Notes on Nolan Reimold and Parker Bridwell before tonight's game

SARASOTA, Fla. - Nolan Reimold sat at his locker this afternoon, a cup of coffee in his hand and a few members of the Orioles beat crew gauging his excitement over starting in right field for the split-squad game against the Rays.

It barely registered.

The low-key personality didn't change, even with his first spring appearance in the outfield. Manager Buck Showalter has chosen to bring Reimold along slowly, using him as the designated hitter Wednesday in Sarasota, when he singled, walked and stole a base. He's been spared the bus rides.

Reimold made three starts in right field last season and 30 in left, where Hyun Soo Kim is projected to play.

"If you're playing one position and you switch over, it's different at first, but eventually it just becomes normal and you adapt to it," Reimold said. "If that's the case, I'll just keep getting reps out there and get used to it again."

Part of Reimold's appeal lies in his ability to play all three outfield positions, making it likely that manager Buck Showalter will move him around again this spring. Someone has to back up Adam Jones in center and there's no guarantee that Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard breaks camp with the team.

"Yeah, I'd expect it if I started doing it, so wherever I may be that particular day, that's where you go out and get your direction during batting practice and get ready to go into the game that night," Reimold said.

Told that Showalter values his versatility, Reimold said, "That's good to know. I'm definitely ready for it when that comes around, but Adam is one of those guys who plays every day. If he needs a blow, I'd be happy to fill in or wherever I may be needed."

The roster for tonight's game includes 14 players from minor league camp: Former first-round pick DJ Stewart, Jomar Reyes, Jaylen Ferguson, Joey Terdoslavich, Adrian Marin, Josh Hart, Steve Wilkerson, Ryan Mountcastle, Garabez Rosa, Glynn Davis, Michael Almanzar and pitchers Jason Stoffel, Richard Rodriguez and Jon Keller.

The Orioles are hoping to fair better tonight than the crew that rode to Fort Myers and lost to the Twins 13-2. Parker Bridwell was saddled with the loss after allowing a solo home run to Eduardo Rosario in the fourth that broke a 2-2 tie.

He should be commended for allowing only one run in two innings. It got much worse after he left the game.

Bridwell retired all three Braves he faced in the Orioles' exhibition opener in Lake Buena Vista.

"I felt good body-wise and stuff like that," he said the next day. "I didn't feel like I was in a regular routine, obviously, coming out of the 'pen in spring training. It's something different. But it's cool to see how you have to prepare both roles, the differences, because you never know. Down the road it might happen to where I have to prepare like that.

"It's a lot different. You know exactly when your time is and how much time you have to get ready, as opposed to the 'pen. You could get a double play and you're in there just like that. Not even think about how many pitches you threw."

Bridwell, 24, got a sampling of the reliever's life in the Arizona Fall League, though the Orioles still want him starting in the minors.

"It's fun," he said. "I liked it in Arizona when I had to do it out there, but they told me what inning I was going in, so that's a little bit different. But I like it. It's not too bad."

The Orioles placed Bridwell on the 40-man roster and protected him in the Rule 5 draft after the former ninth-round draft pick went 4-5 with a 3.99 ERA in 18 starts at Double-A Bowie. He's got stuff on certain nights that Showalter and others are convinced would get out big league hitters. The issue is a lack of consistency. A dazzling start can be followed by a dud.

"Honestly, it's hard to explain," said Bridwell, who's 26-41 with a 4.83 ERA in six minor league seasons. "It's just a focus thing. I'm not saying I went into a game and I wasn't focused right off the bat, but certain things happen that kind of get you sidetracked.

"I think I've worked on and gotten a lot better at having a short-term memory and not thinking about stuff I can't control. I think that was one of the things that hurt me a little bit. Something bad would happen and then it would snowball because my mind was going different places. Now, I've got my mentality to throw this pitch, not the last one. You can't throw that one again. Just go on and move on and keep moving forward."

It's a mindset that eventually could push Bridwell to Triple-A Norfolk. He figures to start out at Bowie again.

"I have no clue. I have absolutely no clue," he said. "I'll go wherever they send me and pitch. The ultimate goal is to be in Baltimore, so that's what I'm going to be trying to achieve."