Southpaw opponent could give Rickard chance to soften slump

The Orioles are facing a left-hander this afternoon in Toronto, giving Joey Rickard another chance to leave the bench and most likely play right field.

Rickard is almost assured of facing J.A. Happ at Rogers Centre. The lineups have become easier to predict. Nolan Reimold should be in left field today and Mark Trumbo should be the designated hitter. Hyun Soo Kim and Pedro Alvarez sit.

Rickard is transitioning into roles anticipated for him after the Orioles chose him in the Rule 5 draft. He's been used as a defensive replacement for Kim and Trumbo. He's been used as a pinch-runner, and his speed came into play Thursday night when he replaced Kim at second base and eventually scored from third on Chris Davis' line drive to center fielder Kevin Pillar.

Pillar's throw drifted up the third base line, but Rickard wasn't going to make it close, no matter the level of accuracy.

Rickard has become more of a platoon player since his scalding spring training and April, which still may be a more prominent role than fans and media expected back in December.

Rickard had hits in 13 of his first 14 major league games and he was batting .350 on April 21. He hit .214/.313/.310 in May and is 1-for-9 in June.

He's a better hitter than he's shown lately, but he wasn't going to win a batting title as a rookie.

"Nothing really changes a whole lot as far as feeling-wise," Rickard said during the last homestand. "No matter what the results are, you just try to go up there and try to keep the same mindset and try to battle through."

Rickard hasn't noticed a drastic change in how opponents are pitching him.

"Not a whole lot," he said. "Just since the beginning, they're just coming right at me, given the rest of the lineup and who's behind me, stuff like that. Just trying to match their aggressiveness."

Rickard is used to playing on a regular basis, whether it's high school, the University of Arizona or the minors or the first month of the season. He's adapting to life in the dugout. His education never stops, whether it's on the field or leaning on the railing next to one of the veterans.

He's a keen observer, and he isn't shy about sticking close to the more experienced players like their little brother. One Oriole joked about how Rickard hangs close to Trumbo, using a puppy analogy. He meant it in the most positive way.

"It hasn't changed my whole routine since I've been at the ballpark, but as far as just the games, yeah, you kind of learn to relax the first couple innings of the game and then I kind of followed some of the veteran guys around," Rickard said. "Followed them in the weight room and get stretched out and be ready to go whenever your name's called."

Rickard is satisfied with being able to contribute in other ways while his bat cools down.

"I don't consider myself a one dimensional-type player," he said, "so when one thing's not going as well, I feel like I can make up for it in other ways."

Just not behind the plate.

Manager Buck Showalter would have needed an emergency-emergency catcher if Matt Wieters had been injured in the ninth inning of Sunday's game against the Yankees. Francisco Pena and Ryan Flaherty, the emergency backstop, already came out and Wieters took a foul tip off the inside of his thigh.

Showalter already had a candidate in mind and suggested that the player knew about it.

"No, he never mentioned it," Rickard said, the expression on his face revealing that he'd rather not put on the gear. "I've never done it. I honestly have no idea who it would have been."

So no interest?

"No," he said, smiling. "If it was me I wouldn't want to know until I'm ready to go. Your guess is as good as mine."

Shameless plug alert: I'm appearing on "Wall to Wall Baseball" from 9-10:30 a.m. on MASN. I may wear pajamas.