Wrapping up an 8-4 loss (updated)

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Orioles are winless and Hyun Soo Kim is hitless.

Now you're caught up.

The Phillies defeated the Orioles today 8-4 at Bright House Field. Manny Machado and Xavier Avery homered. Avery and Jonathan Schoop had two hits. Caleb Joseph threw out three runners attempting to steal.

Yovani Gallardo and Vance Worley each gave up three runs in two innings, but Zach Britton was dominant again with two strikeouts in a routine third.

Britton is ready to start the season. Kim needs more time.

On the positive side, Kim hit the ball hard in his three at-bats. He flied to the warning track in left, was robbed by first baseman Darin Ruf and flied to right-center field. However, he's now 0-for-21.

Making solid contact isn't going to appease him or silence his critics.

"He's done that some," said manager Buck Showalter. "It's just, I know what 0-for-whatever looks like. You look at things other than that. He is pressing. I think there are some things you'll see look a lot differently when he gets a couple under his belt, but this is the big leagues. It's competitive and it's unforgiving. It's an unforgiving place."

Is it timing at the plate? Is it pitch recognition? Is it all or none of the above?

"I don't want to be ... I don't know him well enough to really say that," Showalter replied. "Video tape's a big fooler. There's no way you can simulate the competition he's facing now compared to what he was. Nobody can really say exactly what that level was, but I don't want to beat him up. I don't want him to start thinking this is something that he hasn't experienced before. He's faced a lot of good pitching in his career, and I try to keep in mind how fooling spring training can be.

"Teammates, I see them trying to talk to him. He's pushing."

At least he isn't flailing. Kim has struck out only three times this spring.

"No, he's put the ball in play," Showalter said of Kim, who signed for $7 million over two years. "I'm not going to paint that everything is (great), it's not. If I went by just what I saw ... let it play out.

"It's March 8th, 9th, whatever. There's plenty of time, and I don't know. I'm going to keep running him out there and see what happens. If we don't like it at the end, we'll make an adjustment. If we like it, there's a chance he goes (north)."

The Orioles need to continue evaluating Kim, taking him on as many trips as possible along with the home games. Don't wear him down, but don't get closer to opening day without knowing exactly what they've got.

"We may have 59 now. We've got 57, 58 other players, too," Showalter said. "I take each day and I go, 'What gets us closer to being the best Baltimore team we can be?' If it's continue to play him, then I will.

"I was going to wait after the game today and see what we're going to do tomorrow. I've got two lineups for the B game. Would a B game base hit count?"

We'll mention it as we did with Matt Wieters' B game hit last spring.

Gallardo's debut is official. Three runs and four hits in the first inning, three easy outs against three batters in the second.

"He was fine," Showalter said. "Second inning, he got the cobwebs out. He had it going. A little better each time. I'm sure he's glad to get that one out of the way and we're glad he's here. Especially the second inning, he looked good."

The only concern with Britton is whether he's peaking too soon.

"A little too good," Showalter said. "I don't know what to do there."

I'd count my blessings, but I'm not a manager.

Joseph was a weapon behind the plate, throwing out three Phillies attempting to steal. He bounced his first throw to Schoop, who applied the tag to Carlos Ruiz.

"Two of them, what, they thought it was going to be a wild pitch?" Showalter asked. "Great tag. I think about how Caleb's progressed as a thrower. I think it was the first camp he was here with John (Russell) and Donnie Werner, and Caleb, he's turned into (a good thrower).

"I tell our pitchers all the time, if they give him and Matt a chance, they'll throw them out and our guys will tag them out. Jon had a real good tag on the first one. That's a hard play."

Avery hit his first spring home run, a two-run shot in the eighth off Greg Burke.

"Good to see Xavier have a good day," Showalter said. "He's done it three times. The situation, you try to put yourself in their shoes. You're trying to give them some opportunities. I wanted to bring him over and give him three or four at-bats today. He had a good game.

"Chris (Davis) got some needed at-bats. He got better at the end of the day."

The roster could have a new addition by the end of the day. Pedro Alvarez's physical is "still in the process," according to a team official.

At least we know he's in Sarasota.

Update: The Orioles are expected to announce the Alvarez signing on Thursday. Everything appears to be good with his physical at this point.