Washington wants to bring more power to Orioles lineup

SARASOTA, Fla. -The clubhouse won't open to the media this morning because it's Photo Day. Players will be inside Ed Smith Stadium with smiles plastered on their faces. It's quite a scene.

Vidal Nuño hasn't met the media after the Orioles acquired him from the Dodgers yesterday for minor league pitcher Ryan Moseley.

Nuño has a 5-20 career record, but let's not judge him by it. His 4.02 ERA isn't a disaster, and he posted a 3.76 ERA and 1.088 WHIP in 2015 while going 0-7 in 14 starts with the Diamondbacks.

Nuño is 0-3 with a 7.00 ERA in seven career games (two starts) against the Orioles. He's made three relief appearances at Camden Yards and allowed one run and one hit in 2 1/3 innings.

Center fielder Adam Jones may not approve of the trade. He's 4-for-6 with two doubles and two home runs against Nuño.

Position players weren't required to show up at the complex before Thursday, which didn't prevent David Washington from reporting with the pitchers and catchers.

The resume says first baseman and outfielder. He'd like to update it to include major league statistics.

Washington finally made it to the Triple-A level last year in the Cardinals' organization, batting .255/.349/.528 with 25 home runs and 62 RBIs in 105 games with Memphis. He also struck out 142 times in 345 at-bats.

The Orioles signed Washington as a minor league free agent in November, one day after his 26th birthday.

"I just thought it was a good situation here," Washington said. "Really exciting team to be on. Seemed like a lot of good guys."

It also seems like a good fit. Washington is big, listed at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds. He hits lots of home runs and is prone to striking out. He's going to blend.

Asked what he offers here, Washington stated the obvious.

"Power would probably be the main thing," he said. "Really just trying to find new ways to add value."

The Orioles noticed his .359 on-base percentage last season, which included 22 games at Double-A Springfield. He sports a career .335 on-base percentage in eight minor league seasons, but the power is what lured him to the Orioles.

"I think it's a good fit and also they've got a lot of guys I can learn from," he said. "Some really good power hitters on this team, so I'm excited to learn from guys who know more than I do."

Washington has been moving from first base to the outfield during workouts, as the Orioles familiarize themselves with him and his skill set.

"He's been mostly Double-A," said manager Buck Showalter. "We're hoping he's starting to scratch the surface. He's a big, strong young man. He's a six-year free agent you take a shot with, see what happens.

"He brings a lot of size and strength, obviously. Trying to get a good feel for him. He's a good kid. We did a lot of homework on him."

Washington is a San Diego native who figured to bond with Jones once introductions were completed.

"I had never met him before, unfortunately," Washington, a former 15th-round pick, said shortly after reporting. "I'm looking forward to meeting him. A couple mutual friends. I've heard nothing but great things about him."