Showalter on Trumbo, Kim and the new slide rules

Jimmy Paredes hit off a tee today as part of his progression after being restricted to taking dry swings. Paredes is on the disabled list with a bone bruise in his left wrist.

Mark Trumbo will try to build on his four-hit day while returning to the cleanup spot. He sprayed the ball to all fields again on Monday.

"He's shown that ability," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "He's not going to sit there and ... I know how we pitched him and I know how they're going to try to pitch him. He knows that. He's 30 years old this year and he kind of knows what they're going to try to do to him. There's no secrets. And what he's got to do to be successful.

"If you look at his career, he's been a pretty good offensive performer in April and May, and he showed that the day before yesterday.

"I know we didn't shift on him as much as we've seen some people shift on him because he does have the ability to do some other things. He's not a one-way Harry."

The Korean media surrounded Joey Rickard's locker this afternoon, asking the Rule 5 pick questions directly related to Hyun Soo Kim. Rickard is starting in left field again tonight, the position Kim was supposed to occupy after signing a two-year, $7 million contract.

Kim heard a smattering of boos as he was introduced on opening day. Showalter noticed them and later spoke with interpreter Danny Lee. However, he didn't think the "mixed" reaction was a big deal.

"They're waiting to embrace him," Showalter said. "So far, he hasn't had the opportunity yet to give them anything. Hopefully, it will be there at some point. But I don't think it seemed to affect him. We'll see.

"It might have been them yelling his middle name. That's really what it was. It's another sign of intelligence of our fans."

Showalter added that he has "a little feel" for what type of pitchers initially that Kim will "responded better to."

"That's something I'm keeping an eye out for," Showalter said. "The rest of it, you're just guessing."

After the Orioles were done with batting practice today, Showalter gathered his players and again went over the new slide rules to make sure everyone understands what is and isn't allowed.

The Braves' Nick Markakis and the Blue Jays' Jose Bautista already have violated the rules this week, the latter giving the Rays a win last night after a two-run error in the ninth inning came off the board.

"Showing some things that have happened the first couple games that have impacted games and make sure they continue to be aware," Showalter said.

"Guys come into professional baseball from high school and college without that skill set. You have to slide directly into the bag in high school and college. So the guy I think you'll see having problems with it are the guys who have been in the pro game for a while, because it's pretty much ingrained in them that you slide differently.

"It's like we've kind of changed the game the way it was taught and you've got to make the adjustment because you don't want to lose a ballgame. They (umpires) told us exactly what they were going to do and so far they're doing it. It's really not open to interpretation."

Showalter wasn't surprised by the reversed call last night at Tropicana Field.

"It was cut and dried," Showalter said. "They could have probably got him in three things.

"There's like five keys. You have to hit the dirt first. You can't veer. You can't be running on the right side and then veer to the left to make contact. You can't slide past the bag. There's a little gray area about what's past the bag. Obviously, you can't grab somebody."

Showalter questioned whether Bautista actually grabbed Logan Forsythe's ankle and caused the errant throw.

"If you look at it real close and slow, it's kind of close whether he touched him or not. And he definitely didn't grab hold of him," Showalter said.

"My phone started blowing up around 11 o'clock."