Revisiting the opener, camp roster decisions and more

The Orioles made it through yesterday's workout without their tans fading or the front office tweaking the 25-man roster.

The same group that flew out of Sarasota headed out to the field in stocking caps and hoodies, then retreated to a clubhouse that added new big screen televisions mounted from the ceiling, a leather sofa and a couple of recliners.

Feel the cold outside and chill indoors.

The final roster moves on Monday didn't include any mention of pitcher Gregory Infante, who never made it to camp due to an illness that kept him in Venezuela and later Miami after receiving clearance to travel.

Infante is the Orioles' version of Chuck Cunningham from the sitcom "Happy Days." Except Chuck appeared in a couple of episodes before disappearing without further mention.

(Google it if I've lost you.)

The only real news to come out of the workout was the revelation that Nate Karns has been chosen to start the second game at Yankee Stadium, slotted between Andrew Cashner and Dylan Bundy in an arrangement that no one could fathom until manager Brandon Hyde stood in front of the media on the dirt track in front of the dugout.

An "opener" was anticipated for the back end of the rotation. Karns qualified as a candidate, the starter-turned-reliever in camp. But in Game 2?

This is what happens when the starter for Game 1, veteran right-hander Alex Cobb, strains his groin and goes on the injured list. And when Hyde assumes that the bullpen will be rested because of the open date Friday, which requires some cooperation from Cashner.

Hyde didn't mention how many hands will take the baton after Karns. The game has to play out. But while a left-hander normally would follow a right-hander to mess with the opposing lineup, in this case John Means, the Yankees' lineup leans heavily to the right and Hyde could call upon Mike Wright to hopefully provide some length.

Jimmy Yacabonis and Miguel Castro also could be featured.

* Executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias met with the media before Hyde yesterday, allowing a new wave to grill him on some of the controversial roster decisions.

"There's a lot that goes into it," he said. "Number one, while we're thrilled that some of those guys had terrific camps statistically, I've been around long enough to know how to weigh spring stats relative to regular season stats from the previous year, and these guys are young and we're in a situation where we're trying to build our talent level. We're going to err on the side of their development, in particular some of those guys who we wanted to see log some more minor league at-bats and have some success in Triple-A.

"But also, we're in a situation where we're trying to maximize the amount of talent here from all angles, and part of that is bringing players into our 25-man roster and giving them a shake here. And our situation, we're the No. 1 pick on the waiver wire and when players are out of options, we've got a chance to bring them in here. We can have a spot for them. So we're going to try to maximize everything.

"I think the guys that you saw play really well will be up here really soon and we're excited to have them up here, but this is the group who we've got to start the year and there's going to be a lot of traffic back and forth from Norfolk this year."

The ultimate goal is to put the shuttle up on blocks. But it won't happen in 2019.

Outfielder Yusniel Diaz, one of the camp standouts who was sent packing, is expected to start the season at Double-A Bowie with Ryan McKenna, one of the standouts in the Arizona Fall League.

Anthony Santander and DJ Stewart figure to play the corners at Triple-A Norfolk, with Austin Hays in center field after his left thumb heals. It's in a splint, but he could be back in about three weeks.

"As I've said repeatedly, I'm incredibly impressed by what the previous administration managed to accomplish against so much odds and expectations in the American League East," Elias said. "To be the winningest team over a five-year period. To make three playoff appearances, and one of them was pretty deep. That's great success. But we are in a position where we need to reset the level of talent in the organization.

"We want to get a farm system up. We want to get a major league pipeline flowing. We want to get an international pipeline flowing. All of that. So we're working on all that furiously all at once and that's just where we're at right now."

* Elias praised Hyde for his work in camp.

"I thought it was great, the leadership, the comfort he had in the role," Elias said.

"We're both rookies in our positions. You never know how someone is going to take to it, but he was very smooth with everything and I think it just speaks to the experience that led us to hire him. He's been a bench coach for a world champion. He has done it all on the development side and I think that came out in spring training very clearly."

* Trey Mancini has inherited Adam Jones' old locker at Camden Yards.

I told Mancini that I wouldn't ask him about the switch because it was an old storyline from spring training.

Third baseman Renato Núñez is dressing at Manny Machado's old locker in the far corner of the clubhouse. Rule 5 picks Richie Martin and Drew Jackson have been placed side-by-side.

Martin has regained uniform No. 1 that he wore early in camp.

* The Orioles have released left-hander D.J. Snelten, claimed off waivers from the Giants in June 2018 and used in two spring training games as an extra from minor league camp. He made other trips and watched from the bullpen.

Snelten was charged with four runs in one-third of an inning. He served up the walk-off grand slam to the Pirates' Jung Ho Kang in Bradenton.

The Orioles also released pitcher Bo Schultz, signed in January to a minor league deal. The Orioles reassigned him to minor league camp on March 10 after he gave up six earned runs (seven total) and nine hits in 3 1/3 innings and hit two batters.