Hall still eyeing Opening Day after first bullpen session

CLEARWATER, Fla. – DL Hall can only express confidence that he’s going to be available to the Orioles if they want him on the Opening Day roster.

He won’t be a starter. Time is too short to stretch him out. But he’ll be healthy and able to pitch.

The rest is up to the team.

Hall threw his first bullpen session yesterday in Sarasota, his spring training a slow play due to the lower-back discomfort that he experienced before reporting to camp.

“I feel good,” he said. “I’m moving in the right direction. Just trying to take it day by day and just feel better each and every day, whether it’s one percent or 25 percent better. As long as I’m moving in the right direction.”

Hall could move back into the bullpen, where he pitched after the Orioles recalled him in September. He could remain at extended spring training to build innings. He could be optioned to Triple-A Norfolk and stay a starter.

The plan for Hall is in the formulative stages.

“I think it depends on what role they want to use me in,” Hall said when asked whether he can be ready on March 30. “I think that kind of determines that situation. I think that physically I could be ready. I’m obviously not stretched out as a starter by that time, but hopefully not too many weeks after that I’ll be ready to be a starter.

The travel roster today includes catcher Maverick Handley, infielders Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo, Connor Norby, César Prieto, Curtis Terry and Greg Cullen, outfielders Heston Kjerstad, Colton Cowser, Daz Cameron and Robert Neustrom, and pitchers Ryan Conroy, Jensen Elliott, Blaine Knight, Morgan McSweeney, Nick Richmond and Kade Strowd.

Ryan O’Hearn is starting at first base, grabbing his bag and heading for the bus after losing to Dean Kremer in the finals of the clubhouse ping pong tournament.

Kremer claimed the first and third games, and the title, as teammates pulled up chairs and lined both sides of the table. Kyle Bradish, Ryan Mountcastle and Terrin Vavra were the first to move up from their lockers, and others followed.

Players demanded a post-tournament interview from Kremer, who happily obliged.

"This means everything," Kremer said. "We worked so hard for this all offseason. And I mean, Ryan put up a really good fight. Had me a little nervous there in the second, but we pulled through, you know?"

Asked what he worked on over the winter to improve his play, Kremer said, “I really made sure I hammered out my backhand. That was my weakness. Today, it didn’t show up, but I had the forehand, so we were OK.”

Kremer joked that the ping pong finals were the real reason why he hadn’t left camp for the World Baseball Classic. He’s driving to Miami today to join Team Israel.

“For sure,” he said. “The tournament’s one of the most important things here, and glad I pulled it out.”

To reach O’Hearn, Kremer first had to get past Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday – the two youngest players in camp at 21 and 19, respectively – and Mark Koloszvary.

“Not the easiest path,” he said.

“Now, I’ve got a target on my back."

What’s next for Kremer? A teammate suggested Disney World, but the right-hander is too busy for a vacation.

“I’m going to Miami.”