Some thoughts on Tillman, Hunter and Young

SARASOTA, Fla. - My rental car is a maroon Camaro. My "suite" is so small, there's no floor or closet space for my suitcase and I need to step out of the room to change my mind. You take the good with the bad at Orioles minicamp. My interest level has increased with the news that Chris Tillman and Tommy Hunter are in Sarasota. Tillman was expected to meet with pitching coach Dave Wallace and bullpen coach Dom Chiti later this week in California. What does it say about Tillman and Hunter, both arbitration-eligible, that they're working out here? They don't need to meet Wallace and Chiti and they don't need to impress anyone or prove that they're healthy, but they're part of the group. What's the quickest and most effective way to turn the page after being swept in the American League Championship Series? Roll up your sleeves and get back to work. One of manager Buck Showalter's brightest ideas was moving the minicamp from Camden Yards, where it would be difficult to hold workouts next week due to the snow and frigid temperatures. It would be difficult to talk anyone into coming unless it piggybacked FanFest. This is an important season for Hunter, a pending free agent who prefers to start but has been an effective late-inning reliever. Don't obsess over his abbreviated stint as closer last season. Hunter posted a 1.77 ERA in his final 43 appearances beginning on May 17. Some teams may want to give him another shot as a starter or closer. Some teams may view him as a set-up man who can blow away hitters in the eighth inning. And in case you haven't noticed, set-up men are getting paid much better these days. Hunter was paid $3 million last season and MLBTradeRumors.com projects that he'll make $4.4 million in arbitration. He could be in line for a substantial raise next year depending on his performance this summer. Shifting gears here - something I don't need to do manually with the Camaro - did you catch executive vice president Dan Duquette's quote about Delmon Young that I added to yesterday's entry? "Delmon Young is an accomplished major league hitter who had a nice year with a lot of clutch hits in part-time duty in 2014," Duquette wrote in a text message. "We look forward to his return and contribution to our 2015 team. Depending on how the team is structured, he could have a more vital role this season." The last sentence stuck with me. The Orioles want a left-handed bat, with Colby Rasmus their primary focus, but Young will get more plate appearances as the designated hitter if they fail to sign or trade for one. He also could spell Alejandro De Aza in left field if Steve Pearce is playing right. The Orioles value Young's ability to produce off the bench - his 10 pinch hits were tied for sixth-most in a single season in club history since 1974 - but he may be needed in the lineup more often in 2015 with the departures of Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis. Young appeared in 83 games and accumulated 242 at-bats last season. He tried to stay patient, joking at times about his inactivity. The Orioles may keep him busier this year.