Orbiting some Orioles observations at spring training

SARASOTA, Fla. – Orioles spring training is entering its fourth day of workouts for pitchers, catchers and most of the position players who aren’t actually due until Monday.

The first day was hectic based on the injury news relayed by executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias – reliever Dillon Tate’s pending placement on the injured list with a strained flexor/forearm and possible absence through April qualifying as the biggie.

The second day was uneventful, as you’d expect under normal circumstances. And we’re back to normal for the first time since early 2020.

Can't help but notice it.

Adley Rutschman caught Grayson Rodriguez’s bullpen session, with photos and videos plastered all over social media. We know our audience.

The third day brought us to Félix Bautista’s locker for a morning interview about his left knee, right shoulder and chances of breaking camp rather than going on the IL. He seems optimistic.

Getting into games by mid-March should be ample. He needs four or five outings to convince the club that he can remain the closer.

We also moved from the mundane to live batting practice featuring Dean Kremer pitching to Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander – three guys leaving soon for the World Baseball Classic. And Rutschman taking BP on the next field.

If he burps, we’re cataloguing it.

A few other observations:

* Rutschman always exudes confidence without coming across as cocky, but he seems a little more comfortable this spring.

I noticed it during a brief conversation at his locker. He was more expansive with his answers and just seemed looser, for lack of a better word. A little more of his personality coming to the surface.

Maybe it’s easier now that he’s a year removed from the hype engulfing baseball’s No. 1 prospect debuting in the majors. He wanted to blend with teammates, just be one of the guys, just play baseball. He did it all in fine fashion.

Now comes 2023 and the established version of Rutschman in a camp where he’s in good health, the undisputed No. 1 catcher and perhaps less inclined to be guarded. To worry about how the veterans might perceive the super-hyped kid.

“It’s definitely a lot different, just knowing a lot more of the guys, having played with a lot more of the guys,” he said yesterday morning before heading outdoors for his first time catching new left-hander Cole Irvin. “It seems like a different camaraderie comes with this year. Everyone coming in excited and ready to go. Just kind of ready to build off last year.”

That describes the clubhouse and camp, but what about the catcher?

“The thing about it is, as far as being vocal goes, a lot of people asked about leadership as far as the position goes, for me it’s been one of those things that, whatever the situation dictates, if it comes authentically, then that’s what I’m going to do,” he said.

“I’m not going to try to be something that I’m not, or the type of person that someone else wants me to be. I’m just going to be whatever I feel like is needed at the time, and I think that the biggest thing with that is people can always tell when something’s not genuine or authentic. That’s the tough part and that’s an easy way to lose people when you’re doing something that feels forced. I’m just going to try to have good energy, be positive and continue to try to help guys out.”

Pitcher Tyler Wells links the expansion of Rutschman’s comfort zone to his confidence.

“After having a great rookie season, he’s coming in here, he’s familiar with a lot of the guys," Wells said. "He’s built relationships with a lot of us, and I think as we continue to see that, he’s certainly more comfortable in the position that he’s in. And on top of that, too, I think it allows him to just relax, just be who Adley is, and everyone loves who Adley is. Just a fun guy, but whenever it comes down to game time, he’s about as serious as they come.

“It is great to see him, as far as things that he’s been working on, or I’m working on, we’re still, like, in the process of him catching my bullpens. ‘Hey, what are you seeing?’ He caught my bullpen the other day, I’m like, ‘Compared to what you saw last year, has this improved?’ And he’ll give his feedback, which is always nice. So, it’s definitely like him growing into his own, and seeing that confidence kind of build, and just having a better relationship with all of us as players and pitchers.”

James McCann has his locker next to Rutschman’s, the new veteran backup with nine seasons of major league experience getting to know the former top prospect and first overall draft pick who’s 113 games into his career.

“It’s been great so far,” McCann said. “I respect him a lot. With the talent, that speaks for itself, but the way he gets in, gets his work in, he works hard. We have a great working relationship, just talking things through. He’s asked me a lot of questions, and for me it’s more just watching him right now and seeing little areas that I may be able to help him, even if it’s as simple as a way to take care of your body to last a full season and multiple years.

“For me, it’s more just to observe and help where I can, and anytime he needs anything, make sure he knows that he can bounce anything off me.”

Rutschman has enjoyed going through the bonding process with McCann.

“Oh, it’s been awesome,” he said. “I’ve heard nothing but phenomenal things about him. He’s been great to me and we’ve had a lot of good conversations, so I’m looking forward to continuing to do that.”

* Educating players on the new rules is an ongoing process through camp. It doesn’t happen in one day or one conversation.

For example, Hyde gathered McCann, catcher Anthony Bemboom and pitcher Kyle Gibson yesterday after the veteran’s bullpen session and went over a few points that they’ll need to know before the games begin.

* Mullins hasn’t lost his power.

Sure, it was live batting practice and Kremer told Mullins what was coming on his final pitch, but man, the distance on the “home run” to right field on the Camden Yards field was jaw-dropping.

As one observer said after Mullins tried to downplay it by pointing out that Kremer helped him, “He still had to hit it.”

* Replicating Camden Yards in Sarasota has its limits.

The left field fence hasn't been moved back 30 feet and there's no 90-degree angle.

There's also no evidence of hurricane damage unless I'm missing it.

(Speaking of which, I mentioned to one of the locals how "Smokin' Joes" on Main Street might be under new ownership because the sign was gone. Maybe a new one would replace it. Maybe the name was changing. "Ian has taken down a lot of the signs on Main Street," I was told. "Who's Ian?" I asked. "The hurricane." Oh. Another observation: I didn't get any smarter during the offseason.)

* Wells lost about 20 pounds but won’t use the spring training cliché.

Best shape of his life?

“Don’t write that,” he said with a grin.

Wells hopes to use that phrase in August. Either way, he looks good, though I questioned where he was carrying 20 pounds on his 6-foot-8 frame.

The hips, glutes, legs. For me, it's around the midsection. Definitely not my legs.

* Cionel Pérez remains incredibly nice in the clubhouse and nasty on the mound.

His bullpen session Friday morning was about as good as it gets. He was pounding the lower portion of the strike zone, his fastball zipping through the strings and reaching the catcher’s mitt.

* Elias hasn’t moved away from the free agent market, saying there are a few legitimate major league players that hold his interest.

He didn’t identify positions, but we know that he isn’t just checking the waiver wire and searching for trade partners.

* Triple-A infielder Connor Norby and pitcher Kyle Dowdy, signed as a free agent in December after two scoreless relief appearances with the Reds, have lockers in the main clubhouse but in the worst locations.

The door to the two corner drink coolers swings directly into them.

I check on it every spring that there’s media access. Just because.

* Elias’ comment about Hyde’s contract status, and his own, revealed a lot without saying too much.

“I think that people are, for better or worse, going to have to get used to he and I here for a while,” Elias said. “I think we’re going to have a lot of success going forward, and he’s done a great job and I was glad to see him get some recognition last year.”

"For a while" certainly suggests that Hyde received an extension. So does, when actually doing the math correctly, which I’m challenged to execute, the fact that Hyde’s option year was 2022.

This is 2023. He’s still the manager.

So there you go.