Hearing from Showalter and Russell

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles aren't expected to make any cuts until Sunday.

Manager Buck Showalter hustled into the prep room to meet with reporters following today's 3-2 loss to the Rays. He wanted to get over to Field 4 to catch the remainder of the game against the Puerto Rico Development Program.

Speaking of catching, Matt Wieters was behind the plate for six innings against Puerto Rico. More on that later.

Left-hander Brian Matusz shut out the Rays for three innings, allowing two hits, walking none and striking out three.

"We wanted to stretch him out and he threw a lot of changeups, get a feel for it," Showalter said. "Kind of what we're trying to do with him, make sure he keeps the ball in his hand, pitches multiple innings. Got a pretty good return for it.

"He likes it. It helps him. Have a work day in between and stuff."

Rule 5 pick Logan Verrett hasn't received the same attention as Jason Garcia, but he recorded two more scoreless innings today. He's allowed two runs in seven innings this spring, with one walk and eight strikeouts.

"Like I've said a few times, you can see why he's there," Showalter said. "A plus slider. He's got great moxie and you can tell he's a tough, competitive guy."

Steve Pearce homered to reduce the Rays' lead to 3-2. He's quietly having a terrific spring at the plate, going 6-for-17 with a double and homer. I had no idea until checking the stats this afternoon. He sort of sneaks up on you.

"He's being Steve," Showalter said. "I'm the same way. I don't look at stat sheets since I've been here. Probably won't look at one the whole spring. But it doesn't surprise me."

Manny Machado continues to dazzle at third base.

"How about some of the plays Manny's making at third?" Showalter said. "We got the infield fixed here or he'd have a couple of them in his teeth."

Bench coach and catching instructor John Russell monitored Wieters today on Field 4.

"He looked really good, kind of looked like he hadn't missed a beat," Russell said. "I told him afterward I only saw two balls that he kind of mis-caught. But he looked comfortable and he was catching some pretty good pitching, too. He moved well, he was relaxed, no anxiety. But that's Matt. He looked good. I was really, really pleased with it."

No one tried to steal against him, in part because it was almost impossible for the Puerto Rican team to get a runner on base.

"We asked them not to run and I told him if they do run to just do your footwork but don't throw. That will come on the 17th," Russell said. "He threw this morning and everything looked great and he's got the B game tomorrow. Catch on the 17th and it will be full game speed."

Russell trusted that Wieters wouldn't forget and fire the ball to second.

"He's smart enough," Russell said. "I had to get on him on the first throw down between innings. He's ready to go. He feels good and his arm feels good and he's throwing the ball really well right now. I think he's really looking forward to the 17th. He's looking forward to tomorrow to just get back there. He needs the reps right now with hitters in the box and receiving with swings and starting to get back in that aspect of the game. But I think he's really ready for the 17th where he knows if they bunt or if they steal, he's going to be full game by then. And so far, so good.

"Everything he's done up to this point has lead up to (the 17th). You can do as much preparation as you want, actually getting back there and catching a game and going through all the different moves he's got to do. Blocking balls, moving different ways. It's just getting his legs underneath him.

"It's not going to take him too long. He hasn't caught in a while. Catching a side is a lot different than catching in a game. Once he goes through that, he'll go through a kind of normal spring training. He'll feel pretty good and his legs will go kind of dead just like any catcher, and then the hope is toward the end of spring training everything will regroup and he'll be ready to go.

"If you know Matt Wieters I don't think there's any anxiety about anything. He knows what happened to him. Anybody coming off surgery, when you go back out there you get the feeling that, OK, it's not going to hurt and to block it out. And he's done that already. In his throwing and everything else, he knows he's going to be able to do it. So, with him, I don't think there's any real anxiety with it. It's just getting back into it and getting back into the routine of it, I think that's what he's anxious for to get the inning behind him and get ready to go. More than anything it's not anxiety, it's just the anticipation of getting where he wants to be."