Showalter on Garcia, Flaherty, Wright and more

Orioles manager Buck Showalter is eager to evaluate pitcher Jason Garcia once the Rule 5 pick comes off the disabled list with a fully healed right shoulder.

Garcia has tendinitis in the shoulder, which likely explains his drop in velocity.

"I think we're going to be pleasantly surprised when he gets through this period," Showalter said. "I think he needs this physically as much as anything."

Catcher Matt Wieters is scheduled to catch nine innings again on Thursday at extended spring training, just as he did on Tuesday. He also will catch a full game on Saturday.

Showalter said infielder Ryan Flaherty, on the disabled list again with a strained right groin, feels good today. Flaherty received a platelet-rich plasma injection and will head to Sarasota in few days.

"There are still so many things he can do," Showalter said. "I think a lot of the mistakes that people make with stuff like that is they stop doing everything else, and he won't. Probably tomorrow and the next two or three days he's going to be really sore from it."

The MRI on Flaherty came back clean, but there's inflammation in the area that must be removed.

"There's nothing there that's more than a groin pull," Showalter said. "I think the biggest challenge with Ryan is it really reminds you of how often guys get hurt. He has never had a leg injury. I was talking with him today. I just don't know if he knows how to play with it initially where you get over the hump a little bit."

Ten players have gone on the disabled list this season, including Flaherty twice. Asked whether it's an alarming total, Showalter replied, "Not if you take each case and look at it."

"We know how Jonathan (Schoop) got hurt, (Kevin) Gausman. We're going to get them back. It's not like they're going away.

"I don't try to dwell on it. It's part of it. Some years you have them where they're spread out one by one. It's frustrating, it's a challenge, but I don't think Toronto wants to hear about it. Obviously, 10's a big number."

Showalter likes that the Orioles had so many options when deciding on Garcia's replacement. They chose Triple-A Norfolk right-hander Mike Wright.

"Between there and Bowie, I'm excited about the way everybody's pitching," Showalter said. "It could be a short time, it could be a long time. I don't know. We have a lot of good options to pick from.

"Just the length that that provided - three or four or five innings if something happened - was something. And him being on the (40-man) roster."

Wright could barely contain his enthusiasm after reporting to the clubhouse.

"He's been in my office twice," Showalter said. "I said hello to him out in the hall and then Zach (Britton) was giving him grief about not coming in the office. He's a big ol' boy.

"I'm excited about it. We felt like he would be here at some point. He's another one we think has got a bright future for us, but it's still the biggest jump in sports. You never know how it's going to play.

"You realize how big a time it is for him and his family. I remember his family made a trip down when he started in the spring."

I've had lots of fans asking if the Orioles compensated the workers at Camden Yards after games were cancelled or moved due to safety concerns related to the rioting in the city.

Here's what I've heard:

Hourly stadium workers received full pay for time missed following the cancellations. In addition, ownership paid the approximately 30 freelance technicians - including camera and audio ops, cable pullers and graphics personnel - who may have passed up other opportunities and committed to the Orioles.

By my estimation, we're talking around $15,000 per game for the five home dates lost on the schedule.

Ownership also paid the crews assigned to the three games moved to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. Again, that's roughly $15,000 per game.

Obviously, the producers and directors also were compensated for the games.

Delaware North, which operates food, beverage and retail services at Camden Yards, also is compensating its workers for lost wages.