Trumbo on lack of spring attention: "I couldn't care less"

SARASOTA, Fla. - Last year's major league leader in home runs sits alone at his locker while another national reporter across the clubhouse locks up the saves leader in a prolonged conversation.

Mark Trumbo is relieved that he isn't the subject of daily interview requests. He's certainly accessible, but he isn't the type of guy who craves the spotlight. You're far less likely to get burned away from it.

Zach Britton isn't trying to position himself beneath it, but there's no escape. In what's evolved into a media experiment of sorts, we've learned that there's more interest in a closer's historic season - and subsequent exclusion from the wild card game and fourth-place finish in American League Cy Young Award voting - than a slugger's power display.

"I couldn't care less," said Trumbo, who hit a career-high 47 home runs last season before re-signing with the Orioles. "I think it's great. There hasn't really been a whole lot to talk about it. It's kind of how you want it.

"Spring training is the time to kind of get things going. People are always at various stages and I think I'm probably at the point of my career where it's more important to ... we're not trying as hard to make a team. I think that's probably pretty much figured out. But trying to be ready to go and kind of built to last, I think, for the whole season."

The Orioles led the majors in home runs last season with 253 and their top six power producers return in Trumbo, Chris Davis, Manny Machado, Adam Jones, Jonathan Schoop and Pedro Álvarez - the latter signed to a minor league deal. But again, it's not a feature that seems to be worthy of intense media attention.

"If we're talking about spring training, there's not that many stories going on." Trumbo said. "I think once the season starts and we kind of start dealing with what we do, I think those topics will come up more, but right now I think everyone's aware of it. For us, it's not that big a deal. We are a team built on power and I'm sure it will show up just like it did last year. It's one of our strengths."

Trumbo is 6-for-37 (.162) with no home runs after batting .290 with five homers and 17 RBIs last spring. He was robbed of a much-needed hit Thursday night on left fielder Corey Dickerson's diving catch and also lined out to center field, a screamer aimed directly at Kevin Kiermaier. He came up again with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh, and third baseman Riley Unroe played the short hop and threw him out.

"Trumbo had some really good at-bats, not much to show for it," said manager Buck Showalter. "He squared up three balls. He hit a single to left too deep. I'd like to see him get that one up in the air."

When Trumbo says it's "business as usual" this spring, he's talking more about preparation.

"Kind of ramping up here," he said. "We'll probably mix in maybe a few more games as we get going here closer to the season opening up.

"You do get a feeling that things are getting toward that point. It's not anyone's first, well maybe a few guys, but most guys that have done this, you kind of know when it's time to really kind of ramp it up. I think that we're getting close, but it doesn't do any good to put some kind of extra pressure on yourself because it is. The season's going to come when it comes. We'll be ready to go."

That means everyone, with the team finally intact following the World Baseball Classic. Jones is the last to make it back after starring for Team USA.

Not a typical spring when the starting center fielder, third baseman, second baseman and catcher are marked absent. Reliever Mychal Givens also was gone.

"I think that it seems a little bit off and that's not a putdown on anybody in here, obviously," Trumbo said. "It's just the core group of guys. The last part of spring training especially is when everybody starts to find their continuity. With what's going on, it's just part of the deal.

"We'll be fine. It is a little bit different than years that the WBC isn't going on."