More Orioles notes and quotes from Day 2 of minicamp

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles contacted pitcher Gavin Floyd about a tryout at minicamp this week, but he turned down the offer.

Floyd, a Severna Park native and graduate of Mount St. Joseph High School, is playing long toss after undergoing surgery on his right elbow for a second consecutive year. He hasn't thrown off a mound.

The Orioles could try again later this winter.

Hunter Harvey is the only Orioles pitcher scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday before the conclusion of minicamp at the Ed Smith Stadium complex.

Harvey will step on a mound for the fifth time since being cleared to resume throwing. He was shut down in the fall instructional league with tightness in his right elbow.

The Orioles will tape Hunter's session while manager Buck Showalter is back in Maryland.

Dylan Bundy continues to play catch from 150 feet as he nears a return to the mound. Showalter said Bundy is in "a great place," and he didn't mean Florida.

"Turn him loose. Governors are off. Binders are off. However you want to put it," Showalter said.

"You guys walk up to him after he throws and you ask him how his arm feels, he's going to go, 'Why are you asking me that? Go ask one of these broke-down (pitchers).'"

Showalter got a good look today at Ashur Tolliver, Parker Bridwell, Ariel Miranda, Andrew Triggs, Donnie Hart and Jeff Believeau, the latter throwing off a flat mound following labrum surgery in April.

"You see them and you know why," Showalter said. "It'd be good to see Beliveau get healthy. He's got a pretty good track record when healthy. You can just tell from his delivery they don't see the ball well off him. That's why his velocity plays up.

"Donnie Hart had a big year. I wanted to see him while he's down here and let him know that we're thinking about him a little bit. He's made a couple adjustments. He's on the wrong side of the rubber. But maybe, maybe not. We'll see.

"Tolliver's got a good, quick arm. We were worried about losing him in the Rule 5 draft. He might be the Mychal Givens that was available in the Rule 5 draft and nobody took him."

The Orioles already were familiar with the young pitchers. The minicamp just provided the latest opportunity to check on their health and deliveries.

"We know a lot about them long before they got here," Showalter said. "I've watched tape on every one of these guys throwing. Miranda's not turning it loose. He's been down here for a while. It's not like the first time I've seen them. It's the first time I've seen some of them in person. But with a few exceptions, I've seen just about all these guys pitch in person. They might not have known I was there. And I watch tape on them during the season."

Bridwell has the stuff to get out major league hitters. He just needs to find it more consistently.

"Some of them need to graduate a little more," Showalter said. "He's on the roster now. We'll see what happens."

The key this week is making sure pitchers don't overthrow to impress their boss. No need to show up here thinking a positive impression guarantees a roster spot.

"You're not going to change that, but you can tell them until you're blue in the face," Showalter said.

"You look at some guys with their background, a guy like Triggs, who am I to tell him?" Showalter said. "He bounced around a little bit, came over here and took off and did well. In his mind, he's sitting there thinking this might be my one chance, but it won't be because he's coming to big league camp and he's on the roster. He knows that.

"He's a sharp kid. Triggs is interesting. He can throw it over the plate, which is always good. You see where he is on the rubber, he'll be a challenge for right-handed hitters. I like the fact that he throws it over.

"You just know that he and a guy like Darren O'Day are going to hit it off and be able to bounce some things. They're all different. Not every guy who throws from down there is the same. That's another great thing about having Darren back."

The two catchers in camp, Jonah Heim and Chris O'Brien, hit on the Camden Yards replica field.

Heim, 20, found out yesterday that he would be invited to spring training next month. He didn't quite understand at first, thinking he eventually would move over to the minor league side. Instead, he'll be one of six catchers in camp.

"I was trying to play it cool on the outside, but on the inside I was kind of freaking out," said Heim, a fourth-round pick in 2013. "It's going to be a fun experience and I'm excited. I thought he was calling me over just to talk about catching, but he talked about spring training, my plans, and I was excited."

Heim will dress in the same row as Matt Wieters and Caleb Joseph, allowing him to continue his education behind the plate.

"It's real important," Heim said. "Getting any experience from any big leaguer is a pretty big deal. You get to pick their brain and talk about their craft and how they go about the game. It's going to be fun and exciting."

The enjoyment also comes from being healthy. Heim missed three months of Single-A Delmarva's season with a stress fracture in his left foot sustained when his spikes caught in the dirt while he was sliding.

"They were kind of cautious because it's kind of a big football injury, and we went to a lot of specialists and tried to figure out what was going on, so we just took our time with it," Heim said. "It's all healed up and we're ready to go."

The Orioles took catchers Chance Sisco, Heim and Alex Murphy within the first seven rounds of the 2013 draft. The race is on to reach the majors.

"I'd say it's just like a friendly competition," Heim said. "We're all good friends, we all get along well. We spend a lot of time together during spring training and the season, so we're all friends. It's a friendly competition, so it's nothing too bad. We all wish the best for each other and help each other move up the ladder."

The Orioles also wanted to check Beliveau's health at minicamp and they're impressed with the progress he made from labrum surgery in April.

Beliveau, signed as a minor league free agent, wondered whether the injury would ruin his career.

"A lot of different thoughts go through your head," he said. "Not only is there a whole physical side to it, there's a mental side. Taking it day by day, not trying to do too much. Not trying to do too much in the weight room at first. Just really trying to stick with the schedule, go about your business, do what you can when you can do it.

"It's not fun. It's not fun to think about them going in, opening up your shoulder and going in there and messing around with it and tying stuff together. It feels good now. I feel good. I put on about 10 pounds.

"I had like a divot in the back of my shoulder just because the doctor said from the injuries, those muscles are shut down. Your brain tells your body to shut those muscles down. Now that it's fixed and it's structurally intact, I was able to build those muscles back up. Now, it's just getting my arm in condition to throw and throw in game situations."

Left-hander Ariel Miranda delivers a pitch, while right-hander Andrew Triggs starts his wind-up at Orioles minicamp in Sarasota, Fla.

Chris Tillman played catch on Day 2 of minicamp.

Miranda contiunes to get work in at minicamp.

Special assignment pitching instructor Ramon Martinez chats with veterans Zach Britton and Chris Tillman.

Pitching coach Dave Wallace watches as lefty Ashur Tolliver and righty Parker Bridwell get some work in at minicamp this afternoon.

Catchers Jonah Heim (foreground) and Chris O'Brien look on at minicamp workouts.