Kevin Gausman to start home exhibition opener, J.J. Hardy on popup drill
By Roch Kubatko
SARASOTA, Fla. - Kevin Gausman will start the Orioles' home exhibition opener on March 4 against the Tigers.
Ubaldo Jimenez already was confirmed as the March 3 starter against the Tigers in Lakeland, Fla.
Gausman is among the six starters competing for five spots in the rotation. He could be moved to the bullpen or optioned to Triple-A Norfolk if he fails to win a job.
The popup drill on the Ed Smith Stadium field was received favorably by players who liked the idea of simulating game conditions with crowd noise from Camden Yards.
The Orioles are getting a lot of mileage out of Delmon Young's three-run double in Game 2 of the Division Series.
"I thought it was a good drill," said shortstop J.J. Hardy. "Anytime we do that in the past it seems like eyewash because there's no noise at all and it's really not realistic. This was almost the opposite. I think that was louder than any popup. No one is every going to get that loud for a popup.
"It was extremely loud and you really had to listen, so I think it was a good drill. It forces the outfielders to really look at see the infielders, if they're waving their arms or not. And to be honest, popups in the infield, you can barely hear the guy screaming next to you. It was really loud. It also makes it to the point where you can't just yell 'I've got it' once. You need to keep yelling it the whole time that you're getting ready to catch it.
"Definitely more realistic to a game situation, but I don't think it will ever be that loud for popup. I mean, that was when Delmon hit that double. I can't imagine a stadium will get that loud for a popup."
The crowd noise brought back special memories for Hardy, who scored the tie-breaking run after drawing a walk off Tigers reliever Joakim Soria to bring Young to the plate with the bases loaded.
"I didn't realize how loud it got," said Hardy, who slid in ahead of the tag. "When I'm running the bases like that, I'm not hearing the noise, I'm just trying to get to the plate.
"Joakim Soria, the pitcher who gave up the double, I work out with him in the offseson and he said that was the loudest place he ever heard. He goes, 'It was too loud. I couldn't pitch. It was too loud.'"
"I thought it was a good drill," said shortstop J.J. Hardy. "Anytime we do that in the past it seems like eyewash because there's no noise at all and it's really not realistic. This was almost the opposite. I think that was louder than any popup. No one is every going to get that loud for a popup.
"It was extremely loud and you really had to listen, so I think it was a good drill. It forces the outfielders to really look at see the infielders, if they're waving their arms or not. And to be honest, popups in the infield, you can barely hear the guy screaming next to you. It was really loud. It also makes it to the point where you can't just yell 'I've got it' once. You need to keep yelling it the whole time that you're getting ready to catch it.
"Definitely more realistic to a game situation, but I don't think it will ever be that loud for popup. I mean, that was when Delmon hit that double. I can't imagine a stadium will get that loud for a popup."
The crowd noise brought back special memories for Hardy, who scored the tie-breaking run after drawing a walk off Tigers reliever Joakim Soria to bring Young to the plate with the bases loaded.
"I didn't realize how loud it got," said Hardy, who slid in ahead of the tag. "When I'm running the bases like that, I'm not hearing the noise, I'm just trying to get to the plate.
"Joakim Soria, the pitcher who gave up the double, I work out with him in the offseson and he said that was the loudest place he ever heard. He goes, 'It was too loud. I couldn't pitch. It was too loud.'"
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