Tuesday, February 28, 2017 - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/4/6/8/103262468/2_28_17_diun2eg3.pdf ·...
Transcript of Tuesday, February 28, 2017 - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/4/6/8/103262468/2_28_17_diun2eg3.pdf ·...
World Champions 1983 1970 1966
American League Champions 1983 1979 1971 1970 1969 1966 American League East Division Champions 2014 1997 1983 1979 1974 1973 1971 1970 1969
American League Wild Card 2016 2012 1996
Tuesday February 28 2017
Game Stories
Schoop shows power stroke in Os loss to Yanks MLBcom 227
Wrapping up a 4-1 loss MASNsportscom 227
Orioles lineup vs Phillies MASNsportscom 228
Columns
World Baseball Classic is nice in theory but it creates headaches across MLB The Sun
227
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees The
Sun 227
Ubaldo aims to reduce long counts add innings MLBcom 227
Orioles ready to begin departing for 17 Classic MLBcom 227
Showalter on Bridwell and Scott MASNsportscom 228
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin Gausman others
MASNsportscom 227
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos lsquopen come April
MASNsportscom 228
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades PressBoxOnlinecom 227
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season Success Will Continue In
2017 PressBoxOnlinecom 227
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time CBS Baltimore 228
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start Schoop flying coop soon
BaltimoreBaseballcom 227
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves with a bang Wrightrsquos up
BaltimoreBaseballcom 227
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on lsquoNatty Bohrsquo Sarasota
Herald-Tribune 227
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen blunder Daily News 227
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach Britton Newsday 227
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship NorthJerseycom 227
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time Daily Herald 227
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening weekend The Daily Item 227
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217254268aaron-judge-helps-yankees-defeat-orioles
Schoop shows power stroke in Os loss to Yanks
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- In his final game before leaving Orioles camp to join the Netherlands for
the World Baseball Classic Jonathan Schoop hit a long third-inning home run as the Os fell to
the Yankees 4-1 on Monday afternoon
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three spring games He also has two doubles
I feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Im
ready I feel good Schoop said
Ubaldo Jimenez started and allowed one run on two hits in two innings in his first Grapefruit
League start
Chad Green started for the Yankees and allowed one hit and walked a batter in two innings
Green is competing for one of the two vacant slots in New Yorks rotation
Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge drove in New Yorks first run with a fielders choice in the first
inning and also showed off his arm in right throwing out Hyun Soo Kim at second after Kim
tried to turn a single into a double
Weve seen him throw before so we were not surprised manager Joe Girardi said
Minor League infielder Thairo Estrada hit a three-run ninth-inning home run to give the Yankees
the lead
Yankees Up Next The Yankees will have a pair of split-squad games on Tuesday hosting the
Tigers at George M Steinbrenner Field and traveling to Fort Myers Fla to face the Red Sox
Probable Opening Day starter Masahiro Tanaka will face Detroit while rotation candidate Luis
Cessa sees Boston Both games begin at 105 pm ET
Orioles Up Next Mike Wright who began the 2016 season with the Orioles makes his first
Grapefruit League start on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field at 105
pm ET Barring injury Wright is competing for a spot in the Orioles bullpen
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702wrapping-up-a-4-1-loss-2html
Wrapping up a 4-1 loss
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla - Oliver Drake entered a tie game today in the top of the ninth inning and let
the first three batters reach base punctuated by Thairo Estradarsquos three-run homer that gave the
Yankees a 4-1 win
Manager Buck Showalter said infielder Paul Janish probably will make the trip to Clearwater for
Tuesdayrsquos game against the Phillies
Infielder Ryan Flaherty will stay back due to a sore right shoulder Showalter said hersquos hoping
that Flaherty will be available for Wednesdayrsquos game against the Red Sox in Sarasota
ldquoJust a little sorenessrdquo he said ldquoBeen throwing a lot Decided to back off him a couple of days
Expect him to be a player probably the day after tomorrow I hope anyway If it doesnrsquot get
better wersquoll look into it a little deeper But we donrsquot suspect anything more than that right nowrdquo
Jonathan Schoop provided the Oriolesrsquo only run with a shot to left field that cleared the bleachers
in the bottom of the third inning Schoop was playing his last game before joining Team
Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
ldquoItrsquos a good farewellrdquo Showalter said
Adam Jones saved a run in the second with a sensational diving catch in right-center field to rob
Jorge Mateo
ldquoAdam made a heck of a play on that ballrdquo Showalter said ldquoNot many people get to that Thatrsquos
why things change with depths The windrsquos blowing in yoursquove got a guy up whorsquos not a power
hitter You have to change some thingsrdquo
Jones threw out a runner at third base Saturday in Bradenton and made a diving grab today If
hersquos playing too shallow itrsquos working in the first week of games
ldquoItrsquos something that wersquove discussed and looked at and Adamrsquos all-inrdquo Showalter said ldquoHersquos a
very receptive guy if your presentation is right because he wants whatrsquos best for the team Where
Adam plays a lot of it is dictated by
ldquoItrsquos not some blanket that you put over it Thatrsquos where the mistake is made Itrsquos whorsquos hitting
wherersquos the ballpark what are the conditions whorsquos pitching what situation is the game in is it
Zach Britton is it a fly ball pitcher Anybody who just says lsquoThis is what you do every timersquo is
going to make a lot of mistakes and yoursquore going to regret it Yoursquore going to take away a lot of
skills that guys possess
ldquoIt would be interesting if you polled the pitchers where theyrsquod like him to play But we learn
from other things that you see There are situations where you might be but thatrsquos what spring
training is for Itrsquos something we have and will discuss and see what adjustments we want to
makerdquo
Left-hander Donnie Hart struck out two batters in a scoreless inning Hersquos retired all six batters
hersquos faced so far with a pair of strikeouts
Hart retired Estrada today on a liner to first and struck out Cito Culver and Rashad Crawford
The first two batters hit from the right side which is significant Right-handers batted 292
against him last season and left-handers were 5-for-38 with 11 strikeouts
ldquoHersquos been impressive so farrdquo Showalter said of Hart
ldquoI told you all before when I kept looking at this guy and kept asking about him when you see
guy at that angle whorsquos closing for an upper-level team that tells you he can defend himself
against right-handed hitters at that level The first thing that hit me was changeup and command
Donnie showed me that he can get the ball on the inner half of the plate and either be a strike in
there or off the plate and not miss out over it
ldquoHersquos very conscientious athletic a strike-thrower Hersquos got a chance to help us I like Donnie
Hersquos very serious about the right thingsrdquo
Starter Ubaldo Jimeacutenez was charged with one run over two innings after Austin Romine reached
in the first inning on a bouncer that eluded first baseman Mark Trumbo
ldquoI donrsquot want to jinx himrdquo Showalter said ldquoHis delivery has been about as tight as Irsquove seen it as
far as the workout even the side days the pitching Yoursquove all seen some of the spring training
outings when hersquos trying to get his work in and depending on how you score balls he had a lot of
ground balls He threw strikes and hersquos done it two or three times
ldquoIn the first couple of workdays I could tell I was telling Roger (McDowell) lsquoHave you done
anything with himrsquo He said lsquoNorsquo Irsquom hoping he found something last year and hersquos going to
run with it this yearrdquo
McDowell inherits the job of trying to keep Jimeacutenez from losing the consistency in his
mechanics and home plate
ldquoIrsquom not saying Rogerrsquos just walking around and saying lsquoIrsquoll let him do whateverrsquo rdquo Showalter
said ldquoTalking with him and trying not to get him over-coached Wersquove got a long time down
here and hersquos doing well though itrsquos kind of like I tell the hitters all the time lsquoYoursquore going
good yoursquore swinging the bat well you need to make some notes actually write down some
notes what yoursquore feeling what are some things Yoursquore going to want to reach back for that
ldquoSometimes itrsquos the feeling as much as it is the mechanics of it I know Rogerrsquos trying to figure it
out now lsquoYoursquore in a pretty good groove How do you feel What do you dorsquo Then you also
talk some mechanical things So far so good Irsquom encouraged about Ubaldo He could mean a lot
to us Itrsquos a big year for himrdquo
Jimeacutenez a pending free agent is most responsible for himself Therersquos only so much that others
can do for him
ldquoItrsquos about the playerrdquo Showalter said ldquoIf it was that easy yoursquod just say lsquoTake your left little
toe and make sure itrsquos pointed in that direction and everythingrsquos finersquo I wish it was that easy Itrsquos
hard to stay together mechanically for 100 pitches every fifth day
ldquoLast year he got into a real good groove and some of that was part of it And sometimes itrsquos a
placebo Itrsquos about the results Itrsquos still about the resultsrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702orioles-lineup-vs-phillies-8html
Orioles lineup vs Phillies
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - Chris Dickerson is leading off and playing right field for the Orioles in
todayrsquos game against the Phillies in Clearwater
Caleb Joseph is catching and Robert Andino is playing shortstop
For the Orioles
Chris Dickerson RF
Johnny Giavotella 2B
Anthony Santander DH
Trey Mancini 1B
Logan Schafer CF
Chris Johnson 3B
Aneury Tavaacuterez LF
Caleb Joseph C
Robert Andino SS
Mike Wright RHP
Ryan Flaherty said his right shoulder began bothering him five or six days ago but he could play
today if needed He wonrsquot make the trip but hersquos expected to play Wednesday against the Red
Sox in Sarasota
httpwwwbaltimoresuncomsportsoriolesbs-sp-orioles-wbc-0228-20170227-storyhtml
World Baseball Classic is nice in theory but it creates
headaches across MLB
By Peter Schmuck The Baltimore Sun
February 27 2017
Everyone knows why Major League Baseball is so high on the World Baseball Classic and just
about everyone working in the industry knows the important talking points about the social and
economic benefits of globalizing the sport
Orioles manager Buck Showalter obviously knows them and starts just about every conversation
about the upcoming tournament with the same preamble
People smarter than me are trying to grow the game globally Showalter said again on
Monday Its a reminder that were not in this alone When we say these are the best players in
the world it is the world
Thats true of course and there is certainly a lot to be said about the beauty of international
competition and cooperation which well get to see when the tournament begins on March 6 But
that doesnt mean there arent fair questions about the impact of the event on spring training and
on the preparation of key players for the upcoming major league playoff races
Showalter talks a lot about the internal clock that governs each player over the eight months that
begin at the start of training camp and continue through the course of the regular season and
beyond There are examples of that rhythm being disrupted in previous World Baseball Classics
ndash Orioles reliever Pedro Strops regular season struggle in 2013 is often cited ndash so the coaching
staff has been in contact with each of the WBC teams to ascertain how the Orioles participants
will be handled
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees
There are some unique challenges this spring that we dont normally have Showalter said I
understand the return were trying to get The biggest thing probably is the clock that changes
Players are creatures of habit and routine and every team is completely different because theyre
going to come back from this and were going to have to slow down and start the clock again
The subject was particularly relevant on Monday because young second baseman Jonathan
Schoop was playing in his final pre-WBC exhibition game against the New York Yankees at Ed
Smith Stadium Hes heading off to join the Netherlands for the first round which takes place in
South Korea so hell have to spend about 20 hours on an airplane each way and is leaving much
earlier than the other WBC-bound Orioles
Pitchers and catchers reported for duty on Monday Feb 13 2017 The Orioles begin the 2017
season at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 3
Its really exciting Schoop said not so much for the flight ndash its a long flight ndash but its exciting
for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys ndash [Jurickson]
Profar Didi Gregorius [Andrelton] Simmons and with my brother there too Its going to be fun
for the country Im looking forward to it
Netherlands coach Hensley Meulens who played for Showalter in New York in the early 1990s
has kept in contact with his old manager and kept him apprised of the way he plans to use
Schoop who celebrated his pending departure with a long home run in the third inning of
Mondays spring training game
Hensley asked me about any limitations on Jon Showalter said I asked him what he was
planning on doing with him Hes planning on rotating those guys around I really appreciated the
call Were proud of Jon I know its a big moment for him He takes a lot of pride in that
There is probably more risk involved in the accelerated early training schedule for the pitchers
so pitching coach Roger McDowell has been in contact with USA pitching coach Jeff Jones to
discuss Mychal Givens and Mexico coach Rigo Beltran to check on the plans for new Orioles
left-hander Vidal Nuno The Orioles are most concerned about the proper handling of Givens
because of his quick emergence as a solid major league setup guy and his relatively little
experience as a pitcher
I think the way theyve got it set up for the pitchers theres a real protection there Showalter
said I think its the position players as much as the pitchers Therell be another conversation
if they get through the first round because it kind of escalates a little bit
Though the biggest concern is a serious injury that cuts into the regular season Showalter said
theres nothing he can say to Schoop on the way out of town that will make him any safer once
the WBC games begin Telling a player to play carefully might lead to the opposite of the desired
effect
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt Showalter said If he just plays in the
way he normally does hes a very durable player knock on wood Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in If he just follows what
hes been doing he should be OK
The internal clock concept doesnt apply only to individual members of the team The departure
of six key players also figures to have an impact on the competitive ebb and flow of spring
training for the entire club
Sure it does Showalter said Your perfect spring training you start off sharp and everything
and then you always hit a lull in camp and then you finish up strong We had the opposite of that
last year Thats the perfect world but because of the WBC theres not that rhythm to spring
training where at this point we want to do this at this point we want to have this behind us at
this point we want to start coming back to things so next year well be able to retain them
When it comes to the WBC and spring training things are tough all over The Orioles are
sending only a major league relief pitcher and a bullpen bubble guy along with Schoop and
fellow position players Adam Jones Manny Machado and Welington Castillo Imagine how
Showalter might feel if he were managing the Seattle Mariners who have 11 possible WBC
participants and have committed most of their projected starting rotation ndash superstar Felix
Hernandez Drew Smyly and former Oriole Yovani Gallardo
The Detroit Tigers had an MLB-high 15 players on the original list of WBC participants released
three weeks ago though some are minor leaguers and a couple of major league pitchers are in the
designated pitcher pool that makes them available to join teams that advance beyond the first
round
httpwwwbaltimoresuncomsportsoriolesblogbal-ubaldo-jimenez-allows-one-run-in-first-
start-of-spring-as-orioles-lose-4-1-to-yankees-20170227-storyhtml
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as
Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees
By Eduardo Encina The Baltimore Sun
February 27 2017
In Ubaldo Jimenezrsquos first Grapefruit League start of the season his performance was better than
indicated as the Orioles lost 4-1 to the New York Yankees in front of an announced 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium on Monday afternoon
Jimenez allowed one run on three hits over two innings but probably deserved a better fate He
commanded his fastball overcame early adversity and needed just 10 pitches to get through his
second inning of work Overall 17 of Jimenezrsquos 29 pitches were strikes
He threw strikes and hersquos done it two or three times Orioles manager Buck Showalter In the
first couple of workdays I could tell I was telling [pitching coach] Roger [McDowell] lsquoHave
you done anything with himrsquo He said lsquonorsquo Irsquom hoping he found something last year and hersquos
going to run with it this year
ldquoHis delivery has been about as tight as Irsquove seen it as far as the workout even the side days the
pitching Showalter said Irsquom in the dugout Yoursquove all seen some of the spring training outings
when hersquos trying to get his work in and depending on how you score balls he had a lot of
groundballs
He didnrsquot deserve the earned run charged to him in his two-inning outing on Monday The
second batter he faced Yankees catcher Austin Romine hit a grounder to first that Mark Trumbo
failed to backhand but it was ruled a hit
And after Romine moved to third on Greg Birdrsquos double he scored on a fielderrsquos choice a ball
that would have been the third out of the inning if Trumbo had made the play on Rominersquos
grounder
ldquoItrsquos part of the game especially this time of year Wersquore here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit more for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
The game went into the ninth inning tied at one before right-hander Oliver Drake unraveled
allowing the first three hitters he faced to reach base culminating with Thairo Estradarsquos three-
run homer to left field
Yankees prospect Clint Frazier opened the inning with a double and Kellin Deglan singled to put
runners at the corners before Estrada blasted a 1-0 pitch to left for the game-deciding homer
Schoop goes deep Playing in his last game before leaving the team to join the Netherlands
World Baseball Classic team in South Korea second baseman Jonathan Schoop hit his first
home run of the spring tattooing a first-pitch 91-mph fastball from Yankees left-hander Evan
Rutckyj well over left-field fence
Schoop a native of Curacao played in three of the Oriolesrsquo first four Grapefruit League games
in order to get as many at-bats as possible for the WBC Schoop was 3-for-8 with all of his hits
being of the extra-base variety (two doubles and a homer)
ldquoI feel like I have enough games inrdquo Schoop said ldquoI think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Irsquom ready I feel goodrdquo
Jones ranging Orioles outfield Whether Orioles center fielder Adam Jones plays too shallow is
often a topic of discussion -- and Jones has expressed his concern about the teamrsquos outfield
defense around him On Monday Jones was forced to cover an inordinate amount or ground
With two outs in the second inning Jones saved a run by making a diving catch in front of Seth
Smith in right field robbing Jorge Mateo of a base hit
ldquoAdam made a heck of a ball on that ballrdquo Showalter said of Jones catch on Mateos ball ldquoNot
many people get to that Thatrsquos why things change with depths The windrsquos blowing in yoursquove
got a guy up whorsquos not a power hitter You have to change some thingsrdquo
In the fourth Jones had to range into left field to prevent an inside-the-park home run when left
fielder Hyun Soo Kim lost Aaron Judgersquos ball in the sun and it landed over his head
Hart perfect Left-handed reliever Donnie Hart pitched a perfect seventh inning for the Orioles
and has retired all six batters hersquos faced in spring training
Hart recorded a pair of strikeouts getting Cito Culver swinging and Rashad Crawford looking
Hart who was used in a situational lefty role last season has retired as many right-handed hitters
(3) as he has left-handed hitters
When I kept looking at this guy and kept asking about him when you see a guy from that angle
that is closing at an upper-level team [Hart had four saves at Double-A Bowie] that tells you he
can defend himself against right-handed hitters at that level Showalter said
Scott escapes jam Flame-throwing minor leaguer Tanner Scott stranded the go-ahead run on
second in the eighth inning striking out Wilkin Castillo and Jorge Saez to escape the jam
Scott issued a one-out walk to former Oriole Ji-Man Choi who moved to second on a wild pitch
But Scott prevented the run from scoring with the back-to-back strikeouts ending the inning by
getting Saez to swing through a 97-mph fastball
He threw some good breaking balls today Showalter said Hersquos not just a one-way harry with
the fastball
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257418ubaldo-jimenez-aims-to-reduce-long-counts
Ubaldo aims to reduce long counts add innings
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Ubaldo Jimenez is trying to pick up where he left off at the end of the 2016
regular season Last September Jimenez was 3-1 with a 231 ERA in five starts and threw the
Orioles first complete game in two years on Sept 5 at Tampa Bay
Jimenez made his first spring start of 2017 allowing one run on three hits in two innings against
the New York Yankees on Monday
I was commanding the fastball and keeping the ball down I think thats what I did I was able to
get a lot of ground balls I still have to get a couple of my breaking balls over Jimenez said
In the first inning Jimenez allowed a single to Austin Romine The ball was hit to first
baseman Mark Trumbo and he couldnt handle it but it was scored as a hit After a double
by Greg Bird Romine scored on Aaron Judges fielders choice
Jimenez wasnt upset by the miscue
Its part of the game especially this time of year Were here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit [longer] for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
He threw 29 pitches in two innings and hes trying to reduce the number of deep counts
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season That was attacking the strike
zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and going to
allow me to get deeper in the games Jimenez said
It was the first time Welington Castillo caught his fellow Dominican
[Castillo is] great Hes great said Jimenez I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a
couple of games in the Dominican Winter League in 2010 Were on the same page Hes a good
guy He wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the
best for the team
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257420os-ready-to-begin-departing-for-17-classic
Orioles ready to begin departing for 17 Classic
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Six Orioles will leave the team within the next week for the World Baseball
Classic One of them second baseman Jonathan Schoop departed after Mondays game to
prepare to join the team from the Netherlands
In Sundays spring win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Classic-bound players had six of the Orioles
10 hits Adam Jones had a long home run and a double Welington Castillo had two hits Manny
Machado hit a homer and Schoop had a hit
Those guys are pushing earlier than normal and you can tell theyve all got a lot of pride in the
teams and countries theyre going to be playing for and they really want to present themselves
well and I think we saw a little byproduct of that today manager Buck Showalter said Sunday
Castillo and Machado will leave this Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic Left-handed
pitcher Vidal Nuno also leaves Sunday for Team Mexico Jones and right-handed pitcher Mychal
Givens leave a week from now to play for Team USA
Givens who threw a scoreless inning in his first game on Friday against Detroit is getting
pumped about pitching for his country
Definitely to wear that uniform with the USA on the front representing and trying to bring a
[championship] to the US side is really exciting to do Givens said
Schoop who hit a long home run to left field in the third inning Monday played all 162 games
last season Showalter said he wouldnt advise him to play it safe
Jonathan Schoop belts a solo home run to left field tying the game at 1 in the bottom of the 3rd
inning
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt If he just plays in the way he normally
does hes a very durable player knock on wood Showalter said Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in hellip If he just follows
what hes been doing he should be OK
Schoop is thrilled to be playing with the Yankees Didi Gregorius Bostons Xander Bogaerts
Texas Jurickson Profar and the Angels Andrelton Simmons as well as his brother Sharlon an
Orioles Minor Leaguer
Its exciting for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys Schoop
said Thats going to be fun for the country Im looking forward to it
On March 11 Team USA faces the Dominican Republic and theres a chance Givens could face
Machado in an emotional game
Its just the whole meaning of the World Baseball Classic countries trying to prove theyre the
best Givens said Its a good thing for baseball to have that competitive nature trying to
represent your country doesnt matter who it is Im going to be competitive and try to represent
the name on the front of the jersey
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702showalter-on-bridwell-and-scotthtml
Showalter on Bridwell and Scott
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - The Orioles are on the road again after two straight home games making the
long drive to Clearwater to play the Phillies at 105 pm
Mike Wright is on the mound after working the first inning in the first intrasquad game and
retiring all three batters he faced He struck out Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavaacuterez retired Johnny
Giavotella on a ground ball and retired Ryan Flaherty on a fly ball to left field
Tavaacuterez is supposed to play left field and bat leadoff today Flaherty is supposed to stay back at
the Ed Smith Stadium complex and receive treatment on his sore right shoulder
Irsquoll go out on a limb and say Giavotella will make the trip Hersquos appeared in all four games
going 3-for-3 in the opener in Lakeland
The Orioles are trying to as manager Buck Showalter says get their arms around Parker
Bridwell They may have learned a little more about him yesterday by how he responded to
Saturdayrsquos poor outing Or he just confirmed what they already knew that hersquos got the stuff to
get hitters out and is working to become more consistent
Bridwell 25 served up back-to-back home runs to the Piratesrsquo Chris Bostick and Jin-De Jhang
in the eighth inning accounting for three late runs in a 6-2 loss at LECOM Park He gave up a
one-out double yesterday to the Yankeesrsquo Greg Bird but he induced a fielderrsquos choice grounder
from Aaron Judge and popup from Rob Refsnyder
A solid response to Saturday and an example of why the Orioles remain so intrigued by him
despite their occasional frustration
ldquoItrsquos kind of been Parkerrsquos challengerdquo Showalter said ldquoWe even saw it in the big leagues Hersquoll
go through an inning or sequences and yoursquoll go lsquowowrsquo and then it gets away from him He got
a little cutter happy last timerdquo
Bridwell made two relief appearances with the Orioles last season his first exposure to the
majors and allowed five runs and five hits in 3 13 innings He struck out three batters but also
surrendered two home runs
Four of the runs scored over 1 13 innings in an Aug 24 game against the Nationals in DC In
his debut three nights earlier he struck out the first batter he faced the Astrosrsquo Evan Gattis and
retired Tony Kemp on a liner to center field but Jake Marisnick homered to left field
Bridwell came back out for the ninth and allowed a leadoff single to Teoscar Hernandez who
was erased on stolen base attempt A fly ball and called third strike completed Bridwellrsquos line
Bridwellrsquos minor league experience consists of only four games at the Triple-A level He was a
starter through 2015 but he made 20 relief appearances among his 27 outings in 2016 the role
change coming after he broke a rib
ldquoItrsquos a tough callrdquo Showalter said ldquoA lot of people are talking bullpen starter bullpen starter I
know how I feel about it but Parkerrsquos got the full assortment and Irsquom hoping this is the year that
he really pops because hersquos a guy who you get asked about a lot because hersquos got all the
presentationrdquo
Teams have been inquiring about Bridwell for years and the Orioles keep refusing to part with
him Theyrsquod like for their faith and patience to be rewarded making the 2017 season an
important one for him
Meanwhile left-hander Tanner Scott struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning after
coming over from minor league camp He walked one batter
Scottrsquos fastball kept climbing into the upper 90s but the Orioles already know he can bring the
heat
ldquoIt was good for Tanner to get in thererdquo Showalter said ldquoHe threw some good breaking balls
Hersquos not just a one-way Harry with the fastball
ldquoI was talking to Roger (McDowell) today Rogerrsquos got a couple things hersquod like to see him do
with his hands and close him off a little more His presentation is a little open Thatrsquos why he
misses up and away a lotrdquo
The breaking ball must develop to complement Tannerrsquos fastball which has been clocked at 100
mph
ldquoYou know the guys are going to have to cheat a little bit to get the fastball and it makes them
really susceptible to the breaking ball because the recognition is so laterdquo Showalter said ldquoIf he
can get a breaking ball like he threw today it gives him a chance to really take it to another level
And a lot of it is because of velocityrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702does-carlos-martinez-deal-provide-a-
framework-for-kevin-gausman-othershtml
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin
Gausman others
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
Itrsquos a question that all major league teams face at some point with their promising young talent
When is the right time to take a risk and sign that player to a long-term contract
On the plus side you can lock up a core player for years to come buy out some free agent years
and have some cost certainty You may even be able to save a few million dollars But there is
potential on the negative side because those dollars are guaranteed despite any future injury
andor player drop-off in performance What if the player gets hurt andor doesnrsquot pan out to be
as good as you thought The future salaries still have to be paid
The St Louis Cardinals recently locked up right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Martinez with a
deal that could provide a possible framework for a future Orioles deal with one of their own
right-handers Kevin Gausman And maybe a year or two after that with Dylan Bundy
Martinez was signed to a five-year deal that reportedly guarantees $51 million The club will pay
him $45 million this year and then $115 million over the following four seasons from 2018-
2021 St Louis holds a club option that is reportedly for $17 million with a $500000 buyout in
2022 and for $18 million with a $500000 buyout in 2023
Martinez who was originally under team control through 2019 before this contract now is under
team control through 2021 at the least and possibly through 2023 with the option years St Louis
bought out at least two free agent seasons
Comparing their 2016 stats
Martinez 16-9 with a 304 ERA 195 innings 122 WHIP 78 hitsnine innings 32 walksnine
innings and 80 strikeoutsnine innings
Gausman 9-12 with a 361 ERA 180 innings 128 WHIP 92 hitsnine innings 24 walksnine
innings and 87 strikeoutsnine innings
Martinez is the better pitcher right now ranking 10th in the majors in ERA at 302 the last two
years among pitchers with 300 or more innings He is 25 and has 3073 years of service time
Gausman is 26 with 2151 years of service
In his first year of arbitration eligibility last year Martinez earned $37 million In his first year
of arbitration this year Gausman was signed to a deal for $345 million and that could increase
to $355 million if he meets incentives for starts made
Gausman is under Orioles control through 2020 so the Orioles have his services for four more
seasons even without him inking a long-term deal To buy out even one free agent year the
Orioles would have to sign him to a five-year deal if that contract was starting in 2017 So
theyrsquove got him locked up for a long stretch even without a long-term deal at this point
If the Orioles did look to even think about locking up Gausman or any other young player right
now those options years tacked onto the end of a deal like with Martinez could be important
They provide a club with the chance to lock up a player over a longer term with few gauranteed
dollars on the line - just the buyout portion of the contract
For any player especially a pitcher a five-year deal is a risk Especially when a team can go
season to season through arbitration Going year to year minimizes the injury risk or the lack of
performance risk
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217254268aaron-judge-helps-yankees-defeat-orioles
Schoop shows power stroke in Os loss to Yanks
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- In his final game before leaving Orioles camp to join the Netherlands for
the World Baseball Classic Jonathan Schoop hit a long third-inning home run as the Os fell to
the Yankees 4-1 on Monday afternoon
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three spring games He also has two doubles
I feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Im
ready I feel good Schoop said
Ubaldo Jimenez started and allowed one run on two hits in two innings in his first Grapefruit
League start
Chad Green started for the Yankees and allowed one hit and walked a batter in two innings
Green is competing for one of the two vacant slots in New Yorks rotation
Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge drove in New Yorks first run with a fielders choice in the first
inning and also showed off his arm in right throwing out Hyun Soo Kim at second after Kim
tried to turn a single into a double
Weve seen him throw before so we were not surprised manager Joe Girardi said
Minor League infielder Thairo Estrada hit a three-run ninth-inning home run to give the Yankees
the lead
Yankees Up Next The Yankees will have a pair of split-squad games on Tuesday hosting the
Tigers at George M Steinbrenner Field and traveling to Fort Myers Fla to face the Red Sox
Probable Opening Day starter Masahiro Tanaka will face Detroit while rotation candidate Luis
Cessa sees Boston Both games begin at 105 pm ET
Orioles Up Next Mike Wright who began the 2016 season with the Orioles makes his first
Grapefruit League start on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field at 105
pm ET Barring injury Wright is competing for a spot in the Orioles bullpen
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702wrapping-up-a-4-1-loss-2html
Wrapping up a 4-1 loss
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla - Oliver Drake entered a tie game today in the top of the ninth inning and let
the first three batters reach base punctuated by Thairo Estradarsquos three-run homer that gave the
Yankees a 4-1 win
Manager Buck Showalter said infielder Paul Janish probably will make the trip to Clearwater for
Tuesdayrsquos game against the Phillies
Infielder Ryan Flaherty will stay back due to a sore right shoulder Showalter said hersquos hoping
that Flaherty will be available for Wednesdayrsquos game against the Red Sox in Sarasota
ldquoJust a little sorenessrdquo he said ldquoBeen throwing a lot Decided to back off him a couple of days
Expect him to be a player probably the day after tomorrow I hope anyway If it doesnrsquot get
better wersquoll look into it a little deeper But we donrsquot suspect anything more than that right nowrdquo
Jonathan Schoop provided the Oriolesrsquo only run with a shot to left field that cleared the bleachers
in the bottom of the third inning Schoop was playing his last game before joining Team
Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
ldquoItrsquos a good farewellrdquo Showalter said
Adam Jones saved a run in the second with a sensational diving catch in right-center field to rob
Jorge Mateo
ldquoAdam made a heck of a play on that ballrdquo Showalter said ldquoNot many people get to that Thatrsquos
why things change with depths The windrsquos blowing in yoursquove got a guy up whorsquos not a power
hitter You have to change some thingsrdquo
Jones threw out a runner at third base Saturday in Bradenton and made a diving grab today If
hersquos playing too shallow itrsquos working in the first week of games
ldquoItrsquos something that wersquove discussed and looked at and Adamrsquos all-inrdquo Showalter said ldquoHersquos a
very receptive guy if your presentation is right because he wants whatrsquos best for the team Where
Adam plays a lot of it is dictated by
ldquoItrsquos not some blanket that you put over it Thatrsquos where the mistake is made Itrsquos whorsquos hitting
wherersquos the ballpark what are the conditions whorsquos pitching what situation is the game in is it
Zach Britton is it a fly ball pitcher Anybody who just says lsquoThis is what you do every timersquo is
going to make a lot of mistakes and yoursquore going to regret it Yoursquore going to take away a lot of
skills that guys possess
ldquoIt would be interesting if you polled the pitchers where theyrsquod like him to play But we learn
from other things that you see There are situations where you might be but thatrsquos what spring
training is for Itrsquos something we have and will discuss and see what adjustments we want to
makerdquo
Left-hander Donnie Hart struck out two batters in a scoreless inning Hersquos retired all six batters
hersquos faced so far with a pair of strikeouts
Hart retired Estrada today on a liner to first and struck out Cito Culver and Rashad Crawford
The first two batters hit from the right side which is significant Right-handers batted 292
against him last season and left-handers were 5-for-38 with 11 strikeouts
ldquoHersquos been impressive so farrdquo Showalter said of Hart
ldquoI told you all before when I kept looking at this guy and kept asking about him when you see
guy at that angle whorsquos closing for an upper-level team that tells you he can defend himself
against right-handed hitters at that level The first thing that hit me was changeup and command
Donnie showed me that he can get the ball on the inner half of the plate and either be a strike in
there or off the plate and not miss out over it
ldquoHersquos very conscientious athletic a strike-thrower Hersquos got a chance to help us I like Donnie
Hersquos very serious about the right thingsrdquo
Starter Ubaldo Jimeacutenez was charged with one run over two innings after Austin Romine reached
in the first inning on a bouncer that eluded first baseman Mark Trumbo
ldquoI donrsquot want to jinx himrdquo Showalter said ldquoHis delivery has been about as tight as Irsquove seen it as
far as the workout even the side days the pitching Yoursquove all seen some of the spring training
outings when hersquos trying to get his work in and depending on how you score balls he had a lot of
ground balls He threw strikes and hersquos done it two or three times
ldquoIn the first couple of workdays I could tell I was telling Roger (McDowell) lsquoHave you done
anything with himrsquo He said lsquoNorsquo Irsquom hoping he found something last year and hersquos going to
run with it this yearrdquo
McDowell inherits the job of trying to keep Jimeacutenez from losing the consistency in his
mechanics and home plate
ldquoIrsquom not saying Rogerrsquos just walking around and saying lsquoIrsquoll let him do whateverrsquo rdquo Showalter
said ldquoTalking with him and trying not to get him over-coached Wersquove got a long time down
here and hersquos doing well though itrsquos kind of like I tell the hitters all the time lsquoYoursquore going
good yoursquore swinging the bat well you need to make some notes actually write down some
notes what yoursquore feeling what are some things Yoursquore going to want to reach back for that
ldquoSometimes itrsquos the feeling as much as it is the mechanics of it I know Rogerrsquos trying to figure it
out now lsquoYoursquore in a pretty good groove How do you feel What do you dorsquo Then you also
talk some mechanical things So far so good Irsquom encouraged about Ubaldo He could mean a lot
to us Itrsquos a big year for himrdquo
Jimeacutenez a pending free agent is most responsible for himself Therersquos only so much that others
can do for him
ldquoItrsquos about the playerrdquo Showalter said ldquoIf it was that easy yoursquod just say lsquoTake your left little
toe and make sure itrsquos pointed in that direction and everythingrsquos finersquo I wish it was that easy Itrsquos
hard to stay together mechanically for 100 pitches every fifth day
ldquoLast year he got into a real good groove and some of that was part of it And sometimes itrsquos a
placebo Itrsquos about the results Itrsquos still about the resultsrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702orioles-lineup-vs-phillies-8html
Orioles lineup vs Phillies
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - Chris Dickerson is leading off and playing right field for the Orioles in
todayrsquos game against the Phillies in Clearwater
Caleb Joseph is catching and Robert Andino is playing shortstop
For the Orioles
Chris Dickerson RF
Johnny Giavotella 2B
Anthony Santander DH
Trey Mancini 1B
Logan Schafer CF
Chris Johnson 3B
Aneury Tavaacuterez LF
Caleb Joseph C
Robert Andino SS
Mike Wright RHP
Ryan Flaherty said his right shoulder began bothering him five or six days ago but he could play
today if needed He wonrsquot make the trip but hersquos expected to play Wednesday against the Red
Sox in Sarasota
httpwwwbaltimoresuncomsportsoriolesbs-sp-orioles-wbc-0228-20170227-storyhtml
World Baseball Classic is nice in theory but it creates
headaches across MLB
By Peter Schmuck The Baltimore Sun
February 27 2017
Everyone knows why Major League Baseball is so high on the World Baseball Classic and just
about everyone working in the industry knows the important talking points about the social and
economic benefits of globalizing the sport
Orioles manager Buck Showalter obviously knows them and starts just about every conversation
about the upcoming tournament with the same preamble
People smarter than me are trying to grow the game globally Showalter said again on
Monday Its a reminder that were not in this alone When we say these are the best players in
the world it is the world
Thats true of course and there is certainly a lot to be said about the beauty of international
competition and cooperation which well get to see when the tournament begins on March 6 But
that doesnt mean there arent fair questions about the impact of the event on spring training and
on the preparation of key players for the upcoming major league playoff races
Showalter talks a lot about the internal clock that governs each player over the eight months that
begin at the start of training camp and continue through the course of the regular season and
beyond There are examples of that rhythm being disrupted in previous World Baseball Classics
ndash Orioles reliever Pedro Strops regular season struggle in 2013 is often cited ndash so the coaching
staff has been in contact with each of the WBC teams to ascertain how the Orioles participants
will be handled
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees
There are some unique challenges this spring that we dont normally have Showalter said I
understand the return were trying to get The biggest thing probably is the clock that changes
Players are creatures of habit and routine and every team is completely different because theyre
going to come back from this and were going to have to slow down and start the clock again
The subject was particularly relevant on Monday because young second baseman Jonathan
Schoop was playing in his final pre-WBC exhibition game against the New York Yankees at Ed
Smith Stadium Hes heading off to join the Netherlands for the first round which takes place in
South Korea so hell have to spend about 20 hours on an airplane each way and is leaving much
earlier than the other WBC-bound Orioles
Pitchers and catchers reported for duty on Monday Feb 13 2017 The Orioles begin the 2017
season at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 3
Its really exciting Schoop said not so much for the flight ndash its a long flight ndash but its exciting
for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys ndash [Jurickson]
Profar Didi Gregorius [Andrelton] Simmons and with my brother there too Its going to be fun
for the country Im looking forward to it
Netherlands coach Hensley Meulens who played for Showalter in New York in the early 1990s
has kept in contact with his old manager and kept him apprised of the way he plans to use
Schoop who celebrated his pending departure with a long home run in the third inning of
Mondays spring training game
Hensley asked me about any limitations on Jon Showalter said I asked him what he was
planning on doing with him Hes planning on rotating those guys around I really appreciated the
call Were proud of Jon I know its a big moment for him He takes a lot of pride in that
There is probably more risk involved in the accelerated early training schedule for the pitchers
so pitching coach Roger McDowell has been in contact with USA pitching coach Jeff Jones to
discuss Mychal Givens and Mexico coach Rigo Beltran to check on the plans for new Orioles
left-hander Vidal Nuno The Orioles are most concerned about the proper handling of Givens
because of his quick emergence as a solid major league setup guy and his relatively little
experience as a pitcher
I think the way theyve got it set up for the pitchers theres a real protection there Showalter
said I think its the position players as much as the pitchers Therell be another conversation
if they get through the first round because it kind of escalates a little bit
Though the biggest concern is a serious injury that cuts into the regular season Showalter said
theres nothing he can say to Schoop on the way out of town that will make him any safer once
the WBC games begin Telling a player to play carefully might lead to the opposite of the desired
effect
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt Showalter said If he just plays in the
way he normally does hes a very durable player knock on wood Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in If he just follows what
hes been doing he should be OK
The internal clock concept doesnt apply only to individual members of the team The departure
of six key players also figures to have an impact on the competitive ebb and flow of spring
training for the entire club
Sure it does Showalter said Your perfect spring training you start off sharp and everything
and then you always hit a lull in camp and then you finish up strong We had the opposite of that
last year Thats the perfect world but because of the WBC theres not that rhythm to spring
training where at this point we want to do this at this point we want to have this behind us at
this point we want to start coming back to things so next year well be able to retain them
When it comes to the WBC and spring training things are tough all over The Orioles are
sending only a major league relief pitcher and a bullpen bubble guy along with Schoop and
fellow position players Adam Jones Manny Machado and Welington Castillo Imagine how
Showalter might feel if he were managing the Seattle Mariners who have 11 possible WBC
participants and have committed most of their projected starting rotation ndash superstar Felix
Hernandez Drew Smyly and former Oriole Yovani Gallardo
The Detroit Tigers had an MLB-high 15 players on the original list of WBC participants released
three weeks ago though some are minor leaguers and a couple of major league pitchers are in the
designated pitcher pool that makes them available to join teams that advance beyond the first
round
httpwwwbaltimoresuncomsportsoriolesblogbal-ubaldo-jimenez-allows-one-run-in-first-
start-of-spring-as-orioles-lose-4-1-to-yankees-20170227-storyhtml
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as
Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees
By Eduardo Encina The Baltimore Sun
February 27 2017
In Ubaldo Jimenezrsquos first Grapefruit League start of the season his performance was better than
indicated as the Orioles lost 4-1 to the New York Yankees in front of an announced 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium on Monday afternoon
Jimenez allowed one run on three hits over two innings but probably deserved a better fate He
commanded his fastball overcame early adversity and needed just 10 pitches to get through his
second inning of work Overall 17 of Jimenezrsquos 29 pitches were strikes
He threw strikes and hersquos done it two or three times Orioles manager Buck Showalter In the
first couple of workdays I could tell I was telling [pitching coach] Roger [McDowell] lsquoHave
you done anything with himrsquo He said lsquonorsquo Irsquom hoping he found something last year and hersquos
going to run with it this year
ldquoHis delivery has been about as tight as Irsquove seen it as far as the workout even the side days the
pitching Showalter said Irsquom in the dugout Yoursquove all seen some of the spring training outings
when hersquos trying to get his work in and depending on how you score balls he had a lot of
groundballs
He didnrsquot deserve the earned run charged to him in his two-inning outing on Monday The
second batter he faced Yankees catcher Austin Romine hit a grounder to first that Mark Trumbo
failed to backhand but it was ruled a hit
And after Romine moved to third on Greg Birdrsquos double he scored on a fielderrsquos choice a ball
that would have been the third out of the inning if Trumbo had made the play on Rominersquos
grounder
ldquoItrsquos part of the game especially this time of year Wersquore here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit more for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
The game went into the ninth inning tied at one before right-hander Oliver Drake unraveled
allowing the first three hitters he faced to reach base culminating with Thairo Estradarsquos three-
run homer to left field
Yankees prospect Clint Frazier opened the inning with a double and Kellin Deglan singled to put
runners at the corners before Estrada blasted a 1-0 pitch to left for the game-deciding homer
Schoop goes deep Playing in his last game before leaving the team to join the Netherlands
World Baseball Classic team in South Korea second baseman Jonathan Schoop hit his first
home run of the spring tattooing a first-pitch 91-mph fastball from Yankees left-hander Evan
Rutckyj well over left-field fence
Schoop a native of Curacao played in three of the Oriolesrsquo first four Grapefruit League games
in order to get as many at-bats as possible for the WBC Schoop was 3-for-8 with all of his hits
being of the extra-base variety (two doubles and a homer)
ldquoI feel like I have enough games inrdquo Schoop said ldquoI think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Irsquom ready I feel goodrdquo
Jones ranging Orioles outfield Whether Orioles center fielder Adam Jones plays too shallow is
often a topic of discussion -- and Jones has expressed his concern about the teamrsquos outfield
defense around him On Monday Jones was forced to cover an inordinate amount or ground
With two outs in the second inning Jones saved a run by making a diving catch in front of Seth
Smith in right field robbing Jorge Mateo of a base hit
ldquoAdam made a heck of a ball on that ballrdquo Showalter said of Jones catch on Mateos ball ldquoNot
many people get to that Thatrsquos why things change with depths The windrsquos blowing in yoursquove
got a guy up whorsquos not a power hitter You have to change some thingsrdquo
In the fourth Jones had to range into left field to prevent an inside-the-park home run when left
fielder Hyun Soo Kim lost Aaron Judgersquos ball in the sun and it landed over his head
Hart perfect Left-handed reliever Donnie Hart pitched a perfect seventh inning for the Orioles
and has retired all six batters hersquos faced in spring training
Hart recorded a pair of strikeouts getting Cito Culver swinging and Rashad Crawford looking
Hart who was used in a situational lefty role last season has retired as many right-handed hitters
(3) as he has left-handed hitters
When I kept looking at this guy and kept asking about him when you see a guy from that angle
that is closing at an upper-level team [Hart had four saves at Double-A Bowie] that tells you he
can defend himself against right-handed hitters at that level Showalter said
Scott escapes jam Flame-throwing minor leaguer Tanner Scott stranded the go-ahead run on
second in the eighth inning striking out Wilkin Castillo and Jorge Saez to escape the jam
Scott issued a one-out walk to former Oriole Ji-Man Choi who moved to second on a wild pitch
But Scott prevented the run from scoring with the back-to-back strikeouts ending the inning by
getting Saez to swing through a 97-mph fastball
He threw some good breaking balls today Showalter said Hersquos not just a one-way harry with
the fastball
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257418ubaldo-jimenez-aims-to-reduce-long-counts
Ubaldo aims to reduce long counts add innings
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Ubaldo Jimenez is trying to pick up where he left off at the end of the 2016
regular season Last September Jimenez was 3-1 with a 231 ERA in five starts and threw the
Orioles first complete game in two years on Sept 5 at Tampa Bay
Jimenez made his first spring start of 2017 allowing one run on three hits in two innings against
the New York Yankees on Monday
I was commanding the fastball and keeping the ball down I think thats what I did I was able to
get a lot of ground balls I still have to get a couple of my breaking balls over Jimenez said
In the first inning Jimenez allowed a single to Austin Romine The ball was hit to first
baseman Mark Trumbo and he couldnt handle it but it was scored as a hit After a double
by Greg Bird Romine scored on Aaron Judges fielders choice
Jimenez wasnt upset by the miscue
Its part of the game especially this time of year Were here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit [longer] for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
He threw 29 pitches in two innings and hes trying to reduce the number of deep counts
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season That was attacking the strike
zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and going to
allow me to get deeper in the games Jimenez said
It was the first time Welington Castillo caught his fellow Dominican
[Castillo is] great Hes great said Jimenez I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a
couple of games in the Dominican Winter League in 2010 Were on the same page Hes a good
guy He wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the
best for the team
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257420os-ready-to-begin-departing-for-17-classic
Orioles ready to begin departing for 17 Classic
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Six Orioles will leave the team within the next week for the World Baseball
Classic One of them second baseman Jonathan Schoop departed after Mondays game to
prepare to join the team from the Netherlands
In Sundays spring win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Classic-bound players had six of the Orioles
10 hits Adam Jones had a long home run and a double Welington Castillo had two hits Manny
Machado hit a homer and Schoop had a hit
Those guys are pushing earlier than normal and you can tell theyve all got a lot of pride in the
teams and countries theyre going to be playing for and they really want to present themselves
well and I think we saw a little byproduct of that today manager Buck Showalter said Sunday
Castillo and Machado will leave this Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic Left-handed
pitcher Vidal Nuno also leaves Sunday for Team Mexico Jones and right-handed pitcher Mychal
Givens leave a week from now to play for Team USA
Givens who threw a scoreless inning in his first game on Friday against Detroit is getting
pumped about pitching for his country
Definitely to wear that uniform with the USA on the front representing and trying to bring a
[championship] to the US side is really exciting to do Givens said
Schoop who hit a long home run to left field in the third inning Monday played all 162 games
last season Showalter said he wouldnt advise him to play it safe
Jonathan Schoop belts a solo home run to left field tying the game at 1 in the bottom of the 3rd
inning
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt If he just plays in the way he normally
does hes a very durable player knock on wood Showalter said Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in hellip If he just follows
what hes been doing he should be OK
Schoop is thrilled to be playing with the Yankees Didi Gregorius Bostons Xander Bogaerts
Texas Jurickson Profar and the Angels Andrelton Simmons as well as his brother Sharlon an
Orioles Minor Leaguer
Its exciting for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys Schoop
said Thats going to be fun for the country Im looking forward to it
On March 11 Team USA faces the Dominican Republic and theres a chance Givens could face
Machado in an emotional game
Its just the whole meaning of the World Baseball Classic countries trying to prove theyre the
best Givens said Its a good thing for baseball to have that competitive nature trying to
represent your country doesnt matter who it is Im going to be competitive and try to represent
the name on the front of the jersey
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702showalter-on-bridwell-and-scotthtml
Showalter on Bridwell and Scott
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - The Orioles are on the road again after two straight home games making the
long drive to Clearwater to play the Phillies at 105 pm
Mike Wright is on the mound after working the first inning in the first intrasquad game and
retiring all three batters he faced He struck out Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavaacuterez retired Johnny
Giavotella on a ground ball and retired Ryan Flaherty on a fly ball to left field
Tavaacuterez is supposed to play left field and bat leadoff today Flaherty is supposed to stay back at
the Ed Smith Stadium complex and receive treatment on his sore right shoulder
Irsquoll go out on a limb and say Giavotella will make the trip Hersquos appeared in all four games
going 3-for-3 in the opener in Lakeland
The Orioles are trying to as manager Buck Showalter says get their arms around Parker
Bridwell They may have learned a little more about him yesterday by how he responded to
Saturdayrsquos poor outing Or he just confirmed what they already knew that hersquos got the stuff to
get hitters out and is working to become more consistent
Bridwell 25 served up back-to-back home runs to the Piratesrsquo Chris Bostick and Jin-De Jhang
in the eighth inning accounting for three late runs in a 6-2 loss at LECOM Park He gave up a
one-out double yesterday to the Yankeesrsquo Greg Bird but he induced a fielderrsquos choice grounder
from Aaron Judge and popup from Rob Refsnyder
A solid response to Saturday and an example of why the Orioles remain so intrigued by him
despite their occasional frustration
ldquoItrsquos kind of been Parkerrsquos challengerdquo Showalter said ldquoWe even saw it in the big leagues Hersquoll
go through an inning or sequences and yoursquoll go lsquowowrsquo and then it gets away from him He got
a little cutter happy last timerdquo
Bridwell made two relief appearances with the Orioles last season his first exposure to the
majors and allowed five runs and five hits in 3 13 innings He struck out three batters but also
surrendered two home runs
Four of the runs scored over 1 13 innings in an Aug 24 game against the Nationals in DC In
his debut three nights earlier he struck out the first batter he faced the Astrosrsquo Evan Gattis and
retired Tony Kemp on a liner to center field but Jake Marisnick homered to left field
Bridwell came back out for the ninth and allowed a leadoff single to Teoscar Hernandez who
was erased on stolen base attempt A fly ball and called third strike completed Bridwellrsquos line
Bridwellrsquos minor league experience consists of only four games at the Triple-A level He was a
starter through 2015 but he made 20 relief appearances among his 27 outings in 2016 the role
change coming after he broke a rib
ldquoItrsquos a tough callrdquo Showalter said ldquoA lot of people are talking bullpen starter bullpen starter I
know how I feel about it but Parkerrsquos got the full assortment and Irsquom hoping this is the year that
he really pops because hersquos a guy who you get asked about a lot because hersquos got all the
presentationrdquo
Teams have been inquiring about Bridwell for years and the Orioles keep refusing to part with
him Theyrsquod like for their faith and patience to be rewarded making the 2017 season an
important one for him
Meanwhile left-hander Tanner Scott struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning after
coming over from minor league camp He walked one batter
Scottrsquos fastball kept climbing into the upper 90s but the Orioles already know he can bring the
heat
ldquoIt was good for Tanner to get in thererdquo Showalter said ldquoHe threw some good breaking balls
Hersquos not just a one-way Harry with the fastball
ldquoI was talking to Roger (McDowell) today Rogerrsquos got a couple things hersquod like to see him do
with his hands and close him off a little more His presentation is a little open Thatrsquos why he
misses up and away a lotrdquo
The breaking ball must develop to complement Tannerrsquos fastball which has been clocked at 100
mph
ldquoYou know the guys are going to have to cheat a little bit to get the fastball and it makes them
really susceptible to the breaking ball because the recognition is so laterdquo Showalter said ldquoIf he
can get a breaking ball like he threw today it gives him a chance to really take it to another level
And a lot of it is because of velocityrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702does-carlos-martinez-deal-provide-a-
framework-for-kevin-gausman-othershtml
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin
Gausman others
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
Itrsquos a question that all major league teams face at some point with their promising young talent
When is the right time to take a risk and sign that player to a long-term contract
On the plus side you can lock up a core player for years to come buy out some free agent years
and have some cost certainty You may even be able to save a few million dollars But there is
potential on the negative side because those dollars are guaranteed despite any future injury
andor player drop-off in performance What if the player gets hurt andor doesnrsquot pan out to be
as good as you thought The future salaries still have to be paid
The St Louis Cardinals recently locked up right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Martinez with a
deal that could provide a possible framework for a future Orioles deal with one of their own
right-handers Kevin Gausman And maybe a year or two after that with Dylan Bundy
Martinez was signed to a five-year deal that reportedly guarantees $51 million The club will pay
him $45 million this year and then $115 million over the following four seasons from 2018-
2021 St Louis holds a club option that is reportedly for $17 million with a $500000 buyout in
2022 and for $18 million with a $500000 buyout in 2023
Martinez who was originally under team control through 2019 before this contract now is under
team control through 2021 at the least and possibly through 2023 with the option years St Louis
bought out at least two free agent seasons
Comparing their 2016 stats
Martinez 16-9 with a 304 ERA 195 innings 122 WHIP 78 hitsnine innings 32 walksnine
innings and 80 strikeoutsnine innings
Gausman 9-12 with a 361 ERA 180 innings 128 WHIP 92 hitsnine innings 24 walksnine
innings and 87 strikeoutsnine innings
Martinez is the better pitcher right now ranking 10th in the majors in ERA at 302 the last two
years among pitchers with 300 or more innings He is 25 and has 3073 years of service time
Gausman is 26 with 2151 years of service
In his first year of arbitration eligibility last year Martinez earned $37 million In his first year
of arbitration this year Gausman was signed to a deal for $345 million and that could increase
to $355 million if he meets incentives for starts made
Gausman is under Orioles control through 2020 so the Orioles have his services for four more
seasons even without him inking a long-term deal To buy out even one free agent year the
Orioles would have to sign him to a five-year deal if that contract was starting in 2017 So
theyrsquove got him locked up for a long stretch even without a long-term deal at this point
If the Orioles did look to even think about locking up Gausman or any other young player right
now those options years tacked onto the end of a deal like with Martinez could be important
They provide a club with the chance to lock up a player over a longer term with few gauranteed
dollars on the line - just the buyout portion of the contract
For any player especially a pitcher a five-year deal is a risk Especially when a team can go
season to season through arbitration Going year to year minimizes the injury risk or the lack of
performance risk
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702wrapping-up-a-4-1-loss-2html
Wrapping up a 4-1 loss
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla - Oliver Drake entered a tie game today in the top of the ninth inning and let
the first three batters reach base punctuated by Thairo Estradarsquos three-run homer that gave the
Yankees a 4-1 win
Manager Buck Showalter said infielder Paul Janish probably will make the trip to Clearwater for
Tuesdayrsquos game against the Phillies
Infielder Ryan Flaherty will stay back due to a sore right shoulder Showalter said hersquos hoping
that Flaherty will be available for Wednesdayrsquos game against the Red Sox in Sarasota
ldquoJust a little sorenessrdquo he said ldquoBeen throwing a lot Decided to back off him a couple of days
Expect him to be a player probably the day after tomorrow I hope anyway If it doesnrsquot get
better wersquoll look into it a little deeper But we donrsquot suspect anything more than that right nowrdquo
Jonathan Schoop provided the Oriolesrsquo only run with a shot to left field that cleared the bleachers
in the bottom of the third inning Schoop was playing his last game before joining Team
Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
ldquoItrsquos a good farewellrdquo Showalter said
Adam Jones saved a run in the second with a sensational diving catch in right-center field to rob
Jorge Mateo
ldquoAdam made a heck of a play on that ballrdquo Showalter said ldquoNot many people get to that Thatrsquos
why things change with depths The windrsquos blowing in yoursquove got a guy up whorsquos not a power
hitter You have to change some thingsrdquo
Jones threw out a runner at third base Saturday in Bradenton and made a diving grab today If
hersquos playing too shallow itrsquos working in the first week of games
ldquoItrsquos something that wersquove discussed and looked at and Adamrsquos all-inrdquo Showalter said ldquoHersquos a
very receptive guy if your presentation is right because he wants whatrsquos best for the team Where
Adam plays a lot of it is dictated by
ldquoItrsquos not some blanket that you put over it Thatrsquos where the mistake is made Itrsquos whorsquos hitting
wherersquos the ballpark what are the conditions whorsquos pitching what situation is the game in is it
Zach Britton is it a fly ball pitcher Anybody who just says lsquoThis is what you do every timersquo is
going to make a lot of mistakes and yoursquore going to regret it Yoursquore going to take away a lot of
skills that guys possess
ldquoIt would be interesting if you polled the pitchers where theyrsquod like him to play But we learn
from other things that you see There are situations where you might be but thatrsquos what spring
training is for Itrsquos something we have and will discuss and see what adjustments we want to
makerdquo
Left-hander Donnie Hart struck out two batters in a scoreless inning Hersquos retired all six batters
hersquos faced so far with a pair of strikeouts
Hart retired Estrada today on a liner to first and struck out Cito Culver and Rashad Crawford
The first two batters hit from the right side which is significant Right-handers batted 292
against him last season and left-handers were 5-for-38 with 11 strikeouts
ldquoHersquos been impressive so farrdquo Showalter said of Hart
ldquoI told you all before when I kept looking at this guy and kept asking about him when you see
guy at that angle whorsquos closing for an upper-level team that tells you he can defend himself
against right-handed hitters at that level The first thing that hit me was changeup and command
Donnie showed me that he can get the ball on the inner half of the plate and either be a strike in
there or off the plate and not miss out over it
ldquoHersquos very conscientious athletic a strike-thrower Hersquos got a chance to help us I like Donnie
Hersquos very serious about the right thingsrdquo
Starter Ubaldo Jimeacutenez was charged with one run over two innings after Austin Romine reached
in the first inning on a bouncer that eluded first baseman Mark Trumbo
ldquoI donrsquot want to jinx himrdquo Showalter said ldquoHis delivery has been about as tight as Irsquove seen it as
far as the workout even the side days the pitching Yoursquove all seen some of the spring training
outings when hersquos trying to get his work in and depending on how you score balls he had a lot of
ground balls He threw strikes and hersquos done it two or three times
ldquoIn the first couple of workdays I could tell I was telling Roger (McDowell) lsquoHave you done
anything with himrsquo He said lsquoNorsquo Irsquom hoping he found something last year and hersquos going to
run with it this yearrdquo
McDowell inherits the job of trying to keep Jimeacutenez from losing the consistency in his
mechanics and home plate
ldquoIrsquom not saying Rogerrsquos just walking around and saying lsquoIrsquoll let him do whateverrsquo rdquo Showalter
said ldquoTalking with him and trying not to get him over-coached Wersquove got a long time down
here and hersquos doing well though itrsquos kind of like I tell the hitters all the time lsquoYoursquore going
good yoursquore swinging the bat well you need to make some notes actually write down some
notes what yoursquore feeling what are some things Yoursquore going to want to reach back for that
ldquoSometimes itrsquos the feeling as much as it is the mechanics of it I know Rogerrsquos trying to figure it
out now lsquoYoursquore in a pretty good groove How do you feel What do you dorsquo Then you also
talk some mechanical things So far so good Irsquom encouraged about Ubaldo He could mean a lot
to us Itrsquos a big year for himrdquo
Jimeacutenez a pending free agent is most responsible for himself Therersquos only so much that others
can do for him
ldquoItrsquos about the playerrdquo Showalter said ldquoIf it was that easy yoursquod just say lsquoTake your left little
toe and make sure itrsquos pointed in that direction and everythingrsquos finersquo I wish it was that easy Itrsquos
hard to stay together mechanically for 100 pitches every fifth day
ldquoLast year he got into a real good groove and some of that was part of it And sometimes itrsquos a
placebo Itrsquos about the results Itrsquos still about the resultsrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702orioles-lineup-vs-phillies-8html
Orioles lineup vs Phillies
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - Chris Dickerson is leading off and playing right field for the Orioles in
todayrsquos game against the Phillies in Clearwater
Caleb Joseph is catching and Robert Andino is playing shortstop
For the Orioles
Chris Dickerson RF
Johnny Giavotella 2B
Anthony Santander DH
Trey Mancini 1B
Logan Schafer CF
Chris Johnson 3B
Aneury Tavaacuterez LF
Caleb Joseph C
Robert Andino SS
Mike Wright RHP
Ryan Flaherty said his right shoulder began bothering him five or six days ago but he could play
today if needed He wonrsquot make the trip but hersquos expected to play Wednesday against the Red
Sox in Sarasota
httpwwwbaltimoresuncomsportsoriolesbs-sp-orioles-wbc-0228-20170227-storyhtml
World Baseball Classic is nice in theory but it creates
headaches across MLB
By Peter Schmuck The Baltimore Sun
February 27 2017
Everyone knows why Major League Baseball is so high on the World Baseball Classic and just
about everyone working in the industry knows the important talking points about the social and
economic benefits of globalizing the sport
Orioles manager Buck Showalter obviously knows them and starts just about every conversation
about the upcoming tournament with the same preamble
People smarter than me are trying to grow the game globally Showalter said again on
Monday Its a reminder that were not in this alone When we say these are the best players in
the world it is the world
Thats true of course and there is certainly a lot to be said about the beauty of international
competition and cooperation which well get to see when the tournament begins on March 6 But
that doesnt mean there arent fair questions about the impact of the event on spring training and
on the preparation of key players for the upcoming major league playoff races
Showalter talks a lot about the internal clock that governs each player over the eight months that
begin at the start of training camp and continue through the course of the regular season and
beyond There are examples of that rhythm being disrupted in previous World Baseball Classics
ndash Orioles reliever Pedro Strops regular season struggle in 2013 is often cited ndash so the coaching
staff has been in contact with each of the WBC teams to ascertain how the Orioles participants
will be handled
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees
There are some unique challenges this spring that we dont normally have Showalter said I
understand the return were trying to get The biggest thing probably is the clock that changes
Players are creatures of habit and routine and every team is completely different because theyre
going to come back from this and were going to have to slow down and start the clock again
The subject was particularly relevant on Monday because young second baseman Jonathan
Schoop was playing in his final pre-WBC exhibition game against the New York Yankees at Ed
Smith Stadium Hes heading off to join the Netherlands for the first round which takes place in
South Korea so hell have to spend about 20 hours on an airplane each way and is leaving much
earlier than the other WBC-bound Orioles
Pitchers and catchers reported for duty on Monday Feb 13 2017 The Orioles begin the 2017
season at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 3
Its really exciting Schoop said not so much for the flight ndash its a long flight ndash but its exciting
for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys ndash [Jurickson]
Profar Didi Gregorius [Andrelton] Simmons and with my brother there too Its going to be fun
for the country Im looking forward to it
Netherlands coach Hensley Meulens who played for Showalter in New York in the early 1990s
has kept in contact with his old manager and kept him apprised of the way he plans to use
Schoop who celebrated his pending departure with a long home run in the third inning of
Mondays spring training game
Hensley asked me about any limitations on Jon Showalter said I asked him what he was
planning on doing with him Hes planning on rotating those guys around I really appreciated the
call Were proud of Jon I know its a big moment for him He takes a lot of pride in that
There is probably more risk involved in the accelerated early training schedule for the pitchers
so pitching coach Roger McDowell has been in contact with USA pitching coach Jeff Jones to
discuss Mychal Givens and Mexico coach Rigo Beltran to check on the plans for new Orioles
left-hander Vidal Nuno The Orioles are most concerned about the proper handling of Givens
because of his quick emergence as a solid major league setup guy and his relatively little
experience as a pitcher
I think the way theyve got it set up for the pitchers theres a real protection there Showalter
said I think its the position players as much as the pitchers Therell be another conversation
if they get through the first round because it kind of escalates a little bit
Though the biggest concern is a serious injury that cuts into the regular season Showalter said
theres nothing he can say to Schoop on the way out of town that will make him any safer once
the WBC games begin Telling a player to play carefully might lead to the opposite of the desired
effect
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt Showalter said If he just plays in the
way he normally does hes a very durable player knock on wood Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in If he just follows what
hes been doing he should be OK
The internal clock concept doesnt apply only to individual members of the team The departure
of six key players also figures to have an impact on the competitive ebb and flow of spring
training for the entire club
Sure it does Showalter said Your perfect spring training you start off sharp and everything
and then you always hit a lull in camp and then you finish up strong We had the opposite of that
last year Thats the perfect world but because of the WBC theres not that rhythm to spring
training where at this point we want to do this at this point we want to have this behind us at
this point we want to start coming back to things so next year well be able to retain them
When it comes to the WBC and spring training things are tough all over The Orioles are
sending only a major league relief pitcher and a bullpen bubble guy along with Schoop and
fellow position players Adam Jones Manny Machado and Welington Castillo Imagine how
Showalter might feel if he were managing the Seattle Mariners who have 11 possible WBC
participants and have committed most of their projected starting rotation ndash superstar Felix
Hernandez Drew Smyly and former Oriole Yovani Gallardo
The Detroit Tigers had an MLB-high 15 players on the original list of WBC participants released
three weeks ago though some are minor leaguers and a couple of major league pitchers are in the
designated pitcher pool that makes them available to join teams that advance beyond the first
round
httpwwwbaltimoresuncomsportsoriolesblogbal-ubaldo-jimenez-allows-one-run-in-first-
start-of-spring-as-orioles-lose-4-1-to-yankees-20170227-storyhtml
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as
Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees
By Eduardo Encina The Baltimore Sun
February 27 2017
In Ubaldo Jimenezrsquos first Grapefruit League start of the season his performance was better than
indicated as the Orioles lost 4-1 to the New York Yankees in front of an announced 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium on Monday afternoon
Jimenez allowed one run on three hits over two innings but probably deserved a better fate He
commanded his fastball overcame early adversity and needed just 10 pitches to get through his
second inning of work Overall 17 of Jimenezrsquos 29 pitches were strikes
He threw strikes and hersquos done it two or three times Orioles manager Buck Showalter In the
first couple of workdays I could tell I was telling [pitching coach] Roger [McDowell] lsquoHave
you done anything with himrsquo He said lsquonorsquo Irsquom hoping he found something last year and hersquos
going to run with it this year
ldquoHis delivery has been about as tight as Irsquove seen it as far as the workout even the side days the
pitching Showalter said Irsquom in the dugout Yoursquove all seen some of the spring training outings
when hersquos trying to get his work in and depending on how you score balls he had a lot of
groundballs
He didnrsquot deserve the earned run charged to him in his two-inning outing on Monday The
second batter he faced Yankees catcher Austin Romine hit a grounder to first that Mark Trumbo
failed to backhand but it was ruled a hit
And after Romine moved to third on Greg Birdrsquos double he scored on a fielderrsquos choice a ball
that would have been the third out of the inning if Trumbo had made the play on Rominersquos
grounder
ldquoItrsquos part of the game especially this time of year Wersquore here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit more for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
The game went into the ninth inning tied at one before right-hander Oliver Drake unraveled
allowing the first three hitters he faced to reach base culminating with Thairo Estradarsquos three-
run homer to left field
Yankees prospect Clint Frazier opened the inning with a double and Kellin Deglan singled to put
runners at the corners before Estrada blasted a 1-0 pitch to left for the game-deciding homer
Schoop goes deep Playing in his last game before leaving the team to join the Netherlands
World Baseball Classic team in South Korea second baseman Jonathan Schoop hit his first
home run of the spring tattooing a first-pitch 91-mph fastball from Yankees left-hander Evan
Rutckyj well over left-field fence
Schoop a native of Curacao played in three of the Oriolesrsquo first four Grapefruit League games
in order to get as many at-bats as possible for the WBC Schoop was 3-for-8 with all of his hits
being of the extra-base variety (two doubles and a homer)
ldquoI feel like I have enough games inrdquo Schoop said ldquoI think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Irsquom ready I feel goodrdquo
Jones ranging Orioles outfield Whether Orioles center fielder Adam Jones plays too shallow is
often a topic of discussion -- and Jones has expressed his concern about the teamrsquos outfield
defense around him On Monday Jones was forced to cover an inordinate amount or ground
With two outs in the second inning Jones saved a run by making a diving catch in front of Seth
Smith in right field robbing Jorge Mateo of a base hit
ldquoAdam made a heck of a ball on that ballrdquo Showalter said of Jones catch on Mateos ball ldquoNot
many people get to that Thatrsquos why things change with depths The windrsquos blowing in yoursquove
got a guy up whorsquos not a power hitter You have to change some thingsrdquo
In the fourth Jones had to range into left field to prevent an inside-the-park home run when left
fielder Hyun Soo Kim lost Aaron Judgersquos ball in the sun and it landed over his head
Hart perfect Left-handed reliever Donnie Hart pitched a perfect seventh inning for the Orioles
and has retired all six batters hersquos faced in spring training
Hart recorded a pair of strikeouts getting Cito Culver swinging and Rashad Crawford looking
Hart who was used in a situational lefty role last season has retired as many right-handed hitters
(3) as he has left-handed hitters
When I kept looking at this guy and kept asking about him when you see a guy from that angle
that is closing at an upper-level team [Hart had four saves at Double-A Bowie] that tells you he
can defend himself against right-handed hitters at that level Showalter said
Scott escapes jam Flame-throwing minor leaguer Tanner Scott stranded the go-ahead run on
second in the eighth inning striking out Wilkin Castillo and Jorge Saez to escape the jam
Scott issued a one-out walk to former Oriole Ji-Man Choi who moved to second on a wild pitch
But Scott prevented the run from scoring with the back-to-back strikeouts ending the inning by
getting Saez to swing through a 97-mph fastball
He threw some good breaking balls today Showalter said Hersquos not just a one-way harry with
the fastball
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257418ubaldo-jimenez-aims-to-reduce-long-counts
Ubaldo aims to reduce long counts add innings
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Ubaldo Jimenez is trying to pick up where he left off at the end of the 2016
regular season Last September Jimenez was 3-1 with a 231 ERA in five starts and threw the
Orioles first complete game in two years on Sept 5 at Tampa Bay
Jimenez made his first spring start of 2017 allowing one run on three hits in two innings against
the New York Yankees on Monday
I was commanding the fastball and keeping the ball down I think thats what I did I was able to
get a lot of ground balls I still have to get a couple of my breaking balls over Jimenez said
In the first inning Jimenez allowed a single to Austin Romine The ball was hit to first
baseman Mark Trumbo and he couldnt handle it but it was scored as a hit After a double
by Greg Bird Romine scored on Aaron Judges fielders choice
Jimenez wasnt upset by the miscue
Its part of the game especially this time of year Were here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit [longer] for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
He threw 29 pitches in two innings and hes trying to reduce the number of deep counts
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season That was attacking the strike
zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and going to
allow me to get deeper in the games Jimenez said
It was the first time Welington Castillo caught his fellow Dominican
[Castillo is] great Hes great said Jimenez I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a
couple of games in the Dominican Winter League in 2010 Were on the same page Hes a good
guy He wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the
best for the team
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257420os-ready-to-begin-departing-for-17-classic
Orioles ready to begin departing for 17 Classic
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Six Orioles will leave the team within the next week for the World Baseball
Classic One of them second baseman Jonathan Schoop departed after Mondays game to
prepare to join the team from the Netherlands
In Sundays spring win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Classic-bound players had six of the Orioles
10 hits Adam Jones had a long home run and a double Welington Castillo had two hits Manny
Machado hit a homer and Schoop had a hit
Those guys are pushing earlier than normal and you can tell theyve all got a lot of pride in the
teams and countries theyre going to be playing for and they really want to present themselves
well and I think we saw a little byproduct of that today manager Buck Showalter said Sunday
Castillo and Machado will leave this Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic Left-handed
pitcher Vidal Nuno also leaves Sunday for Team Mexico Jones and right-handed pitcher Mychal
Givens leave a week from now to play for Team USA
Givens who threw a scoreless inning in his first game on Friday against Detroit is getting
pumped about pitching for his country
Definitely to wear that uniform with the USA on the front representing and trying to bring a
[championship] to the US side is really exciting to do Givens said
Schoop who hit a long home run to left field in the third inning Monday played all 162 games
last season Showalter said he wouldnt advise him to play it safe
Jonathan Schoop belts a solo home run to left field tying the game at 1 in the bottom of the 3rd
inning
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt If he just plays in the way he normally
does hes a very durable player knock on wood Showalter said Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in hellip If he just follows
what hes been doing he should be OK
Schoop is thrilled to be playing with the Yankees Didi Gregorius Bostons Xander Bogaerts
Texas Jurickson Profar and the Angels Andrelton Simmons as well as his brother Sharlon an
Orioles Minor Leaguer
Its exciting for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys Schoop
said Thats going to be fun for the country Im looking forward to it
On March 11 Team USA faces the Dominican Republic and theres a chance Givens could face
Machado in an emotional game
Its just the whole meaning of the World Baseball Classic countries trying to prove theyre the
best Givens said Its a good thing for baseball to have that competitive nature trying to
represent your country doesnt matter who it is Im going to be competitive and try to represent
the name on the front of the jersey
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702showalter-on-bridwell-and-scotthtml
Showalter on Bridwell and Scott
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - The Orioles are on the road again after two straight home games making the
long drive to Clearwater to play the Phillies at 105 pm
Mike Wright is on the mound after working the first inning in the first intrasquad game and
retiring all three batters he faced He struck out Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavaacuterez retired Johnny
Giavotella on a ground ball and retired Ryan Flaherty on a fly ball to left field
Tavaacuterez is supposed to play left field and bat leadoff today Flaherty is supposed to stay back at
the Ed Smith Stadium complex and receive treatment on his sore right shoulder
Irsquoll go out on a limb and say Giavotella will make the trip Hersquos appeared in all four games
going 3-for-3 in the opener in Lakeland
The Orioles are trying to as manager Buck Showalter says get their arms around Parker
Bridwell They may have learned a little more about him yesterday by how he responded to
Saturdayrsquos poor outing Or he just confirmed what they already knew that hersquos got the stuff to
get hitters out and is working to become more consistent
Bridwell 25 served up back-to-back home runs to the Piratesrsquo Chris Bostick and Jin-De Jhang
in the eighth inning accounting for three late runs in a 6-2 loss at LECOM Park He gave up a
one-out double yesterday to the Yankeesrsquo Greg Bird but he induced a fielderrsquos choice grounder
from Aaron Judge and popup from Rob Refsnyder
A solid response to Saturday and an example of why the Orioles remain so intrigued by him
despite their occasional frustration
ldquoItrsquos kind of been Parkerrsquos challengerdquo Showalter said ldquoWe even saw it in the big leagues Hersquoll
go through an inning or sequences and yoursquoll go lsquowowrsquo and then it gets away from him He got
a little cutter happy last timerdquo
Bridwell made two relief appearances with the Orioles last season his first exposure to the
majors and allowed five runs and five hits in 3 13 innings He struck out three batters but also
surrendered two home runs
Four of the runs scored over 1 13 innings in an Aug 24 game against the Nationals in DC In
his debut three nights earlier he struck out the first batter he faced the Astrosrsquo Evan Gattis and
retired Tony Kemp on a liner to center field but Jake Marisnick homered to left field
Bridwell came back out for the ninth and allowed a leadoff single to Teoscar Hernandez who
was erased on stolen base attempt A fly ball and called third strike completed Bridwellrsquos line
Bridwellrsquos minor league experience consists of only four games at the Triple-A level He was a
starter through 2015 but he made 20 relief appearances among his 27 outings in 2016 the role
change coming after he broke a rib
ldquoItrsquos a tough callrdquo Showalter said ldquoA lot of people are talking bullpen starter bullpen starter I
know how I feel about it but Parkerrsquos got the full assortment and Irsquom hoping this is the year that
he really pops because hersquos a guy who you get asked about a lot because hersquos got all the
presentationrdquo
Teams have been inquiring about Bridwell for years and the Orioles keep refusing to part with
him Theyrsquod like for their faith and patience to be rewarded making the 2017 season an
important one for him
Meanwhile left-hander Tanner Scott struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning after
coming over from minor league camp He walked one batter
Scottrsquos fastball kept climbing into the upper 90s but the Orioles already know he can bring the
heat
ldquoIt was good for Tanner to get in thererdquo Showalter said ldquoHe threw some good breaking balls
Hersquos not just a one-way Harry with the fastball
ldquoI was talking to Roger (McDowell) today Rogerrsquos got a couple things hersquod like to see him do
with his hands and close him off a little more His presentation is a little open Thatrsquos why he
misses up and away a lotrdquo
The breaking ball must develop to complement Tannerrsquos fastball which has been clocked at 100
mph
ldquoYou know the guys are going to have to cheat a little bit to get the fastball and it makes them
really susceptible to the breaking ball because the recognition is so laterdquo Showalter said ldquoIf he
can get a breaking ball like he threw today it gives him a chance to really take it to another level
And a lot of it is because of velocityrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702does-carlos-martinez-deal-provide-a-
framework-for-kevin-gausman-othershtml
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin
Gausman others
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
Itrsquos a question that all major league teams face at some point with their promising young talent
When is the right time to take a risk and sign that player to a long-term contract
On the plus side you can lock up a core player for years to come buy out some free agent years
and have some cost certainty You may even be able to save a few million dollars But there is
potential on the negative side because those dollars are guaranteed despite any future injury
andor player drop-off in performance What if the player gets hurt andor doesnrsquot pan out to be
as good as you thought The future salaries still have to be paid
The St Louis Cardinals recently locked up right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Martinez with a
deal that could provide a possible framework for a future Orioles deal with one of their own
right-handers Kevin Gausman And maybe a year or two after that with Dylan Bundy
Martinez was signed to a five-year deal that reportedly guarantees $51 million The club will pay
him $45 million this year and then $115 million over the following four seasons from 2018-
2021 St Louis holds a club option that is reportedly for $17 million with a $500000 buyout in
2022 and for $18 million with a $500000 buyout in 2023
Martinez who was originally under team control through 2019 before this contract now is under
team control through 2021 at the least and possibly through 2023 with the option years St Louis
bought out at least two free agent seasons
Comparing their 2016 stats
Martinez 16-9 with a 304 ERA 195 innings 122 WHIP 78 hitsnine innings 32 walksnine
innings and 80 strikeoutsnine innings
Gausman 9-12 with a 361 ERA 180 innings 128 WHIP 92 hitsnine innings 24 walksnine
innings and 87 strikeoutsnine innings
Martinez is the better pitcher right now ranking 10th in the majors in ERA at 302 the last two
years among pitchers with 300 or more innings He is 25 and has 3073 years of service time
Gausman is 26 with 2151 years of service
In his first year of arbitration eligibility last year Martinez earned $37 million In his first year
of arbitration this year Gausman was signed to a deal for $345 million and that could increase
to $355 million if he meets incentives for starts made
Gausman is under Orioles control through 2020 so the Orioles have his services for four more
seasons even without him inking a long-term deal To buy out even one free agent year the
Orioles would have to sign him to a five-year deal if that contract was starting in 2017 So
theyrsquove got him locked up for a long stretch even without a long-term deal at this point
If the Orioles did look to even think about locking up Gausman or any other young player right
now those options years tacked onto the end of a deal like with Martinez could be important
They provide a club with the chance to lock up a player over a longer term with few gauranteed
dollars on the line - just the buyout portion of the contract
For any player especially a pitcher a five-year deal is a risk Especially when a team can go
season to season through arbitration Going year to year minimizes the injury risk or the lack of
performance risk
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
ldquoI told you all before when I kept looking at this guy and kept asking about him when you see
guy at that angle whorsquos closing for an upper-level team that tells you he can defend himself
against right-handed hitters at that level The first thing that hit me was changeup and command
Donnie showed me that he can get the ball on the inner half of the plate and either be a strike in
there or off the plate and not miss out over it
ldquoHersquos very conscientious athletic a strike-thrower Hersquos got a chance to help us I like Donnie
Hersquos very serious about the right thingsrdquo
Starter Ubaldo Jimeacutenez was charged with one run over two innings after Austin Romine reached
in the first inning on a bouncer that eluded first baseman Mark Trumbo
ldquoI donrsquot want to jinx himrdquo Showalter said ldquoHis delivery has been about as tight as Irsquove seen it as
far as the workout even the side days the pitching Yoursquove all seen some of the spring training
outings when hersquos trying to get his work in and depending on how you score balls he had a lot of
ground balls He threw strikes and hersquos done it two or three times
ldquoIn the first couple of workdays I could tell I was telling Roger (McDowell) lsquoHave you done
anything with himrsquo He said lsquoNorsquo Irsquom hoping he found something last year and hersquos going to
run with it this yearrdquo
McDowell inherits the job of trying to keep Jimeacutenez from losing the consistency in his
mechanics and home plate
ldquoIrsquom not saying Rogerrsquos just walking around and saying lsquoIrsquoll let him do whateverrsquo rdquo Showalter
said ldquoTalking with him and trying not to get him over-coached Wersquove got a long time down
here and hersquos doing well though itrsquos kind of like I tell the hitters all the time lsquoYoursquore going
good yoursquore swinging the bat well you need to make some notes actually write down some
notes what yoursquore feeling what are some things Yoursquore going to want to reach back for that
ldquoSometimes itrsquos the feeling as much as it is the mechanics of it I know Rogerrsquos trying to figure it
out now lsquoYoursquore in a pretty good groove How do you feel What do you dorsquo Then you also
talk some mechanical things So far so good Irsquom encouraged about Ubaldo He could mean a lot
to us Itrsquos a big year for himrdquo
Jimeacutenez a pending free agent is most responsible for himself Therersquos only so much that others
can do for him
ldquoItrsquos about the playerrdquo Showalter said ldquoIf it was that easy yoursquod just say lsquoTake your left little
toe and make sure itrsquos pointed in that direction and everythingrsquos finersquo I wish it was that easy Itrsquos
hard to stay together mechanically for 100 pitches every fifth day
ldquoLast year he got into a real good groove and some of that was part of it And sometimes itrsquos a
placebo Itrsquos about the results Itrsquos still about the resultsrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702orioles-lineup-vs-phillies-8html
Orioles lineup vs Phillies
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - Chris Dickerson is leading off and playing right field for the Orioles in
todayrsquos game against the Phillies in Clearwater
Caleb Joseph is catching and Robert Andino is playing shortstop
For the Orioles
Chris Dickerson RF
Johnny Giavotella 2B
Anthony Santander DH
Trey Mancini 1B
Logan Schafer CF
Chris Johnson 3B
Aneury Tavaacuterez LF
Caleb Joseph C
Robert Andino SS
Mike Wright RHP
Ryan Flaherty said his right shoulder began bothering him five or six days ago but he could play
today if needed He wonrsquot make the trip but hersquos expected to play Wednesday against the Red
Sox in Sarasota
httpwwwbaltimoresuncomsportsoriolesbs-sp-orioles-wbc-0228-20170227-storyhtml
World Baseball Classic is nice in theory but it creates
headaches across MLB
By Peter Schmuck The Baltimore Sun
February 27 2017
Everyone knows why Major League Baseball is so high on the World Baseball Classic and just
about everyone working in the industry knows the important talking points about the social and
economic benefits of globalizing the sport
Orioles manager Buck Showalter obviously knows them and starts just about every conversation
about the upcoming tournament with the same preamble
People smarter than me are trying to grow the game globally Showalter said again on
Monday Its a reminder that were not in this alone When we say these are the best players in
the world it is the world
Thats true of course and there is certainly a lot to be said about the beauty of international
competition and cooperation which well get to see when the tournament begins on March 6 But
that doesnt mean there arent fair questions about the impact of the event on spring training and
on the preparation of key players for the upcoming major league playoff races
Showalter talks a lot about the internal clock that governs each player over the eight months that
begin at the start of training camp and continue through the course of the regular season and
beyond There are examples of that rhythm being disrupted in previous World Baseball Classics
ndash Orioles reliever Pedro Strops regular season struggle in 2013 is often cited ndash so the coaching
staff has been in contact with each of the WBC teams to ascertain how the Orioles participants
will be handled
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees
There are some unique challenges this spring that we dont normally have Showalter said I
understand the return were trying to get The biggest thing probably is the clock that changes
Players are creatures of habit and routine and every team is completely different because theyre
going to come back from this and were going to have to slow down and start the clock again
The subject was particularly relevant on Monday because young second baseman Jonathan
Schoop was playing in his final pre-WBC exhibition game against the New York Yankees at Ed
Smith Stadium Hes heading off to join the Netherlands for the first round which takes place in
South Korea so hell have to spend about 20 hours on an airplane each way and is leaving much
earlier than the other WBC-bound Orioles
Pitchers and catchers reported for duty on Monday Feb 13 2017 The Orioles begin the 2017
season at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 3
Its really exciting Schoop said not so much for the flight ndash its a long flight ndash but its exciting
for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys ndash [Jurickson]
Profar Didi Gregorius [Andrelton] Simmons and with my brother there too Its going to be fun
for the country Im looking forward to it
Netherlands coach Hensley Meulens who played for Showalter in New York in the early 1990s
has kept in contact with his old manager and kept him apprised of the way he plans to use
Schoop who celebrated his pending departure with a long home run in the third inning of
Mondays spring training game
Hensley asked me about any limitations on Jon Showalter said I asked him what he was
planning on doing with him Hes planning on rotating those guys around I really appreciated the
call Were proud of Jon I know its a big moment for him He takes a lot of pride in that
There is probably more risk involved in the accelerated early training schedule for the pitchers
so pitching coach Roger McDowell has been in contact with USA pitching coach Jeff Jones to
discuss Mychal Givens and Mexico coach Rigo Beltran to check on the plans for new Orioles
left-hander Vidal Nuno The Orioles are most concerned about the proper handling of Givens
because of his quick emergence as a solid major league setup guy and his relatively little
experience as a pitcher
I think the way theyve got it set up for the pitchers theres a real protection there Showalter
said I think its the position players as much as the pitchers Therell be another conversation
if they get through the first round because it kind of escalates a little bit
Though the biggest concern is a serious injury that cuts into the regular season Showalter said
theres nothing he can say to Schoop on the way out of town that will make him any safer once
the WBC games begin Telling a player to play carefully might lead to the opposite of the desired
effect
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt Showalter said If he just plays in the
way he normally does hes a very durable player knock on wood Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in If he just follows what
hes been doing he should be OK
The internal clock concept doesnt apply only to individual members of the team The departure
of six key players also figures to have an impact on the competitive ebb and flow of spring
training for the entire club
Sure it does Showalter said Your perfect spring training you start off sharp and everything
and then you always hit a lull in camp and then you finish up strong We had the opposite of that
last year Thats the perfect world but because of the WBC theres not that rhythm to spring
training where at this point we want to do this at this point we want to have this behind us at
this point we want to start coming back to things so next year well be able to retain them
When it comes to the WBC and spring training things are tough all over The Orioles are
sending only a major league relief pitcher and a bullpen bubble guy along with Schoop and
fellow position players Adam Jones Manny Machado and Welington Castillo Imagine how
Showalter might feel if he were managing the Seattle Mariners who have 11 possible WBC
participants and have committed most of their projected starting rotation ndash superstar Felix
Hernandez Drew Smyly and former Oriole Yovani Gallardo
The Detroit Tigers had an MLB-high 15 players on the original list of WBC participants released
three weeks ago though some are minor leaguers and a couple of major league pitchers are in the
designated pitcher pool that makes them available to join teams that advance beyond the first
round
httpwwwbaltimoresuncomsportsoriolesblogbal-ubaldo-jimenez-allows-one-run-in-first-
start-of-spring-as-orioles-lose-4-1-to-yankees-20170227-storyhtml
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as
Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees
By Eduardo Encina The Baltimore Sun
February 27 2017
In Ubaldo Jimenezrsquos first Grapefruit League start of the season his performance was better than
indicated as the Orioles lost 4-1 to the New York Yankees in front of an announced 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium on Monday afternoon
Jimenez allowed one run on three hits over two innings but probably deserved a better fate He
commanded his fastball overcame early adversity and needed just 10 pitches to get through his
second inning of work Overall 17 of Jimenezrsquos 29 pitches were strikes
He threw strikes and hersquos done it two or three times Orioles manager Buck Showalter In the
first couple of workdays I could tell I was telling [pitching coach] Roger [McDowell] lsquoHave
you done anything with himrsquo He said lsquonorsquo Irsquom hoping he found something last year and hersquos
going to run with it this year
ldquoHis delivery has been about as tight as Irsquove seen it as far as the workout even the side days the
pitching Showalter said Irsquom in the dugout Yoursquove all seen some of the spring training outings
when hersquos trying to get his work in and depending on how you score balls he had a lot of
groundballs
He didnrsquot deserve the earned run charged to him in his two-inning outing on Monday The
second batter he faced Yankees catcher Austin Romine hit a grounder to first that Mark Trumbo
failed to backhand but it was ruled a hit
And after Romine moved to third on Greg Birdrsquos double he scored on a fielderrsquos choice a ball
that would have been the third out of the inning if Trumbo had made the play on Rominersquos
grounder
ldquoItrsquos part of the game especially this time of year Wersquore here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit more for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
The game went into the ninth inning tied at one before right-hander Oliver Drake unraveled
allowing the first three hitters he faced to reach base culminating with Thairo Estradarsquos three-
run homer to left field
Yankees prospect Clint Frazier opened the inning with a double and Kellin Deglan singled to put
runners at the corners before Estrada blasted a 1-0 pitch to left for the game-deciding homer
Schoop goes deep Playing in his last game before leaving the team to join the Netherlands
World Baseball Classic team in South Korea second baseman Jonathan Schoop hit his first
home run of the spring tattooing a first-pitch 91-mph fastball from Yankees left-hander Evan
Rutckyj well over left-field fence
Schoop a native of Curacao played in three of the Oriolesrsquo first four Grapefruit League games
in order to get as many at-bats as possible for the WBC Schoop was 3-for-8 with all of his hits
being of the extra-base variety (two doubles and a homer)
ldquoI feel like I have enough games inrdquo Schoop said ldquoI think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Irsquom ready I feel goodrdquo
Jones ranging Orioles outfield Whether Orioles center fielder Adam Jones plays too shallow is
often a topic of discussion -- and Jones has expressed his concern about the teamrsquos outfield
defense around him On Monday Jones was forced to cover an inordinate amount or ground
With two outs in the second inning Jones saved a run by making a diving catch in front of Seth
Smith in right field robbing Jorge Mateo of a base hit
ldquoAdam made a heck of a ball on that ballrdquo Showalter said of Jones catch on Mateos ball ldquoNot
many people get to that Thatrsquos why things change with depths The windrsquos blowing in yoursquove
got a guy up whorsquos not a power hitter You have to change some thingsrdquo
In the fourth Jones had to range into left field to prevent an inside-the-park home run when left
fielder Hyun Soo Kim lost Aaron Judgersquos ball in the sun and it landed over his head
Hart perfect Left-handed reliever Donnie Hart pitched a perfect seventh inning for the Orioles
and has retired all six batters hersquos faced in spring training
Hart recorded a pair of strikeouts getting Cito Culver swinging and Rashad Crawford looking
Hart who was used in a situational lefty role last season has retired as many right-handed hitters
(3) as he has left-handed hitters
When I kept looking at this guy and kept asking about him when you see a guy from that angle
that is closing at an upper-level team [Hart had four saves at Double-A Bowie] that tells you he
can defend himself against right-handed hitters at that level Showalter said
Scott escapes jam Flame-throwing minor leaguer Tanner Scott stranded the go-ahead run on
second in the eighth inning striking out Wilkin Castillo and Jorge Saez to escape the jam
Scott issued a one-out walk to former Oriole Ji-Man Choi who moved to second on a wild pitch
But Scott prevented the run from scoring with the back-to-back strikeouts ending the inning by
getting Saez to swing through a 97-mph fastball
He threw some good breaking balls today Showalter said Hersquos not just a one-way harry with
the fastball
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257418ubaldo-jimenez-aims-to-reduce-long-counts
Ubaldo aims to reduce long counts add innings
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Ubaldo Jimenez is trying to pick up where he left off at the end of the 2016
regular season Last September Jimenez was 3-1 with a 231 ERA in five starts and threw the
Orioles first complete game in two years on Sept 5 at Tampa Bay
Jimenez made his first spring start of 2017 allowing one run on three hits in two innings against
the New York Yankees on Monday
I was commanding the fastball and keeping the ball down I think thats what I did I was able to
get a lot of ground balls I still have to get a couple of my breaking balls over Jimenez said
In the first inning Jimenez allowed a single to Austin Romine The ball was hit to first
baseman Mark Trumbo and he couldnt handle it but it was scored as a hit After a double
by Greg Bird Romine scored on Aaron Judges fielders choice
Jimenez wasnt upset by the miscue
Its part of the game especially this time of year Were here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit [longer] for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
He threw 29 pitches in two innings and hes trying to reduce the number of deep counts
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season That was attacking the strike
zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and going to
allow me to get deeper in the games Jimenez said
It was the first time Welington Castillo caught his fellow Dominican
[Castillo is] great Hes great said Jimenez I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a
couple of games in the Dominican Winter League in 2010 Were on the same page Hes a good
guy He wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the
best for the team
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257420os-ready-to-begin-departing-for-17-classic
Orioles ready to begin departing for 17 Classic
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Six Orioles will leave the team within the next week for the World Baseball
Classic One of them second baseman Jonathan Schoop departed after Mondays game to
prepare to join the team from the Netherlands
In Sundays spring win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Classic-bound players had six of the Orioles
10 hits Adam Jones had a long home run and a double Welington Castillo had two hits Manny
Machado hit a homer and Schoop had a hit
Those guys are pushing earlier than normal and you can tell theyve all got a lot of pride in the
teams and countries theyre going to be playing for and they really want to present themselves
well and I think we saw a little byproduct of that today manager Buck Showalter said Sunday
Castillo and Machado will leave this Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic Left-handed
pitcher Vidal Nuno also leaves Sunday for Team Mexico Jones and right-handed pitcher Mychal
Givens leave a week from now to play for Team USA
Givens who threw a scoreless inning in his first game on Friday against Detroit is getting
pumped about pitching for his country
Definitely to wear that uniform with the USA on the front representing and trying to bring a
[championship] to the US side is really exciting to do Givens said
Schoop who hit a long home run to left field in the third inning Monday played all 162 games
last season Showalter said he wouldnt advise him to play it safe
Jonathan Schoop belts a solo home run to left field tying the game at 1 in the bottom of the 3rd
inning
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt If he just plays in the way he normally
does hes a very durable player knock on wood Showalter said Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in hellip If he just follows
what hes been doing he should be OK
Schoop is thrilled to be playing with the Yankees Didi Gregorius Bostons Xander Bogaerts
Texas Jurickson Profar and the Angels Andrelton Simmons as well as his brother Sharlon an
Orioles Minor Leaguer
Its exciting for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys Schoop
said Thats going to be fun for the country Im looking forward to it
On March 11 Team USA faces the Dominican Republic and theres a chance Givens could face
Machado in an emotional game
Its just the whole meaning of the World Baseball Classic countries trying to prove theyre the
best Givens said Its a good thing for baseball to have that competitive nature trying to
represent your country doesnt matter who it is Im going to be competitive and try to represent
the name on the front of the jersey
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702showalter-on-bridwell-and-scotthtml
Showalter on Bridwell and Scott
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - The Orioles are on the road again after two straight home games making the
long drive to Clearwater to play the Phillies at 105 pm
Mike Wright is on the mound after working the first inning in the first intrasquad game and
retiring all three batters he faced He struck out Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavaacuterez retired Johnny
Giavotella on a ground ball and retired Ryan Flaherty on a fly ball to left field
Tavaacuterez is supposed to play left field and bat leadoff today Flaherty is supposed to stay back at
the Ed Smith Stadium complex and receive treatment on his sore right shoulder
Irsquoll go out on a limb and say Giavotella will make the trip Hersquos appeared in all four games
going 3-for-3 in the opener in Lakeland
The Orioles are trying to as manager Buck Showalter says get their arms around Parker
Bridwell They may have learned a little more about him yesterday by how he responded to
Saturdayrsquos poor outing Or he just confirmed what they already knew that hersquos got the stuff to
get hitters out and is working to become more consistent
Bridwell 25 served up back-to-back home runs to the Piratesrsquo Chris Bostick and Jin-De Jhang
in the eighth inning accounting for three late runs in a 6-2 loss at LECOM Park He gave up a
one-out double yesterday to the Yankeesrsquo Greg Bird but he induced a fielderrsquos choice grounder
from Aaron Judge and popup from Rob Refsnyder
A solid response to Saturday and an example of why the Orioles remain so intrigued by him
despite their occasional frustration
ldquoItrsquos kind of been Parkerrsquos challengerdquo Showalter said ldquoWe even saw it in the big leagues Hersquoll
go through an inning or sequences and yoursquoll go lsquowowrsquo and then it gets away from him He got
a little cutter happy last timerdquo
Bridwell made two relief appearances with the Orioles last season his first exposure to the
majors and allowed five runs and five hits in 3 13 innings He struck out three batters but also
surrendered two home runs
Four of the runs scored over 1 13 innings in an Aug 24 game against the Nationals in DC In
his debut three nights earlier he struck out the first batter he faced the Astrosrsquo Evan Gattis and
retired Tony Kemp on a liner to center field but Jake Marisnick homered to left field
Bridwell came back out for the ninth and allowed a leadoff single to Teoscar Hernandez who
was erased on stolen base attempt A fly ball and called third strike completed Bridwellrsquos line
Bridwellrsquos minor league experience consists of only four games at the Triple-A level He was a
starter through 2015 but he made 20 relief appearances among his 27 outings in 2016 the role
change coming after he broke a rib
ldquoItrsquos a tough callrdquo Showalter said ldquoA lot of people are talking bullpen starter bullpen starter I
know how I feel about it but Parkerrsquos got the full assortment and Irsquom hoping this is the year that
he really pops because hersquos a guy who you get asked about a lot because hersquos got all the
presentationrdquo
Teams have been inquiring about Bridwell for years and the Orioles keep refusing to part with
him Theyrsquod like for their faith and patience to be rewarded making the 2017 season an
important one for him
Meanwhile left-hander Tanner Scott struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning after
coming over from minor league camp He walked one batter
Scottrsquos fastball kept climbing into the upper 90s but the Orioles already know he can bring the
heat
ldquoIt was good for Tanner to get in thererdquo Showalter said ldquoHe threw some good breaking balls
Hersquos not just a one-way Harry with the fastball
ldquoI was talking to Roger (McDowell) today Rogerrsquos got a couple things hersquod like to see him do
with his hands and close him off a little more His presentation is a little open Thatrsquos why he
misses up and away a lotrdquo
The breaking ball must develop to complement Tannerrsquos fastball which has been clocked at 100
mph
ldquoYou know the guys are going to have to cheat a little bit to get the fastball and it makes them
really susceptible to the breaking ball because the recognition is so laterdquo Showalter said ldquoIf he
can get a breaking ball like he threw today it gives him a chance to really take it to another level
And a lot of it is because of velocityrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702does-carlos-martinez-deal-provide-a-
framework-for-kevin-gausman-othershtml
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin
Gausman others
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
Itrsquos a question that all major league teams face at some point with their promising young talent
When is the right time to take a risk and sign that player to a long-term contract
On the plus side you can lock up a core player for years to come buy out some free agent years
and have some cost certainty You may even be able to save a few million dollars But there is
potential on the negative side because those dollars are guaranteed despite any future injury
andor player drop-off in performance What if the player gets hurt andor doesnrsquot pan out to be
as good as you thought The future salaries still have to be paid
The St Louis Cardinals recently locked up right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Martinez with a
deal that could provide a possible framework for a future Orioles deal with one of their own
right-handers Kevin Gausman And maybe a year or two after that with Dylan Bundy
Martinez was signed to a five-year deal that reportedly guarantees $51 million The club will pay
him $45 million this year and then $115 million over the following four seasons from 2018-
2021 St Louis holds a club option that is reportedly for $17 million with a $500000 buyout in
2022 and for $18 million with a $500000 buyout in 2023
Martinez who was originally under team control through 2019 before this contract now is under
team control through 2021 at the least and possibly through 2023 with the option years St Louis
bought out at least two free agent seasons
Comparing their 2016 stats
Martinez 16-9 with a 304 ERA 195 innings 122 WHIP 78 hitsnine innings 32 walksnine
innings and 80 strikeoutsnine innings
Gausman 9-12 with a 361 ERA 180 innings 128 WHIP 92 hitsnine innings 24 walksnine
innings and 87 strikeoutsnine innings
Martinez is the better pitcher right now ranking 10th in the majors in ERA at 302 the last two
years among pitchers with 300 or more innings He is 25 and has 3073 years of service time
Gausman is 26 with 2151 years of service
In his first year of arbitration eligibility last year Martinez earned $37 million In his first year
of arbitration this year Gausman was signed to a deal for $345 million and that could increase
to $355 million if he meets incentives for starts made
Gausman is under Orioles control through 2020 so the Orioles have his services for four more
seasons even without him inking a long-term deal To buy out even one free agent year the
Orioles would have to sign him to a five-year deal if that contract was starting in 2017 So
theyrsquove got him locked up for a long stretch even without a long-term deal at this point
If the Orioles did look to even think about locking up Gausman or any other young player right
now those options years tacked onto the end of a deal like with Martinez could be important
They provide a club with the chance to lock up a player over a longer term with few gauranteed
dollars on the line - just the buyout portion of the contract
For any player especially a pitcher a five-year deal is a risk Especially when a team can go
season to season through arbitration Going year to year minimizes the injury risk or the lack of
performance risk
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702orioles-lineup-vs-phillies-8html
Orioles lineup vs Phillies
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - Chris Dickerson is leading off and playing right field for the Orioles in
todayrsquos game against the Phillies in Clearwater
Caleb Joseph is catching and Robert Andino is playing shortstop
For the Orioles
Chris Dickerson RF
Johnny Giavotella 2B
Anthony Santander DH
Trey Mancini 1B
Logan Schafer CF
Chris Johnson 3B
Aneury Tavaacuterez LF
Caleb Joseph C
Robert Andino SS
Mike Wright RHP
Ryan Flaherty said his right shoulder began bothering him five or six days ago but he could play
today if needed He wonrsquot make the trip but hersquos expected to play Wednesday against the Red
Sox in Sarasota
httpwwwbaltimoresuncomsportsoriolesbs-sp-orioles-wbc-0228-20170227-storyhtml
World Baseball Classic is nice in theory but it creates
headaches across MLB
By Peter Schmuck The Baltimore Sun
February 27 2017
Everyone knows why Major League Baseball is so high on the World Baseball Classic and just
about everyone working in the industry knows the important talking points about the social and
economic benefits of globalizing the sport
Orioles manager Buck Showalter obviously knows them and starts just about every conversation
about the upcoming tournament with the same preamble
People smarter than me are trying to grow the game globally Showalter said again on
Monday Its a reminder that were not in this alone When we say these are the best players in
the world it is the world
Thats true of course and there is certainly a lot to be said about the beauty of international
competition and cooperation which well get to see when the tournament begins on March 6 But
that doesnt mean there arent fair questions about the impact of the event on spring training and
on the preparation of key players for the upcoming major league playoff races
Showalter talks a lot about the internal clock that governs each player over the eight months that
begin at the start of training camp and continue through the course of the regular season and
beyond There are examples of that rhythm being disrupted in previous World Baseball Classics
ndash Orioles reliever Pedro Strops regular season struggle in 2013 is often cited ndash so the coaching
staff has been in contact with each of the WBC teams to ascertain how the Orioles participants
will be handled
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees
There are some unique challenges this spring that we dont normally have Showalter said I
understand the return were trying to get The biggest thing probably is the clock that changes
Players are creatures of habit and routine and every team is completely different because theyre
going to come back from this and were going to have to slow down and start the clock again
The subject was particularly relevant on Monday because young second baseman Jonathan
Schoop was playing in his final pre-WBC exhibition game against the New York Yankees at Ed
Smith Stadium Hes heading off to join the Netherlands for the first round which takes place in
South Korea so hell have to spend about 20 hours on an airplane each way and is leaving much
earlier than the other WBC-bound Orioles
Pitchers and catchers reported for duty on Monday Feb 13 2017 The Orioles begin the 2017
season at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 3
Its really exciting Schoop said not so much for the flight ndash its a long flight ndash but its exciting
for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys ndash [Jurickson]
Profar Didi Gregorius [Andrelton] Simmons and with my brother there too Its going to be fun
for the country Im looking forward to it
Netherlands coach Hensley Meulens who played for Showalter in New York in the early 1990s
has kept in contact with his old manager and kept him apprised of the way he plans to use
Schoop who celebrated his pending departure with a long home run in the third inning of
Mondays spring training game
Hensley asked me about any limitations on Jon Showalter said I asked him what he was
planning on doing with him Hes planning on rotating those guys around I really appreciated the
call Were proud of Jon I know its a big moment for him He takes a lot of pride in that
There is probably more risk involved in the accelerated early training schedule for the pitchers
so pitching coach Roger McDowell has been in contact with USA pitching coach Jeff Jones to
discuss Mychal Givens and Mexico coach Rigo Beltran to check on the plans for new Orioles
left-hander Vidal Nuno The Orioles are most concerned about the proper handling of Givens
because of his quick emergence as a solid major league setup guy and his relatively little
experience as a pitcher
I think the way theyve got it set up for the pitchers theres a real protection there Showalter
said I think its the position players as much as the pitchers Therell be another conversation
if they get through the first round because it kind of escalates a little bit
Though the biggest concern is a serious injury that cuts into the regular season Showalter said
theres nothing he can say to Schoop on the way out of town that will make him any safer once
the WBC games begin Telling a player to play carefully might lead to the opposite of the desired
effect
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt Showalter said If he just plays in the
way he normally does hes a very durable player knock on wood Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in If he just follows what
hes been doing he should be OK
The internal clock concept doesnt apply only to individual members of the team The departure
of six key players also figures to have an impact on the competitive ebb and flow of spring
training for the entire club
Sure it does Showalter said Your perfect spring training you start off sharp and everything
and then you always hit a lull in camp and then you finish up strong We had the opposite of that
last year Thats the perfect world but because of the WBC theres not that rhythm to spring
training where at this point we want to do this at this point we want to have this behind us at
this point we want to start coming back to things so next year well be able to retain them
When it comes to the WBC and spring training things are tough all over The Orioles are
sending only a major league relief pitcher and a bullpen bubble guy along with Schoop and
fellow position players Adam Jones Manny Machado and Welington Castillo Imagine how
Showalter might feel if he were managing the Seattle Mariners who have 11 possible WBC
participants and have committed most of their projected starting rotation ndash superstar Felix
Hernandez Drew Smyly and former Oriole Yovani Gallardo
The Detroit Tigers had an MLB-high 15 players on the original list of WBC participants released
three weeks ago though some are minor leaguers and a couple of major league pitchers are in the
designated pitcher pool that makes them available to join teams that advance beyond the first
round
httpwwwbaltimoresuncomsportsoriolesblogbal-ubaldo-jimenez-allows-one-run-in-first-
start-of-spring-as-orioles-lose-4-1-to-yankees-20170227-storyhtml
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as
Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees
By Eduardo Encina The Baltimore Sun
February 27 2017
In Ubaldo Jimenezrsquos first Grapefruit League start of the season his performance was better than
indicated as the Orioles lost 4-1 to the New York Yankees in front of an announced 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium on Monday afternoon
Jimenez allowed one run on three hits over two innings but probably deserved a better fate He
commanded his fastball overcame early adversity and needed just 10 pitches to get through his
second inning of work Overall 17 of Jimenezrsquos 29 pitches were strikes
He threw strikes and hersquos done it two or three times Orioles manager Buck Showalter In the
first couple of workdays I could tell I was telling [pitching coach] Roger [McDowell] lsquoHave
you done anything with himrsquo He said lsquonorsquo Irsquom hoping he found something last year and hersquos
going to run with it this year
ldquoHis delivery has been about as tight as Irsquove seen it as far as the workout even the side days the
pitching Showalter said Irsquom in the dugout Yoursquove all seen some of the spring training outings
when hersquos trying to get his work in and depending on how you score balls he had a lot of
groundballs
He didnrsquot deserve the earned run charged to him in his two-inning outing on Monday The
second batter he faced Yankees catcher Austin Romine hit a grounder to first that Mark Trumbo
failed to backhand but it was ruled a hit
And after Romine moved to third on Greg Birdrsquos double he scored on a fielderrsquos choice a ball
that would have been the third out of the inning if Trumbo had made the play on Rominersquos
grounder
ldquoItrsquos part of the game especially this time of year Wersquore here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit more for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
The game went into the ninth inning tied at one before right-hander Oliver Drake unraveled
allowing the first three hitters he faced to reach base culminating with Thairo Estradarsquos three-
run homer to left field
Yankees prospect Clint Frazier opened the inning with a double and Kellin Deglan singled to put
runners at the corners before Estrada blasted a 1-0 pitch to left for the game-deciding homer
Schoop goes deep Playing in his last game before leaving the team to join the Netherlands
World Baseball Classic team in South Korea second baseman Jonathan Schoop hit his first
home run of the spring tattooing a first-pitch 91-mph fastball from Yankees left-hander Evan
Rutckyj well over left-field fence
Schoop a native of Curacao played in three of the Oriolesrsquo first four Grapefruit League games
in order to get as many at-bats as possible for the WBC Schoop was 3-for-8 with all of his hits
being of the extra-base variety (two doubles and a homer)
ldquoI feel like I have enough games inrdquo Schoop said ldquoI think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Irsquom ready I feel goodrdquo
Jones ranging Orioles outfield Whether Orioles center fielder Adam Jones plays too shallow is
often a topic of discussion -- and Jones has expressed his concern about the teamrsquos outfield
defense around him On Monday Jones was forced to cover an inordinate amount or ground
With two outs in the second inning Jones saved a run by making a diving catch in front of Seth
Smith in right field robbing Jorge Mateo of a base hit
ldquoAdam made a heck of a ball on that ballrdquo Showalter said of Jones catch on Mateos ball ldquoNot
many people get to that Thatrsquos why things change with depths The windrsquos blowing in yoursquove
got a guy up whorsquos not a power hitter You have to change some thingsrdquo
In the fourth Jones had to range into left field to prevent an inside-the-park home run when left
fielder Hyun Soo Kim lost Aaron Judgersquos ball in the sun and it landed over his head
Hart perfect Left-handed reliever Donnie Hart pitched a perfect seventh inning for the Orioles
and has retired all six batters hersquos faced in spring training
Hart recorded a pair of strikeouts getting Cito Culver swinging and Rashad Crawford looking
Hart who was used in a situational lefty role last season has retired as many right-handed hitters
(3) as he has left-handed hitters
When I kept looking at this guy and kept asking about him when you see a guy from that angle
that is closing at an upper-level team [Hart had four saves at Double-A Bowie] that tells you he
can defend himself against right-handed hitters at that level Showalter said
Scott escapes jam Flame-throwing minor leaguer Tanner Scott stranded the go-ahead run on
second in the eighth inning striking out Wilkin Castillo and Jorge Saez to escape the jam
Scott issued a one-out walk to former Oriole Ji-Man Choi who moved to second on a wild pitch
But Scott prevented the run from scoring with the back-to-back strikeouts ending the inning by
getting Saez to swing through a 97-mph fastball
He threw some good breaking balls today Showalter said Hersquos not just a one-way harry with
the fastball
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257418ubaldo-jimenez-aims-to-reduce-long-counts
Ubaldo aims to reduce long counts add innings
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Ubaldo Jimenez is trying to pick up where he left off at the end of the 2016
regular season Last September Jimenez was 3-1 with a 231 ERA in five starts and threw the
Orioles first complete game in two years on Sept 5 at Tampa Bay
Jimenez made his first spring start of 2017 allowing one run on three hits in two innings against
the New York Yankees on Monday
I was commanding the fastball and keeping the ball down I think thats what I did I was able to
get a lot of ground balls I still have to get a couple of my breaking balls over Jimenez said
In the first inning Jimenez allowed a single to Austin Romine The ball was hit to first
baseman Mark Trumbo and he couldnt handle it but it was scored as a hit After a double
by Greg Bird Romine scored on Aaron Judges fielders choice
Jimenez wasnt upset by the miscue
Its part of the game especially this time of year Were here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit [longer] for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
He threw 29 pitches in two innings and hes trying to reduce the number of deep counts
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season That was attacking the strike
zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and going to
allow me to get deeper in the games Jimenez said
It was the first time Welington Castillo caught his fellow Dominican
[Castillo is] great Hes great said Jimenez I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a
couple of games in the Dominican Winter League in 2010 Were on the same page Hes a good
guy He wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the
best for the team
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257420os-ready-to-begin-departing-for-17-classic
Orioles ready to begin departing for 17 Classic
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Six Orioles will leave the team within the next week for the World Baseball
Classic One of them second baseman Jonathan Schoop departed after Mondays game to
prepare to join the team from the Netherlands
In Sundays spring win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Classic-bound players had six of the Orioles
10 hits Adam Jones had a long home run and a double Welington Castillo had two hits Manny
Machado hit a homer and Schoop had a hit
Those guys are pushing earlier than normal and you can tell theyve all got a lot of pride in the
teams and countries theyre going to be playing for and they really want to present themselves
well and I think we saw a little byproduct of that today manager Buck Showalter said Sunday
Castillo and Machado will leave this Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic Left-handed
pitcher Vidal Nuno also leaves Sunday for Team Mexico Jones and right-handed pitcher Mychal
Givens leave a week from now to play for Team USA
Givens who threw a scoreless inning in his first game on Friday against Detroit is getting
pumped about pitching for his country
Definitely to wear that uniform with the USA on the front representing and trying to bring a
[championship] to the US side is really exciting to do Givens said
Schoop who hit a long home run to left field in the third inning Monday played all 162 games
last season Showalter said he wouldnt advise him to play it safe
Jonathan Schoop belts a solo home run to left field tying the game at 1 in the bottom of the 3rd
inning
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt If he just plays in the way he normally
does hes a very durable player knock on wood Showalter said Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in hellip If he just follows
what hes been doing he should be OK
Schoop is thrilled to be playing with the Yankees Didi Gregorius Bostons Xander Bogaerts
Texas Jurickson Profar and the Angels Andrelton Simmons as well as his brother Sharlon an
Orioles Minor Leaguer
Its exciting for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys Schoop
said Thats going to be fun for the country Im looking forward to it
On March 11 Team USA faces the Dominican Republic and theres a chance Givens could face
Machado in an emotional game
Its just the whole meaning of the World Baseball Classic countries trying to prove theyre the
best Givens said Its a good thing for baseball to have that competitive nature trying to
represent your country doesnt matter who it is Im going to be competitive and try to represent
the name on the front of the jersey
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702showalter-on-bridwell-and-scotthtml
Showalter on Bridwell and Scott
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - The Orioles are on the road again after two straight home games making the
long drive to Clearwater to play the Phillies at 105 pm
Mike Wright is on the mound after working the first inning in the first intrasquad game and
retiring all three batters he faced He struck out Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavaacuterez retired Johnny
Giavotella on a ground ball and retired Ryan Flaherty on a fly ball to left field
Tavaacuterez is supposed to play left field and bat leadoff today Flaherty is supposed to stay back at
the Ed Smith Stadium complex and receive treatment on his sore right shoulder
Irsquoll go out on a limb and say Giavotella will make the trip Hersquos appeared in all four games
going 3-for-3 in the opener in Lakeland
The Orioles are trying to as manager Buck Showalter says get their arms around Parker
Bridwell They may have learned a little more about him yesterday by how he responded to
Saturdayrsquos poor outing Or he just confirmed what they already knew that hersquos got the stuff to
get hitters out and is working to become more consistent
Bridwell 25 served up back-to-back home runs to the Piratesrsquo Chris Bostick and Jin-De Jhang
in the eighth inning accounting for three late runs in a 6-2 loss at LECOM Park He gave up a
one-out double yesterday to the Yankeesrsquo Greg Bird but he induced a fielderrsquos choice grounder
from Aaron Judge and popup from Rob Refsnyder
A solid response to Saturday and an example of why the Orioles remain so intrigued by him
despite their occasional frustration
ldquoItrsquos kind of been Parkerrsquos challengerdquo Showalter said ldquoWe even saw it in the big leagues Hersquoll
go through an inning or sequences and yoursquoll go lsquowowrsquo and then it gets away from him He got
a little cutter happy last timerdquo
Bridwell made two relief appearances with the Orioles last season his first exposure to the
majors and allowed five runs and five hits in 3 13 innings He struck out three batters but also
surrendered two home runs
Four of the runs scored over 1 13 innings in an Aug 24 game against the Nationals in DC In
his debut three nights earlier he struck out the first batter he faced the Astrosrsquo Evan Gattis and
retired Tony Kemp on a liner to center field but Jake Marisnick homered to left field
Bridwell came back out for the ninth and allowed a leadoff single to Teoscar Hernandez who
was erased on stolen base attempt A fly ball and called third strike completed Bridwellrsquos line
Bridwellrsquos minor league experience consists of only four games at the Triple-A level He was a
starter through 2015 but he made 20 relief appearances among his 27 outings in 2016 the role
change coming after he broke a rib
ldquoItrsquos a tough callrdquo Showalter said ldquoA lot of people are talking bullpen starter bullpen starter I
know how I feel about it but Parkerrsquos got the full assortment and Irsquom hoping this is the year that
he really pops because hersquos a guy who you get asked about a lot because hersquos got all the
presentationrdquo
Teams have been inquiring about Bridwell for years and the Orioles keep refusing to part with
him Theyrsquod like for their faith and patience to be rewarded making the 2017 season an
important one for him
Meanwhile left-hander Tanner Scott struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning after
coming over from minor league camp He walked one batter
Scottrsquos fastball kept climbing into the upper 90s but the Orioles already know he can bring the
heat
ldquoIt was good for Tanner to get in thererdquo Showalter said ldquoHe threw some good breaking balls
Hersquos not just a one-way Harry with the fastball
ldquoI was talking to Roger (McDowell) today Rogerrsquos got a couple things hersquod like to see him do
with his hands and close him off a little more His presentation is a little open Thatrsquos why he
misses up and away a lotrdquo
The breaking ball must develop to complement Tannerrsquos fastball which has been clocked at 100
mph
ldquoYou know the guys are going to have to cheat a little bit to get the fastball and it makes them
really susceptible to the breaking ball because the recognition is so laterdquo Showalter said ldquoIf he
can get a breaking ball like he threw today it gives him a chance to really take it to another level
And a lot of it is because of velocityrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702does-carlos-martinez-deal-provide-a-
framework-for-kevin-gausman-othershtml
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin
Gausman others
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
Itrsquos a question that all major league teams face at some point with their promising young talent
When is the right time to take a risk and sign that player to a long-term contract
On the plus side you can lock up a core player for years to come buy out some free agent years
and have some cost certainty You may even be able to save a few million dollars But there is
potential on the negative side because those dollars are guaranteed despite any future injury
andor player drop-off in performance What if the player gets hurt andor doesnrsquot pan out to be
as good as you thought The future salaries still have to be paid
The St Louis Cardinals recently locked up right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Martinez with a
deal that could provide a possible framework for a future Orioles deal with one of their own
right-handers Kevin Gausman And maybe a year or two after that with Dylan Bundy
Martinez was signed to a five-year deal that reportedly guarantees $51 million The club will pay
him $45 million this year and then $115 million over the following four seasons from 2018-
2021 St Louis holds a club option that is reportedly for $17 million with a $500000 buyout in
2022 and for $18 million with a $500000 buyout in 2023
Martinez who was originally under team control through 2019 before this contract now is under
team control through 2021 at the least and possibly through 2023 with the option years St Louis
bought out at least two free agent seasons
Comparing their 2016 stats
Martinez 16-9 with a 304 ERA 195 innings 122 WHIP 78 hitsnine innings 32 walksnine
innings and 80 strikeoutsnine innings
Gausman 9-12 with a 361 ERA 180 innings 128 WHIP 92 hitsnine innings 24 walksnine
innings and 87 strikeoutsnine innings
Martinez is the better pitcher right now ranking 10th in the majors in ERA at 302 the last two
years among pitchers with 300 or more innings He is 25 and has 3073 years of service time
Gausman is 26 with 2151 years of service
In his first year of arbitration eligibility last year Martinez earned $37 million In his first year
of arbitration this year Gausman was signed to a deal for $345 million and that could increase
to $355 million if he meets incentives for starts made
Gausman is under Orioles control through 2020 so the Orioles have his services for four more
seasons even without him inking a long-term deal To buy out even one free agent year the
Orioles would have to sign him to a five-year deal if that contract was starting in 2017 So
theyrsquove got him locked up for a long stretch even without a long-term deal at this point
If the Orioles did look to even think about locking up Gausman or any other young player right
now those options years tacked onto the end of a deal like with Martinez could be important
They provide a club with the chance to lock up a player over a longer term with few gauranteed
dollars on the line - just the buyout portion of the contract
For any player especially a pitcher a five-year deal is a risk Especially when a team can go
season to season through arbitration Going year to year minimizes the injury risk or the lack of
performance risk
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpwwwbaltimoresuncomsportsoriolesbs-sp-orioles-wbc-0228-20170227-storyhtml
World Baseball Classic is nice in theory but it creates
headaches across MLB
By Peter Schmuck The Baltimore Sun
February 27 2017
Everyone knows why Major League Baseball is so high on the World Baseball Classic and just
about everyone working in the industry knows the important talking points about the social and
economic benefits of globalizing the sport
Orioles manager Buck Showalter obviously knows them and starts just about every conversation
about the upcoming tournament with the same preamble
People smarter than me are trying to grow the game globally Showalter said again on
Monday Its a reminder that were not in this alone When we say these are the best players in
the world it is the world
Thats true of course and there is certainly a lot to be said about the beauty of international
competition and cooperation which well get to see when the tournament begins on March 6 But
that doesnt mean there arent fair questions about the impact of the event on spring training and
on the preparation of key players for the upcoming major league playoff races
Showalter talks a lot about the internal clock that governs each player over the eight months that
begin at the start of training camp and continue through the course of the regular season and
beyond There are examples of that rhythm being disrupted in previous World Baseball Classics
ndash Orioles reliever Pedro Strops regular season struggle in 2013 is often cited ndash so the coaching
staff has been in contact with each of the WBC teams to ascertain how the Orioles participants
will be handled
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees
There are some unique challenges this spring that we dont normally have Showalter said I
understand the return were trying to get The biggest thing probably is the clock that changes
Players are creatures of habit and routine and every team is completely different because theyre
going to come back from this and were going to have to slow down and start the clock again
The subject was particularly relevant on Monday because young second baseman Jonathan
Schoop was playing in his final pre-WBC exhibition game against the New York Yankees at Ed
Smith Stadium Hes heading off to join the Netherlands for the first round which takes place in
South Korea so hell have to spend about 20 hours on an airplane each way and is leaving much
earlier than the other WBC-bound Orioles
Pitchers and catchers reported for duty on Monday Feb 13 2017 The Orioles begin the 2017
season at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 3
Its really exciting Schoop said not so much for the flight ndash its a long flight ndash but its exciting
for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys ndash [Jurickson]
Profar Didi Gregorius [Andrelton] Simmons and with my brother there too Its going to be fun
for the country Im looking forward to it
Netherlands coach Hensley Meulens who played for Showalter in New York in the early 1990s
has kept in contact with his old manager and kept him apprised of the way he plans to use
Schoop who celebrated his pending departure with a long home run in the third inning of
Mondays spring training game
Hensley asked me about any limitations on Jon Showalter said I asked him what he was
planning on doing with him Hes planning on rotating those guys around I really appreciated the
call Were proud of Jon I know its a big moment for him He takes a lot of pride in that
There is probably more risk involved in the accelerated early training schedule for the pitchers
so pitching coach Roger McDowell has been in contact with USA pitching coach Jeff Jones to
discuss Mychal Givens and Mexico coach Rigo Beltran to check on the plans for new Orioles
left-hander Vidal Nuno The Orioles are most concerned about the proper handling of Givens
because of his quick emergence as a solid major league setup guy and his relatively little
experience as a pitcher
I think the way theyve got it set up for the pitchers theres a real protection there Showalter
said I think its the position players as much as the pitchers Therell be another conversation
if they get through the first round because it kind of escalates a little bit
Though the biggest concern is a serious injury that cuts into the regular season Showalter said
theres nothing he can say to Schoop on the way out of town that will make him any safer once
the WBC games begin Telling a player to play carefully might lead to the opposite of the desired
effect
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt Showalter said If he just plays in the
way he normally does hes a very durable player knock on wood Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in If he just follows what
hes been doing he should be OK
The internal clock concept doesnt apply only to individual members of the team The departure
of six key players also figures to have an impact on the competitive ebb and flow of spring
training for the entire club
Sure it does Showalter said Your perfect spring training you start off sharp and everything
and then you always hit a lull in camp and then you finish up strong We had the opposite of that
last year Thats the perfect world but because of the WBC theres not that rhythm to spring
training where at this point we want to do this at this point we want to have this behind us at
this point we want to start coming back to things so next year well be able to retain them
When it comes to the WBC and spring training things are tough all over The Orioles are
sending only a major league relief pitcher and a bullpen bubble guy along with Schoop and
fellow position players Adam Jones Manny Machado and Welington Castillo Imagine how
Showalter might feel if he were managing the Seattle Mariners who have 11 possible WBC
participants and have committed most of their projected starting rotation ndash superstar Felix
Hernandez Drew Smyly and former Oriole Yovani Gallardo
The Detroit Tigers had an MLB-high 15 players on the original list of WBC participants released
three weeks ago though some are minor leaguers and a couple of major league pitchers are in the
designated pitcher pool that makes them available to join teams that advance beyond the first
round
httpwwwbaltimoresuncomsportsoriolesblogbal-ubaldo-jimenez-allows-one-run-in-first-
start-of-spring-as-orioles-lose-4-1-to-yankees-20170227-storyhtml
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as
Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees
By Eduardo Encina The Baltimore Sun
February 27 2017
In Ubaldo Jimenezrsquos first Grapefruit League start of the season his performance was better than
indicated as the Orioles lost 4-1 to the New York Yankees in front of an announced 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium on Monday afternoon
Jimenez allowed one run on three hits over two innings but probably deserved a better fate He
commanded his fastball overcame early adversity and needed just 10 pitches to get through his
second inning of work Overall 17 of Jimenezrsquos 29 pitches were strikes
He threw strikes and hersquos done it two or three times Orioles manager Buck Showalter In the
first couple of workdays I could tell I was telling [pitching coach] Roger [McDowell] lsquoHave
you done anything with himrsquo He said lsquonorsquo Irsquom hoping he found something last year and hersquos
going to run with it this year
ldquoHis delivery has been about as tight as Irsquove seen it as far as the workout even the side days the
pitching Showalter said Irsquom in the dugout Yoursquove all seen some of the spring training outings
when hersquos trying to get his work in and depending on how you score balls he had a lot of
groundballs
He didnrsquot deserve the earned run charged to him in his two-inning outing on Monday The
second batter he faced Yankees catcher Austin Romine hit a grounder to first that Mark Trumbo
failed to backhand but it was ruled a hit
And after Romine moved to third on Greg Birdrsquos double he scored on a fielderrsquos choice a ball
that would have been the third out of the inning if Trumbo had made the play on Rominersquos
grounder
ldquoItrsquos part of the game especially this time of year Wersquore here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit more for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
The game went into the ninth inning tied at one before right-hander Oliver Drake unraveled
allowing the first three hitters he faced to reach base culminating with Thairo Estradarsquos three-
run homer to left field
Yankees prospect Clint Frazier opened the inning with a double and Kellin Deglan singled to put
runners at the corners before Estrada blasted a 1-0 pitch to left for the game-deciding homer
Schoop goes deep Playing in his last game before leaving the team to join the Netherlands
World Baseball Classic team in South Korea second baseman Jonathan Schoop hit his first
home run of the spring tattooing a first-pitch 91-mph fastball from Yankees left-hander Evan
Rutckyj well over left-field fence
Schoop a native of Curacao played in three of the Oriolesrsquo first four Grapefruit League games
in order to get as many at-bats as possible for the WBC Schoop was 3-for-8 with all of his hits
being of the extra-base variety (two doubles and a homer)
ldquoI feel like I have enough games inrdquo Schoop said ldquoI think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Irsquom ready I feel goodrdquo
Jones ranging Orioles outfield Whether Orioles center fielder Adam Jones plays too shallow is
often a topic of discussion -- and Jones has expressed his concern about the teamrsquos outfield
defense around him On Monday Jones was forced to cover an inordinate amount or ground
With two outs in the second inning Jones saved a run by making a diving catch in front of Seth
Smith in right field robbing Jorge Mateo of a base hit
ldquoAdam made a heck of a ball on that ballrdquo Showalter said of Jones catch on Mateos ball ldquoNot
many people get to that Thatrsquos why things change with depths The windrsquos blowing in yoursquove
got a guy up whorsquos not a power hitter You have to change some thingsrdquo
In the fourth Jones had to range into left field to prevent an inside-the-park home run when left
fielder Hyun Soo Kim lost Aaron Judgersquos ball in the sun and it landed over his head
Hart perfect Left-handed reliever Donnie Hart pitched a perfect seventh inning for the Orioles
and has retired all six batters hersquos faced in spring training
Hart recorded a pair of strikeouts getting Cito Culver swinging and Rashad Crawford looking
Hart who was used in a situational lefty role last season has retired as many right-handed hitters
(3) as he has left-handed hitters
When I kept looking at this guy and kept asking about him when you see a guy from that angle
that is closing at an upper-level team [Hart had four saves at Double-A Bowie] that tells you he
can defend himself against right-handed hitters at that level Showalter said
Scott escapes jam Flame-throwing minor leaguer Tanner Scott stranded the go-ahead run on
second in the eighth inning striking out Wilkin Castillo and Jorge Saez to escape the jam
Scott issued a one-out walk to former Oriole Ji-Man Choi who moved to second on a wild pitch
But Scott prevented the run from scoring with the back-to-back strikeouts ending the inning by
getting Saez to swing through a 97-mph fastball
He threw some good breaking balls today Showalter said Hersquos not just a one-way harry with
the fastball
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257418ubaldo-jimenez-aims-to-reduce-long-counts
Ubaldo aims to reduce long counts add innings
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Ubaldo Jimenez is trying to pick up where he left off at the end of the 2016
regular season Last September Jimenez was 3-1 with a 231 ERA in five starts and threw the
Orioles first complete game in two years on Sept 5 at Tampa Bay
Jimenez made his first spring start of 2017 allowing one run on three hits in two innings against
the New York Yankees on Monday
I was commanding the fastball and keeping the ball down I think thats what I did I was able to
get a lot of ground balls I still have to get a couple of my breaking balls over Jimenez said
In the first inning Jimenez allowed a single to Austin Romine The ball was hit to first
baseman Mark Trumbo and he couldnt handle it but it was scored as a hit After a double
by Greg Bird Romine scored on Aaron Judges fielders choice
Jimenez wasnt upset by the miscue
Its part of the game especially this time of year Were here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit [longer] for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
He threw 29 pitches in two innings and hes trying to reduce the number of deep counts
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season That was attacking the strike
zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and going to
allow me to get deeper in the games Jimenez said
It was the first time Welington Castillo caught his fellow Dominican
[Castillo is] great Hes great said Jimenez I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a
couple of games in the Dominican Winter League in 2010 Were on the same page Hes a good
guy He wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the
best for the team
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257420os-ready-to-begin-departing-for-17-classic
Orioles ready to begin departing for 17 Classic
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Six Orioles will leave the team within the next week for the World Baseball
Classic One of them second baseman Jonathan Schoop departed after Mondays game to
prepare to join the team from the Netherlands
In Sundays spring win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Classic-bound players had six of the Orioles
10 hits Adam Jones had a long home run and a double Welington Castillo had two hits Manny
Machado hit a homer and Schoop had a hit
Those guys are pushing earlier than normal and you can tell theyve all got a lot of pride in the
teams and countries theyre going to be playing for and they really want to present themselves
well and I think we saw a little byproduct of that today manager Buck Showalter said Sunday
Castillo and Machado will leave this Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic Left-handed
pitcher Vidal Nuno also leaves Sunday for Team Mexico Jones and right-handed pitcher Mychal
Givens leave a week from now to play for Team USA
Givens who threw a scoreless inning in his first game on Friday against Detroit is getting
pumped about pitching for his country
Definitely to wear that uniform with the USA on the front representing and trying to bring a
[championship] to the US side is really exciting to do Givens said
Schoop who hit a long home run to left field in the third inning Monday played all 162 games
last season Showalter said he wouldnt advise him to play it safe
Jonathan Schoop belts a solo home run to left field tying the game at 1 in the bottom of the 3rd
inning
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt If he just plays in the way he normally
does hes a very durable player knock on wood Showalter said Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in hellip If he just follows
what hes been doing he should be OK
Schoop is thrilled to be playing with the Yankees Didi Gregorius Bostons Xander Bogaerts
Texas Jurickson Profar and the Angels Andrelton Simmons as well as his brother Sharlon an
Orioles Minor Leaguer
Its exciting for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys Schoop
said Thats going to be fun for the country Im looking forward to it
On March 11 Team USA faces the Dominican Republic and theres a chance Givens could face
Machado in an emotional game
Its just the whole meaning of the World Baseball Classic countries trying to prove theyre the
best Givens said Its a good thing for baseball to have that competitive nature trying to
represent your country doesnt matter who it is Im going to be competitive and try to represent
the name on the front of the jersey
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702showalter-on-bridwell-and-scotthtml
Showalter on Bridwell and Scott
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - The Orioles are on the road again after two straight home games making the
long drive to Clearwater to play the Phillies at 105 pm
Mike Wright is on the mound after working the first inning in the first intrasquad game and
retiring all three batters he faced He struck out Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavaacuterez retired Johnny
Giavotella on a ground ball and retired Ryan Flaherty on a fly ball to left field
Tavaacuterez is supposed to play left field and bat leadoff today Flaherty is supposed to stay back at
the Ed Smith Stadium complex and receive treatment on his sore right shoulder
Irsquoll go out on a limb and say Giavotella will make the trip Hersquos appeared in all four games
going 3-for-3 in the opener in Lakeland
The Orioles are trying to as manager Buck Showalter says get their arms around Parker
Bridwell They may have learned a little more about him yesterday by how he responded to
Saturdayrsquos poor outing Or he just confirmed what they already knew that hersquos got the stuff to
get hitters out and is working to become more consistent
Bridwell 25 served up back-to-back home runs to the Piratesrsquo Chris Bostick and Jin-De Jhang
in the eighth inning accounting for three late runs in a 6-2 loss at LECOM Park He gave up a
one-out double yesterday to the Yankeesrsquo Greg Bird but he induced a fielderrsquos choice grounder
from Aaron Judge and popup from Rob Refsnyder
A solid response to Saturday and an example of why the Orioles remain so intrigued by him
despite their occasional frustration
ldquoItrsquos kind of been Parkerrsquos challengerdquo Showalter said ldquoWe even saw it in the big leagues Hersquoll
go through an inning or sequences and yoursquoll go lsquowowrsquo and then it gets away from him He got
a little cutter happy last timerdquo
Bridwell made two relief appearances with the Orioles last season his first exposure to the
majors and allowed five runs and five hits in 3 13 innings He struck out three batters but also
surrendered two home runs
Four of the runs scored over 1 13 innings in an Aug 24 game against the Nationals in DC In
his debut three nights earlier he struck out the first batter he faced the Astrosrsquo Evan Gattis and
retired Tony Kemp on a liner to center field but Jake Marisnick homered to left field
Bridwell came back out for the ninth and allowed a leadoff single to Teoscar Hernandez who
was erased on stolen base attempt A fly ball and called third strike completed Bridwellrsquos line
Bridwellrsquos minor league experience consists of only four games at the Triple-A level He was a
starter through 2015 but he made 20 relief appearances among his 27 outings in 2016 the role
change coming after he broke a rib
ldquoItrsquos a tough callrdquo Showalter said ldquoA lot of people are talking bullpen starter bullpen starter I
know how I feel about it but Parkerrsquos got the full assortment and Irsquom hoping this is the year that
he really pops because hersquos a guy who you get asked about a lot because hersquos got all the
presentationrdquo
Teams have been inquiring about Bridwell for years and the Orioles keep refusing to part with
him Theyrsquod like for their faith and patience to be rewarded making the 2017 season an
important one for him
Meanwhile left-hander Tanner Scott struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning after
coming over from minor league camp He walked one batter
Scottrsquos fastball kept climbing into the upper 90s but the Orioles already know he can bring the
heat
ldquoIt was good for Tanner to get in thererdquo Showalter said ldquoHe threw some good breaking balls
Hersquos not just a one-way Harry with the fastball
ldquoI was talking to Roger (McDowell) today Rogerrsquos got a couple things hersquod like to see him do
with his hands and close him off a little more His presentation is a little open Thatrsquos why he
misses up and away a lotrdquo
The breaking ball must develop to complement Tannerrsquos fastball which has been clocked at 100
mph
ldquoYou know the guys are going to have to cheat a little bit to get the fastball and it makes them
really susceptible to the breaking ball because the recognition is so laterdquo Showalter said ldquoIf he
can get a breaking ball like he threw today it gives him a chance to really take it to another level
And a lot of it is because of velocityrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702does-carlos-martinez-deal-provide-a-
framework-for-kevin-gausman-othershtml
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin
Gausman others
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
Itrsquos a question that all major league teams face at some point with their promising young talent
When is the right time to take a risk and sign that player to a long-term contract
On the plus side you can lock up a core player for years to come buy out some free agent years
and have some cost certainty You may even be able to save a few million dollars But there is
potential on the negative side because those dollars are guaranteed despite any future injury
andor player drop-off in performance What if the player gets hurt andor doesnrsquot pan out to be
as good as you thought The future salaries still have to be paid
The St Louis Cardinals recently locked up right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Martinez with a
deal that could provide a possible framework for a future Orioles deal with one of their own
right-handers Kevin Gausman And maybe a year or two after that with Dylan Bundy
Martinez was signed to a five-year deal that reportedly guarantees $51 million The club will pay
him $45 million this year and then $115 million over the following four seasons from 2018-
2021 St Louis holds a club option that is reportedly for $17 million with a $500000 buyout in
2022 and for $18 million with a $500000 buyout in 2023
Martinez who was originally under team control through 2019 before this contract now is under
team control through 2021 at the least and possibly through 2023 with the option years St Louis
bought out at least two free agent seasons
Comparing their 2016 stats
Martinez 16-9 with a 304 ERA 195 innings 122 WHIP 78 hitsnine innings 32 walksnine
innings and 80 strikeoutsnine innings
Gausman 9-12 with a 361 ERA 180 innings 128 WHIP 92 hitsnine innings 24 walksnine
innings and 87 strikeoutsnine innings
Martinez is the better pitcher right now ranking 10th in the majors in ERA at 302 the last two
years among pitchers with 300 or more innings He is 25 and has 3073 years of service time
Gausman is 26 with 2151 years of service
In his first year of arbitration eligibility last year Martinez earned $37 million In his first year
of arbitration this year Gausman was signed to a deal for $345 million and that could increase
to $355 million if he meets incentives for starts made
Gausman is under Orioles control through 2020 so the Orioles have his services for four more
seasons even without him inking a long-term deal To buy out even one free agent year the
Orioles would have to sign him to a five-year deal if that contract was starting in 2017 So
theyrsquove got him locked up for a long stretch even without a long-term deal at this point
If the Orioles did look to even think about locking up Gausman or any other young player right
now those options years tacked onto the end of a deal like with Martinez could be important
They provide a club with the chance to lock up a player over a longer term with few gauranteed
dollars on the line - just the buyout portion of the contract
For any player especially a pitcher a five-year deal is a risk Especially when a team can go
season to season through arbitration Going year to year minimizes the injury risk or the lack of
performance risk
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
There is probably more risk involved in the accelerated early training schedule for the pitchers
so pitching coach Roger McDowell has been in contact with USA pitching coach Jeff Jones to
discuss Mychal Givens and Mexico coach Rigo Beltran to check on the plans for new Orioles
left-hander Vidal Nuno The Orioles are most concerned about the proper handling of Givens
because of his quick emergence as a solid major league setup guy and his relatively little
experience as a pitcher
I think the way theyve got it set up for the pitchers theres a real protection there Showalter
said I think its the position players as much as the pitchers Therell be another conversation
if they get through the first round because it kind of escalates a little bit
Though the biggest concern is a serious injury that cuts into the regular season Showalter said
theres nothing he can say to Schoop on the way out of town that will make him any safer once
the WBC games begin Telling a player to play carefully might lead to the opposite of the desired
effect
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt Showalter said If he just plays in the
way he normally does hes a very durable player knock on wood Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in If he just follows what
hes been doing he should be OK
The internal clock concept doesnt apply only to individual members of the team The departure
of six key players also figures to have an impact on the competitive ebb and flow of spring
training for the entire club
Sure it does Showalter said Your perfect spring training you start off sharp and everything
and then you always hit a lull in camp and then you finish up strong We had the opposite of that
last year Thats the perfect world but because of the WBC theres not that rhythm to spring
training where at this point we want to do this at this point we want to have this behind us at
this point we want to start coming back to things so next year well be able to retain them
When it comes to the WBC and spring training things are tough all over The Orioles are
sending only a major league relief pitcher and a bullpen bubble guy along with Schoop and
fellow position players Adam Jones Manny Machado and Welington Castillo Imagine how
Showalter might feel if he were managing the Seattle Mariners who have 11 possible WBC
participants and have committed most of their projected starting rotation ndash superstar Felix
Hernandez Drew Smyly and former Oriole Yovani Gallardo
The Detroit Tigers had an MLB-high 15 players on the original list of WBC participants released
three weeks ago though some are minor leaguers and a couple of major league pitchers are in the
designated pitcher pool that makes them available to join teams that advance beyond the first
round
httpwwwbaltimoresuncomsportsoriolesblogbal-ubaldo-jimenez-allows-one-run-in-first-
start-of-spring-as-orioles-lose-4-1-to-yankees-20170227-storyhtml
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as
Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees
By Eduardo Encina The Baltimore Sun
February 27 2017
In Ubaldo Jimenezrsquos first Grapefruit League start of the season his performance was better than
indicated as the Orioles lost 4-1 to the New York Yankees in front of an announced 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium on Monday afternoon
Jimenez allowed one run on three hits over two innings but probably deserved a better fate He
commanded his fastball overcame early adversity and needed just 10 pitches to get through his
second inning of work Overall 17 of Jimenezrsquos 29 pitches were strikes
He threw strikes and hersquos done it two or three times Orioles manager Buck Showalter In the
first couple of workdays I could tell I was telling [pitching coach] Roger [McDowell] lsquoHave
you done anything with himrsquo He said lsquonorsquo Irsquom hoping he found something last year and hersquos
going to run with it this year
ldquoHis delivery has been about as tight as Irsquove seen it as far as the workout even the side days the
pitching Showalter said Irsquom in the dugout Yoursquove all seen some of the spring training outings
when hersquos trying to get his work in and depending on how you score balls he had a lot of
groundballs
He didnrsquot deserve the earned run charged to him in his two-inning outing on Monday The
second batter he faced Yankees catcher Austin Romine hit a grounder to first that Mark Trumbo
failed to backhand but it was ruled a hit
And after Romine moved to third on Greg Birdrsquos double he scored on a fielderrsquos choice a ball
that would have been the third out of the inning if Trumbo had made the play on Rominersquos
grounder
ldquoItrsquos part of the game especially this time of year Wersquore here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit more for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
The game went into the ninth inning tied at one before right-hander Oliver Drake unraveled
allowing the first three hitters he faced to reach base culminating with Thairo Estradarsquos three-
run homer to left field
Yankees prospect Clint Frazier opened the inning with a double and Kellin Deglan singled to put
runners at the corners before Estrada blasted a 1-0 pitch to left for the game-deciding homer
Schoop goes deep Playing in his last game before leaving the team to join the Netherlands
World Baseball Classic team in South Korea second baseman Jonathan Schoop hit his first
home run of the spring tattooing a first-pitch 91-mph fastball from Yankees left-hander Evan
Rutckyj well over left-field fence
Schoop a native of Curacao played in three of the Oriolesrsquo first four Grapefruit League games
in order to get as many at-bats as possible for the WBC Schoop was 3-for-8 with all of his hits
being of the extra-base variety (two doubles and a homer)
ldquoI feel like I have enough games inrdquo Schoop said ldquoI think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Irsquom ready I feel goodrdquo
Jones ranging Orioles outfield Whether Orioles center fielder Adam Jones plays too shallow is
often a topic of discussion -- and Jones has expressed his concern about the teamrsquos outfield
defense around him On Monday Jones was forced to cover an inordinate amount or ground
With two outs in the second inning Jones saved a run by making a diving catch in front of Seth
Smith in right field robbing Jorge Mateo of a base hit
ldquoAdam made a heck of a ball on that ballrdquo Showalter said of Jones catch on Mateos ball ldquoNot
many people get to that Thatrsquos why things change with depths The windrsquos blowing in yoursquove
got a guy up whorsquos not a power hitter You have to change some thingsrdquo
In the fourth Jones had to range into left field to prevent an inside-the-park home run when left
fielder Hyun Soo Kim lost Aaron Judgersquos ball in the sun and it landed over his head
Hart perfect Left-handed reliever Donnie Hart pitched a perfect seventh inning for the Orioles
and has retired all six batters hersquos faced in spring training
Hart recorded a pair of strikeouts getting Cito Culver swinging and Rashad Crawford looking
Hart who was used in a situational lefty role last season has retired as many right-handed hitters
(3) as he has left-handed hitters
When I kept looking at this guy and kept asking about him when you see a guy from that angle
that is closing at an upper-level team [Hart had four saves at Double-A Bowie] that tells you he
can defend himself against right-handed hitters at that level Showalter said
Scott escapes jam Flame-throwing minor leaguer Tanner Scott stranded the go-ahead run on
second in the eighth inning striking out Wilkin Castillo and Jorge Saez to escape the jam
Scott issued a one-out walk to former Oriole Ji-Man Choi who moved to second on a wild pitch
But Scott prevented the run from scoring with the back-to-back strikeouts ending the inning by
getting Saez to swing through a 97-mph fastball
He threw some good breaking balls today Showalter said Hersquos not just a one-way harry with
the fastball
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257418ubaldo-jimenez-aims-to-reduce-long-counts
Ubaldo aims to reduce long counts add innings
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Ubaldo Jimenez is trying to pick up where he left off at the end of the 2016
regular season Last September Jimenez was 3-1 with a 231 ERA in five starts and threw the
Orioles first complete game in two years on Sept 5 at Tampa Bay
Jimenez made his first spring start of 2017 allowing one run on three hits in two innings against
the New York Yankees on Monday
I was commanding the fastball and keeping the ball down I think thats what I did I was able to
get a lot of ground balls I still have to get a couple of my breaking balls over Jimenez said
In the first inning Jimenez allowed a single to Austin Romine The ball was hit to first
baseman Mark Trumbo and he couldnt handle it but it was scored as a hit After a double
by Greg Bird Romine scored on Aaron Judges fielders choice
Jimenez wasnt upset by the miscue
Its part of the game especially this time of year Were here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit [longer] for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
He threw 29 pitches in two innings and hes trying to reduce the number of deep counts
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season That was attacking the strike
zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and going to
allow me to get deeper in the games Jimenez said
It was the first time Welington Castillo caught his fellow Dominican
[Castillo is] great Hes great said Jimenez I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a
couple of games in the Dominican Winter League in 2010 Were on the same page Hes a good
guy He wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the
best for the team
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257420os-ready-to-begin-departing-for-17-classic
Orioles ready to begin departing for 17 Classic
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Six Orioles will leave the team within the next week for the World Baseball
Classic One of them second baseman Jonathan Schoop departed after Mondays game to
prepare to join the team from the Netherlands
In Sundays spring win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Classic-bound players had six of the Orioles
10 hits Adam Jones had a long home run and a double Welington Castillo had two hits Manny
Machado hit a homer and Schoop had a hit
Those guys are pushing earlier than normal and you can tell theyve all got a lot of pride in the
teams and countries theyre going to be playing for and they really want to present themselves
well and I think we saw a little byproduct of that today manager Buck Showalter said Sunday
Castillo and Machado will leave this Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic Left-handed
pitcher Vidal Nuno also leaves Sunday for Team Mexico Jones and right-handed pitcher Mychal
Givens leave a week from now to play for Team USA
Givens who threw a scoreless inning in his first game on Friday against Detroit is getting
pumped about pitching for his country
Definitely to wear that uniform with the USA on the front representing and trying to bring a
[championship] to the US side is really exciting to do Givens said
Schoop who hit a long home run to left field in the third inning Monday played all 162 games
last season Showalter said he wouldnt advise him to play it safe
Jonathan Schoop belts a solo home run to left field tying the game at 1 in the bottom of the 3rd
inning
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt If he just plays in the way he normally
does hes a very durable player knock on wood Showalter said Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in hellip If he just follows
what hes been doing he should be OK
Schoop is thrilled to be playing with the Yankees Didi Gregorius Bostons Xander Bogaerts
Texas Jurickson Profar and the Angels Andrelton Simmons as well as his brother Sharlon an
Orioles Minor Leaguer
Its exciting for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys Schoop
said Thats going to be fun for the country Im looking forward to it
On March 11 Team USA faces the Dominican Republic and theres a chance Givens could face
Machado in an emotional game
Its just the whole meaning of the World Baseball Classic countries trying to prove theyre the
best Givens said Its a good thing for baseball to have that competitive nature trying to
represent your country doesnt matter who it is Im going to be competitive and try to represent
the name on the front of the jersey
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702showalter-on-bridwell-and-scotthtml
Showalter on Bridwell and Scott
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - The Orioles are on the road again after two straight home games making the
long drive to Clearwater to play the Phillies at 105 pm
Mike Wright is on the mound after working the first inning in the first intrasquad game and
retiring all three batters he faced He struck out Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavaacuterez retired Johnny
Giavotella on a ground ball and retired Ryan Flaherty on a fly ball to left field
Tavaacuterez is supposed to play left field and bat leadoff today Flaherty is supposed to stay back at
the Ed Smith Stadium complex and receive treatment on his sore right shoulder
Irsquoll go out on a limb and say Giavotella will make the trip Hersquos appeared in all four games
going 3-for-3 in the opener in Lakeland
The Orioles are trying to as manager Buck Showalter says get their arms around Parker
Bridwell They may have learned a little more about him yesterday by how he responded to
Saturdayrsquos poor outing Or he just confirmed what they already knew that hersquos got the stuff to
get hitters out and is working to become more consistent
Bridwell 25 served up back-to-back home runs to the Piratesrsquo Chris Bostick and Jin-De Jhang
in the eighth inning accounting for three late runs in a 6-2 loss at LECOM Park He gave up a
one-out double yesterday to the Yankeesrsquo Greg Bird but he induced a fielderrsquos choice grounder
from Aaron Judge and popup from Rob Refsnyder
A solid response to Saturday and an example of why the Orioles remain so intrigued by him
despite their occasional frustration
ldquoItrsquos kind of been Parkerrsquos challengerdquo Showalter said ldquoWe even saw it in the big leagues Hersquoll
go through an inning or sequences and yoursquoll go lsquowowrsquo and then it gets away from him He got
a little cutter happy last timerdquo
Bridwell made two relief appearances with the Orioles last season his first exposure to the
majors and allowed five runs and five hits in 3 13 innings He struck out three batters but also
surrendered two home runs
Four of the runs scored over 1 13 innings in an Aug 24 game against the Nationals in DC In
his debut three nights earlier he struck out the first batter he faced the Astrosrsquo Evan Gattis and
retired Tony Kemp on a liner to center field but Jake Marisnick homered to left field
Bridwell came back out for the ninth and allowed a leadoff single to Teoscar Hernandez who
was erased on stolen base attempt A fly ball and called third strike completed Bridwellrsquos line
Bridwellrsquos minor league experience consists of only four games at the Triple-A level He was a
starter through 2015 but he made 20 relief appearances among his 27 outings in 2016 the role
change coming after he broke a rib
ldquoItrsquos a tough callrdquo Showalter said ldquoA lot of people are talking bullpen starter bullpen starter I
know how I feel about it but Parkerrsquos got the full assortment and Irsquom hoping this is the year that
he really pops because hersquos a guy who you get asked about a lot because hersquos got all the
presentationrdquo
Teams have been inquiring about Bridwell for years and the Orioles keep refusing to part with
him Theyrsquod like for their faith and patience to be rewarded making the 2017 season an
important one for him
Meanwhile left-hander Tanner Scott struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning after
coming over from minor league camp He walked one batter
Scottrsquos fastball kept climbing into the upper 90s but the Orioles already know he can bring the
heat
ldquoIt was good for Tanner to get in thererdquo Showalter said ldquoHe threw some good breaking balls
Hersquos not just a one-way Harry with the fastball
ldquoI was talking to Roger (McDowell) today Rogerrsquos got a couple things hersquod like to see him do
with his hands and close him off a little more His presentation is a little open Thatrsquos why he
misses up and away a lotrdquo
The breaking ball must develop to complement Tannerrsquos fastball which has been clocked at 100
mph
ldquoYou know the guys are going to have to cheat a little bit to get the fastball and it makes them
really susceptible to the breaking ball because the recognition is so laterdquo Showalter said ldquoIf he
can get a breaking ball like he threw today it gives him a chance to really take it to another level
And a lot of it is because of velocityrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702does-carlos-martinez-deal-provide-a-
framework-for-kevin-gausman-othershtml
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin
Gausman others
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
Itrsquos a question that all major league teams face at some point with their promising young talent
When is the right time to take a risk and sign that player to a long-term contract
On the plus side you can lock up a core player for years to come buy out some free agent years
and have some cost certainty You may even be able to save a few million dollars But there is
potential on the negative side because those dollars are guaranteed despite any future injury
andor player drop-off in performance What if the player gets hurt andor doesnrsquot pan out to be
as good as you thought The future salaries still have to be paid
The St Louis Cardinals recently locked up right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Martinez with a
deal that could provide a possible framework for a future Orioles deal with one of their own
right-handers Kevin Gausman And maybe a year or two after that with Dylan Bundy
Martinez was signed to a five-year deal that reportedly guarantees $51 million The club will pay
him $45 million this year and then $115 million over the following four seasons from 2018-
2021 St Louis holds a club option that is reportedly for $17 million with a $500000 buyout in
2022 and for $18 million with a $500000 buyout in 2023
Martinez who was originally under team control through 2019 before this contract now is under
team control through 2021 at the least and possibly through 2023 with the option years St Louis
bought out at least two free agent seasons
Comparing their 2016 stats
Martinez 16-9 with a 304 ERA 195 innings 122 WHIP 78 hitsnine innings 32 walksnine
innings and 80 strikeoutsnine innings
Gausman 9-12 with a 361 ERA 180 innings 128 WHIP 92 hitsnine innings 24 walksnine
innings and 87 strikeoutsnine innings
Martinez is the better pitcher right now ranking 10th in the majors in ERA at 302 the last two
years among pitchers with 300 or more innings He is 25 and has 3073 years of service time
Gausman is 26 with 2151 years of service
In his first year of arbitration eligibility last year Martinez earned $37 million In his first year
of arbitration this year Gausman was signed to a deal for $345 million and that could increase
to $355 million if he meets incentives for starts made
Gausman is under Orioles control through 2020 so the Orioles have his services for four more
seasons even without him inking a long-term deal To buy out even one free agent year the
Orioles would have to sign him to a five-year deal if that contract was starting in 2017 So
theyrsquove got him locked up for a long stretch even without a long-term deal at this point
If the Orioles did look to even think about locking up Gausman or any other young player right
now those options years tacked onto the end of a deal like with Martinez could be important
They provide a club with the chance to lock up a player over a longer term with few gauranteed
dollars on the line - just the buyout portion of the contract
For any player especially a pitcher a five-year deal is a risk Especially when a team can go
season to season through arbitration Going year to year minimizes the injury risk or the lack of
performance risk
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpwwwbaltimoresuncomsportsoriolesblogbal-ubaldo-jimenez-allows-one-run-in-first-
start-of-spring-as-orioles-lose-4-1-to-yankees-20170227-storyhtml
Ubaldo Jimenez allows one run in first start of spring as
Orioles lose 4-1 to Yankees
By Eduardo Encina The Baltimore Sun
February 27 2017
In Ubaldo Jimenezrsquos first Grapefruit League start of the season his performance was better than
indicated as the Orioles lost 4-1 to the New York Yankees in front of an announced 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium on Monday afternoon
Jimenez allowed one run on three hits over two innings but probably deserved a better fate He
commanded his fastball overcame early adversity and needed just 10 pitches to get through his
second inning of work Overall 17 of Jimenezrsquos 29 pitches were strikes
He threw strikes and hersquos done it two or three times Orioles manager Buck Showalter In the
first couple of workdays I could tell I was telling [pitching coach] Roger [McDowell] lsquoHave
you done anything with himrsquo He said lsquonorsquo Irsquom hoping he found something last year and hersquos
going to run with it this year
ldquoHis delivery has been about as tight as Irsquove seen it as far as the workout even the side days the
pitching Showalter said Irsquom in the dugout Yoursquove all seen some of the spring training outings
when hersquos trying to get his work in and depending on how you score balls he had a lot of
groundballs
He didnrsquot deserve the earned run charged to him in his two-inning outing on Monday The
second batter he faced Yankees catcher Austin Romine hit a grounder to first that Mark Trumbo
failed to backhand but it was ruled a hit
And after Romine moved to third on Greg Birdrsquos double he scored on a fielderrsquos choice a ball
that would have been the third out of the inning if Trumbo had made the play on Rominersquos
grounder
ldquoItrsquos part of the game especially this time of year Wersquore here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit more for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
The game went into the ninth inning tied at one before right-hander Oliver Drake unraveled
allowing the first three hitters he faced to reach base culminating with Thairo Estradarsquos three-
run homer to left field
Yankees prospect Clint Frazier opened the inning with a double and Kellin Deglan singled to put
runners at the corners before Estrada blasted a 1-0 pitch to left for the game-deciding homer
Schoop goes deep Playing in his last game before leaving the team to join the Netherlands
World Baseball Classic team in South Korea second baseman Jonathan Schoop hit his first
home run of the spring tattooing a first-pitch 91-mph fastball from Yankees left-hander Evan
Rutckyj well over left-field fence
Schoop a native of Curacao played in three of the Oriolesrsquo first four Grapefruit League games
in order to get as many at-bats as possible for the WBC Schoop was 3-for-8 with all of his hits
being of the extra-base variety (two doubles and a homer)
ldquoI feel like I have enough games inrdquo Schoop said ldquoI think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Irsquom ready I feel goodrdquo
Jones ranging Orioles outfield Whether Orioles center fielder Adam Jones plays too shallow is
often a topic of discussion -- and Jones has expressed his concern about the teamrsquos outfield
defense around him On Monday Jones was forced to cover an inordinate amount or ground
With two outs in the second inning Jones saved a run by making a diving catch in front of Seth
Smith in right field robbing Jorge Mateo of a base hit
ldquoAdam made a heck of a ball on that ballrdquo Showalter said of Jones catch on Mateos ball ldquoNot
many people get to that Thatrsquos why things change with depths The windrsquos blowing in yoursquove
got a guy up whorsquos not a power hitter You have to change some thingsrdquo
In the fourth Jones had to range into left field to prevent an inside-the-park home run when left
fielder Hyun Soo Kim lost Aaron Judgersquos ball in the sun and it landed over his head
Hart perfect Left-handed reliever Donnie Hart pitched a perfect seventh inning for the Orioles
and has retired all six batters hersquos faced in spring training
Hart recorded a pair of strikeouts getting Cito Culver swinging and Rashad Crawford looking
Hart who was used in a situational lefty role last season has retired as many right-handed hitters
(3) as he has left-handed hitters
When I kept looking at this guy and kept asking about him when you see a guy from that angle
that is closing at an upper-level team [Hart had four saves at Double-A Bowie] that tells you he
can defend himself against right-handed hitters at that level Showalter said
Scott escapes jam Flame-throwing minor leaguer Tanner Scott stranded the go-ahead run on
second in the eighth inning striking out Wilkin Castillo and Jorge Saez to escape the jam
Scott issued a one-out walk to former Oriole Ji-Man Choi who moved to second on a wild pitch
But Scott prevented the run from scoring with the back-to-back strikeouts ending the inning by
getting Saez to swing through a 97-mph fastball
He threw some good breaking balls today Showalter said Hersquos not just a one-way harry with
the fastball
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257418ubaldo-jimenez-aims-to-reduce-long-counts
Ubaldo aims to reduce long counts add innings
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Ubaldo Jimenez is trying to pick up where he left off at the end of the 2016
regular season Last September Jimenez was 3-1 with a 231 ERA in five starts and threw the
Orioles first complete game in two years on Sept 5 at Tampa Bay
Jimenez made his first spring start of 2017 allowing one run on three hits in two innings against
the New York Yankees on Monday
I was commanding the fastball and keeping the ball down I think thats what I did I was able to
get a lot of ground balls I still have to get a couple of my breaking balls over Jimenez said
In the first inning Jimenez allowed a single to Austin Romine The ball was hit to first
baseman Mark Trumbo and he couldnt handle it but it was scored as a hit After a double
by Greg Bird Romine scored on Aaron Judges fielders choice
Jimenez wasnt upset by the miscue
Its part of the game especially this time of year Were here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit [longer] for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
He threw 29 pitches in two innings and hes trying to reduce the number of deep counts
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season That was attacking the strike
zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and going to
allow me to get deeper in the games Jimenez said
It was the first time Welington Castillo caught his fellow Dominican
[Castillo is] great Hes great said Jimenez I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a
couple of games in the Dominican Winter League in 2010 Were on the same page Hes a good
guy He wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the
best for the team
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257420os-ready-to-begin-departing-for-17-classic
Orioles ready to begin departing for 17 Classic
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Six Orioles will leave the team within the next week for the World Baseball
Classic One of them second baseman Jonathan Schoop departed after Mondays game to
prepare to join the team from the Netherlands
In Sundays spring win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Classic-bound players had six of the Orioles
10 hits Adam Jones had a long home run and a double Welington Castillo had two hits Manny
Machado hit a homer and Schoop had a hit
Those guys are pushing earlier than normal and you can tell theyve all got a lot of pride in the
teams and countries theyre going to be playing for and they really want to present themselves
well and I think we saw a little byproduct of that today manager Buck Showalter said Sunday
Castillo and Machado will leave this Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic Left-handed
pitcher Vidal Nuno also leaves Sunday for Team Mexico Jones and right-handed pitcher Mychal
Givens leave a week from now to play for Team USA
Givens who threw a scoreless inning in his first game on Friday against Detroit is getting
pumped about pitching for his country
Definitely to wear that uniform with the USA on the front representing and trying to bring a
[championship] to the US side is really exciting to do Givens said
Schoop who hit a long home run to left field in the third inning Monday played all 162 games
last season Showalter said he wouldnt advise him to play it safe
Jonathan Schoop belts a solo home run to left field tying the game at 1 in the bottom of the 3rd
inning
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt If he just plays in the way he normally
does hes a very durable player knock on wood Showalter said Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in hellip If he just follows
what hes been doing he should be OK
Schoop is thrilled to be playing with the Yankees Didi Gregorius Bostons Xander Bogaerts
Texas Jurickson Profar and the Angels Andrelton Simmons as well as his brother Sharlon an
Orioles Minor Leaguer
Its exciting for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys Schoop
said Thats going to be fun for the country Im looking forward to it
On March 11 Team USA faces the Dominican Republic and theres a chance Givens could face
Machado in an emotional game
Its just the whole meaning of the World Baseball Classic countries trying to prove theyre the
best Givens said Its a good thing for baseball to have that competitive nature trying to
represent your country doesnt matter who it is Im going to be competitive and try to represent
the name on the front of the jersey
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702showalter-on-bridwell-and-scotthtml
Showalter on Bridwell and Scott
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - The Orioles are on the road again after two straight home games making the
long drive to Clearwater to play the Phillies at 105 pm
Mike Wright is on the mound after working the first inning in the first intrasquad game and
retiring all three batters he faced He struck out Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavaacuterez retired Johnny
Giavotella on a ground ball and retired Ryan Flaherty on a fly ball to left field
Tavaacuterez is supposed to play left field and bat leadoff today Flaherty is supposed to stay back at
the Ed Smith Stadium complex and receive treatment on his sore right shoulder
Irsquoll go out on a limb and say Giavotella will make the trip Hersquos appeared in all four games
going 3-for-3 in the opener in Lakeland
The Orioles are trying to as manager Buck Showalter says get their arms around Parker
Bridwell They may have learned a little more about him yesterday by how he responded to
Saturdayrsquos poor outing Or he just confirmed what they already knew that hersquos got the stuff to
get hitters out and is working to become more consistent
Bridwell 25 served up back-to-back home runs to the Piratesrsquo Chris Bostick and Jin-De Jhang
in the eighth inning accounting for three late runs in a 6-2 loss at LECOM Park He gave up a
one-out double yesterday to the Yankeesrsquo Greg Bird but he induced a fielderrsquos choice grounder
from Aaron Judge and popup from Rob Refsnyder
A solid response to Saturday and an example of why the Orioles remain so intrigued by him
despite their occasional frustration
ldquoItrsquos kind of been Parkerrsquos challengerdquo Showalter said ldquoWe even saw it in the big leagues Hersquoll
go through an inning or sequences and yoursquoll go lsquowowrsquo and then it gets away from him He got
a little cutter happy last timerdquo
Bridwell made two relief appearances with the Orioles last season his first exposure to the
majors and allowed five runs and five hits in 3 13 innings He struck out three batters but also
surrendered two home runs
Four of the runs scored over 1 13 innings in an Aug 24 game against the Nationals in DC In
his debut three nights earlier he struck out the first batter he faced the Astrosrsquo Evan Gattis and
retired Tony Kemp on a liner to center field but Jake Marisnick homered to left field
Bridwell came back out for the ninth and allowed a leadoff single to Teoscar Hernandez who
was erased on stolen base attempt A fly ball and called third strike completed Bridwellrsquos line
Bridwellrsquos minor league experience consists of only four games at the Triple-A level He was a
starter through 2015 but he made 20 relief appearances among his 27 outings in 2016 the role
change coming after he broke a rib
ldquoItrsquos a tough callrdquo Showalter said ldquoA lot of people are talking bullpen starter bullpen starter I
know how I feel about it but Parkerrsquos got the full assortment and Irsquom hoping this is the year that
he really pops because hersquos a guy who you get asked about a lot because hersquos got all the
presentationrdquo
Teams have been inquiring about Bridwell for years and the Orioles keep refusing to part with
him Theyrsquod like for their faith and patience to be rewarded making the 2017 season an
important one for him
Meanwhile left-hander Tanner Scott struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning after
coming over from minor league camp He walked one batter
Scottrsquos fastball kept climbing into the upper 90s but the Orioles already know he can bring the
heat
ldquoIt was good for Tanner to get in thererdquo Showalter said ldquoHe threw some good breaking balls
Hersquos not just a one-way Harry with the fastball
ldquoI was talking to Roger (McDowell) today Rogerrsquos got a couple things hersquod like to see him do
with his hands and close him off a little more His presentation is a little open Thatrsquos why he
misses up and away a lotrdquo
The breaking ball must develop to complement Tannerrsquos fastball which has been clocked at 100
mph
ldquoYou know the guys are going to have to cheat a little bit to get the fastball and it makes them
really susceptible to the breaking ball because the recognition is so laterdquo Showalter said ldquoIf he
can get a breaking ball like he threw today it gives him a chance to really take it to another level
And a lot of it is because of velocityrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702does-carlos-martinez-deal-provide-a-
framework-for-kevin-gausman-othershtml
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin
Gausman others
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
Itrsquos a question that all major league teams face at some point with their promising young talent
When is the right time to take a risk and sign that player to a long-term contract
On the plus side you can lock up a core player for years to come buy out some free agent years
and have some cost certainty You may even be able to save a few million dollars But there is
potential on the negative side because those dollars are guaranteed despite any future injury
andor player drop-off in performance What if the player gets hurt andor doesnrsquot pan out to be
as good as you thought The future salaries still have to be paid
The St Louis Cardinals recently locked up right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Martinez with a
deal that could provide a possible framework for a future Orioles deal with one of their own
right-handers Kevin Gausman And maybe a year or two after that with Dylan Bundy
Martinez was signed to a five-year deal that reportedly guarantees $51 million The club will pay
him $45 million this year and then $115 million over the following four seasons from 2018-
2021 St Louis holds a club option that is reportedly for $17 million with a $500000 buyout in
2022 and for $18 million with a $500000 buyout in 2023
Martinez who was originally under team control through 2019 before this contract now is under
team control through 2021 at the least and possibly through 2023 with the option years St Louis
bought out at least two free agent seasons
Comparing their 2016 stats
Martinez 16-9 with a 304 ERA 195 innings 122 WHIP 78 hitsnine innings 32 walksnine
innings and 80 strikeoutsnine innings
Gausman 9-12 with a 361 ERA 180 innings 128 WHIP 92 hitsnine innings 24 walksnine
innings and 87 strikeoutsnine innings
Martinez is the better pitcher right now ranking 10th in the majors in ERA at 302 the last two
years among pitchers with 300 or more innings He is 25 and has 3073 years of service time
Gausman is 26 with 2151 years of service
In his first year of arbitration eligibility last year Martinez earned $37 million In his first year
of arbitration this year Gausman was signed to a deal for $345 million and that could increase
to $355 million if he meets incentives for starts made
Gausman is under Orioles control through 2020 so the Orioles have his services for four more
seasons even without him inking a long-term deal To buy out even one free agent year the
Orioles would have to sign him to a five-year deal if that contract was starting in 2017 So
theyrsquove got him locked up for a long stretch even without a long-term deal at this point
If the Orioles did look to even think about locking up Gausman or any other young player right
now those options years tacked onto the end of a deal like with Martinez could be important
They provide a club with the chance to lock up a player over a longer term with few gauranteed
dollars on the line - just the buyout portion of the contract
For any player especially a pitcher a five-year deal is a risk Especially when a team can go
season to season through arbitration Going year to year minimizes the injury risk or the lack of
performance risk
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
With two outs in the second inning Jones saved a run by making a diving catch in front of Seth
Smith in right field robbing Jorge Mateo of a base hit
ldquoAdam made a heck of a ball on that ballrdquo Showalter said of Jones catch on Mateos ball ldquoNot
many people get to that Thatrsquos why things change with depths The windrsquos blowing in yoursquove
got a guy up whorsquos not a power hitter You have to change some thingsrdquo
In the fourth Jones had to range into left field to prevent an inside-the-park home run when left
fielder Hyun Soo Kim lost Aaron Judgersquos ball in the sun and it landed over his head
Hart perfect Left-handed reliever Donnie Hart pitched a perfect seventh inning for the Orioles
and has retired all six batters hersquos faced in spring training
Hart recorded a pair of strikeouts getting Cito Culver swinging and Rashad Crawford looking
Hart who was used in a situational lefty role last season has retired as many right-handed hitters
(3) as he has left-handed hitters
When I kept looking at this guy and kept asking about him when you see a guy from that angle
that is closing at an upper-level team [Hart had four saves at Double-A Bowie] that tells you he
can defend himself against right-handed hitters at that level Showalter said
Scott escapes jam Flame-throwing minor leaguer Tanner Scott stranded the go-ahead run on
second in the eighth inning striking out Wilkin Castillo and Jorge Saez to escape the jam
Scott issued a one-out walk to former Oriole Ji-Man Choi who moved to second on a wild pitch
But Scott prevented the run from scoring with the back-to-back strikeouts ending the inning by
getting Saez to swing through a 97-mph fastball
He threw some good breaking balls today Showalter said Hersquos not just a one-way harry with
the fastball
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257418ubaldo-jimenez-aims-to-reduce-long-counts
Ubaldo aims to reduce long counts add innings
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Ubaldo Jimenez is trying to pick up where he left off at the end of the 2016
regular season Last September Jimenez was 3-1 with a 231 ERA in five starts and threw the
Orioles first complete game in two years on Sept 5 at Tampa Bay
Jimenez made his first spring start of 2017 allowing one run on three hits in two innings against
the New York Yankees on Monday
I was commanding the fastball and keeping the ball down I think thats what I did I was able to
get a lot of ground balls I still have to get a couple of my breaking balls over Jimenez said
In the first inning Jimenez allowed a single to Austin Romine The ball was hit to first
baseman Mark Trumbo and he couldnt handle it but it was scored as a hit After a double
by Greg Bird Romine scored on Aaron Judges fielders choice
Jimenez wasnt upset by the miscue
Its part of the game especially this time of year Were here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit [longer] for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
He threw 29 pitches in two innings and hes trying to reduce the number of deep counts
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season That was attacking the strike
zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and going to
allow me to get deeper in the games Jimenez said
It was the first time Welington Castillo caught his fellow Dominican
[Castillo is] great Hes great said Jimenez I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a
couple of games in the Dominican Winter League in 2010 Were on the same page Hes a good
guy He wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the
best for the team
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257420os-ready-to-begin-departing-for-17-classic
Orioles ready to begin departing for 17 Classic
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Six Orioles will leave the team within the next week for the World Baseball
Classic One of them second baseman Jonathan Schoop departed after Mondays game to
prepare to join the team from the Netherlands
In Sundays spring win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Classic-bound players had six of the Orioles
10 hits Adam Jones had a long home run and a double Welington Castillo had two hits Manny
Machado hit a homer and Schoop had a hit
Those guys are pushing earlier than normal and you can tell theyve all got a lot of pride in the
teams and countries theyre going to be playing for and they really want to present themselves
well and I think we saw a little byproduct of that today manager Buck Showalter said Sunday
Castillo and Machado will leave this Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic Left-handed
pitcher Vidal Nuno also leaves Sunday for Team Mexico Jones and right-handed pitcher Mychal
Givens leave a week from now to play for Team USA
Givens who threw a scoreless inning in his first game on Friday against Detroit is getting
pumped about pitching for his country
Definitely to wear that uniform with the USA on the front representing and trying to bring a
[championship] to the US side is really exciting to do Givens said
Schoop who hit a long home run to left field in the third inning Monday played all 162 games
last season Showalter said he wouldnt advise him to play it safe
Jonathan Schoop belts a solo home run to left field tying the game at 1 in the bottom of the 3rd
inning
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt If he just plays in the way he normally
does hes a very durable player knock on wood Showalter said Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in hellip If he just follows
what hes been doing he should be OK
Schoop is thrilled to be playing with the Yankees Didi Gregorius Bostons Xander Bogaerts
Texas Jurickson Profar and the Angels Andrelton Simmons as well as his brother Sharlon an
Orioles Minor Leaguer
Its exciting for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys Schoop
said Thats going to be fun for the country Im looking forward to it
On March 11 Team USA faces the Dominican Republic and theres a chance Givens could face
Machado in an emotional game
Its just the whole meaning of the World Baseball Classic countries trying to prove theyre the
best Givens said Its a good thing for baseball to have that competitive nature trying to
represent your country doesnt matter who it is Im going to be competitive and try to represent
the name on the front of the jersey
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702showalter-on-bridwell-and-scotthtml
Showalter on Bridwell and Scott
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - The Orioles are on the road again after two straight home games making the
long drive to Clearwater to play the Phillies at 105 pm
Mike Wright is on the mound after working the first inning in the first intrasquad game and
retiring all three batters he faced He struck out Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavaacuterez retired Johnny
Giavotella on a ground ball and retired Ryan Flaherty on a fly ball to left field
Tavaacuterez is supposed to play left field and bat leadoff today Flaherty is supposed to stay back at
the Ed Smith Stadium complex and receive treatment on his sore right shoulder
Irsquoll go out on a limb and say Giavotella will make the trip Hersquos appeared in all four games
going 3-for-3 in the opener in Lakeland
The Orioles are trying to as manager Buck Showalter says get their arms around Parker
Bridwell They may have learned a little more about him yesterday by how he responded to
Saturdayrsquos poor outing Or he just confirmed what they already knew that hersquos got the stuff to
get hitters out and is working to become more consistent
Bridwell 25 served up back-to-back home runs to the Piratesrsquo Chris Bostick and Jin-De Jhang
in the eighth inning accounting for three late runs in a 6-2 loss at LECOM Park He gave up a
one-out double yesterday to the Yankeesrsquo Greg Bird but he induced a fielderrsquos choice grounder
from Aaron Judge and popup from Rob Refsnyder
A solid response to Saturday and an example of why the Orioles remain so intrigued by him
despite their occasional frustration
ldquoItrsquos kind of been Parkerrsquos challengerdquo Showalter said ldquoWe even saw it in the big leagues Hersquoll
go through an inning or sequences and yoursquoll go lsquowowrsquo and then it gets away from him He got
a little cutter happy last timerdquo
Bridwell made two relief appearances with the Orioles last season his first exposure to the
majors and allowed five runs and five hits in 3 13 innings He struck out three batters but also
surrendered two home runs
Four of the runs scored over 1 13 innings in an Aug 24 game against the Nationals in DC In
his debut three nights earlier he struck out the first batter he faced the Astrosrsquo Evan Gattis and
retired Tony Kemp on a liner to center field but Jake Marisnick homered to left field
Bridwell came back out for the ninth and allowed a leadoff single to Teoscar Hernandez who
was erased on stolen base attempt A fly ball and called third strike completed Bridwellrsquos line
Bridwellrsquos minor league experience consists of only four games at the Triple-A level He was a
starter through 2015 but he made 20 relief appearances among his 27 outings in 2016 the role
change coming after he broke a rib
ldquoItrsquos a tough callrdquo Showalter said ldquoA lot of people are talking bullpen starter bullpen starter I
know how I feel about it but Parkerrsquos got the full assortment and Irsquom hoping this is the year that
he really pops because hersquos a guy who you get asked about a lot because hersquos got all the
presentationrdquo
Teams have been inquiring about Bridwell for years and the Orioles keep refusing to part with
him Theyrsquod like for their faith and patience to be rewarded making the 2017 season an
important one for him
Meanwhile left-hander Tanner Scott struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning after
coming over from minor league camp He walked one batter
Scottrsquos fastball kept climbing into the upper 90s but the Orioles already know he can bring the
heat
ldquoIt was good for Tanner to get in thererdquo Showalter said ldquoHe threw some good breaking balls
Hersquos not just a one-way Harry with the fastball
ldquoI was talking to Roger (McDowell) today Rogerrsquos got a couple things hersquod like to see him do
with his hands and close him off a little more His presentation is a little open Thatrsquos why he
misses up and away a lotrdquo
The breaking ball must develop to complement Tannerrsquos fastball which has been clocked at 100
mph
ldquoYou know the guys are going to have to cheat a little bit to get the fastball and it makes them
really susceptible to the breaking ball because the recognition is so laterdquo Showalter said ldquoIf he
can get a breaking ball like he threw today it gives him a chance to really take it to another level
And a lot of it is because of velocityrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702does-carlos-martinez-deal-provide-a-
framework-for-kevin-gausman-othershtml
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin
Gausman others
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
Itrsquos a question that all major league teams face at some point with their promising young talent
When is the right time to take a risk and sign that player to a long-term contract
On the plus side you can lock up a core player for years to come buy out some free agent years
and have some cost certainty You may even be able to save a few million dollars But there is
potential on the negative side because those dollars are guaranteed despite any future injury
andor player drop-off in performance What if the player gets hurt andor doesnrsquot pan out to be
as good as you thought The future salaries still have to be paid
The St Louis Cardinals recently locked up right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Martinez with a
deal that could provide a possible framework for a future Orioles deal with one of their own
right-handers Kevin Gausman And maybe a year or two after that with Dylan Bundy
Martinez was signed to a five-year deal that reportedly guarantees $51 million The club will pay
him $45 million this year and then $115 million over the following four seasons from 2018-
2021 St Louis holds a club option that is reportedly for $17 million with a $500000 buyout in
2022 and for $18 million with a $500000 buyout in 2023
Martinez who was originally under team control through 2019 before this contract now is under
team control through 2021 at the least and possibly through 2023 with the option years St Louis
bought out at least two free agent seasons
Comparing their 2016 stats
Martinez 16-9 with a 304 ERA 195 innings 122 WHIP 78 hitsnine innings 32 walksnine
innings and 80 strikeoutsnine innings
Gausman 9-12 with a 361 ERA 180 innings 128 WHIP 92 hitsnine innings 24 walksnine
innings and 87 strikeoutsnine innings
Martinez is the better pitcher right now ranking 10th in the majors in ERA at 302 the last two
years among pitchers with 300 or more innings He is 25 and has 3073 years of service time
Gausman is 26 with 2151 years of service
In his first year of arbitration eligibility last year Martinez earned $37 million In his first year
of arbitration this year Gausman was signed to a deal for $345 million and that could increase
to $355 million if he meets incentives for starts made
Gausman is under Orioles control through 2020 so the Orioles have his services for four more
seasons even without him inking a long-term deal To buy out even one free agent year the
Orioles would have to sign him to a five-year deal if that contract was starting in 2017 So
theyrsquove got him locked up for a long stretch even without a long-term deal at this point
If the Orioles did look to even think about locking up Gausman or any other young player right
now those options years tacked onto the end of a deal like with Martinez could be important
They provide a club with the chance to lock up a player over a longer term with few gauranteed
dollars on the line - just the buyout portion of the contract
For any player especially a pitcher a five-year deal is a risk Especially when a team can go
season to season through arbitration Going year to year minimizes the injury risk or the lack of
performance risk
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257418ubaldo-jimenez-aims-to-reduce-long-counts
Ubaldo aims to reduce long counts add innings
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Ubaldo Jimenez is trying to pick up where he left off at the end of the 2016
regular season Last September Jimenez was 3-1 with a 231 ERA in five starts and threw the
Orioles first complete game in two years on Sept 5 at Tampa Bay
Jimenez made his first spring start of 2017 allowing one run on three hits in two innings against
the New York Yankees on Monday
I was commanding the fastball and keeping the ball down I think thats what I did I was able to
get a lot of ground balls I still have to get a couple of my breaking balls over Jimenez said
In the first inning Jimenez allowed a single to Austin Romine The ball was hit to first
baseman Mark Trumbo and he couldnt handle it but it was scored as a hit After a double
by Greg Bird Romine scored on Aaron Judges fielders choice
Jimenez wasnt upset by the miscue
Its part of the game especially this time of year Were here a little bit early so it takes a little
bit [longer] for everybody to get ready Jimenez said
He threw 29 pitches in two innings and hes trying to reduce the number of deep counts
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season That was attacking the strike
zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and going to
allow me to get deeper in the games Jimenez said
It was the first time Welington Castillo caught his fellow Dominican
[Castillo is] great Hes great said Jimenez I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a
couple of games in the Dominican Winter League in 2010 Were on the same page Hes a good
guy He wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the
best for the team
httpmoriolesmlbcomnewsarticle217257420os-ready-to-begin-departing-for-17-classic
Orioles ready to begin departing for 17 Classic
By Rich Dubroff MLBcom
February 27th 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Six Orioles will leave the team within the next week for the World Baseball
Classic One of them second baseman Jonathan Schoop departed after Mondays game to
prepare to join the team from the Netherlands
In Sundays spring win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Classic-bound players had six of the Orioles
10 hits Adam Jones had a long home run and a double Welington Castillo had two hits Manny
Machado hit a homer and Schoop had a hit
Those guys are pushing earlier than normal and you can tell theyve all got a lot of pride in the
teams and countries theyre going to be playing for and they really want to present themselves
well and I think we saw a little byproduct of that today manager Buck Showalter said Sunday
Castillo and Machado will leave this Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic Left-handed
pitcher Vidal Nuno also leaves Sunday for Team Mexico Jones and right-handed pitcher Mychal
Givens leave a week from now to play for Team USA
Givens who threw a scoreless inning in his first game on Friday against Detroit is getting
pumped about pitching for his country
Definitely to wear that uniform with the USA on the front representing and trying to bring a
[championship] to the US side is really exciting to do Givens said
Schoop who hit a long home run to left field in the third inning Monday played all 162 games
last season Showalter said he wouldnt advise him to play it safe
Jonathan Schoop belts a solo home run to left field tying the game at 1 in the bottom of the 3rd
inning
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt If he just plays in the way he normally
does hes a very durable player knock on wood Showalter said Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in hellip If he just follows
what hes been doing he should be OK
Schoop is thrilled to be playing with the Yankees Didi Gregorius Bostons Xander Bogaerts
Texas Jurickson Profar and the Angels Andrelton Simmons as well as his brother Sharlon an
Orioles Minor Leaguer
Its exciting for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys Schoop
said Thats going to be fun for the country Im looking forward to it
On March 11 Team USA faces the Dominican Republic and theres a chance Givens could face
Machado in an emotional game
Its just the whole meaning of the World Baseball Classic countries trying to prove theyre the
best Givens said Its a good thing for baseball to have that competitive nature trying to
represent your country doesnt matter who it is Im going to be competitive and try to represent
the name on the front of the jersey
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702showalter-on-bridwell-and-scotthtml
Showalter on Bridwell and Scott
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - The Orioles are on the road again after two straight home games making the
long drive to Clearwater to play the Phillies at 105 pm
Mike Wright is on the mound after working the first inning in the first intrasquad game and
retiring all three batters he faced He struck out Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavaacuterez retired Johnny
Giavotella on a ground ball and retired Ryan Flaherty on a fly ball to left field
Tavaacuterez is supposed to play left field and bat leadoff today Flaherty is supposed to stay back at
the Ed Smith Stadium complex and receive treatment on his sore right shoulder
Irsquoll go out on a limb and say Giavotella will make the trip Hersquos appeared in all four games
going 3-for-3 in the opener in Lakeland
The Orioles are trying to as manager Buck Showalter says get their arms around Parker
Bridwell They may have learned a little more about him yesterday by how he responded to
Saturdayrsquos poor outing Or he just confirmed what they already knew that hersquos got the stuff to
get hitters out and is working to become more consistent
Bridwell 25 served up back-to-back home runs to the Piratesrsquo Chris Bostick and Jin-De Jhang
in the eighth inning accounting for three late runs in a 6-2 loss at LECOM Park He gave up a
one-out double yesterday to the Yankeesrsquo Greg Bird but he induced a fielderrsquos choice grounder
from Aaron Judge and popup from Rob Refsnyder
A solid response to Saturday and an example of why the Orioles remain so intrigued by him
despite their occasional frustration
ldquoItrsquos kind of been Parkerrsquos challengerdquo Showalter said ldquoWe even saw it in the big leagues Hersquoll
go through an inning or sequences and yoursquoll go lsquowowrsquo and then it gets away from him He got
a little cutter happy last timerdquo
Bridwell made two relief appearances with the Orioles last season his first exposure to the
majors and allowed five runs and five hits in 3 13 innings He struck out three batters but also
surrendered two home runs
Four of the runs scored over 1 13 innings in an Aug 24 game against the Nationals in DC In
his debut three nights earlier he struck out the first batter he faced the Astrosrsquo Evan Gattis and
retired Tony Kemp on a liner to center field but Jake Marisnick homered to left field
Bridwell came back out for the ninth and allowed a leadoff single to Teoscar Hernandez who
was erased on stolen base attempt A fly ball and called third strike completed Bridwellrsquos line
Bridwellrsquos minor league experience consists of only four games at the Triple-A level He was a
starter through 2015 but he made 20 relief appearances among his 27 outings in 2016 the role
change coming after he broke a rib
ldquoItrsquos a tough callrdquo Showalter said ldquoA lot of people are talking bullpen starter bullpen starter I
know how I feel about it but Parkerrsquos got the full assortment and Irsquom hoping this is the year that
he really pops because hersquos a guy who you get asked about a lot because hersquos got all the
presentationrdquo
Teams have been inquiring about Bridwell for years and the Orioles keep refusing to part with
him Theyrsquod like for their faith and patience to be rewarded making the 2017 season an
important one for him
Meanwhile left-hander Tanner Scott struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning after
coming over from minor league camp He walked one batter
Scottrsquos fastball kept climbing into the upper 90s but the Orioles already know he can bring the
heat
ldquoIt was good for Tanner to get in thererdquo Showalter said ldquoHe threw some good breaking balls
Hersquos not just a one-way Harry with the fastball
ldquoI was talking to Roger (McDowell) today Rogerrsquos got a couple things hersquod like to see him do
with his hands and close him off a little more His presentation is a little open Thatrsquos why he
misses up and away a lotrdquo
The breaking ball must develop to complement Tannerrsquos fastball which has been clocked at 100
mph
ldquoYou know the guys are going to have to cheat a little bit to get the fastball and it makes them
really susceptible to the breaking ball because the recognition is so laterdquo Showalter said ldquoIf he
can get a breaking ball like he threw today it gives him a chance to really take it to another level
And a lot of it is because of velocityrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702does-carlos-martinez-deal-provide-a-
framework-for-kevin-gausman-othershtml
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin
Gausman others
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
Itrsquos a question that all major league teams face at some point with their promising young talent
When is the right time to take a risk and sign that player to a long-term contract
On the plus side you can lock up a core player for years to come buy out some free agent years
and have some cost certainty You may even be able to save a few million dollars But there is
potential on the negative side because those dollars are guaranteed despite any future injury
andor player drop-off in performance What if the player gets hurt andor doesnrsquot pan out to be
as good as you thought The future salaries still have to be paid
The St Louis Cardinals recently locked up right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Martinez with a
deal that could provide a possible framework for a future Orioles deal with one of their own
right-handers Kevin Gausman And maybe a year or two after that with Dylan Bundy
Martinez was signed to a five-year deal that reportedly guarantees $51 million The club will pay
him $45 million this year and then $115 million over the following four seasons from 2018-
2021 St Louis holds a club option that is reportedly for $17 million with a $500000 buyout in
2022 and for $18 million with a $500000 buyout in 2023
Martinez who was originally under team control through 2019 before this contract now is under
team control through 2021 at the least and possibly through 2023 with the option years St Louis
bought out at least two free agent seasons
Comparing their 2016 stats
Martinez 16-9 with a 304 ERA 195 innings 122 WHIP 78 hitsnine innings 32 walksnine
innings and 80 strikeoutsnine innings
Gausman 9-12 with a 361 ERA 180 innings 128 WHIP 92 hitsnine innings 24 walksnine
innings and 87 strikeoutsnine innings
Martinez is the better pitcher right now ranking 10th in the majors in ERA at 302 the last two
years among pitchers with 300 or more innings He is 25 and has 3073 years of service time
Gausman is 26 with 2151 years of service
In his first year of arbitration eligibility last year Martinez earned $37 million In his first year
of arbitration this year Gausman was signed to a deal for $345 million and that could increase
to $355 million if he meets incentives for starts made
Gausman is under Orioles control through 2020 so the Orioles have his services for four more
seasons even without him inking a long-term deal To buy out even one free agent year the
Orioles would have to sign him to a five-year deal if that contract was starting in 2017 So
theyrsquove got him locked up for a long stretch even without a long-term deal at this point
If the Orioles did look to even think about locking up Gausman or any other young player right
now those options years tacked onto the end of a deal like with Martinez could be important
They provide a club with the chance to lock up a player over a longer term with few gauranteed
dollars on the line - just the buyout portion of the contract
For any player especially a pitcher a five-year deal is a risk Especially when a team can go
season to season through arbitration Going year to year minimizes the injury risk or the lack of
performance risk
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
Givens who threw a scoreless inning in his first game on Friday against Detroit is getting
pumped about pitching for his country
Definitely to wear that uniform with the USA on the front representing and trying to bring a
[championship] to the US side is really exciting to do Givens said
Schoop who hit a long home run to left field in the third inning Monday played all 162 games
last season Showalter said he wouldnt advise him to play it safe
Jonathan Schoop belts a solo home run to left field tying the game at 1 in the bottom of the 3rd
inning
If you play with caution youre more likely to get hurt If he just plays in the way he normally
does hes a very durable player knock on wood Showalter said Its an emotional game for
them This means a lot to them Im not going to take that away from them but Id rather him
play full out than be cautious Thats where a lot of the injuries come in hellip If he just follows
what hes been doing he should be OK
Schoop is thrilled to be playing with the Yankees Didi Gregorius Bostons Xander Bogaerts
Texas Jurickson Profar and the Angels Andrelton Simmons as well as his brother Sharlon an
Orioles Minor Leaguer
Its exciting for us to play together Since I was little I was playing against those guys Schoop
said Thats going to be fun for the country Im looking forward to it
On March 11 Team USA faces the Dominican Republic and theres a chance Givens could face
Machado in an emotional game
Its just the whole meaning of the World Baseball Classic countries trying to prove theyre the
best Givens said Its a good thing for baseball to have that competitive nature trying to
represent your country doesnt matter who it is Im going to be competitive and try to represent
the name on the front of the jersey
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702showalter-on-bridwell-and-scotthtml
Showalter on Bridwell and Scott
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - The Orioles are on the road again after two straight home games making the
long drive to Clearwater to play the Phillies at 105 pm
Mike Wright is on the mound after working the first inning in the first intrasquad game and
retiring all three batters he faced He struck out Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavaacuterez retired Johnny
Giavotella on a ground ball and retired Ryan Flaherty on a fly ball to left field
Tavaacuterez is supposed to play left field and bat leadoff today Flaherty is supposed to stay back at
the Ed Smith Stadium complex and receive treatment on his sore right shoulder
Irsquoll go out on a limb and say Giavotella will make the trip Hersquos appeared in all four games
going 3-for-3 in the opener in Lakeland
The Orioles are trying to as manager Buck Showalter says get their arms around Parker
Bridwell They may have learned a little more about him yesterday by how he responded to
Saturdayrsquos poor outing Or he just confirmed what they already knew that hersquos got the stuff to
get hitters out and is working to become more consistent
Bridwell 25 served up back-to-back home runs to the Piratesrsquo Chris Bostick and Jin-De Jhang
in the eighth inning accounting for three late runs in a 6-2 loss at LECOM Park He gave up a
one-out double yesterday to the Yankeesrsquo Greg Bird but he induced a fielderrsquos choice grounder
from Aaron Judge and popup from Rob Refsnyder
A solid response to Saturday and an example of why the Orioles remain so intrigued by him
despite their occasional frustration
ldquoItrsquos kind of been Parkerrsquos challengerdquo Showalter said ldquoWe even saw it in the big leagues Hersquoll
go through an inning or sequences and yoursquoll go lsquowowrsquo and then it gets away from him He got
a little cutter happy last timerdquo
Bridwell made two relief appearances with the Orioles last season his first exposure to the
majors and allowed five runs and five hits in 3 13 innings He struck out three batters but also
surrendered two home runs
Four of the runs scored over 1 13 innings in an Aug 24 game against the Nationals in DC In
his debut three nights earlier he struck out the first batter he faced the Astrosrsquo Evan Gattis and
retired Tony Kemp on a liner to center field but Jake Marisnick homered to left field
Bridwell came back out for the ninth and allowed a leadoff single to Teoscar Hernandez who
was erased on stolen base attempt A fly ball and called third strike completed Bridwellrsquos line
Bridwellrsquos minor league experience consists of only four games at the Triple-A level He was a
starter through 2015 but he made 20 relief appearances among his 27 outings in 2016 the role
change coming after he broke a rib
ldquoItrsquos a tough callrdquo Showalter said ldquoA lot of people are talking bullpen starter bullpen starter I
know how I feel about it but Parkerrsquos got the full assortment and Irsquom hoping this is the year that
he really pops because hersquos a guy who you get asked about a lot because hersquos got all the
presentationrdquo
Teams have been inquiring about Bridwell for years and the Orioles keep refusing to part with
him Theyrsquod like for their faith and patience to be rewarded making the 2017 season an
important one for him
Meanwhile left-hander Tanner Scott struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning after
coming over from minor league camp He walked one batter
Scottrsquos fastball kept climbing into the upper 90s but the Orioles already know he can bring the
heat
ldquoIt was good for Tanner to get in thererdquo Showalter said ldquoHe threw some good breaking balls
Hersquos not just a one-way Harry with the fastball
ldquoI was talking to Roger (McDowell) today Rogerrsquos got a couple things hersquod like to see him do
with his hands and close him off a little more His presentation is a little open Thatrsquos why he
misses up and away a lotrdquo
The breaking ball must develop to complement Tannerrsquos fastball which has been clocked at 100
mph
ldquoYou know the guys are going to have to cheat a little bit to get the fastball and it makes them
really susceptible to the breaking ball because the recognition is so laterdquo Showalter said ldquoIf he
can get a breaking ball like he threw today it gives him a chance to really take it to another level
And a lot of it is because of velocityrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702does-carlos-martinez-deal-provide-a-
framework-for-kevin-gausman-othershtml
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin
Gausman others
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
Itrsquos a question that all major league teams face at some point with their promising young talent
When is the right time to take a risk and sign that player to a long-term contract
On the plus side you can lock up a core player for years to come buy out some free agent years
and have some cost certainty You may even be able to save a few million dollars But there is
potential on the negative side because those dollars are guaranteed despite any future injury
andor player drop-off in performance What if the player gets hurt andor doesnrsquot pan out to be
as good as you thought The future salaries still have to be paid
The St Louis Cardinals recently locked up right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Martinez with a
deal that could provide a possible framework for a future Orioles deal with one of their own
right-handers Kevin Gausman And maybe a year or two after that with Dylan Bundy
Martinez was signed to a five-year deal that reportedly guarantees $51 million The club will pay
him $45 million this year and then $115 million over the following four seasons from 2018-
2021 St Louis holds a club option that is reportedly for $17 million with a $500000 buyout in
2022 and for $18 million with a $500000 buyout in 2023
Martinez who was originally under team control through 2019 before this contract now is under
team control through 2021 at the least and possibly through 2023 with the option years St Louis
bought out at least two free agent seasons
Comparing their 2016 stats
Martinez 16-9 with a 304 ERA 195 innings 122 WHIP 78 hitsnine innings 32 walksnine
innings and 80 strikeoutsnine innings
Gausman 9-12 with a 361 ERA 180 innings 128 WHIP 92 hitsnine innings 24 walksnine
innings and 87 strikeoutsnine innings
Martinez is the better pitcher right now ranking 10th in the majors in ERA at 302 the last two
years among pitchers with 300 or more innings He is 25 and has 3073 years of service time
Gausman is 26 with 2151 years of service
In his first year of arbitration eligibility last year Martinez earned $37 million In his first year
of arbitration this year Gausman was signed to a deal for $345 million and that could increase
to $355 million if he meets incentives for starts made
Gausman is under Orioles control through 2020 so the Orioles have his services for four more
seasons even without him inking a long-term deal To buy out even one free agent year the
Orioles would have to sign him to a five-year deal if that contract was starting in 2017 So
theyrsquove got him locked up for a long stretch even without a long-term deal at this point
If the Orioles did look to even think about locking up Gausman or any other young player right
now those options years tacked onto the end of a deal like with Martinez could be important
They provide a club with the chance to lock up a player over a longer term with few gauranteed
dollars on the line - just the buyout portion of the contract
For any player especially a pitcher a five-year deal is a risk Especially when a team can go
season to season through arbitration Going year to year minimizes the injury risk or the lack of
performance risk
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpwwwmasnsportscomschool-of-roch201702showalter-on-bridwell-and-scotthtml
Showalter on Bridwell and Scott
By Roch Kubatko MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla - The Orioles are on the road again after two straight home games making the
long drive to Clearwater to play the Phillies at 105 pm
Mike Wright is on the mound after working the first inning in the first intrasquad game and
retiring all three batters he faced He struck out Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavaacuterez retired Johnny
Giavotella on a ground ball and retired Ryan Flaherty on a fly ball to left field
Tavaacuterez is supposed to play left field and bat leadoff today Flaherty is supposed to stay back at
the Ed Smith Stadium complex and receive treatment on his sore right shoulder
Irsquoll go out on a limb and say Giavotella will make the trip Hersquos appeared in all four games
going 3-for-3 in the opener in Lakeland
The Orioles are trying to as manager Buck Showalter says get their arms around Parker
Bridwell They may have learned a little more about him yesterday by how he responded to
Saturdayrsquos poor outing Or he just confirmed what they already knew that hersquos got the stuff to
get hitters out and is working to become more consistent
Bridwell 25 served up back-to-back home runs to the Piratesrsquo Chris Bostick and Jin-De Jhang
in the eighth inning accounting for three late runs in a 6-2 loss at LECOM Park He gave up a
one-out double yesterday to the Yankeesrsquo Greg Bird but he induced a fielderrsquos choice grounder
from Aaron Judge and popup from Rob Refsnyder
A solid response to Saturday and an example of why the Orioles remain so intrigued by him
despite their occasional frustration
ldquoItrsquos kind of been Parkerrsquos challengerdquo Showalter said ldquoWe even saw it in the big leagues Hersquoll
go through an inning or sequences and yoursquoll go lsquowowrsquo and then it gets away from him He got
a little cutter happy last timerdquo
Bridwell made two relief appearances with the Orioles last season his first exposure to the
majors and allowed five runs and five hits in 3 13 innings He struck out three batters but also
surrendered two home runs
Four of the runs scored over 1 13 innings in an Aug 24 game against the Nationals in DC In
his debut three nights earlier he struck out the first batter he faced the Astrosrsquo Evan Gattis and
retired Tony Kemp on a liner to center field but Jake Marisnick homered to left field
Bridwell came back out for the ninth and allowed a leadoff single to Teoscar Hernandez who
was erased on stolen base attempt A fly ball and called third strike completed Bridwellrsquos line
Bridwellrsquos minor league experience consists of only four games at the Triple-A level He was a
starter through 2015 but he made 20 relief appearances among his 27 outings in 2016 the role
change coming after he broke a rib
ldquoItrsquos a tough callrdquo Showalter said ldquoA lot of people are talking bullpen starter bullpen starter I
know how I feel about it but Parkerrsquos got the full assortment and Irsquom hoping this is the year that
he really pops because hersquos a guy who you get asked about a lot because hersquos got all the
presentationrdquo
Teams have been inquiring about Bridwell for years and the Orioles keep refusing to part with
him Theyrsquod like for their faith and patience to be rewarded making the 2017 season an
important one for him
Meanwhile left-hander Tanner Scott struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning after
coming over from minor league camp He walked one batter
Scottrsquos fastball kept climbing into the upper 90s but the Orioles already know he can bring the
heat
ldquoIt was good for Tanner to get in thererdquo Showalter said ldquoHe threw some good breaking balls
Hersquos not just a one-way Harry with the fastball
ldquoI was talking to Roger (McDowell) today Rogerrsquos got a couple things hersquod like to see him do
with his hands and close him off a little more His presentation is a little open Thatrsquos why he
misses up and away a lotrdquo
The breaking ball must develop to complement Tannerrsquos fastball which has been clocked at 100
mph
ldquoYou know the guys are going to have to cheat a little bit to get the fastball and it makes them
really susceptible to the breaking ball because the recognition is so laterdquo Showalter said ldquoIf he
can get a breaking ball like he threw today it gives him a chance to really take it to another level
And a lot of it is because of velocityrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702does-carlos-martinez-deal-provide-a-
framework-for-kevin-gausman-othershtml
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin
Gausman others
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
Itrsquos a question that all major league teams face at some point with their promising young talent
When is the right time to take a risk and sign that player to a long-term contract
On the plus side you can lock up a core player for years to come buy out some free agent years
and have some cost certainty You may even be able to save a few million dollars But there is
potential on the negative side because those dollars are guaranteed despite any future injury
andor player drop-off in performance What if the player gets hurt andor doesnrsquot pan out to be
as good as you thought The future salaries still have to be paid
The St Louis Cardinals recently locked up right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Martinez with a
deal that could provide a possible framework for a future Orioles deal with one of their own
right-handers Kevin Gausman And maybe a year or two after that with Dylan Bundy
Martinez was signed to a five-year deal that reportedly guarantees $51 million The club will pay
him $45 million this year and then $115 million over the following four seasons from 2018-
2021 St Louis holds a club option that is reportedly for $17 million with a $500000 buyout in
2022 and for $18 million with a $500000 buyout in 2023
Martinez who was originally under team control through 2019 before this contract now is under
team control through 2021 at the least and possibly through 2023 with the option years St Louis
bought out at least two free agent seasons
Comparing their 2016 stats
Martinez 16-9 with a 304 ERA 195 innings 122 WHIP 78 hitsnine innings 32 walksnine
innings and 80 strikeoutsnine innings
Gausman 9-12 with a 361 ERA 180 innings 128 WHIP 92 hitsnine innings 24 walksnine
innings and 87 strikeoutsnine innings
Martinez is the better pitcher right now ranking 10th in the majors in ERA at 302 the last two
years among pitchers with 300 or more innings He is 25 and has 3073 years of service time
Gausman is 26 with 2151 years of service
In his first year of arbitration eligibility last year Martinez earned $37 million In his first year
of arbitration this year Gausman was signed to a deal for $345 million and that could increase
to $355 million if he meets incentives for starts made
Gausman is under Orioles control through 2020 so the Orioles have his services for four more
seasons even without him inking a long-term deal To buy out even one free agent year the
Orioles would have to sign him to a five-year deal if that contract was starting in 2017 So
theyrsquove got him locked up for a long stretch even without a long-term deal at this point
If the Orioles did look to even think about locking up Gausman or any other young player right
now those options years tacked onto the end of a deal like with Martinez could be important
They provide a club with the chance to lock up a player over a longer term with few gauranteed
dollars on the line - just the buyout portion of the contract
For any player especially a pitcher a five-year deal is a risk Especially when a team can go
season to season through arbitration Going year to year minimizes the injury risk or the lack of
performance risk
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
Meanwhile left-hander Tanner Scott struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning after
coming over from minor league camp He walked one batter
Scottrsquos fastball kept climbing into the upper 90s but the Orioles already know he can bring the
heat
ldquoIt was good for Tanner to get in thererdquo Showalter said ldquoHe threw some good breaking balls
Hersquos not just a one-way Harry with the fastball
ldquoI was talking to Roger (McDowell) today Rogerrsquos got a couple things hersquod like to see him do
with his hands and close him off a little more His presentation is a little open Thatrsquos why he
misses up and away a lotrdquo
The breaking ball must develop to complement Tannerrsquos fastball which has been clocked at 100
mph
ldquoYou know the guys are going to have to cheat a little bit to get the fastball and it makes them
really susceptible to the breaking ball because the recognition is so laterdquo Showalter said ldquoIf he
can get a breaking ball like he threw today it gives him a chance to really take it to another level
And a lot of it is because of velocityrdquo
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702does-carlos-martinez-deal-provide-a-
framework-for-kevin-gausman-othershtml
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin
Gausman others
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
Itrsquos a question that all major league teams face at some point with their promising young talent
When is the right time to take a risk and sign that player to a long-term contract
On the plus side you can lock up a core player for years to come buy out some free agent years
and have some cost certainty You may even be able to save a few million dollars But there is
potential on the negative side because those dollars are guaranteed despite any future injury
andor player drop-off in performance What if the player gets hurt andor doesnrsquot pan out to be
as good as you thought The future salaries still have to be paid
The St Louis Cardinals recently locked up right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Martinez with a
deal that could provide a possible framework for a future Orioles deal with one of their own
right-handers Kevin Gausman And maybe a year or two after that with Dylan Bundy
Martinez was signed to a five-year deal that reportedly guarantees $51 million The club will pay
him $45 million this year and then $115 million over the following four seasons from 2018-
2021 St Louis holds a club option that is reportedly for $17 million with a $500000 buyout in
2022 and for $18 million with a $500000 buyout in 2023
Martinez who was originally under team control through 2019 before this contract now is under
team control through 2021 at the least and possibly through 2023 with the option years St Louis
bought out at least two free agent seasons
Comparing their 2016 stats
Martinez 16-9 with a 304 ERA 195 innings 122 WHIP 78 hitsnine innings 32 walksnine
innings and 80 strikeoutsnine innings
Gausman 9-12 with a 361 ERA 180 innings 128 WHIP 92 hitsnine innings 24 walksnine
innings and 87 strikeoutsnine innings
Martinez is the better pitcher right now ranking 10th in the majors in ERA at 302 the last two
years among pitchers with 300 or more innings He is 25 and has 3073 years of service time
Gausman is 26 with 2151 years of service
In his first year of arbitration eligibility last year Martinez earned $37 million In his first year
of arbitration this year Gausman was signed to a deal for $345 million and that could increase
to $355 million if he meets incentives for starts made
Gausman is under Orioles control through 2020 so the Orioles have his services for four more
seasons even without him inking a long-term deal To buy out even one free agent year the
Orioles would have to sign him to a five-year deal if that contract was starting in 2017 So
theyrsquove got him locked up for a long stretch even without a long-term deal at this point
If the Orioles did look to even think about locking up Gausman or any other young player right
now those options years tacked onto the end of a deal like with Martinez could be important
They provide a club with the chance to lock up a player over a longer term with few gauranteed
dollars on the line - just the buyout portion of the contract
For any player especially a pitcher a five-year deal is a risk Especially when a team can go
season to season through arbitration Going year to year minimizes the injury risk or the lack of
performance risk
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702does-carlos-martinez-deal-provide-a-
framework-for-kevin-gausman-othershtml
Does Carlos Martinez deal provide a framework for Kevin
Gausman others
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 27 2017
Itrsquos a question that all major league teams face at some point with their promising young talent
When is the right time to take a risk and sign that player to a long-term contract
On the plus side you can lock up a core player for years to come buy out some free agent years
and have some cost certainty You may even be able to save a few million dollars But there is
potential on the negative side because those dollars are guaranteed despite any future injury
andor player drop-off in performance What if the player gets hurt andor doesnrsquot pan out to be
as good as you thought The future salaries still have to be paid
The St Louis Cardinals recently locked up right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Martinez with a
deal that could provide a possible framework for a future Orioles deal with one of their own
right-handers Kevin Gausman And maybe a year or two after that with Dylan Bundy
Martinez was signed to a five-year deal that reportedly guarantees $51 million The club will pay
him $45 million this year and then $115 million over the following four seasons from 2018-
2021 St Louis holds a club option that is reportedly for $17 million with a $500000 buyout in
2022 and for $18 million with a $500000 buyout in 2023
Martinez who was originally under team control through 2019 before this contract now is under
team control through 2021 at the least and possibly through 2023 with the option years St Louis
bought out at least two free agent seasons
Comparing their 2016 stats
Martinez 16-9 with a 304 ERA 195 innings 122 WHIP 78 hitsnine innings 32 walksnine
innings and 80 strikeoutsnine innings
Gausman 9-12 with a 361 ERA 180 innings 128 WHIP 92 hitsnine innings 24 walksnine
innings and 87 strikeoutsnine innings
Martinez is the better pitcher right now ranking 10th in the majors in ERA at 302 the last two
years among pitchers with 300 or more innings He is 25 and has 3073 years of service time
Gausman is 26 with 2151 years of service
In his first year of arbitration eligibility last year Martinez earned $37 million In his first year
of arbitration this year Gausman was signed to a deal for $345 million and that could increase
to $355 million if he meets incentives for starts made
Gausman is under Orioles control through 2020 so the Orioles have his services for four more
seasons even without him inking a long-term deal To buy out even one free agent year the
Orioles would have to sign him to a five-year deal if that contract was starting in 2017 So
theyrsquove got him locked up for a long stretch even without a long-term deal at this point
If the Orioles did look to even think about locking up Gausman or any other young player right
now those options years tacked onto the end of a deal like with Martinez could be important
They provide a club with the chance to lock up a player over a longer term with few gauranteed
dollars on the line - just the buyout portion of the contract
For any player especially a pitcher a five-year deal is a risk Especially when a team can go
season to season through arbitration Going year to year minimizes the injury risk or the lack of
performance risk
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
While the Orioles know they have Gausman under team control through 2020 they are only on
the hook right now for his 2017 salary Sure they fully expect him to be a core piece and a top-
of-the-rotation starter for years to come But if something kept that from happening they are not
locked in right now for any long-term dollars
On the other hand if they signed Gausman right now to a deal similar to what Martinez got they
could be getting Gausman at a potential bargain if he continues to improve and becomes an All-
Star-caliber starter
The club already has so many players that can be free agents soon a list that includes Chris
Tillman after the 2017 season and Manny Machado Zach Britton and Adam Jones following the
2018 season
With all that to ponder and address should the Orioles also entertain a multi-year deal for
Gausman Could that deal look similar to the extension for Martinez
httpwwwmasnsportscomsteve-melewski201702drake-allows-spring-homer-but-still-could-
emerge-in-os-pen-come-aprilhtml
Drake allows spring homer but still could emerge in Orsquos
lsquopen come April
By Steve Melewski MASNsportscom
February 28 2017
Even though he gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning yesterday there are reasons to
believe that right-hander Oliver Drake has a solid shot to head north with the Orioles for opening
day in April
Drake could be pushing for a bullpen spot for several reasons They include his strong finish last
year a subtle role change he made in the second half with Triple-A Norfolk and the fact that he
is now out of options
The Orioles drafted Drake in the 43rd round out of the Naval Academy in 2008 and hersquos been in
the organization ever since If he truly turned a corner late last year the Orioles may be inclined
to hang onto him rather than risk losing him to another club through waivers late in spring camp
Drake went 1-0 with an ERA of 400 in 18 big league innings last season In September he
pitched to an ERA of 164 and a batting average against of just 128 Over 11 innings he gave up
five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts
In addition to getting more consistent outs he also showed better pitch efficiency an
improvement that manager Buck Showalter said he needed to make Over his last few games of
the year he had a pair of two-inning stints on only 24 pitches an outing of 1 23 innings on 23
pitches and one-inning outings of eight and 11 pitches
So the now 30-year-old Drake finished strong and Showalter noted as much late last year
Showalter said solid fastball command was been the biggest key for Drake in that regard but not
the only one
ldquoI tell you what Irsquove seen a little different split from himrdquo Showalter said in the final days of the
2016 season ldquoThere is a big difference between split (finger fastball) and forkball And last
couple of outings his off-speed pitch has looked more split-like than fork-like Itrsquos been later
(with its movement) itrsquos been harder Hersquos gotten my attention the last two or three outings
Hersquos got a good look on his face And he gives you a weapon against left-handed hitters He has
really worked hard with command of his fastball That has helped some Hersquos done well Irsquom
proud of himrdquo
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
Further helping Drakersquos cause to stick in the majors is that he has shown the ability to be a multi-
inning reliever At Norfolk last season all 27 of his outings through June 18 were of one inning
or less After that he pitched more than an inning 16 times in 20 games and went two innings or
more in five of his last 11 Triple-A games
In his big league career Drake has fanned 38 in 33 23 innings and has also shown an ability to
get out left-and right-handed batters At Norfolk in 2016 lefty batters hit 171 against him and
right-handers batted 244 In the majors he gave up a 154 average versus left-handed batters and
a 175 mark versus right-handed hitters
According to BrooksBaseballcom stats from last year Drake gave up a batting average against
of 231 on his four-seam fastball with the Orioles in 2016 and 074 on his split-finger pitch He
used the four-seamer about 54 percent of the time and the splitter about 46 percent Over the
years that split has been a pitch he can throw both for strikes to try and get ahead of hitters and
bury it down in the zone to try and get hitters to chase it
The Orioles pretty much have five bullpen spots accounted for with Zach Britton Darren
OrsquoDay Brad Brach Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart If they go with a seven-man lsquopen that
would allow for them to also carry a long reliever and a third left-hander
The Orioles bullpen doesnrsquot have many openings It might be hard for a pitcher that hasnrsquot been a
bullpen regular to this point like Drake to get one But if the alternative is losing a pitcher that
has thrown well and can go multiple innings they are going to have to think hard about that one
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227jim-henneman-orioles-outfield-depth-debate-spans-
decades
Jim Henneman Outfield-Depth Debate Spans Decades
By Jim Henneman PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- When Adam Jones and Dan Duquette got into a verbal sparring match a few
weeks ago over the Orioles outfield defense or lack thereof it looked like what most politely
could be termed a minor dustup between the center fielder and the clubs executive vice
president of baseball operations
In reality it may have merely highlighted a tendency not only of the Orioles but just about every
other team in baseball playing outfielders especially those in the middle of the field too close to
the action It is the classic case of when is deep too deep and shallow too shallow And its
not exactly as easy as deciding whether to let your 4-year-old jump into the pool
When Jones pointed out the obvious that the Os had done little to improve their corner outfield
defense Duquette was quick to mention that former MLB outfielder and now-MLB Network
analyst Doug Glanville had not-so-subtly suggested Jones should play a little deeper thereby
helping the overall defense by cutting off the angles
Truth be told just about every major league center fielder plays shallow Jones is hardly the
only culprit but he may be the one hurt the most by the defensive strategy For years the
defensive analytic experts (if there really are such people) have almost routinely trashed Jones
while American League managers and coaches have supported him as a Gold Glove-caliber
defender
Would Jones be a more productive defender if he played deeper as Glanville suggests Its
probably not an answerable question and the irony is Glanville himself was known as a center
fielder who played notoriously shallow But this debate (dustup) does bring back some
memories of a similar battle of words -- along with a defensive philosophy thats hard to argue
with
Orioles Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to make the rounds with Gold Glove center
fielder Paul Blair about positioning depth It got so heated between innings one time that when
he returned to the field Blair positioned himself on the edge of the warning track and folded his
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
arms as if to ask Am I deep enough now In another age he and Weaver wouldve been ideal
for cellphone coverage with a tag line Can you see me now
Weavers philosophy was simple You dont get beat on the ball [that falls] in front of you he
said Its the ball over your head that beats you
There are exceptions to every rule which even Weaver admitted but he never backed off of his
most demanding commandment for his outfielders If it goes over your head and stays in the
ballpark you better catch it
Pitchers however often disagreed Its the bloop single that I hate the most if they hit it [to the
warning track] they usually deserve it But the short fly that drops kills me is how former
Orioles right-hander Doyle Alexander once explained it He wasnt alone which says a lot about
how pitchers sometimes think
So just how deep is too deep Or how shallow is too shallow It depends on who you ask -- and
whether the ball lands in grass or leather And on a very incidental note Jones made what would
be termed a sensational diving catch in right-center field here Feb 21
Not sure if anybody knew from where he started
This time last year Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park
were the big names coming out of the Korean Baseball League and both were under a lot of
scrutiny While Park drew a mixed reaction with the Twins Kim labored horrendously with the
Orioles
The Twins went into the season with high hopes for Park but the Os were so disenchanted with
Kim they tried to send him to the minor leagues Kim utilized his option to decline the
assignment was booed by his new hometown fans on Opening Day and was little more than a
spectator for the first two months
Somewhere along the line a light bulb seemed to go off and Kim became one of the Orioles
most dependable offensive threats during the second half of the season and is now considered at
least a platoon fixture in the lineup Park who has $925 million left on a four-year contract
never got on track and just before the start of spring training he was removed from the Twins
40-man roster
Meanwhile at $7 million for two years Kim looks like the bargain of this year -- just like he
became the surprise of last year
Its only fitting that infielder Robert Andino came back to the Orioles before finishing his career
because truth be told it almost ended here before really getting started And Andino has
manager Buck Showalter to thank for his survival He had played in only 79 games during four
years with the Marlins before being traded for former right-handed phenom Hayden Penn April
1 2009
Andino played 78 games for the Os that year hit 222 and was headed to oblivion shunted to the
minor leagues in 2010 Thats the year Showalter took over as manager and saw something he
liked in what amounted to a 16-game September audition
A year later given a chance to reclaim a starting job Andino hit 263 in 139 games and his
average plummeted to 211 in 2012
But all anyone remembers is the hysteria he delivered with a key hit in 2011 the one that
knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the last game of the year
You could read all about it in the final chapter of Sixty Years of Orioles Magic the still
almost-up-to-date history of the Orioles franchise on select bookshelves everywhere
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpswwwpressboxonlinecom20170227orioles-buck-showalter-see-signs-ubaldo-jimenezs-
late-season-success-will-continue-in-2017
Buck Showalter Sees Signs Ubaldo Jimenezs Late-Season
Success Will Continue In 2017
By Rich Dubroff PressBoxOnlinecom
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Late last season Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well and now in his final year
before free agency Orioles manager Buck Showalter thinks it will continue
In his first spring training start Feb 27 Jimenez allowed a run on three hits in two innings and
Showalter is happy with the right-hander
I dont want to jinx him His delivery has been about as tight as Ive seen it as far as the
workout even the side days the pitching Showalter said
Jimenez who signed a four-year $50 million contract three years ago has had an erratic career
with the Orioles and now hes with a new pitching coach Roger McDowell Early in spring
training Showalter noticed a difference
In the first couple of workdays I could tell Showalter said I was telling Roger Have you
done anything with him He said no Im hoping he found something last year and hes going to
run with it this year
While some may detect a sense of urgency in the 33-year-old Showalter said he doesnt
necessarily buy that way of thinking
Thats for you guys and for history and the way it works Showalter said To me thats almost
a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnt important before Is there a certain sense of urgency
That depends on the player I dont see that with Ubaldo Well see how it plays
I dont see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negative
During his first three seasons Jimenez was a lightning rod for criticism and Showalter said its
unwarranted
You know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hes done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary but hes tired of handling it Showalter said
He wants the other part of it [There isnt] anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of
people tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the game
Jimenez is hoping he can continue the success of last season when he went 3-1 with a 251 ERA
in his final five starts He thinks he can avoid unnecessary pitches
I think thats what I was able to do in the last part of the season Jimenez That was attacking
the strike zone getting ahead and staying ahead Thats going to save me a lot of pitches and
going to allow me to get deeper in the games
It was the first time Jimenez worked with new Orioles catcher Welington Castillo who will
depart March 5 to play for the Dominican Republic
Hes great Hes great I forgot about it but I realized he caught me a couple of games in the
Dominican Winter League in 2010 Jimenez said Were on the same page Hes a good guy He
wants to learn every day He works hard Hes going to do everything possible to do the best for
the team
SCHOOP DEPARTS Jonathan Schoop hit a long home run in his final game before departing
for the World Baseball Classic where hell play for the Netherlands
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
It was the Orioles only run during their 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 6969 at Ed
Smith Stadium
Schoop is 3-for-8 in three games with two doubles and the home run
I feel like I have enough games in Schoop said I think we have two more exhibition games
down there to get ready Then weve got to play three games down there before the tournament
starts but Im ready I feel good
Its a longshot but Schoop and his buddy Manny Machado who is playing for the Dominican
Republic could meet in the final and that would result in a seasons worth of trash talking in the
Orioles clubhouse
It would be exciting because we play with each other since the minor leagues and now we can
play against each other Schoop said The last time we played against each other is I think in
the Futures Game It would be exciting Im looking forward to it
Showalter is supportive of the event even though hell lose Schoop Castillo Machado pitchers
Mychal Givens and Vidal Nuno and center fielder Adam Jones
The positives are a lot bigger than the drawbacks Showalter said People smarter than me are
trying to grow the game globally Its a reminder were in this alone When we say these are the
best players in the world it is the world There are some unique challenges this spring that we
dont normally have I understand the return were trying to get
Showalter wants to make sure the players dont lose sight that theres a long season following the
WBC
Well have a conversation when they get back Showalter said Some of them will be quicker
than others They cant all win
NOTES Infielder Ryan Flaherty is out with shoulder soreness hellip Showalter said he hasnt
pitched right-handed relievers Brad Brach or Darren ODay because of the length of spring
training and they may pitch around the time closer Zach Britton does Britton is nearing a return
to action after missing a few days with discomfort in his left oblique hellip Showalter thinks
infielder Paul Janish who signed Feb 25 will play in a game shortly
COMING UP The Orioles play the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field in Clearwater Fla
at 105 pm Feb 28 Mike Wright will face Clay Buchholz
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpbaltimorecbslocalcom20170228castillo-trying-to-learn-orioles-pitchers-in-a-short-
time
Castillo Trying To Learn Orioles Pitchers In A Short Time
CBS Baltimore
February 28 2017
SARASOTA Fla (AP) mdash Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with
Baltimorersquos pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
ldquoI think Irsquom going to have enough time to know themrdquo the 29-year-old Castillo said ldquoI know
therersquos a lot of guys in here Day by day Irsquom going to get to know themrdquo
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
ldquoYoursquove got to get to know them pretty quickrdquo Castillo said ldquoI feel that Irsquom going to be good
and that everybody in here knows what to do too so itrsquos going to be easier for merdquo
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
ldquoHe seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whorsquos easy to talk
tordquo said Darren OrsquoDay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers ldquoJust throwing to
him I can tell hersquos going to steal strikes for us Hersquos got a lot to learn so hersquos going to have to
catch a lot of different guysrdquo
Castillo hasnrsquot caught OrsquoDay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnrsquot thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hersquos seen from Castillo
ldquoThey have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings toordquo
Showalter said ldquoHersquos a humble kid Hersquos a pleaserrdquo
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
ldquoHonestly I was a little bit in between because I know Irsquom going to a new team new players
new pitching staffrdquo Castillo said ldquoIrsquom going to have time to get to know them At the same
time I want to represent my country hellip ldquoWe are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a
lot of good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me
that Irsquoll still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the
experiencerdquo
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170227spring-training-preview-bourns-injury-jimenezs-
start-schoop-flying-coop-soon
Spring Training Primer Bournrsquos injury Jimenezrsquos start
Schoop flying coop soon
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Ubaldo Jimenez who had a 1-2-3-4 inning in his intrasquad game Thursday
takes the mound against the New York Yankees this afternoon Jimenez who isnrsquot known for
always being efficient threw so few pitches in his intrasquad inning that he faced an extra batter
whom he retired
Today will be Jonathan Schooprsquos final game before he takes off to join the Netherlandsrsquo entry in
the World Baseball Classic The Netherlands begins WBC play against Korea in Seoul on March
7
Zach Britton isnrsquot scheduled to pitch yet but perhaps he will by the end of the week now that the
discomfort in his left oblique is gone Brittonrsquos schedule is unaffected because he wouldnrsquot have
pitched in a game in February
ldquoWe had time and based on the innings I need now we had all the time in the world to an
extent Obviously if this was the middle of March then I think yoursquore a little bit more worried
about it But I didnrsquot think it was anything serious and itrsquos gone away in about what four or five
daysrdquo Britton said
Whatrsquos happened Over the weekend Christian Walker was claimed on waivers by Atlanta and
left-handed reliever TJ McFarland was granted his release
Walker a first baseman who was converted to the outfield last year was designated for
assignment Tuesday when left-handed reliever Richard Bleier was acquired from the Yankees
Walker had his path blocked to the majors by Chris Davisrsquo re-signing and the emergence of Trey
Mancini
ldquoItrsquos a good move for him as human beingrdquo Orioles manager Buch Showalter said of Atlantarsquos
claim ldquoHersquoll get a good look and a good opportunity thererdquo
McFarland was designated for assignment Feb 19 when another lefty Vidal Nuno was picked
up from the Dodgers The Orioles maintain interest in McFarland and would like to sign him to a
minor league contract
Infielder Paul Janish was signed to a minor league contract Saturday with an invitation to spring
training his third such deal in as many years
Whatrsquos up with Michael Bourn mdash Signed as a minor league free agent a week ago Bourn
mishandled a football thrown to him in a workout Friday and broke his right ring finger
Bourn who would make $2 million if added to the 40-man roster has a March 27 opt-out date
that may become irrelevant because he may not be ready to play Hersquos out for an estimated four
weeks
Without Bourn Rule 5 draft choices Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez and Craig Gentry
another veteran major leaguer signed to a minor league contract will get longer looks for
outfield spots
What theyrsquore saying ldquoIt wasnrsquot football for fun first off I was doing it for conditioning It was
just a conditioning drill that you do and the ball just hit me in the wrong spotrdquo mdash Bourn on how
his freak injury occurred
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
Whatrsquos the number 6 mdash Thatrsquos how many hits Orioles whorsquoll play in the WBC had in Sundayrsquos
8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Adam Jones had a long home run and double Manny
Machado also had a home run while Welington Castillo had two hits and Schoop added one
Whatrsquos the record 2-1 mdash Last spring training the Orioles didnrsquot get their second win until their
15th game
httpwwwbaltimorebaseballcom20170228spring-training-primer-buck-jimenez-schoop-
leaves-bang-wrights
Spring Training Primer Buck on Jimenez Schoop leaves
with a bang Wrightrsquos up
By Rich Dubroff BaltimoreBaseballcom
February 27 2018
Whatrsquos happening Right-hander Mike Wright gets his first Grapefruit League start against the
Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater at 105 pm today
Wright who is battling for one of the final spots in the bullpen starts against an old Orioles
nemesis Clay Buchholz who is 11-7 with a 376 ERA in 23 regular season games against
Baltimore In his second big-league appearance in 2007 Buchholz pitched a no-hitter against the
Orioles at Fenway Park
Buchholz who is known for his slow pace was traded to the Phillies by the Boston Red Sox in
December So this could be the only time they face Buchholz and his methodical ways in 2017
Orioles closer Zach Britton is nearly ready to pitch in a game but manager Buck Showalter may
hold him out a bit longer even though Brittonrsquos oblique discomfort is gone Relievers Brad Brach
and Darren OrsquoDay also havenrsquot been scheduled to pitch in Grapefruit League action With the
length of this yearrsquos spring training Showalter is being careful with his top bullpen arms
Utility infielder Ryan Flaherty has soreness in his shoulder and is being rested for a few days
Whatrsquos happened Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run on three hits in two innings in his first
Grapefruit League start a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday Showalter likes how
Jimenez is pitching and thinks hersquos deserving of a strong 2017 after a solid end to the 2016
season (which ultimately finished with Jimenez allowing a game-ending homer in the AL Wild
Card Game)
ldquoYou know what a good human being he is His teammates really rally around him when
something good happens to us as a result of something hersquos done because the way he has
handled some of the criticism is pretty exemplary But hersquos tired of handling itrdquo Showalter said
ldquoHe wants the other part of it Not anybody with more pedigree than he has and a lot of people
tell me for two or three years he was the best pitcher in the gamerdquo
Whatrsquos up with Jonathan Schoop The second baseman hit a long home run in his final game
Monday before he plays for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic
Schoop will be the first of six Orioles to leave the team for the WBC Welington Castillo
Mychal Givens Adam Jones Manny Machado and newly acquired left-hander Vidal Nuno leave
early next week In three games Schoop is 3-for-8 with a home run and two doubles He thinks
hersquos ready to play internationally
ldquoI feel like I have enough games in I think we have two more exhibition games down there to
get ready Then wersquove got to play three games down there before the tournament starts but Irsquom
ready I feel goodrdquo Schoop said
What theyrsquore saying ldquoThatrsquos for you guys and for history and the way it works To me thatrsquos
almost a kind of a slap in the face that it wasnrsquot important before Is there a certain sense of
urgency That depends on the player I donrsquot see that with Ubaldo Wersquoll see how it plays I
donrsquot see that as a negative thing There are very few instances of that being a negativerdquo mdash
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
Showalter on whether impending free agency could be an incentive for Jimenez to excel in
2017
Whatrsquos the number 2 ndash Left fielder Hyun Soo Kim is 2-for-8 in spring games Last year he
started the spring hitless in 23 at-bats
Whatrsquos the record 2-2 mdash The Orioles play their third road game of the spring today At each
road locale theyrsquove played in a renamed park In their first game Friday they played at the
remodeled Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday it was LECOM Park
which for decades was McKechnie Field in Bradenton and today they play at Spectrum Field
formerly Bright House Network Field
httpwwwheraldtribunecomsports20170227fan-of-day-she-roots-for-orioles-but-passes-on-
natty-boh
FAN OF THE DAY She roots for the Orioles but passes on
lsquoNatty Bohrsquo
By Thomas Becnel Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 27 2018
For a spring training trip to Florida Linda Huntt wore an Orioles T-shirt and matching earrings
She and her boyfriend Brian Blanchette share a passion for Baltimore baseball
Our first date was at an Orioles game she says I twisted his arm and hes been stuck with me
ever since
As a girl Huntt went to Baltimore Orioles games at Memorial Field
I remember watching Jim Palmer pitch and Boog Powell on first base she says I have my
dads ticket stub from the 1969 World Series
At Camden Yards Huntt likes to sit in the left field club level Instead of Natty Boh mdash
National Bohemian the traditional Baltimore beer mdash she prefers a Maryland IPA called Loose
Cannon
In Sarasota Huntt enjoys the baseball sunshine and warm weather Her boyfriend does too
Hes already talking about coming back next year she says
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpwwwnydailynewscomsportsbaseballbuck-showalter-deflecting-postseason-bullpen-
blunder-article-12983874
Oriolesrsquo Buck Showalter still deflecting postseason bullpen
blunder
By John Harper Daily News
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla mdash Buck Showalter was standing in front of me and I was determined to get an
answer to the question that bugged me all winter Why did one of the best managers in baseball
make the most glaring mistake of the playoffs
In the months since then Showalter had said little to explain his thinking in not using Zach
Britton baseballs best reliever in 2017 with his season on the line in a do-or-die scenario even
as the game remain tied through eight nine 10 innings
Having known him for some 25 years going back to his days managing the Yankees I also
knew it might be easier trying to pry government secrets out of a CIA agent than getting Buck to
go into detail about his decision-making that ultimately led to a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 11
innings
Not that he doesnt like to talk No one is more engaging than Showalter on any number of
topics from Alabama football to the fallacy of pitch-framing statistics to best way to grip a golf
club which is often his way of filibustering to avoid questions hed rather not answer
On this day Buck saw dark clouds forming when a few New York writers cornered him so to
speak near the batting cage as the Orioles took BP
He went deeper into his stall game than usual changing subjects from his daughters pregnancy
to his sons scouting experience to his insistence that 51-year old Brady Anderson is in good
enough shape that he could play center field in the big leagues today all without pausing long
enough to allow the interrogation to begin
Finally I practically begged him for a timeout
Oh you guys have real questions he asked feigning surprise
Yes Buck
On the record
Yes Buck
And so it began Sort of anyway The conversation was mostly stops and starts as Showalter
quickly made it clear he wasnt revisiting his decision in any detail
But after protesting that this was no longer newsworthy he asked pointedly Which decision are
we talking about The one I made in the fifth inning the sixth inning the seventh inning
You know which decision I said
Yeah but thats my point he said If something works its right If something doesnt work
its wrong Sometimes you make a decision thats really chancy and you dont really like or you
pick the right thing and didnt work out
Its up to other people to engage right or wrong You realize its a what-have-you-done-for-me-
lately world
I pushed ever so gently But you feel it was the right move right
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
If you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differently he asked Of course you would Thats my answer Its a result-oriented society
That may be true but the fascinating part to me is that with his season on the line a supreme
strategist like Showalter would play it by the book adhering to the philosophy that you save your
closer on the road until you have a lead to protect
In doing so however you take a huge gamble trying to extend the game with lesser pitchers
even using a starter like Ubaldo Jimenez in that game which proved fatal
In other words you get eliminated without ever using your best weapon which makes no sense
to me
But I couldnt drag Showalter into that debate as hard as I tried He kept deflecting and
deflecting to the point where I realized pushing harder was useless
It was frustrating partly because I like Buck and I know how smart he is running the game in the
dugout so I was hoping I could pull something out of him to shine a different light on the
subject
Instead I come away thinking what I always thought that he somehow convinced himself he
could steal a couple of more innings without using Britton knowing that the Blue Jays Francisco
Liriano was dominating the Orioles hitters on the other side
In any case it probably matters to me more than it should because Id like to see Showalter
finally get the chance to manage in the World Series
He was denied as far back as 1994 by the players strike in August when the Yankees had the
best record in the American League and the season never resumed Its still a sore subject for
Showalter he says he commiserates with Felipe Alou manager of the 94 Expos who had the
best record in baseball and talks trash to his current GM Dan Duquette who was an assistant
GM with the Expos then
Felipe and I talk about it all the time Showalter said And Im all over Duquette We had it
going on that year We would have been hard to beat
The 95 Yanks were sent home from the playoffs by that famous Ken Griffey Jr trip around the
bases in Game 5 of the ALDS George Steinbrenner replaced Showalter with Joe Torre and
championships have continued to elude him in Arizona Texas and now Baltimore
On Monday Showalter even raised the subject of retirement
I love spring training he said But there are some days when you kind of go what the hell am
I doing Im 60 years old doing this (bleep) I can see the end of the tunnel
I asked Jimmy Leland how he knew it was time He said when the wins didnt offset the pain
of losing When the losses hurt too much
Showalter clearly isnt there yet One minute he was talking about retirement the next he was
railing about how the whole world is picking the Orioles to finish last in the AL East this season
scoffing at the notion the Yankees are rebuilding
Oh please he said Weve got nine Rule 5 guys in camp You think the Yankees have nine
Rule 5 guys I dont think so You think the Red Sox have any I dont think the Blue Jays do
either
Suddenly Buck was fired up last October long forgotten Or was he just changing the subject
again At that point it was hard to tell
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpwwwnewsdaycomsportscolumnistsdavid-lennonbuck-showalter-has-closed-the-book-
on-not-using-his-closer-113184373
Buck Showalter has closed the book on not using Zach
Britton
David Lennon Newsday
February 27 2017
Buck Showalter five months later knew the Zach Britton question was coming No manager can
do what he did last October during that fateful night at Rogers Centre and not have his radar up
But even the affable Showalter one of our favorite guys to chat with has his boundaries
You donrsquot bump against them often The line materialized Monday when the conversation turned
to Brittonrsquos absence from that wild-card game the 11-inning 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays
Showalter never has provided an explanation for not using Britton and apparently has no
intention of offering one Period
ldquoIf something works itrsquos rightrdquo Showalter said before Mondayrsquos exhibition game against the
Yankees ldquoIf something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrong Sometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancey and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it doesnrsquot work out Itrsquos up to
other people to engage right or wrongrdquo
Thatrsquos more postgame analysis really and not a defense of the choice to leave Britton holstered
So we pushed a little more Was it the correct move to wait on using Britton for a save situation
that never happened
BaseballEncarnacionrsquos HR in 11th gives Blue Jays wild-card win
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo Showalter said ldquoOf course you would Thatrsquos my answer Obviously if you knew
the results you would do something differently We donrsquot People want to play the game on
computers I donrsquot dwell on itrdquo
Fair enough Everyone knows how this one played out Britton the 47-for-47 closer with a 054
ERA warmed up three times that night starting in the eighth inning But with the score tied 2-2
in the 11th Showalter stuck with Ubaldo Jimenez who gave up a pair of singles before Edwin
Encarnacionrsquos walk-off blast
Showalter who is regarded as a brilliant in-game tactician was clobbered by an army of second-
guessers who couldnrsquot fathom why the gamersquos best relief pitcher wasnrsquot used in a do-or-die
playoff On the surface he seemed to cling to the conventional wisdom that a closer shouldnrsquot be
used in a tie game on the road On Monday Showalter hinted at other things possibly influencing
his judgment stuff he wouldnrsquot reveal
ldquoBritton could have pitched in the fifth inning in Torontordquo Showalter said ldquoHe could have
pitched in the sixth the seventh the eighth the ninth the 10th the 11th Therersquos a lot of factors
there But yoursquore careful about saying things that reflect some things that you just donrsquot talk
about And Irsquom not going to Wersquove moved onrdquo
The Britton Conspiracy remains the lasting narrative from that wild-card loss but Showalter
successfully navigated his way through six scoreless innings of bullpen use before Jimenezrsquos
failure
The way the rest of October unfolded made Showalter look even worse The 2016 postseason
featured the rise of the super-reliever as Andrew Miller showed how a closer-type pitcher could
be used in any situation from the fifth inning on to help decide the outcome His postseason
dominance bolstered the contention of those who have argued that a traditional closerrsquos role is an
antiquated notion like the sacrifice bunt
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
Showalter said he didnrsquot pay much attention to all that because he had only a passing interest in
the playoffs once the Orioles were eliminated When told we didnrsquot believe him he replied ldquoItrsquos
true Ask my wiferdquo
Regardless he strongly disagrees with the idea that a closer should be deployed at various points
of a game during the regular season too rather than just be saved for the ninth
ldquoOf course notrdquo Showalter said ldquoItrsquos not reality If you try to do that your guys will be on the
DL in April Anybody that doesnrsquot believe that go ahead and try it Irsquod love to play against you
You wonrsquot have your bullpen after about a month
ldquoItrsquos a trend that happens in the playoffs mdash no other time of the year Relief pitchers around here
laugh when people try to say that You canrsquot run those guys out there that much Appearances are
at an all-time high So are innings You canrsquot do it Itrsquoll bite yourdquo
Showalter has one of those super-relievers in Britton arguably the most lethal bullpen weapon in
baseball Next time wersquod bet the Orsquos manager doesnrsquot make the same mistake twice
Buck Showalter used these six relievers mdash and not Zach Britton mdash after removing starter Chris
Tillman with one out in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game last
October
Pitcher IP
Mychal Givens 2 1frasl3
Donnie Hart 1frasl3
Brad Brach 1 1frasl3
Darren OrsquoDay1 2frasl3
Bryan Duensing 1frasl3
Ubaldo Jimeacutenez 00
Faced three batters all reached base
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpwwwnorthjerseycomstorysportscolumnistsbob-klapisch20170227klapisch-
showalter-still-searching-for-a-championship98485410
Klapisch Showalter still searching for a championship
By Bob Klapisch NorthJerseycom
February 27 2018
SARASOTA Fla ndash You can see Buck Showalterrsquos face tighten at the first mention of Octoberrsquos
wild-card shootout against the Blue Jays Hersquos knows whatrsquos coming Hersquos got the question ndash
and answer ndash memorized Buckrsquos eyes flash a Donrsquot Go There warning when asked to relive
the 11th inning of a tie game against the Blue Jays
Oriolesrsquo closer Zach Britton the gamersquos best lefthanded reliever never left the bullpen as Edwin
Encarnacion smoked a walk-off HR against Ubaldo Jimenez The blast ended the Oriolesrsquo season
and ran Showalterrsquos streak to 18 years without winning a pennant
Hersquos currently second on the list of managerial victories without a World Series appearance to
show for it The leader was Gene Mauch who won 1902 games over 28 seasons (1960-87)
Buck passed Jimmy Dykes last year to move into second place with 1429 You donrsquot have to
wonder if the gods have singled Showalter out The question is why
Buckrsquos legacy for preparation and hard work have given way to that of a permanent also-ran
Thing is hersquos arguably the smartest manager in the game a half-step ahead of Bruce Bochy
Terry Francona even Joe Maddon But Showalterrsquos critics will never forgive him for keeping
Britton in quarantine while the Blue Jays were celebrating Encarnacionrsquos home run
Showalter hasnrsquot wavered in his belief that closers arenrsquot supposed to appear in tie games on the
road But hersquos grown tired of litigating the case
ldquoIf something works itrsquos right If something doesnrsquot work itrsquos wrongrdquo Showalter was saying
before the Os hosted the Yankees on Monday ldquoSometimes you make a decision thatrsquos really
chancy and you donrsquot really like or you pick the right thing and it didnrsquot work out and hellip itrsquos up
to other people to engage right or wrong You realize itrsquos a what have you done for me lately
worldrdquo
Klapisch How Severino can crack the Yankees rotation
Klapisch Q-and-A with David Cone
Klapisch Is Aaron Judge ready for prime time
But was it the right move Showalterrsquos push-back is immediate After four months he still hears
the dog-whistle criticism in whatrsquos now a neutral question
ldquoIf you knew how everything was going to turn out in your life would you have done it
differentlyrdquo he said ldquoOf course you would thatrsquos my answer Itrsquos a result-oriented societyrdquo
Buck can be forgiven for being touchy At 60 he says ldquoI can see the end of the tunnelrdquo in his
managerial career The Orioles owe him for two more years and itrsquos possible if not probable
hersquoll never reach the holy grail Baseball Prospectus projects Baltimore to finish last in the East
in 2017 Buckrsquos fate took a further plunge when free agent Matt Wieters who hit 17 HRs with 66
RBIs last year signed with the Nationals
As much as Showalter loathes excuse-makers he admitted losing Wieters ldquois going to hurtrdquo As
always the Orioles will have to get by with a home run-oriented offense in tiny Camden Yards
Five of their returning players (Mark Trumbo Chris Davis Manny Machado Adam Jones and
Jonathan Schoop) topped 20 HRs last year The problem as always will be pitching Baseball
Prospectus believes no team in baseball will allow more runs than the Orsquos
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
None of this seems to faze Showalter He points out how wrong the experts were about the Orsquos
in 2016 Picked to finish last they won 89 games and made it to the wild-card game even if the
season ended in heart-breaking fashion
Yet Showalter has mostly moved on Nothing will ever crush him again like the Yankeesrsquo
meltdown in the 1995 AL Division Series against the Mariners While the old Kingdome
devolved into a riot after Edgar Martinezrsquos walk-off double in Game 5 Showalter was in his
office slumped over his desk sobbing into his hands
George Steinbrenner had stormed in presumably to blister Showalter but instead walked out
around when he realized his manager was near emotional collapse It was Showalter who turned
the Bombers around from 1992-95 and to this day is convinced they wouldrsquove won the World
Series in the strike-shortened 1994 season
But Steinbrenner never grasped the degree of Showalterrsquos love for the Pinstripes He fired Buck
soon after the loss to Seattle Showalter says the experience forever hardened his protective
shield
That would explain why Showalter is more at peace about his day-to-day life in the dugout He
used to wear out players and executives alike with his need for control Friends begged Buck to
lighten up Itrsquos taken decades but hersquos finally combined his IQ with a Zen-like calm
He can tweak the Yankees now with a mere arching of the eyebrows
ldquoOh pleaserdquo Showalter when told the Bombers are calling 2017 a rebuilding year
ldquoHow many Rule 5 players do they have (on their 25-man roster)rdquo he asked
None
ldquoThank yourdquo
The exchange needed no translation Showalterrsquos Orioles are paupers next to the Yankees and
Red Sox If anyone gets satisfaction from sticking it to the American Leaguersquos 1-percenters itrsquos
Buck But the clock is ticking and Showalterrsquos ultimate revenge winning a World Series may
be beyond his grasp
True or not Showalter asks only one favor Donrsquot bother feeling sorry for him
The more yoursquore in thisrdquo he said ldquothe more you realize itrsquos not about yourdquo
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpwwwdailyheraldcomarticle20170227sports302279863
Castillo trying to learn Orioles pitchers in short time
Associated Press
February 27 2017
SARASOTA Fla -- Welington Castillo has a short time to familiarize himself with Baltimores
pitching staff before leaving Sunday to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball
Classic
The 29-year-old takes over this season from Matt Wieters who had caught for the Orioles since
2009 but left as a free agent and finalized a deal Friday with Washington
I think Im going to have enough time to know them the 29-year-old Castillo said I know
theres a lot of guys in here Day by day Im going to get to know them
Castillo had a similar experience when he was traded from Seattle to Arizona in June 2015
Youve got to get to know them pretty quick Castillo said I feel that Im going to be good and
that everybody in here knows what to do too so its going to be easier for me
Castillo missed his first scheduled game with the Orioles on Saturday because of neck spasms
and went 2 for 3 Sunday
He seems positive upbeat which is good out of a catcher You want a guy whos easy to talk
to said Darren ODay whose sidearm motion can be difficult for catchers Just throwing to
him I can tell hes going to steal strikes for us Hes got a lot to learn so hes going to have to
catch a lot of different guys
Castillo hasnt caught ODay and fellow relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton yet in a game
Britton has been slowed by oblique discomfort and starter Chris Tillman hasnt thrown yet
because of shoulder soreness
Showalter likes what hes seen from Castillo
They have a lot of guys to pick to be there to catch for the Dominican and they picked him
OK That tells you a little bit about his stature and I have respect for what he brings too
Showalter said Hes a humble kid Hes a pleaser
Castillo will join new Orioles teammate Manny Machado on the Dominican team
Honestly I was a little bit in between because I know Im going to a new team new players
new pitching staff Castillo said Im going to have time to get to know them At the same time
I want to represent my country We are blessed because the Dominican Republic has a lot of
good players but the WBC is every three or four years so who is going to guarantee me that Ill
still be in baseball in three or four more years Why not go there and get the experience
Notes INF Ryan Flaherty is out with a sore right arm 2B Jonathan Schoop left after Mondays
game to report to the Netherlands WBC team
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
httpwwwdailyitemcomnewslocal_newsorioles-pick-anthem-regular-from-selinsgrove-for-
opening-weekendarticle_5da3b221-4fab-5ad1-be13-8034c0164acehtml
Orioles pick anthem regular from Selinsgrove for opening
weekend
Francis Scarcella Sunbury Daily Item
February 27 2018
SELINSGROVE mdash Sara Lauver sat in the Baltimore Orioles ldquobullpenrdquo for the past 10 years just
waiting for her chance to perform on opening weekend in front of nearly 46000 screaming
Major League Baseball fans inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Maryland
On April 8 Lauver 35 of Selinsgrove will finally get the call
Lauver the director of community impact for the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in
Sunbury will be performing the National Anthem and singing through the seventh-inning stretch
when the Orioles take on the New York Yankees according to the Baltimore Orioles team
spokesman Greg Bader
ldquoOne of our longest-tenured performers Sara has been singing the national anthem at Oriole
Park at Camden Yards regularly over the past decaderdquo said Bader who serves as the Orioles
vice president of communications and marketing ldquoWe look forward to Sararsquos performances each
and every yearrdquo
Even though Lauver has been singing for the Orioles organization for the past 10 years the 2017
season will mark her first performance during opening weekend she said
ldquoI am very excitedrdquo Lauver said ldquoIt is such an honor and such a pleasure to do itrdquo
When Lauver was living in Baltimore in 2007 she sent a demo tape of her singing in hopes to
land a spot she said
ldquoI stayed in contact with the team and I became an emergency call person in case someone
couldnrsquot make itrdquo Lauver said
Lauver got her chance in 2007 and has now been booked to sing at least twice every season
With the singing booking come the perks Lauver said
ldquoI get eight tickets to each game I sing atrdquo Lauver said ldquoThe seats are great and are right down
the first base line I get to bring friends and familyrdquo
Lauver said when she sings she is placed in a private area about one hour before the first pitch
where she often times would see players walking by
ldquoOf course I get nervousrdquo she said ldquoIt is just such a great experience being able to sing in front
of 40000 fans while standing near home platerdquo
And the players may just take notice to her performances
ldquoI think Adam Jones and myself have a little thing goingrdquo Lauver joked ldquoIt is just really
awesome to see the players watchingrdquo
Jones plays centerfield for the Orioles
Lauver is also asked to sing God Bless America When she performs the classic during the
seventh-inning stretch she gets to stand on the Orioles dugout
Lauver also has been mentioned during national broadcast games on the Major League Baseball
Network she said
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network
There is no monetary compensation for her performances Lauver said
ldquoI do it because every time is just such a cool experiencerdquo she said ldquoIt truly is just an honorrdquo
One of Lauverrsquos friends said she accompanied Lauver to a previous game and got goosebumps
when Lauver began to sing
ldquoThere is a reason the Orioles keep asking Sara to come back season after seasonrdquo Sara Bartlett
of San Diego said
ldquoShe has a beautiful voice that illuminates Camden Yards When she sings the fans connect with
her and as an Orioles fan myself I couldnrsquot be more proud of my friendrdquo
Lauver sings throughout the Valley at various events and is part of local band Blue River Spell
The April 8 game between the Orioles and Yankees starts at 405 pm The game will be
broadcast by the MLB Network