Hearing from Kline, Scott and Tate at FanFest

Right-handed reliever Branden Kline, from Thomas Johnson High School in Frederick, Md., heard about FanFest plenty of times as a kid, but never made it here. Today he did for the first time as a member of the Orioles' 40-man roster.

Kline produced a strong 2018 season between Single-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie and was added to the 40 on Oct. 30. He'll head to spring training in a few weeks with a chance to have an impact on the big league roster this year.

"First FanFest. Being a local guy, I never got to come to one of these as a kid, so this has been real exciting," he said. "Offseason was a little different than most now that I'm fully healthy, which is exciting. For the most part, I took the first couple of weeks off to let my mind and body relax. Then after that I got back into the gym. My daughter decided she would start running around the house, so that provided some exercise there. Started to throw around December, and now just getting everything ready for big league camp. Want to show up and make an impression. Try to attack some hitters and have some fun while I do it."

Kline went 5-4 with a 1.64 ERA in 44 games on the farm and got through the full year healthy. He missed all of the 2016-2017 seasons after Tommy John surgery and some complications from that. But he came back strong last year, throwing some high 90s fastballs and showing an improved changeup.

Another young reliever at FanFest is lefty Tanner Scott, who went 3-3 with a 5.40 ERA last year. His ERA was down to 4.10 in the second half. Scott will join his teammates in working with a new manager and coaches in 2019.

"It's going to be fun to see what we can do with a new coaching staff, a new everything," he said. "We didn't have the year we wanted and now we have to move forward and get better. We're looking forward to a new year."

But Scott did get better and gain some confidence as the year went on.

"You've got to get strike one and it makes the at-bat so much easier," Scott said. "I had Zach (Britton) at the beginning of the year telling me I had to attack and get ahead of the hitters. By the end of the year I started realizing that and was building on that. For me, it's still (about) command. My walk ratio was one of my biggest problems and I know I need to cut that back."

Right-hander Dillon Tate is at his first FanFest. Acquired in the trade of Britton to the Yankees, he was added to the 40-man roster Nov. 20. Tate was in line for a potential call-up in September and was throwing in Sarasota when he developed a shoulder issue. It's one he said should be behind him heading into 2019.

"I had some shoulder inflammation and I think there ended up being a small SLAP tear in there," Tate said. "But nothing that I can't work through, according to the doctors. I've rehabbed and haven't had any issues. My shoulder feels strong and I feel fine now."