Wrapping up a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays (Gamboa optioned)

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles optioned knuckleballer Eddie Gamboa to Triple-A Norfolk following today's 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays.

Gamboa allowed two runs in the ninth inning today and six runs in three spring innings.

With this move, the Orioles now have 51 players in camp, including 12 non-roster invitees.

Gamboa threw 18 pitches today, all of them knuckleballs.

"He kind of rushed a little bit," said manager Buck Showalter. "It's such a feel thing. It will be better when he gets to where he can keep it in his hand all the time and get on a regular schedule. He's got a chance. He threw some good ones."

Showalter said he backed off Gamboa for three or four days due to a medical issue. Gamboa said he had a stomach ache, but a doctor cleared him to pitch.

"It wasn't anything too crazy," Gamboa said. "It's fine. On a good note it helped me work more on becoming more of a knuckleballer. I got some extra side work for a couple days to really focus on it. Today I guess was an example of it. I threw as many as I could and tried to get quality outs and make quality pitches.

"The results weren't there but I felt pretty good. That was kind of big for me to go out there and compete just with that. But I've got a lot of work to do and I'm fortunate that I have the coaching staff here to help me and just littte by little try to get as great as I can with it.

"I know that's going to be the future for me and I've got to do my best to get better at it."

Showalter passed along his pitching schedule through Sunday's games.

Bud Norris, Dylan Bundy, Brad Brach, Mark Hendrickson and Hunter Harvey are going to Thursday's game in Jupiter. Ubaldo Jimenez, T.J. McFarland, Steve Johnson, Tyler Wilson and Gamboa are listed as making the trip to Dunedin on Friday.

Brian Matusz is starting Saturday's game against the Rays in Sarasota, and Chris Tillman is starting against Puerto Rico Development Program on Field 4.

Wei-Yin Chen is starting Sunday against the Pirates in Bradenton, while Kevin Gausman starts the B game in Sarasota.

Matt Wieters went 0-for-3 today and is 0-for-20 this spring.

"I'll make a bet with you that as soon as he gets the gear on and goes behind the plate, he gets two hits," Showalter said.

Caleb Joseph went 2-for-2 before leaving the game.

"It looks like the baby has been pretty good for Caleb, huh?" Showalter said.

Miguel Gonzalez allowed two runs in the first inning, including one on a potential double play grounder by Justin Smoak that Everth Cabrera mishandled at second base. Cabrera settled for the out at first base.

"We had a double play ball that we didn't turn, which cost him about another 10 or 12 pitches and another run," Showalter said.

"The guys that we know who are going to be on the club and we're counting on are throwing the ball well."

Going back to Cabrera's mistake, Showalter said, "You've got to keep in mind he's played shortstop a lot more. I try to keep that in mind. He's made some good plays there, too, that some second basemen can't make. Obviously, we've been spoiled by some other guys.

"His clock at second base is different than his clock at shortstop and trying to get that under control, so keep running him out there."