More thoughts on spring training roster, trends and surprises

Three more exhibition games and the Orioles can break camp. Three more and they can put the finishing touches on their active roster, which must get down to 26 players prior to Thursday afternoon's opening day in Boston.

Last night's hatchet job got them to 36. More on that confusion later.

Spring training statistics can't always be trusted, but we've been reminded again that Austin Hays is a special talent. "We just need to keep him healthy" should be printed on orange T-shirts.

What we've learned this month is that manager Brandon Hyde is going to find way to get Hays and Cedric Mullins in the same lineup. In the same outfield. Hyde can shift Ryan Mountcastle to first base or designated hitter and use Anthony Santander as designated hitter.

Haters of the club's decision to release Renato Núñez, who settled for a minor league deal with the Tigers, might now appreciate the unclogging of the DH spot. Lots of power went out the door, but the Orioles should find more with full seasons from Hays and Mountcastle.

Núñez appeared in 11 games before last night and went 5-for-26 (.192) with two doubles, one home run, no walks and 10 strikeouts.

Hays has led off and hit lower in the order. At least early on, it seems more likely that Mullins will sit atop the order while Hays slots in a run-producing spot - fifth or sixth seems about right.

He won't complain.

Hays batted sixth last night and had an RBI single off the Yankees' Aroldis Chapman for the game's first run. He scored on a wild pitch.

"I'm comfortable wherever," he said. "Obviously, if you're hitting in the five hole, you're probably going to get some more RBI opportunities. Just the nature of the beast. You've got Mounty and Trey (Mancini), who are going to get on base a lot, hitting in front of you. But I don't mind leading off. I led off a lot when I was younger growing up. I was always the table setter, so I'm comfortable wherever. As long as my name is on the lineup card, I'll do whatever. Just bring my game."

Mancini was a wonderful, heartwarming camp story as soon as he walked through the doors of the Ed Smith Stadium complex. Didn't matter how he played. He's a cancer survivor who's back on the field. Can't top it.

Except for how Mancini has played.

He had another hit last night, off Gerrit Cole, and keeps looking like the 2019 version.

Hyde will do daily monitoring of Mancini and note when rest is needed, but so far the first baseman has been strong. He's playing on back-to-back days. He's simply been one of the guys, which he craved. And nothing in Sarasota has been as important.

I'll go about the next week and the entire regular season still shaking my head over the disappearance of Chris Davis. How he had two at-bats in the Feb. 28 opener and never got into another game.

You can spend hours making predictions and I doubt that anyone thought his entire body of spring work would consist of one game and a pair of plate appearances.

Davis finally went on the 60-day injured list last night. I couldn't imagine him sitting all spring and then going the 10-day route. Wouldn't make any sense. As far as we know, he isn't working out. Just receiving treatments on his back.

The 60-day was inevitable and it created 40-man room for left-hander Wade LeBlanc. We knew somebody would take his spot.

The 40-man is full, but there are two Rule 5 picks, pitchers Mac Sceroler and Tyler Wells, remaining in camp. Like I've said, I would have bet big money a week ago that neither right-hander was staying in the organization. The landscape keeps changing.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias could really shake up the roster by signing or claiming a pitcher late in camp. He's checking on opt-outs and releases. And a newbie would knock somebody off the roster - and maybe out of the organization.

Santander drew 10 walks in 37 games and 165 plate appearances last summer. He has 10 walks in 13 games and 39 plate appearances this spring.

As long as we're talking about unexpected developments, toss that one onto the pile.

Who led the club in on-base percentage before last night? That would be Santander at .487. But he hasn't played in three days, apparently due to his work on the back fields.

Odd, I know.

The White Sox need an outfielder, but I'm not going there.

Santander is going to bat second, third or fourth, depending on matchups and whatever other factors come into play.

From where I'm sitting, the Orioles could do a lot worse than going with Mullins, Santander, Mancini, Mountcastle, Hays and Maikel Franco. If you don't mind four right-handed hitters in a row.

The stories written about the intense and fascinating outfield competition turned into wasted space. DJ Stewart injured his hamstring and no one is talking about excess anymore.

The camp roster seemed a lot fuller than 36, but there were bold assumptions made that guys on the Twin Lakes side counted in the total. Like Ryan Ripken, for instance. The current COVID-19-inspired arrangement is really confusing.

Players getting into games after being cut also makes the head spin.

Many of the transactions seem like paper moves because players already are working out at Twin Lakes and the standard minor league camp has been abolished in 2021.