Snyder excited to make his first home start

Brandon Snyder was with the Orioles for 10 games before he made his first Major League start. Now he will make two in a row as he's batting ninth and starting at first base vs. Toronto tonight at Camden Yards. "I was almost expecting to come in and kind of be sitting today. But I am extremely excited about getting a chance to get in there again. Yesterday was a good first step into trying to relax and just play the game. "After the third or fourth inning, I started to really fit in there. I felt really good at the plate and I'll just try to carry that into today." Snyder went 0 for 3 vs. Detroit's Justin Verlander, but was robbed of a hit in the 5th when second baseman Will Rhymes made a diving stop of his sharp grounder up the middle. "I feel like I fit in. I'm comfortable playing. I have a long way to go before I'm an established big league player and I understand that, but I don't feel over matched or that I don't belong. "I look at this almost like a tryout for me. Buck has never seen me before. I want to work hard and show him the kind of player I am." For those first ten games, Snyder found himself in an unusual spot. On the bench watching when the game started. "It's frustrating to a point, I'm a competitive person. Then again, I understand my position here. Really I look at it as a time to focus on my craft and get better. It's hard to get better when you are playing (every day), you focus all your energy to the game. "But when you are not playing, it's a good time to go out there and take extra balls, extra BP. Just try to work on your game and get better." The 23-year-old Snyder hit .257-9-43 in 98 games at Triple-A this year. He has played the last two years in the Arizona Fall League, but doesn't expect to play any winter ball after this season. "I just want to go home and get (100 percent) healthy and go into spring with a full head of steam. Go into spring healthy and strong and ready to go," Snyder said.