Showalter on Machado, Hardy, Davis, roster move and more

Kevin Gausman is headed to Norfolk today. Relax. He's just gathering some of his belongings before the trip back to Baltimore in the morning. "Gausman just got all his work done," said manager Buck Showalter. "He's driving to Norfolk to pick up a lot of stuff that he had there. Moving out of his apartment. I don't want him driving after the game tonight. He was going to drive after the game and I don't like that. I wanted him to get out and beat the traffic. He'll come back tomorrow morning and take a work day here and fly with us." Injuries were the primary topic today during Showalter's pregame session with the media. Third baseman Manny Machado went on the 15-day disabled list. Shortstop J.J. Hardy avoided it. Showalter hopes to have Machado, diagnosed with a sprained right knee, on the active roster by Aug. 27. "Talking to all the doctors, including Dr. (Neal) ElAttrache, who did the other one, we've got a pretty good feel and got our arms around where we are with it," Showalter said. "Hopefully, it will manage itself during that period and he'll be back there or close to it. "J.J.'s doing well. Potentially available in some capacity tonight. Looking forward to him being in the starting lineup Friday or Saturday." Machado is walking without crutches, a comforting sight after he collapsed at home plate Monday night while swinging at a pitch. "I was talking to Manny right after and first thing is, I said, 'It scared the hell out of you, didn't it?'" Showalter said. "You have what he had happen before, that was his first thought. The other knee had two episodes, the first one in Delmarva, was it? And he said that one was tougher on him than the one the day before yesterday. If you're trying to judge them, obviously the one in Tampa was (worse). It's the other knee, so there's some similarities, but not exactly. "He's pretty upbeat about it today. Another lesson in just kind of slowing down. Imagine the history he's had with the other knee and something like that happens and you're laying there, you're obviously going to have some emotional reaction to it initially because of the unknown. But the swelling has been minimal and that's a good sign. We got all the tests back and every picture known to man. Weighed in with some of our guys and other guys who do it as a specialty. We feel like we've got a chance to be pretty fortunate about it by the end of the month." Is Aug. 27 a reasonable timetable? "That's where I'm headed, that's what I'm dealing with," Showalter said. "He'd have to be doing some baseball activities by the 24th-ish. Today is the 13th. It's not if now, it's when. He's going to work hard at some other things to strengthen the area and hopefully he can finish the season whenever the opposition lets us finish it." Showalter and Machado haven't been told the grade of the strain. "If I'd heard it, I'd give it to you," Showalter said, basically stealing my line whenever I'm asked whether I've got news or an update. "How's it run, one to 10? Do you know? I don't know. I can't give you a word. Extremely serious? No. What would I call it? I wouldn't say mild yet, I wouldn't say... I don't know. I'm not equipped to do the vocabulary. "I'm looking to see if we can get him on the 27th. If not, the 28th. If not, the 29th. I feel confident that it's when and not if." Showalter said Machado rates the knee injury in 2011 at Single-A Delmarva as worse than this one. He collapsed while running from second to third base, but didn't miss a significant period of time. "That's encouraging, especially when he feels like this is less than that was," Showalter said. "I was asking him today, as a matter of fact, how long that took. He's got a lot more experience with it, so to speak. "I watched him walk in today because I was waiting to talk to him and make sure there wasn't something completely different. You never jump the gun on that stuff unless you know for sure. He comes walking by my office with the crutches underneath his arm, carrying them right out of the chute, and I said to Ned Rice and John Russell, 'Let me talk to him before we put this in ink.' "He's moving around a lot better today than I ever thought he would after being at home plate. Like I said before, that's not a fun walk up to home plate. I'm not in any hurry to get there." There must be some concern about Machado's knees buckling without contact. The most serious injury in September at Tropicana Field occurred as he stepped on first base. He fell while running the bases at Delmarva and collapsed Monday night while swinging at a pitch. "Sure, yeah, but we have a pretty good idea why and there's some things you can do to lesson the chances of it happening," Showalter said. "He's been pretty diligent about it, but I think it's been more toward the one leg than the other one, so now I think we'll use this time to focus on all of it. "You've got to understand, Manny's a very flexible guy, if you do the workups and everything. That's one of the reasons why he makes the plays that he makes. I'd be in traction if I tried to do some of the things he can do. Some of it is just skill level and some of it is body related. You understand from a lot of people very knowledgeable about it that there are some things you can do to lessen the chance of it happening, so we'll continue to try to be diligent about that." Chris Davis is batting second in Machado's absence. He was used in that spot Monday night after Machado's injury and hit a two-run homer. "He told me, 'I finally figured out where the hits are.' Be careful what you ask for, young man," Showalter said. "It just fits better. We'll see. It's until where we get everybody back. That's where we're going to go tonight and see what tomorrow brings. "Chris and Nick (Markakis) both handle themselves well against left-handers. Through thick and thin, he has taken his walks. He does present a challenge. Guys still have a lot of respect for Chris and what he can potentially do, and quite frankly, we're always looking for some new niche that may jump start and get something going. We'll see what tonight brings. A lot of that will have to do with how good (Michael) Pineda is." The Orioles purchased infielder Cord Phelps' contract from Triple-A Norfolk. He hasn't played in the majors since appearing in four games last year with the Indians. Alexi Casilla, who's been playing at short-season Single-A Aberdeen, would have been a consideration if he were further along after undergoing surgery to remove a broken hamate bone. Steve Clevenger was a possibility because he can play first base. The Orioles also could have called upon Steve Lombardozzi or Jimmy Paredes, but Norfolk manager Ron Johnson and director of player development Brian Graham offered a strong recommendation of Phelps. "The good thing is that we had some good options," Showalter said. "It wasn't a sure cut plus when you think about how long it will last, potentially, that weighs in on it, too. We have a lot of good options there." The Orioles are comfortable with Phelps' defense, which always is a priority, and his ability to hit from both sides of the plate. "Pretty even split, left-handed and right-handed, not only this year but through his career," Showalter said. "We take a lot of stock in what our people there every day tell us. That sounds very uncomplicated, but maybe it isn't done in a lot of places. Doesn't matter if you're on the roster or not on the roster or what the financial commitment is, we're taking the best player. We're trying to win, right? So, we're taking the best player. That's how it's supposed to be. Right now, he's the best option. "I think his biggest comfort zone would be at third and second, but the fact that he's played everywhere. I think he understands what his role is. I like the fact that he can present a challenge left and right-handed. He was their hottest and most consistent hitter there the last couple of weeks. Hopefully, that carries over for whatever time we need him." Yesterday's postponement allowed Showalter to adjust his rotation and keep Chris Tillman on normal rest. Wei-Yin Chen is pushed back to Friday, giving him eight days rest. "You try not to put too much stock in certain things," Showalter said. "This time of year, you get a pretty good feel about how clubs do against certain guys, but teams change so much from what you're basing those numbers on. It may be something from the first three-quarters of the season or two-thirds, but that whole roster has changed so much. "I was trying to go into the Yankee media guide yesterday to look at some of the players. Their media guide isn't a whole lot of use this time of year because a lot of guys aren't there. If you look at Cleveland and guys history and how they've done with a couple of extra days and how guys do on normal rest, it worked out. Tilly needed to stay on line and I think Wei-Yin fits a little better there if you look at some of the track record of everybody concerned." For the Yankees Brett Gardner LF Derek Jeter SS Jacoby Ellsbury CF Mark Teixeira 1B Carlos Beltran DH Chase Headley 3B Stephen Drew 2B Martin Prado RF Francisco Cervelli C Michael Pineda RHP