Notes on Joseph, Janish and outfield versatility

SARASOTA, Fla. - There's no sign of catcher Caleb Joseph in camp this morning. Could this mean his son, Walker Everett, is finally reporting today?

Walker was due March 1, but there's no fine for being late.

Joseph hasn't been able to travel with the team. He's appeared in one game, striking out in both at-bats.

The Orioles are home today, but Steve Clevenger is behind the plate.

Infielder Paul Janish said he probably won't start throwing until the middle of next week instead of this weekend.

Yesterday marked exactly three weeks since Janish had bone chips removed from his right elbow. He's been taking ground balls and can swing the bat.

"I still feel good," he said. "Nothing has changed. I just think Richie (Bancells) feels more comfortable if we wait a little while longer. Yesterday was the three-week date and he's just pumping the brakes on me a little bit."

Janish is still targeting March 20 or 21 for his spring debut.

"As far as the timetable to play, I don't think it changes all that much," he said.

Alejandro De Aza is in left field today after starting in right yesterday. Steve Pearce is starting in right against the Red Sox. Travis Snider has made starts in both outfield corners. David Lough was in center field yesterday in Dunedin and can play both corners.

That's just a sampling of the outfield versatility that you'll find in Orioles camp.

"I think what Buck's trying to do is identify positions the players are best at," said executive vice president Dan Duquette. "He wants to take a look at them at all the positions in the outfield so that he knows what his strongest combination is when he starts the season.

"(Versatility) helps because during the season we have needs, right? You have stresses on your roster, you have injuries. If you have ideas of the player's capability and what they're best at, what their strongest defensive position is, it will help you formulate your best roster. A lot of days we do, day-by-day, what's your strongest team for tonight? Having first-hand knowledge of what their strengths are, taking a look at them at multiple positions makes good sense."

Duquette uses Triple-A outfielder Dariel Alvarez, one of the organization's top position prospects, as an example.

"Dariel Alvarez came to us a right fielder. He has a great arm," Duquette said. "Last year, we put him in in center field and he was able to show that he was able to play center field capably.

"De Aza was a center fielder, played some left last year, we're taking a look at him in right. Pearce has played left and right. (Chris) Davis has played first and right and third some, which he filled in last year. Snider has played some left and right. They all have some positions that they're better than others at, but they all have versatility and capability of playing more than one position."

Delmon Young prefers right field and will get more chances to play there with Nick Markakis gone.

"Delmon's played more right than left," Duquette said. "He's got a good arm and of course, that's an asset right there."

The Giants signed reliever Alfredo Aceves to a minor league deal, according to Baseball America. The Angels signed infielder Travis Adair, a former Orioles farmhand and the son of former pitching coach Rick Adair.