Last spring game, Gonzalez as No. 3, roster ramblings

SARASOTA, Fla. - We've reached the final game of the exhibition schedule. Nothing left after today except a workout that proceeds the opening day festivities at Tropicana Field.

Raise the roof.

The Orioles are breaking camp but they're not heading north, unless you count the drive from Sarasota to St. Petersburg. And if you really want to get technical, they're heading south from Lake Buena Vista following today's game against the Braves.

Minor leauger Zach Davies gets the start and he's going to be surrounded by other players from Twin Lakes Park. Don't read anything into the lineup that's posted.

The Braves are starting Mike Foltynewicz, a former pitcher in the Astros system who's also a triple word score in Scrabble.

Miguel Gonzalez's next start comes Wednesday against the Rays. He entered camp unsure if he'd make the rotation and now he's the No. 3 starter.

"I'm happy, I'm excited for this new season," said Gonzalez, deflecting talk of his placement in the middle of the starting pack. "We have a great group of guys and I think we're going to do well."

Gonzalez is 4-3 with a 4.03 ERA in 11 starts against the Rays and 3-1 with a 2.64 ERA in five starts at Tropicana Field.

"I like pitching there," he said. "I don't know why. Seventy-two degrees, probably. I don't know. It's nice.

"I've done really good there and I'm confident pitching in The Trop. I think that's why Buck put me in the third spot this time."

As I wrote last night, the camp roster is down to 33 players and we know six more names that are coming off - Matt Wieters, J.J. Hardy, David Lough, Jimmy Paredes, Chris Davis and Ryan Webb. The Orioles could reassign outfielder Nolan Reimold and decide between T.J. McFarland and Steve Clevenger as the fill-in for Davis.

The Orioles have plenty of pitchers without McFarland, who could be slotted into Triple-A Norfolk's rotation until there's room in the bullpen. But what would happen to Clevenger if he's chosen to stay for one game?

Clevenger has options, too, but J.P. Arencibia, Brian Ward and Audry Perez are ticketed for Norfolk. That's too many catchers unless Arencibia goes on the minor league disabled list with a strained flexor mass.

As for Reimold, he's done everything to warrant a roster spot and the only thing working against him is the lack of minor league options. The Orioles don't think he'd clear waivers if they had to send him down after one game or later in the month when guys started to come off the disabled list.

Is it fair to Reimold? Absolutely not. No wonder he had reservations about signing here despite his preference to be an Oriole. But they don't want to lose him. It's flattering and frustrating at the same time.

Mostly frustrating, I'd imagine.

It's still risky for fans and the media to attempt to craft a 25-man roster. The Orioles could make a late trade. Someone could walk through that clubhouse door on Monday that we didn't anticipate. Executive vice president Dan Duquette continues to work the phones.