Hearing from Markakis and Gonzalez

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis sat at his locker again today with an ice pack on the back of his neck and his T-shirt pulled over it, giving him a hunched look that is becoming quite familiar. "I'm getting tired of icing," he said. What's worse, the icing or having to talk to reporters every day? "Talking to you guys," he deadpanned. "I'll take the ice any day." Boom! Markakis was waiting to speak over the phone with spine specialist Dr. Lee Riley this afternoon. "I'll talk to him and he'll ask how my symptoms are," Markakis said. "Basically, it's on me and how it feels." Markakis, who hasn't played since March 1, offered a positive report today. "Good," he said. "Full range of motion, no pain. We're right where we want to be. "I'd say if everything goes well and the doc lets me, probably baseball activities in the next day or so." Moving on to another topic, Miguel Gonzalez said he threw 75 pitches in five-plus innings yesterday against a Single-A team at Twin Lakes Park. "It was good," he said. "I faced about 20 guys. I was out there for a couple of extra outs. I felt good and that's the most important thing. I threw all my pitches, worked on what I needed to work on." Gonzalez concentrated mostly on his curveball and slider. "I felt good. I was really good with them," he said. Gonzalez will pitch again on Monday. He's not sure whether he will return to Twin Lakes Park. "It's up to Rick Adair," Gonzalez said, "whatever he wants me to do."