Updates on Jimmy Paredes and Yovani Gallardo

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Jimmy Paredes will begin his injury rehab assignment Tuesday night at Double-A Bowie with another game Wednesday night.

Paredes, who's working out today at Tropicana Field, said he'll then report to Single-A Frederick for one game before returning to Bowie.

Yovani Gallardo confirmed today that he has tendinitis in his right shoulder. Team orthopedist Dr. Michael Jacobs examined Gallardo, who underwent an MRI on the shoulder after working only two innings Friday night in Kansas City.

Asked whether he's encouraged by the results of the MRI, Gallardo replied, "Of course."

"I think anytime you don't get any changes from the previous MRI, major changes, I think that's always a good sign, but it's just a matter of what's in there, we were able to find out pretty quickly and start working on it," Gallardo said.

"It's shoulder and rotator cuff tendinitis. I think it's one of those things that pretty much at some point you get it throughout your career. But it's just a matter of strengthening, making the muscles stronger around the shoulder. That's the game plan. And hopefully I'll get back out there as quickly as I can."

The Orioles would be satisfied with Gallardo returning after four weeks.

"I think honestly the times I've been on the DL you can't really put a set date on it," said Gallardo, who's 1-1 with a 7.00 ERA over his four starts. "I mean, you kind of want to say it will be before that and obviously that's my goal, to try to make sure it's right. I'll try to get out there as quickly as I can and not have to deal with it again after that.

"I think that's the most important thing. Just whatever time it takes, just get it right and get back out there as quickly as I can and let that be the end of it, instead of going back and forth. Just one of those things."

Gallardo said the shoulder was fine before he allowed four runs in two innings in Kansas City.

"This is the first time I've had anything, any issues with my shoulders since I signed. Since I got drafted in 2004," he said.

"It just didn't feel right, that start in Kansas City, and obviously I have nothing really to compare it to from previously. This sucks. I'm not the kind of person that likes being on the DL. It's one of those things. But yet again, you also know you've got to be smart about it.

"At the end of the day you'd rather be out there pitching healthy at 100 percent and playing for these guys instead of just being able to not know what I'm going to get out of it."

Going on the DL with an arm issue is a new experience for Gallardo, whose restructured deal guarantees him $22 million.

"It's different," he said. "Other times that I've been on the DL, (it's been) my hamstring and obviously my knee. I'm going to do everything I can to go out there and pitch. Throughout my career, I've gone out there and pitched with a sprained ankle or lower body-type things that I can handle. When you're dealing with your arm and your shoulder, you've just got to be right in that aspect.

"I'm a pitcher. You've got to be out there 100 percent and be able to command the ball and just pitch instead of going out there and not knowing what your ball is going to do.

"It was definitely tough. I wanted to stay in that game as long as I could. (Leaving after) the second inning, that's one of those things. I felt like I wasn't able to compete. I had nothing behind the ball. It was one of those things. I made the smart choice coming out and get it taken care of."

Gallardo will receive treatment while the Orioles are in St. Petersburg, Fla. The rest of his schedule remains a mystery.

"I just got here today," he said. "I don't know what the plan is from here on out, but obviously it's to come back and join the team. I want to be around. I want to be around the team. I think it's a bit of motivation to get to push through this and get through whatever injury it might be to get back there and get healthy."

Gallardo said the shoulder didn't impact his performance before the weekend.

"No, not at all," he said. "You look at the start I had in Texas. It's the best that I felt. Seventh inning, velocity was starting to come up. It was obviously a positive sign, and then this happens. It's one of one of those things that, it's just how this game is.

"Those three starts had nothing to do with it. Look at the results I had. I was able to throw the ball wherever I wanted to. Velocity is velocity. If it's going to come back, it's going to come back. If it's not, it's not. It's one of those things that I'm going to learn how to pitch without it. Over the last two, three years of my career, I'm not worried about it. The number one thing is getting back and getting healthy and getting back out there."