SARASOTA, Fla. - Tsuyoshi Wada, Jake Arrieta, Tommy Hunter, Dana Eveland, Matt Lindstrom and Jason Hammel were among the pitchers who threw bullpen sessions today.
Wada has a pause in his delivery that batters will need to time. He's got some deception to it.
Matt Wieters insisted on catching Wada and Hammel. He needs to learn more about them.
Lindstrom was bringing the heat. He kept popping catcher John Hester's mitt, to the point where my ears started ringing.
"He comes as advertised," manager Buck Showalter said. "Arm strength is a non-issue with him."
Lindstrom spent two years in Sweden on his Mormon mission and is fluent in the language.
Wada celebrated his 31st birthday today. Players sang to him on the field.
Showalter met with Wada yesterday to discuss the pitcher's routine in Japan and the adjustments he'll need to make in the majors. The Orioles also will be somewhat flexible with Wada, who's accustomed to working on a different schedule.
"I asked more questions than he did," Showalter said. "I want to make his path easier. I put myself in his shoes as much as I can. It was educational for me. I want to create an environment that he's going to be comfortable in. I'll get to know his family situation. It was a good hour and you've got to allow time for the transfer."
Showalter wanted Wada to take him through a typical week during the baseball season. Wada informed him that Monday is an off-day in Japan.
"I said, 'Not here,' " Showalter said.
Wada also mentioned that the weight room here is too cold.
"Brady's got it about 16 degrees in there," Showalter said.
Showalter asked Wada what the pitcher has heard about him.
"That was very funny, and it all came from Koji. I'm going to give Koji a call," Showalter said.
Alfredo Simon and Pedro Strop are this spring's version of Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman. They're inseparable.
Here's more from Zach Britton, who threw off flat ground again today:
"I felt stronger today, which is something I wasn't expecting to feel."
Britton is scheduled to long-toss again Thursday and Friday, but the Orioles will discuss his schedule and contemplate making changes to it.
"I'm ahead of where they thought, so that's good news," he said. "They just want to get my throws up, so if I'm throwing 70-80 throws a day, that's going to help me get on the mound sooner than throwing 200 feet, 25 throws. They'd rather get my throws up, the count, and go from there."
Britton said it feels like his motion is "real smooth compared to last year, where it looked like I was kind of forcing to get my arm up at times. Now it's just nice and easy."
And finally, Ryan Wagner was chosen out of a field of 670 applicants as the new PA announcer at Camden Yards. Wagner spent last season as a resident of MLB's Fan Cave, watching more than 2,450 major league games.
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