going to be really nice having a lot of people pulling for you. Think about the last time we actually played a game here. It's been a while. Finished up in Kansas City and finished up down in Orlando. That was a lot of fun. Then, went to Tampa and felt like that was just an extension of spring training.

"I think tomorrow's going to be the first time you really are going to feel like ... We never left Florida. We went down to Tampa and they're obviously a quality major league club. It's just until you get out of that state, you associate everything there with spring training."

Bud Norris was named the starter for the home opener, with Showalter taking notice that the right-hander is 4-0 with a 2.36 ERA in six starts against the Blue Jays.

"Pretty exciting," Norris said. "What we accomplished last year was really exciting for the city, for us, but to come home and to see that opening weekend here in Baltimore will be outstanding. I'm sure it's going to be pretty loud out there, too. We're excited to be home. We love playing here. The support's unreal, so we're excited to get out there and do it again.

"I love pitching at home. I've got some pretty good numbers here and we have a lot of guys who can do the job. Buck named me the guy and I was pretty excited to come home and do it. Everything tomorrow, you go out there and control it."

Norris knows the adrenaline will be flowing. He just can't get swept away in it.

"It will be there," he said. "You've got to control it. Control your pitches, where you're making pitches and stuff like that. You take it to an advantage. This is your home field and those guys are cheering for us and not against us, and I'm sure that I'll embrace it the best I can."

The temperature will rise on Friday, but the forecast is calling for rain. Norris has been tracking it.

"I heard it was really nice last week, so we come home and bring the cold weather, so that's kind of a bummer, but it's something we deal with," he said. "We understand. I had a couple rainouts and rain delays that we had to work through. It's part of it. I'm excited to go out there and pitch and help the team win."

Players at the workout were in agreement that leaving behind the warm Florida weather wasn't difficult as long as they were coming home.

"Too many renovations at my house, so it's kind of annoying, but it's good to be back here and see the ballpark," said center fielder Adam Jones. "We haven't seen it in a few months. I think everybody's happy to be back here and let's get to some baseball.

"The last time I was here was right before a snow blizzard and I got out of the way of that, but it's time to play baseball. I think everybody's happy that it's time to play baseball again all over.

"I am a warm weather guy, but it's kind of refreshing to breathe in some cool air. I don't mind that a bit. It doesn't need to get much cooler but I don't mind it one bit."

The opening day ceremonies will include recognizing the Orioles' first division title since 1997.

"Well, it should be celebrated. We've done something that ain't been done in a while," Jones said.

"The fans here should be crazy tomorrow. It should be a good ovation because we did something special last year. Now let's piggyback on that and do something again this year.

"We've got a great group of men here. I'm ready to go into battle with them just as they are with me."

And perhaps take care of some unfinished business after the Royals swept the Orioles in the American League Championship Series.

"What's left to be done is, individual awards, who cares about that? What's left to be done is to win a ring," Jones said. "We played in October last year and it was awesome. Now we need to play a little longer in October. I think that's just how it works. There's nothing else that needs to be done individually here. Who cares about all that? We need to win and that's how you become remembered."

Condolences go out to the Showalters on the passing of Angela's father, Phil McMahan, who succumbed early this morning to esophageal cancer.

A memorial service will be held later this month. Buck Showalter didn't think he would need to leave the team.