Everth Cabrera cleared for Canada trip, and other notes

BOSTON - Orioles infielder Everth Cabrera has been granted permission to make the trip to Toronto for the three-game series that begins on Tuesday.

Cabrera's past legal issues figured to pose a complication and the Orioles were making contingency plans to replace him on the 25-man roster. He was arrested in September for suspicion of driving under the influence of marijuana and charged two months later with resisting arrest.

Shortstop J.J. Hardy took batting practice, fielded ground balls and threw for about 90 minutes today at Double-A Bowie. He's scheduled to hit, field and throw again on Saturday and could start an injury-rehab assignment next week.

Hardy was told to rest yesterday. He met today with minor league infield coordinator Kevin Bradshaw.

"Everything went well there," said manager Buck Showalter. "He had a little more intense hitting. He hit for about 20 minutes, felt good.

"We thought it was a good idea to take a day yesterday. He felt better today than he did the day before yesterday. We'll see how he feels tomorrow. The plan is to do the same thing there. That infield is one of our better minor league infields. He was raving about it.

"Do the same thing tomorrow and see if he can get that last little catch out of (the shoulder)."

Hardy isn't expected to play in any games this weekend.

"I'm hoping sometime next week he starts a rehab assignment," Showalter said. "To me, it's kind of on hold until he gets that last little discomfort at the end of his swing out of there. Everything else is fine."

The plan still calls for infielder Jimmy Paredes to move his rehab assignment to Triple-A Norfolk Saturday night. He's playing third base tonight at Bowie.

"Bowie will be on the road and we do want to get him at the best level possible," Showalter said. "He's done everything, but he hasn't seen pitching other than extended spring pitching in a while. I was kidding him yesterday about getting some at-bats and not worrying about every pitch might be behind him or in front of him or on the ground. You see a better level of pitching, I think."

Paredes' rehab assignment can last 20 days.

Matt Wieters had six at-bats today in a simulated game in Sarasota.

"He did everything - caught, threw from 150 feet," Showalter said. "Actually caught an inning in the simulated game behind the plate. No throws or anything. Just back to the pitcher. But he's progressing well. Still ahead of what is normal Tommy John surgery rehab."

Bowie reliever Matt Hobgood was placed on the seven-day disabled list with mild tendinitis in his right shoulder. Hobgood left last night's game due to the soreness and his velocity was down.