SARASOTA, Fla. - Infielder Everth Cabrera is still en route to Sarasota and won't report to camp until Wednesday.
Manager Buck Showalter won't refer to Cabrera by name until the deal is official, but he talked about the possible impact of having a player like him.
"That kind of player would have to make the club if he had an option, first of all," Showalter said. "That's another attractive thing about a player like that if they have an option. It makes them more attractive.
"There's some unknown for me about him. But the risk factor is very much on our side. We wouldn't do it if wasn't. We'll see. There's some upside there for sure.
"I'm excited about who we have here now. Jayson Nix was on a World Series final 25-man roster last year. He's played in the American League East a lot. I like the options we have. If that person is here, then he will be one of those. It's up to him to make it more than an option."
Nix still hasn't been assigned a number. He may inherit the one belonging to whichever player is taken off the 40-man roster to make room for Cabrera.
Showalter said he doesn't remember seeing so many players who reported early to spring training.
"We had almost two full fields of them," he said. "A lot of them got their work done early in the cages and left."
Players will return to the complex tonight to meet and hit the road for the annual spring bonding trip to the local movie theater.
"It's interesting to go back and look through the message you're trying to get across each year," Showalter said. "You can't get too predictable. You've got to throw a little hitch in the giddyup.
"It's a chance for me to hopefully have my last meeting of the year, which we were very close to it last year. I don't gather them too much. We do a lot of things individually and in small groups. And also you're not surprised by someone not being here the next day. You eliminate all the surprises."
Asked if he gets just as excited each year when the entire team has reported to camp, Showalter replied, "Actually, it's getting a little bit more. I don't know why. I don't have anxiety about it. I just have anticipation. There's a big difference."
Showalter got to watch Travis Snider in the cage for the first time. He also saw Snider run down two fly balls in right field.
"You take something out of everything," Showalter said. "They know it. People say, 'Oh, don't worry about it. We're not going to judge you until the last week of spring.' Come on, man. You can judge them walking by your office."
Showalter said Steve Pearce won't get work at third base early in camp.
"We've got too many things we need to evaluate," he said, "but later on we might do that."
Showalter praised reliever Mark Hendrickson and pointed out again how he'd like to keep the veteran left-hander in the organization.
"He's done everything you could do to get one more shot, and at the end of it, if it doesn't work out and he's willing, we're going to get a heck of a pitching coach," Showalter said. "He's really good around our guys. He's already made a contribution here. So, we'll see.
"It's fun to watch. He's not going into it like this is my swansong and getting nostalgic about it. He's trying to make the club."
Here's pictures and video from Tuesday's workouts:
Outfielder Henry Urrutia playing catch.
Infielder Ryan Flaherty heading to the cage.
B.J. Surhoff throwing batting practice.
Buck Showalter and Dan Duquette chat at spring camp.
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