Questions about the bullpen and an update on Wieters
By Roch Kubatko
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Will the Orioles have most of their relievers available for today's game against the Rays?
I doubt that you'll see Ryan Webb or Evan Meek unless there's an emergency. Ubaldo Jimenez wasn't going to be rushed into a scoreless game last night, but we know that he's rested.
Andrew Miller is nearing a return after tweaking his left leg Monday, but it's not known whether he could pitch today. The Orioles need him, but only if he's healthy.
What's going on with Darren O'Day? He hasn't pitched since giving up a grand slam on Tuesday, and he hasn't even warmed up.
I'll check on him after the clubhouse opens to the media at 10 a.m.
Orioles catcher Matt Wieters said he won't know whether he's going to have a full spring training next year until he starts throwing, which may not happen until November. He's likely to wait five months rather than the usual four after undergoing surgery to reconstruct a ligament in his right elbow.
Why rush it?
"It's all going well," Wieters said yesterday while standing at his locker in the visiting clubhouse at Tropicana Field. "It seems like about every week or two weeks we'll get a good breakthrough with something and move forward, and you'll have another week or two of trying to get to that next phase or feeling where we're trying to get it back to feeling as normal as possible as quick as possible. And we keep getting closer to it."
Showalter recently stated that head athletic trainer Richie Bancells was "upbeat" about Wieters' progress, particularly the catcher's improved range of motion.
"A lot of it is, it's not only range of motion, it's how easy it is to get to that range of motion, how much we really have to crank on it because we want it to be free-flowing and moving nice and smooth. And it's continuing to get smoother and smoother," Wieters said.
"For me, the big thing is, anytime we get to add new exercises and new strengthening things that kind of give us more optimism and gives us something else that we can work on."
Wieters had the surgery in June to improve his chances of being full-go when pitchers and catchers report to the Ed Smith Stadium complex.
"I don't even know if we're looking at a timeline as far as when we'll know for sure what's going to be the ultimate cut-loose date, but I don't think until we start throwing that I'll even have a good feel for how long it will be from then on," Wieters said.
"Normally, it could be four months after surgery. We'll probably give it, just because we have that extra little bit of time, probably five months or so before we pick up a ball, just because I'll still have plenty of time to go through all the throwing program before spring training."
As for this afternoon's game, broadcast on FOX, Kevin Gausman will make his sixth career appearance against the Rays. He's gone 1-3 with a 6.64 ERA, allowing 15 earned runs in 20 1/3 innings. He's 1-1 with a 6.35 ERA in three games (two starts) at Tropicana Field, allowing eight earned runs in 11 1/3 innings.
Gausman has made three starts against the Rays this season and allowed seven earned runs in 15 innings for a 4.20 ERA. He did toss six scoreless innings on June 18 in St. Petersburg.
Ben Zobrist is 6-for-10 (.600) with three doubles against Gausman, and Yunel Escobar is 5-for-7 (.714).
Left-hander Drew Smyly is 3-1 with a 1.73 ERA in six starts with Tampa Bay and has held opponents to a .151 average. He's allowed three earned runs or fewer in all six starts, tying Jeremy Hellickson and Chad Gaudin for the record to begin a Rays career.
Smyly has allowed two earned runs in 21 innings over five appearances (two starts) against the Orioles. This season, he's surrendered two earned runs in 16 innings over three outings.
Steve Pearce and Delmon Young are expected to face Smyly today, as Showalter tries to stack his lineup with right-handed hitters. As I wrote yesterday, left-handers are batting .166 against Smyly.
The current Orioles are 9-for-75 (.120) against Smyly. Chris Davis is 1-for-8 with a home run and five strikeouts.
Orioles catcher Matt Wieters said he won't know whether he's going to have a full spring training next year until he starts throwing, which may not happen until November. He's likely to wait five months rather than the usual four after undergoing surgery to reconstruct a ligament in his right elbow.
Why rush it?
"It's all going well," Wieters said yesterday while standing at his locker in the visiting clubhouse at Tropicana Field. "It seems like about every week or two weeks we'll get a good breakthrough with something and move forward, and you'll have another week or two of trying to get to that next phase or feeling where we're trying to get it back to feeling as normal as possible as quick as possible. And we keep getting closer to it."
Showalter recently stated that head athletic trainer Richie Bancells was "upbeat" about Wieters' progress, particularly the catcher's improved range of motion.
"A lot of it is, it's not only range of motion, it's how easy it is to get to that range of motion, how much we really have to crank on it because we want it to be free-flowing and moving nice and smooth. And it's continuing to get smoother and smoother," Wieters said.
"For me, the big thing is, anytime we get to add new exercises and new strengthening things that kind of give us more optimism and gives us something else that we can work on."
Wieters had the surgery in June to improve his chances of being full-go when pitchers and catchers report to the Ed Smith Stadium complex.
"I don't even know if we're looking at a timeline as far as when we'll know for sure what's going to be the ultimate cut-loose date, but I don't think until we start throwing that I'll even have a good feel for how long it will be from then on," Wieters said.
"Normally, it could be four months after surgery. We'll probably give it, just because we have that extra little bit of time, probably five months or so before we pick up a ball, just because I'll still have plenty of time to go through all the throwing program before spring training."
As for this afternoon's game, broadcast on FOX, Kevin Gausman will make his sixth career appearance against the Rays. He's gone 1-3 with a 6.64 ERA, allowing 15 earned runs in 20 1/3 innings. He's 1-1 with a 6.35 ERA in three games (two starts) at Tropicana Field, allowing eight earned runs in 11 1/3 innings.
Gausman has made three starts against the Rays this season and allowed seven earned runs in 15 innings for a 4.20 ERA. He did toss six scoreless innings on June 18 in St. Petersburg.
Ben Zobrist is 6-for-10 (.600) with three doubles against Gausman, and Yunel Escobar is 5-for-7 (.714).
Left-hander Drew Smyly is 3-1 with a 1.73 ERA in six starts with Tampa Bay and has held opponents to a .151 average. He's allowed three earned runs or fewer in all six starts, tying Jeremy Hellickson and Chad Gaudin for the record to begin a Rays career.
Smyly has allowed two earned runs in 21 innings over five appearances (two starts) against the Orioles. This season, he's surrendered two earned runs in 16 innings over three outings.
Steve Pearce and Delmon Young are expected to face Smyly today, as Showalter tries to stack his lineup with right-handed hitters. As I wrote yesterday, left-handers are batting .166 against Smyly.
The current Orioles are 9-for-75 (.120) against Smyly. Chris Davis is 1-for-8 with a home run and five strikeouts.
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