Goals for Gonzalez include rotation spot and 200 innings

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette continues his search for another bullpen arm, hoping that one of the free agents will settle for a minor league deal as more time passes.

It's been known to happen.

Miguel Gonzalez has no idea whether he's going to begin the 2015 season in the rotation or bullpen. He has no idea whether the Orioles will option him to Triple-A Norfolk.

Posting a 2.19 ERA in his final 11 starts last year didn't necesarily put him on more solid ground. The rug still can be pulled out from underneath him.

In case you missed it, the Orioles have six starters for five spots - Gonzalez, Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen, Bud Norris, Ubaldo Jimenez and Kevin Gausman. Gonzalez has done the math and he has no idea what manager Buck Showalter will do about it.

"We were on the same page last year, having Gausman there, too," he said. "It's all going to come down to whatever Buck wants. Obviously, some guys have the opportunity to become a starter, like Gausman could be the starter. We don't know yet. We don't know what's going to happen with Ubaldo, but Buck's going to have a guy out there that's going to try to do the best things possible, so we'll see what's going to happen.

"This is going to be interesting."

Gonzalez won't let it become stressful.

"We'll see as it comes and take it day by day and see what happens," he said. "I think we have talent, which is really good, something we haven't always had. The first year I came in, it was a little different, and then we've been really good the past three years, so that's what we want."

Gonzalez went 10-9 with a 3.23 ERA and 1.296 WHIP in 27 games last season, including one relief appearance. He allowed three earned runs or fewer in 23 of his starts.

"I feel confident," he said. "I finished really good the last half of the season and I was really proud of what I did and what my teammates did, as well. It all comes down to whatever you do this spring and how you feel. I think the most important thing is just being healthy."

The minor league option looms pretty important, as well.

"That's the thing," he said. "Guys that have options, they can be moving them around a little bit. You've just got to stay focused and wherever they put you, you've got to do your job."

The primary knock on Gonzalez is his failure to consistently pitch deep into games. He logged 159 innings with the Orioles last season - completing the seventh in six of his starts - but he went on the disabled list retroactive to May 31 with a strained right oblique and later made three starts in the minors after being optioned on July 12 and Aug. 9.

Gonzalez worked a career-high 171 1/3 innings in 30 games in 2013. He wants to blow past that mark this summer.

"I would love to throw 200 innings," he said. "I know Tillman has done it two years in a row, so I think that's pretty impressive to do, especially in our division. That's one of the main points."

How can Gonzalez do it?

"Not skip too many starts," he said. "I had a couple setbacks with the oblique last year and I think that's the only way I'll be able to get to where I want to get. If I have the opportunity to start every five or six days, that's going to make it even easier."

In an attempt to stay strong and not require extra rest, Gonzalez again worked out over the winter with vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson.

"We had a good time again," said Gonzalez, who agreed to a one-year contract worth $3.275 million earlier this month in his first year of arbitration eligibility. "We got strong. My lower half feels good, my arm feels great, I have no issues, so I'm ready to go.

"He makes it so much easier for us. He always has his home open for us. We really thank him for what he's been doing the past couple of years. We're always happen to be around him. He knows what he's doing."