The final day of minicamp and quotes from Verrett

SARASOTA, Fla. - We've reached the final day of the Orioles' minicamp at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. Players will bolt around noon. I'll try to find my way to the Tampa airport for a 7 p.m. flight home after filing more notes and meeting one last time with manager Buck Showalter.

My daughter got engaged last night. My head's still spinning.

Manny Machado's arrival figures to be the highlight of the morning. The Orioles want to check his right knee. The media wants to hound him about it.

Machado will say that his knee feels good, but he has no idea whether he'll be ready by opening day until he subjects it to baseball activities in spring training. I probably should have included "spoiler alert."

Showalter has been quite complimentary of Rule 5 pitchers Logan Verrett and Jason Garcia. He stated yesterday that he could make room for both of them if they earn spots on the 25-man roster, though I'd classify it as highly unlikely. Carrying one is challenging enough and the bullpen already is loaded. But he sees the potential in them.

Showalter described Verrett, 24, as having "pitchability."

"There are two kinds of Rule 5 guys," he added. "One guy's a little more experienced and kind of got immediate pitchability, on the surface, and the other guy's, I'm not saying more upside, but ..."

Showalter later referred to Verrett as "kind of a right-handed (T.J.) McFarland."

"It's unfortunate," Showalter said, "because sometimes those guys don't get to show you their value in the spring."

It appears that Verrett will be used more as a multi-inning reliever in camp despite his extensive use as a starter in the minors. He's 28-13 with a 3.89 ERA in 69 games, none of them out of the bullpen.

"You've got to think about how he would make your club," Showalter said. "Unless we get an injury, he's probably going to make it as a relief pitcher. I still would like to have him more than one-inning stints where he feels like he's going to get more than three hitters."

Verrett was 11-5 with a 4.33 ERA in 28 starts last year with Triple-A Las Vegas, but the Mets didn't add him to their expanded roster in September. It had to sting a little.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed," Verrett said. "I thought with how I performed last year, I had a good chance of getting called up in September, but I understand it's mostly business at that point, maybe saving a little money or whatever the case may be. No hard feelings. It all happens for a reason. I think I'm in a good spot now and I'm really happy about it."

Verrett isn't stressing over his role in camp.

"Whatever they need me to do. I'm here to help the team in any way, whether it's starting, long relief short relief, whatever it is," he said. "I just want to get the ball in my hand and be on the mound and give us a chance to win."

Verrett became emotional when he learned that the Orioles selected him in the Rule 5 draft.

"My wife called me and told me," he said. "I had just gotten out of the shower and was going about my day as usual and she called me and told me. Initially I was like, 'No way.' And she's like, 'No, I'm serious. They drafted you.'

"I was speechless. I couldn't even get a word out. I was kind of choked up a bit, just really, really happy."

Defeats make him extremely unhappy.

"I like to win. I hate losing more than anything," he said.

"I know with my stuff, I've got to know how to pitch. I've got to set guys up, mix and change speeds, change eye levels. The whole minor league and college system has been a learning process for me, figuring out how to maximize my stuff and how best I can get wins."

I wonder how many teams have two Rule 5 selections on their roster. It must create a bond between the pitchers.

"He seems like great guy," Verrett said. "We hung out briefly in the clubhouse before we went out and worked out. A lot of new faces and new names, so I'm just trying to get acclimated here."