2009 Spring Training Articles & Tid Bits
Trembley at the workout (with more added)
Orioles manager Dave Trembley won’t reveal his lineup until tomorrow. He indicated that Luke Scott will face some left-handers this season. We’re just not certain whether one of those southpaws will be CC Sabathia on Opening Day.
“You guys know Luke as well as I do,” Trembley said. “Luke is a guy that, when he’s hot, it really doesn’t matter if it’s a righty or a lefty out there. Luke had a very good spring. I think there will be opportunities for him to play against left-handed pitchers.”
Scott will have to be the emergency first baseman if Ty Wigginton is the designated hitter and Aubrey Huff has to leave the game. If it’s late enough, Trembley might be willing to lose the DH and move Wigginton to first, but he’s in no hurry to put a bat in a pitcher’s hands.
The Orioles purchased catcher Chad Moeller’s contract. That leaves one more opening on the 40-man roster, which Adam Eaton can fill when it’s the fifth starter’s turn on April 11 or 12 – depending on whether pitching coach Rick Kranitz wants to give Jeremy Guthrie an extra day.
If tomorrow’s game is rained out, Guthrie will start on Tuesday.
Trembley doesn’t seem concerned about the right-hander’s struggles this spring.
“I think Guthrie is a man of pride and his work habits are very good,” Trembley said. “For me, he’s healthy. He’s had a good side session and we expect him to pitch well tomorrow.”
The club remains convinced that reliever Jim Johnson is healthy. He’s just getting hit around a little.
“He pitched three times this week, met every challenge, was fine the day after,” Trembley said. “He’ll be in the backend of the bullpen in some role.”
Asked to list some young players who impressed him in camp besides Matt Wieters, Trembley mentioned Nolan Reimold, who showed improvement defensively and in his ability to hit the ball to the opposite field. Trembley also singled out Justin Turner as being a “sleeper,” and he tossed a little love in Scott Moore’s direction.
“Those are the guys who are probably the lesser knowns,” Trembley said. “We all know who the other guys were. They’re no-doubters.”
Trembley addressed the team before today’s workout. What was his message?
“Someone has allowed you the opportunity to be here. I want you to remember that when you go out there tomorrow. Understand how lucky and fortunate we are, who we’re representing. It’s a very special day. You guys are the best players on the world. Enjoy it. Make the most of it.”
And finally, this from Trembley:
“Truthfully, I think we’re a lot better than a lot of people are going to give us credit for. It comes down to whether or not we can pitch and stay away from the big inning. I know we’re going to catch the ball. I would feel very comfortable that on any given night, we’ll stay in there offensively. But for every team, it’s about starting pitching. Our situation is probably magnified more because we have some guys who are unproven commodities. But these guys are big leaguers. They love to compete.”
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Looking back on Lauderdale
A funny thing happened on my way out the door last night to hang with friends: I laid down around 8 p.m., expecting to close my eyes for a few minutes, and woke up at midnight.
So much for that idea.
Anyway, I’m not completely rested, but I’m ready for a new season to start. But I’m not ready to let go of my memories from spring training. And that includes:
My introduction to Justin Turner: And I don’t mean shaking hands and exchanging names. I knew nothing about this kid before he reported to camp, but I see him as part of the infield picture – if not this season, most certainly in 2010. He might not start right away, but he’ll back up at second and short, and he’ll keep finding ways to get on base. Turner batted .342 with three homers and 10 RBIs in 21 games. Get him a little more comfortable at shortstop and bring him up.
Waiting for Pie and Simon: Felix Pie and Alfredo Simon were stuck in the Dominican because of their visa issues. Only one of them seemed to matter. The Orioles worked diligently to get Pie out of there before he fell too far behind. Simon looked like an after-thought by comparison. Now he’s the No. 3 starter. Gotta admit, I didn’t see that one coming.
Lou Montanez’s last swings: They came outside the home clubhouse at Fort Lauderdale Stadium, and he wasn’t holding a bat. Montanez didn’t rip the organization after he was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. He’s smarter than that. But his feelings were quite clear. “I think I’m beyond close. It’s just that the opportunity isn’t there right now. I know I’m ready to play. I feel like I could compete just as good as a lot of guys up there. Like yesterday, we were at the Mets game. There was a lot of chatter in our dugout about [Daniel] Murphy, how he’s a good player and he can hit. He’s going to be their starting left fielder, and I’m sitting in the dugout thinking, ‘He was in our league and I won the Triple Crown.’” Yeah, but who has a bobblehead?
The savior in spikes: Matt Wieters draws a lot of stares, as well as accolades. Everything he does fits nicely under a microscope. And he handles the attention like a seasoned pro. Wieters is humble, polite and extremely gifted. Manager Dave Trembley needs a drool bucket every time he talks about the kid. You wonder how the can’t-miss prospect could possibly miss. If he does, every scout in the country will be wrong.
Koji-mania: The concerns over how Koji Uehara would adapt to his new surroundings were eased in about 12 seconds. Uehara blended in perfectly. He kept a roster inside his locker with headshots of every player in the clubhouse so he could memorize their names. He requested the names of every U.S. reporter, as if we mattered. He taught Japanese to his teammates, and they offered up an English word-of-the-day for his amusement. It was an international lovefest, and easily one of the most enjoyable parts of spring training.
My darkhorse candidate: Where have you gone, Brad Hennessey? Oh yeah, to minor league camp, with a mysterious elbow injury that knocked him out of the rotation. He was a big disappointed to team officials who thought he had a legitimate chance to be a starter this season. Hennessey complained of soreness in his elbow after his first appearance of the spring, and he never pitched again. Fool me once…
John Parrish’s about-face: Yeah, John, about that face… Parrish showed up at camp looking like he went 12 rounds with a chainsaw and ended up on the disabled list with a tear in his shoulder that required surgery. A dirtbike accident left wicked gashes on his face, right side and underneath his right arm. Scabs were still forming on the wounds when he reported. Not the ideal first impression to make on your new manager and coaches.
I’ll pass along a few more observations and impressions later in the day. I have to run to the bank and stop by Camden Yards.
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The lineup
Newest Oriole Robert Andino will meet the team in Port St. Lucie and play shortstop today. And check out the first baseman:
Robert Andino – SS
Justin Turner – 2B
Oscar Salazar – RF
Luke Scott – 1B
Gregg Zaun – DH
Scott Moore – 3B
Jolbert Cabrera – LF
Justin Christian – CF
Chad Moeller – C
Adam Eaton – P
The morning news: More cuts coming
Dave Trembley informed utility infielder candidates Chris Gomez and Jolbert Cabrera that a decision on their status may be coming soon, perhaps later today. When he called each of them into his office, it looked like those decisions had been made, but Trembley also called in Robby Hammock and Chad Moeller to update them on the reserve catcher situation, which will not be decided until Gregg Zaun’s sore elbow clears up (or doesn’t).
Looks like neither Gomez nor Cabrera are going to make the 25-man roster. Gomez said afterward that he has told the club he will not go down to Triple-A Norfolk. If he can’t stay, he’ll take his release and go home.
Brian Roberts is not in today’s lineup against the Marlins and is not on the travel roster for tomorrow’s final Florida exhibition in Port St. Lucie. That means he won’t play until at least Friday night in Norfolk. Trembley already said that if Roberts does not return for an exhibition appearance, he will not be in the starting lineup on Opening Day.
The Orioles have added Saturday’s game against the Nationals in Washington to their preseason radio schedule (105.7 FM). Pregame coverage starts at 5 p.m. The game starts at 6:05 p.m.
Minor league prospects Justin Christian and Justin Turner have rejoined the major league squad to fill out the roster for the final four exhibition games.
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Orioles trim eight off roster.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. – The Orioles trimmed their spring training roster Wednesday to 40 players. The Orioles optioned pitchers Chris Waters, Kam Mickolio and Bob McCrory to Triple-A Norfolk and reassigned infielders Justin Turner and Donnie Murphy, outfielder Justin Christian and injured pitchers John Parrish and Brad Hennessey to minor league camp.
Turner, who was acquired in the offseason trade that sent catcher Ramon Hernandez to the Cincinnati Reds, hit .342 with three home runs and 10 RBIs.
“I’d like to think that I opened some eyes here,” Turner said. “I was just taking advantage of some opportunities and hopefully somewhere down the road, they’ll remember me.”O’s reassign five, option three to Minors
Spring camp now down to 39 players; roster competition continues
- FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Orioles trimmed their camp roster to 39 players Wednesday when they elected to reassign five players to their Minor League camp and option three others to Triple-A Norfolk.
Baltimore provided some clarification to the pitching staff with the cuts. Injured veterans Brad Hennessey and John Parrish were reassigned to the Minor League camp, but neither is expected to start the season on time. Kam Mickolio, Chris Waters and Bob McCrory were sent to Norfolk, thickening the pitching mix. - The Orioles also reassigned outfielder Justin Christian and infielders Justin Turner and Donnie Murphy to their Minor League camp. Turner, who was acquired from Cincinnati in the offseason trade for Ramon Hernandez, hit .342 with three home runs and 10 RBIs this spring and firmly placed himself in the team’s future plans.
- Baltimore is still expected to make a few decisions at the margins that could affect the roster. The Orioles have five potential starters competing for three rotation vacancies and a possible opening at the end of their bullpen. Baltimore also has two veterans — Chris Gomez and Jolbert Cabrera — competing for a possible utility slot.
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Quick notes — Twins 8, Orioles 7
I’m back. To everyone who e-mailed me with concerns on my whereabouts for the past week, I’d like to express my appreciation for your continuous support of O’s on Deck. I apologize for the lack of entries in the past week, but it was beyond my control.
As several readers correctly noted, I was on vacation and making my way through Florida for Grapefruit League action. I took my laptop on the trip with me, and the plan was to post the typical updates on each game.
Unfortunately, technology didn’t agree with my idea and the computer stopped working shortly after my arrival in Florida. I guess the weather was too nice — 85 degrees and sunny each day — and the laptop also wanted to take a short respite from the daily grind.
Anyway, I think the problem is solved and I’m back to blogging with daily updates. Opening Day is only two weeks away, and I can’t wait for the start of the regular season.
Final score: Twins 8, Orioles 7
Thumbs up
Jolbert Cabrera — The 36-year-old utility player was 2-for-2 with two doubles and two RBIs in today’s loss to the Twins. Cabrera also walked twice and scored one run. In 14 Grapefruit League games, he is hitting .448 (13-for-29) with three RBIs and four runs scored. Cabrera is not a potent offensive threat, but he is getting the job done with solid contact after a rough start to the spring. Still, he’s likely facing an uphill battle to make the Opening Day roster.
Lou Montanez — After going 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored against the Twins, Montanez is batting .326 (14-for-43) with seven RBIs and eight runs scored in 18 games this spring. The 27-year-old outfielder has four doubles, which is tied for the most on the Orioles in the Grapefruit League. The numbers crunch might leave Montanez without a spot on the Opening Day roster, but he’s doing a good job of proving that he is ready for the major leagues. If he starts strong with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, look for Montanez to be playing at Camden Yards again in 2009.
Scott Moore — The Orioles removed Moore from the 40-man roster during the offseason, and it seems to have motivated him during spring training. The 25-year-old infielder was 1-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored against the Twins. He hit the home run against Twins starting pitcher Francisco Liriano with two outs in the third inning. For the spring, Moore is hitting .317 (13-for-41) with three home runs and six RBIs.
Justin Turner — The 24-year-old infielder was 1-for-1 with a walk and an RBI in today’s game after replacing Murphy at second base. In 19 Grapefruit League games, Turner is batting .353 (12-for-34) with three doubles, three home runs and 10 RBIs. He is tied with Ty Wigginton for the most RBIs on the Orioles this spring. I know there is some support from Orioles fans for Turner to earn a utility spot on the Opening Day roster. While that might not happen, he’s certainly auditioning well for his new organization.
Thumbs down
Adam Eaton — It wasn’t a good outing for Eaton, who allowed three home runs and four runs in the sixth inning against the Twins. The 31-year-old right-hander, who is fighting for a spot in the starting rotation, gave up four runs and eight hits in four innings. He had four strikeouts and walked one hitter in the game. With the competition for the Opening Day rotation seemingly changing daily, Eaton likely dropped down a notch with today’s performance.
Robby Hammock — The 31-year-old catcher was 1-for-4 with a strikeout and two runners left on base today. It wasn’t an incredibly poor performance for Hammock, who also played left field in the game against the Twins, but I was looking for a chance to highlight his otherwise strong achievements this spring. Hammock is batting .304 (7-for-23) with three doubles and four RBIs in 13 games during the Grapefruit League. Hammock’s versatility, in my opinion, gives him an advantage over the other backup catchers. Prior to this season, I didn’t know much about him. After seeing Hammock play multiple positions in spring training, I believe he might be the best option to start the season as the backup catcher for the Orioles. That is, of course, if Matt Wieters doesn’t somehow head north to Baltimore as a member of the team.
Donnie Murphy — The 26-year-old utility player continues to struggle in his quest to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster. Murphy was 0-for-2 with a strikeout and two runners left on base today. While I was in Florida, Murphy did make a couple nice plays in the field, but it’s probably not enough to make up for his lack of offensive production this spring. He is hitting .121 in 21 games during the Grapefruit League.
Oscar Salazar — It’s been a tough spring for the 30-year-old infielder. Salazar played first base against the Twins, and he was 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. In 15 Grapefruit League games, Salazar is batting .226 (7-for-31) with no home runs and three RBIs. The veteran infielder is unlikely to crack the Opening Day roster with those offensive numbers, so it’s important that he plays well over the final two weeks of spring training.
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Guthrie on Guthrie
The Orioles scored a run in the seventh on Jolbert Cabrera’s double and Justin Turner’s single, and Luke Scott just belted a two-run homer in the eighth – his first this spring – to reduce Minnesota’s lead to 8-6.
Cabrera is having a heck of a game.
Jeremy Guthrie said he’s slated to make two more starts, the next one coming on Friday.
Guthrie arrived in Fort Lauderdale at 6 a.m., having slept for half the flight. He also slept on the bus to Fort Myers.
“I felt real good,” he said. “I probably had the best location I’ve had all spring. I think a couple times this spring, I’ve had a tough time at the end. I can’t really put a finger on it and say I feel tired, but walking guys and getting behind is an indicator of that. Up until the last four hitters, where they got a single, single, walk and walk, I felt pretty strong.”
Guthrie’s primary issue is getting more velocity on his fastball. He tries to rear back with the count 0-2 and put away a hitter with mid-90s heat, and it isn’t there.
Guthrie said he wasn’t sure whether he’d leave Los Angeles last night until Team USA trailed, 6-2. If they were ahead, it would have been a difficult choice.
“It was up in the air. It really was,” he said. “I couldn’t afford, in my mind, to lose that game and not catch the flight and only get two starts.
Guthrie said playing for Team USA was a “great experience, something that can’t be matched, a really unique opportunity with a group of players who probably won’t be around the next time this thing comes around.”
I’ll have more from Guthrie in my next entry.
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Orioles lose; last word from Crowley
Lou Montanez had an RBI double in the ninth inning, but the Orioles lost to the St. Louis Cardinals, 3-2, in Jupiter.
That was Montanez’s only at-bat after replacing Nick Markakis in right field. He’s batting .371. And I still don’t see how he can squeeze onto the 25-man roster, which is a shame. He can flat-out hit.
George Sherrill allowed an unearned run and two hits in the sixth, after Chris Ray struck out two in a perfect fifth to keep his ERA at 0.00. Matt Albers and Jamie Walker also had scoreless innings.
Here’s one more comment from hitting coach Terry Crowley on Justin Turner, who went 0-for-1 today after entering the game at second base, leaving his average at .367:
“I don’t want to discount him for this year. We’ve got a long way to go and he’s probably shooting for the moon. But he’s the kind of guy you’d like to load that room with out there. Guys who come to play the game, they hustle, they play nine innings. He hit two home runs in a game, but if the situation was different, he would have moved the runners along, so he’s a pretty good ballplayer.”
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Crow talks about Turner
Adam Eaton gave up two runs, one earned, in the first inning. Ty Wigginton committed a throwing error at second base.
Eaton allowed two hits and walked a batter, as the Orioles fell behind, 2-0.
I passed along third base coach Juan Samuel’s observations on Justin Turner as a shortstop. Now here’s what hitting coach Terry Crowley says about him:
“He really hasn’t played that long. He signed his pro contract in 2006. And here he is in a major league camp in ’09. That’s pretty good advancement,” Crowley said.
“He’s a confident guy. He’s actually fit right in here with his teammates. And ability-wise, he’s really come on. There’s nothing he hasn’t done well for us. We were told that he was basically second base and third base, but we put him at shortstop the other day and he looked real good. He turned a double play when there was a lot of congestion at second base. The second baseman was over there, the runner was sliding in, and he stepped on the bag and threw to first, which was probably the defensive play of the day.
“He’s hit with some power here. We thought he was more of a line drive hitter with an occasional home run, but he’s shown some pretty good power. We had a session in the tunnel about 10 days into camp and I never had to go back and remind him what we tried to fix that day. As a coach, that’s something you love. You love a guy who has the ability to fix something and then retain it. We talked about hitting the ball on the inner part of the plate. I like my guys to pull that ball. Some organizations try to get it out of there and hit it the other way. I’m not a fan of that.”
I’ll have more from Crowley later.
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Talking about Justin Turner
Can Justin Turner play shortstop?
That’s been one of the most popular subjects in camp.
The Orioles might need a fourth bench player to back up Cesar Izturis. Turner is raking. And he’s been moved around the infield.
It might be too soon for the Orioles to create a spot for Turner on their 25-man roster, since he hasn’t played above the Double-A level and more qualified utility candidates are dressing in the same clubhouse. But it’s a fun debate.
“I definitely think he could do the job there,” third base coach Juan Samuel, who works with the infielders, said before Monday’s game in Fort Myers. “I think he could hold his own if we need to give Izturis a day off and he’s going to be around. It depends on the decision that they make on (Ryan) Freel. He’s the one guy who might see some action there. But I think he’s going to be good insurance for us. He’s going to get a chance.”
Freel is a work in progress. He made three errors in his first three starts at shortstop and is trying to get more comfortable at the position. If he fails, it won’t be from a lack of effort. He’s putting in the extra hours to get better.
“He just needs to work a little bit more because we know in the past, he hasn’t played shortstop a whole lot, but he’s capable of doing that,” Samuel said. “We just need to step it up a little bit with him and hopefully get him enough work, especially the days he stays back and isn’t traveling. I think he’s also capable of playing there.”
More opportunities are coming at shortstop with Blake Davis out of camp. Davis is undergoing surgery in Baltimore this week to repair a fracture in his left foot.
“I saw the kid last year. We brought him up here (from minor league camp) to help us, and you see a lot more confidence in him this year,” Samuel said.
“He was swinging a good bat down here. Unfortunately, that injury happened, which will probably work out a little bit for Turner.”
O’s go homer happy, Turner hits two
Four other Orioles also go deep, Murphy hits walk-off shot
By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com
at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Saturday, March 14Red Sox at the plate: Josh Reddick and Jed Lowrie hit back-to-back doubles in the first inning, with Lowrie’s shot traveling over the head of center fielder Adam Jones. Josh Bard singled in the first inning and doubled in the fourth. Jeff Bailey walked in the fourth and then tripled and scored in the sixth. The Red Sox entered the ninth trailing but scored twice in the top of the frame to stay alive.
Orioles at the plate: Donnie Murphy capped Baltimore’s home run barrage with a walk-off shot in the ninth inning. Felix Pie got things started by drilling a two-run home run in the second inning and also dumped a single in the fourth. Nick Markakis, whose wife gave birth two days ago, led off the fourth by blasting a solo homer to left field. Justin Turner smacked solo homers in the fifth and seventh, and Nolan Reimold added a long ball of his own in the eighth.Red Sox on the mound: Adam Mills worked three innings for the Red Sox and held his own, allowing just two singles and a two-run home run. Devern Hansack gave up a home run to the first batter he faced and another long ball in his second inning of work. Marcus McBeth allowed a run on sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Orioles on the mound: Danys Baez gave up doubles to the first two batters he faced before settling down. The right-hander retired eight straight hitters at one point. George Sherrill gave up one earned run and was saved from another by a great catch from Pie, and Radhames Liz allowed a triple and three runs in the sixth.
Grapefruit League records: Red Sox 6-9; Orioles 8-8.
Up next: The Red Sox and Orioles will meet again Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET, but this time in Fort Myers, Fla. Brian Bass and Chris Waters are expected to pitch for Baltimore, while Clay Buchholz and Jonathan Papelbon will go for Boston. Southpaw Rich Hill is expected to throw a side session back at Fort Lauderdale Stadium.
Spencer Fordin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its club.
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commenter wrote:
Scouting says he is sound on fundementals, but has not played above AA. Still, I would rather have him on the team instead of a washed up has been like Gomez. Plus, those HR’s were mashed!
3/14/2009 9:40:49 PM
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TruthBearer wrote:
What is this guy Turner trying to do win a spot on the team or something. He has been playing well all spring. Does anyone know how good his defense is at short? It looks like Beaz and Liz are Pitching there way out of a starting spot as well, or should I say not pitching. I’d like to say with the cuts that took place today the starting rotation is getting clearer but as bad as the starting pitchers have been the only one who has earned a spot is Bergesen. I am very surprised and happy with most of the young position players such as Turner,Blake,Snyder,Riemold and others. Moore and Montanez continue to play nicely as well. These guys have done a good job by making it harder on Trembly to make the decisions he needs to make come cut time. Good competition. Now, Lets get the pitching straitened out. Anyone got any ideas? Could we possibly trade in our hand for new cards? Go O’s
3/14/2009 6:58:31 PM
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Can Justin Turner make this club?
I asked manager Dave Trembley after today’s game whether Justin Turner has thrust himself into the mix for a utility infielder’s job, which would require him to back up Cesar Izturis at shortstop.
Turner, 24, hasn’t played above the Double-A level, but he’s looking like a real gem in the Ramon Hernandez trade. However, he’s only played 17 games at shortstop as a professional, compared to 242 at second base. He’s also played 10 at third, one at first and eight in the outfield.
If you’re into numbers, how about his .385 average this spring, with three homers and nine RBIs?
So does Turner have a shot at making this team?
“Let’s keep playing and see what we’ve got,” Trembley said. “He’s been a good acquisition in that trade. He’s played very well. He’s showed some versatility, very good fastball hitter. Can’t help but notice what he’s been doing here, but let’s just let him keep playing and see where it falls.
“He’s a very good fastball hitter, and that’s what he’s been hitting. It seems like he’s been getting two and three hits every day. We said one of the themes was competition and the other was opportunity. He’s getting the opportunity and he’s taking advantage of it. He really is.”
The key is whether Turner can handle shortstop. He’s been fine so far, but he hasn’t really been tested.
“I’d like to see him in the hole a little bit more,” Trembley said. “I’d like to see him make some plays to his right. But he’s made the plays right at him and to his left. He’ll get more chances to get out there.”
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Hope so. Don’t think so.
Sounds like Turner is doing great. Nice to see an infielder with promise. Not sure if he should make the team though without more minor league time. We have all seen guys rushed to the big leagues. I think he should go to AAA and go from there.
I love Trembley’s quotes about Turner. Let’s all take a few deep breathes and see if he can keep it up.
I saw him play in a mid-April game for the Sarasota Reds last year (Single A – Gulf Coast League). He wasn’t a standout. In fact I don’t even remember him, but I do remember he was on the field. The two main things I remember from that game were the sparse crowd (maybe 50 people) and how bored all the players looked.
Anyway, I hope he has a great season wherever he ends up.
Thanks Roch it seems like he could use some more time in the minors but man has he been impressive so far.
As long as I’m commenting, I should have thanked Roch for this incredible blog and his dediction to it. You obviously love what you are doing (most of the time).
I wish there was some way all of your readers could repay you. Maybe you should set up a 529 college plan for your daughter and we can all contribute to it. I bet $10 from each loyal reader would add up to something substantial. Hmmm, now you’ve got me thinking…
I hope they plan on allowing him to play at least 4 games a week if they bring him up. I would really like to see him get some work at third and ss at Norfolk and see how things pan out.
Thanks for the updates Roch. It makes for a good read when you pick up the all the posts at once. If you ever need to stroke your own ego, check out the bloggers from some other media outlets for different clubs( NFL and MLB).
You’re at a different level altogether and likely setting a trend for other media should they choose to wake up.
Nicely done.
So, no question yet about his throwing range and speed, but I’m not sure there will be, necessarily. He’s young, seems like he has some power, so that should translate to having a strong arm. At least there is room for improvement.
But will they go with a four man bench? The way these guys are pitching I’m not too sure. Nobody has shown that they want it bad enough. They think that just because they have a contract or that the Orioles may not want to lose them on waivers that they have an easy shot to make it.
Back-up shortstop is a major short coming of this ball club. Maybe a couple of months at SS in AAA would do the trick. Since he is said to be a good fastball hitter he can also develop into a good pinch hitter.
Roch, do you think Blake Davis is ready to play in the major leagues defensively?
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Defensively, yes. He’s still developing as a hitter. And now he needs to get healthy. – Roch
Glad you asked about this Roch. Trembley seems at least open mined about it but wants to stay uncommitted.My guess is McPhail will order him to the minors but I hope not.
I’m sorry, guys, but .385 in Spring Training — especially by a guy whom the league has never seen before — means relatively little to me.
Hey Roch, quick question. I’m in town for spring break this week, and I’m wondering if any of the spring games will be on MASN. I’m hoping to be able to catch a game, since MASN unfortunately doesn’t play in Knoxville! Thanks!
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Next game on MASN is April 1. – Roch
Justin Turner is “raking” the ball. Matt Wieters is “raking” to. I’ve never heard the turn “raking” in baseball before this year and now I’m hearing the it used almost as much as the phrase, Manny being Manny.”
What is the origin of this baseball term?
Leave a comment
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Orioles: Turner does it again!
Justin Turner just hit his second home run of the day, and his third of the spring. His two-run shot in the seventh inning followed Scott Moore’s single and gave the Orioles a 7-6 lead.
Felix Pie’s sacrifice fly in the sixth reduced Boston’s lead to 6-5.
Turner has been a major surprise in camp. We didn’t know much about him before the Ramon Hernandez trade, but figured he was a decent prospect.
He appears to be more than decent.
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I TOLD YOU ALL HE’S A STUD!!! I hope he can be the O’s starting SS some day.
We need to bring Red along with us up north!
Turner sounds like another steal by MacPhail. I think I’d like to see him head north over Gomez.
I said it when we first got Turner, small, scrappy nature. He is the next Pedroia.
Listening to the game over the sox air-waves via XM, these Sox announcers are loathesome. They are making fun of our “country boy song” played during the 7th inning stretch. Just another reason to hate the Sox. As for the game, I hate to be rash but I just dont have much faith in Liz long-term, he needs to find another environment where strikes aren’t so hard to come by, the AL East is not a good spot for marginal strike throwers. Maybe like Maine in another scenario he can make it.
I don’t know if anyone is listening to the game on MLB.com Game Day Audio. They’re playing the Red Sux broadcast.
When Nolan Reimold entered the game in the top of the inning the sportscasters made fun of his name and his high spring training uniform number. Then when he came to bat in the bottom of the inning they made fun of him again. Seconds later he sent a rocket shot out of the park.
Payback is a (rymes with rich)!!!!!!!!!!
How old is turner? Can he play SS?? Mabye after a year of stop-gap cesar izturis, Turner takes over SS? He can play 3B too? Mora had better watch out for Moore and Turner taking his job mid-season if they are both smacking the ball in AAA and Mora is struggling.
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My next entry will focus on Turner. – Roch
Hey Roch,
Thank you for the updates! We can’t listen to or watch this game so I keep jumping back to see what the score is. An email to a monster Red Sox fan hangs in the balance. I’m in the middle of sending an email to a friend and I’m waiting for the game to end to rub-in an O’s win! Keep the updates coming.
Thanks,
Jen
Turner is making his case to head north with the way he is playing……as much as I love Gomez (great guy and solid player)I think that JT has carved out a spot if the O’s go four on the bench.
I wonder if Turner plays well at SS, maybe he’ll be the one to back up Izturis, or at least go to Norfolk as backup?
I would like everyone in class to stop comparing Pie to Corey Patterson. Yes, they both came from the Cubs, but beyond that I can’t imagine anyone being as uninstinctive a baseball player as Corey Patterson.
Corey was possibly the worst baserunner w/ speed I’ve ever seen, and he was a veteran! Did anyone see the game last year when he failed to score from 2b on a groundball single to center, cause he ran the wrong way (back to 2b) on what should have easily been the tie run? I could have cried to see somebody with that speed in his legs, and slowness in his head. What a waste!
I admit I haven’t seen Pie yet, but please let’s stop insulting the kid when he’s basically a rookie.
Seems like another excellent move by our GM Andy MacPhail in dumping Ramon Hernandez for two prospects, one of which, Turner, may be much better than expected. BTW, anyone heard from Andy’s #1 critic of late?
I agree with Ray. The title of this entry could easily have been “MacPhail Does it Again!” I really hope he pans out to be as special as he seems right now.
And for the 2008 Ramon!
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Orioles reclaim lead, thanks to Turner
Justin Turner is batting ninth today. That doesn’t mean he can’t hit.
Turner flexed his muscle in the fifth inning, driving a pitch from Devern Hansack high into the netting above the left field fence to give the Orioles a 4-3 lead.
Turner entered the day batting .364. He grounded out in his first at-bat, though he made solid contact. Now he’s homered.
Adam Jones just blooped a single into right-center field.
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4 Comments
All eyes (in this cae ears) are on how Turner is doing at SS today. Any insight?
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I answered this for someone else earlier. He’s making all the plays. Haven’t seen him really tested, so can’t comment on his range. But he looks steady out there. Very comfortable around the bag. – Roch
Roch, Thanks for answer earlier to the Turner question. A little off topic, but still about utility guys who can play short: With Gomez struggling at the plate and Jolbert Cabrera having a great spring with the bat, do you think Cabrera has a legitimate chance of making the team as the UTIL guy if they go with 12 pitchers? Thanks again Roch for all the updates and comments, keep it up! Daniel
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Cabrera does have a shot. – Roch
It’s becoming a battle of fan favorites between Turner and Gomez. Out with the old and in with the new.If the O’s send Turner out saying they want him to play everyday,I’ll scream.And I’m clearing my throat.
Roch,
Could you please prod Trembley into answering whether Turner has any shot to make the club?
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Today’s lineup
Brian Roberts – 2B
Adam Jones – CF
Nick Markakis – RF
Aubrey Huff – DH
Ty Wigginton – 1B
Felix Pie – LF
Gregg Zaun – C
Chris Gomez – 3B
Justin Turner – SS
Danys Baez – P
I think it’s worth asking manager Dave Trembley whether Turner has thrust himself into the backup shortstop competition.
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2 Comments
Exactly! Turner needs to be considered for the utility job. Let’s move forward with young guys.Honestly,I think Turner could have taken over for BRob next year if they hadn’t resigned. Maybe Trembley and the org thinks that Turners best path to the mayors is SS.I was actually surprised whent the O’s got Turner because he seldom strikes out.I’d be very happy if Turner and Bergy make the final cut.
I like Chris Gomez a lot. He would have helped last season. However, I think it is time to go with someone else if they are doing well. I think the Orioles should carry an extra position player, a shortstop, and carry 12 pitchers.
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Jamie Walker and the screwball (updated)
Jamie Walker continues to work each day with former Orioles pitcher Mike Cuellar on a screwball, which he used today to retire David Freese on a grounder for the first out.
Walker was toying with it earlier in the day, but didn’t think he should try it. Cuellar talked him into it.
“I practice it every day,” Walker said.
Walker had his right hand wrapped in ice. He took a hard smash off his lower palm, near the base of his thumb, while recording the final out.
Maybe he needs a thicker glove.
“I was (angry),” he said. “I threw the ball harder to first base than I did to home plate. But it’s nothing. It’s not even black and blue.”
Walker said he felt good again today despite serving up Khalil Greene’s two-run homer. His arm strength is where he wants it to be.
“I feel like the action on the ball and everything is there,” he said.
Game update: The Orioles scored twice in the ninth inning off Chris Perez, but Luke Scott bounced out to strand Lou Montanez at first base and complete the Cardinals’ 6-5 victory. Justin Turner doubled to score Adam Donachie, and Turner came around on Montanez’s single. Turner, nicknamed “Red” because of his hair, continues to impress. He’s been one of the best hitters in camp.
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Do they want to play extra innings or is Scott a hero for going out?
Turner’s great,what a steal from Cincinatti. It”l be interesting to see where he plays in the monors,although I wouldn’t mind seeing him as the utility guy instead of Gomez.
Roch, any thought by the brain trust (stop laughing everyone) to keeping Turner as the 4th guy, if there is one, instead of Gomez? He has played SS right? From what I have read, I’d think hard on that idea it was up to me…
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He has played shortstop, though not sure if they’d be comfortable using him there in a regular-season game right now. He’s really impressive, though. Batting .364. And that doesn’t include the hits he had yesterday in the intrasquad game. He’s on base all the time. – Roch
Seems we got a lot for Ramon…good to see..maybe another good potential IF prospect which we nearly need in Turner.
“He has played shortstop, though not sure if they’d be comfortable using him there in a regular-season game right now.”
But we might feel comfortable playing Freel at SS. Sometimes the brass speaks out of both sides of their mouth. Does not make since to me.
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They’re not comfortable with Freel at shortstop at the moment, which is why somebody with more experience at the position (Gomez, Cabrera) could make the team. – Roch
If Blake Davis is healthy, could you see those two teaming up in the middle as a middle infield somewhere in our system this year or are they both destined to be second basemen on different squads?
Thanks for the updates as always – helps friday tick away!
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Davis will stay at shortstop. Not sure where he’ll be assigned, though. – Roch
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The intrasquad begins (updated)
Mark Hendrickson threw nine pitches, seven for strikes, in his first inning. He’s on a 45-pitch count.
His inning was extended after shortstop Oscar Salazar committed a throwing error.
Andy MacPhail, Dave Trembley and Rick Kranitz are watching the game from the second row of seats behind home plate. And yes, I’m being teased for blogging about an intrasquad game from the second row of seats behind the first base dugout.
Nick Makakis update: He’ll rejoin the team on Saturday instead of tomorrow. And he’ll make Monday’s trip to Fort Myers.
Game update: In case you were wondering if it’s possible to get squeezed in an intrasquad game, the answer is “yes.” It’s happening to Chris Tillman. He threw two consecutive pitches that should have been strikes and sent leadoff hitter Justin Turner back to the dugout. They were both called balls, and Turner later singled into right field.
Tillman is throwing a lot of pitches this inning. He also walked Robby Hammock, who was picked off as Turner scored. Turner stole second and third.
Pie led off the top of the first by bunting against Hendrickson, who fielded the ball and threw him out. Trembley instructed Pie to work on his bunting against a left-hander, so it was by design.
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Intrasquad lineups
Turner – 2B
Salazar – SS
Hammock – LF
Moore – 3B
Reimold – CF
Donachie – C
Rodriguez – 1B
Quiroz – RF
Moeller – DH
Hendrickson – P
Pie – LF
Murphy – 2B
Montanez – RF
Brazell – 1B
Christian – CF
Snyder – 3B
Reyes – C
Davis – SS
Moeller – DH
Tillman – P
You’ll notice that Guillermo Quiroz is in right field. That should be interesting. And I don’t recall seeing Oscar Salazar at shortstop. And Chad Moeller is the DH for both teams.
Welcome to intrasquad baseball, where the rules are bent like Owen Wilson’s nose.
The game will be halted after the seventh. And innings can end prematurely if a pitcher is laboring. Getting three outs isn’t mandatory.
It’s glorified batting practice, but it gives us a chance to see Mark Hendrickson on the mound. And Robby Hammock is in left field.
You can’t put a price on that.
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The 49ers have restructured quarterback Alex Smith’s contract.
Smith is now paying them.
For those of you who don’t scroll through the comments, I’ll try to save us all a little time and report that:
1. Scott Moore has virtually no chance to make this team unless there’s a slew of injuries to the infielders.
2. Lou Montanez has virtually no chance to make this team unless there’s a slew of injuries to the outfielders.
3. Troy Patton pitched in a B game in Jupiter over the weekend, and those stats don’t count. He’s not hurt.
4. I don’t know if the Orioles have changed their minds about Pedro Martinez, but Koji Uehara’s injury isn’t considered serious at the moment, so they’re not in panic mode.
5. Rich Hill and Felix Pie are out of options.
6. Brad Bergesen’s chances of making the rotation have improved since the start of camp. He has a shot.
7. Melvin Mora has a no-trade clause, so he’d have to give his approval if the Orioles wanted to trade him to the Yankees. And it’s doubtful that Mora would want to sit on the bench once Alex Rodriguez returns.
8. Justin Turner came to the Orioles in the Ramon Hernandez trade. He won’t make the team, but he’s got a lot of promise. He’s made a strong impression on the coaching staff as a middle infielder and third baseman.
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Quick notes: Orioles 5, Red Sox 1
Radhames Liz, who is fighting for a spot in the Orioles’ Opening Day rotation, tossed three scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox today. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out two batters and gave up one hit in the Orioles’ 5-1 win.
By the way, don’t forget to vote in the baltimoresun.com poll for your choices for the Orioles’ Opening Day rotation.
Final score: Orioles 5, Red Sox 1
Thumbs up
Kam Mickolio — The 6-foot-9, 255-pound right-hander pitched a perfect inning in today’s game, striking out two Red Sox hitters. It was Mickolio’s second appearance in the Grapefruit League, and he hasn’t allowed any base runners in two innings. Wilfrido Perez, Bob McCrory and Ross Wolf also turned in solid performances against the Red Sox. McCrory and Wolf each pitched a scoreless inning, while Perez retired the only batter that he faced.
Scott Moore — When Moore was removed from the Orioles’ 40-man roster prior to spring training, it seemed unlikely that he would be leading the team in home runs at any point during the Grapefruit League. After his two-run home run in the eighth inning today, however, that’s exactly what has happened. OK, so we’re only a couple weeks into the spring, but the 25-year-old infielder is hitting .429 (9-for-21) with two home runs and five RBIs. Moore also has two doubles and a triple in 10 games.
Oscar Salazar — The 30-year-old utility player showed his versatility in today’s victory over the Red Sox. Salazar started the game at first base and later shifted to right field when Brandon Snyder replaced Nick Markakis in the lineup. Salazar was 2-for-3 with two singles and a sacrifice fly in the game. Overall, he is batting .333 (5-for-15) with two RBIs this spring.
Justin Turner — After taking over for Blake Davis at shortstop, Turner drilled a two-run double against Red Sox relief pitcher Kris Johnson in the seventh inning for the Orioles. The 24-year-old infielder is hitting .300 (6-for-20) with two doubles, one home run and five RBIs in 11 Grapefruit League games.
Thumbs down
Blake Davis — The 25-year-old shortstop was 0-for-2 with a strikeout and two runners left on base today. Still, Davis is hitting .417 (5-for-12) with a double and an RBI in nine games so far this spring.
Chad Moeller — After going 0-for-2 with a runner left on base today, the veteran catcher is still searching for his first hit in the Grapefruit League. Overall, Moeller is 0-for-5 with two walks and a run scored in four games this spring. He is probably still the most likely candidate for the backup catcher role at the beginning of the season, so the Orioles should hope he turns it around in the next few weeks.
Matt Wieters — The 22-year-old catcher started today’s game, but he was 0-for-2 with a strikeout and a runner left on base before being replaced by Moeller. In nine games during the Grapefruit League, Wieters is hitting .421 (8-for-19) with one home run and five RBIs. He also has three doubles and four runs scored. Basically, it was simply a rough afternoon offensively for Wieters. He made up for it on the defensive side, however, by throwing out Red Sox third baseman Jed Lowrie on a stolen-base attempt.
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Your 5-1 final and updating Koji
The Orioles didn’t allow a run after the first inning today. The Red Sox were held to two hits over that span.
Bob McCrory struck out two in the seventh, and Kam Mickolio struck out two in the eighth. Ross Wolf had one strikeout in the ninth.
After the game, manager Dave Trembley touched on these subjects:
Brian Bass: “He walked two guys, but he still had a lot of first-pitch strikes, and good movement on his pitches.”
Radhames Liz: “That’s as good as I’ve seen him pitch down. His stuff was down. Three innings, 28 pitches. He could have went another one, but we’re probably going to bring him back on three days’ (rest) instead of four.”
More on Liz: “It’s the ability to repeat your delivery. And that allows you to locate. And he did that.”
Justin Turner: “He is a very versatile player. Very good fastball hitter. Has shown very good hands. Has hung in there on the double play a couple times with guys getting on him. I think he’s another option in the organization. He’s really played well at second and he’s done a nice job when I’ve played him at shortstop and third. He was a good acquire.”
Here is Red turning two against the Dominican WBC team.
Trembley said he still believes that Koji Uehara will be pushed back only a few days because of a strained left hamstring. Pitching coach Rick Kranitz passed along head athletic trainer Richie Bancells’ report to Trembley.
“Richie Bancells told Kranny that he didn’t think it was anything to be concerned about,” Trembley said.
Uehara probably will throw two bullpen sessions instead of one.
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Turner and Moore ignite rally
Liz allows just one hit while hurling three scoreless innings
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
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at Fort Myers, Fla.
Tuesday, March 10Orioles at the plate: Scott Moore ripped a two-run homer and scored two runs. Minor League infielder Justin Turner had a two-run double to break a seventh-inning tie.Red Sox at the plate: Mike Lowell, playing in his first game since undergoing right hip surgery Oct. 20, went 1-for-3 as the designated hitter. Lowell raked a single to left in his final at-bat. Rocco Baldelli drilled an RBI single in the bottom of the first, scoring Jacoby Ellsbury.
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Orioles on the mound: Right-hander Brian Bass gave up three hits and a run over 2 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out two. Radhames Liz fired three strong innings out of the bullpen, allowing no runs and striking out two.
Red Sox on the mound: Clay Buchholz was perfect over his three innings, striking out two. The righty threw 31 pitches. Closer Jonathan Papelbon was first out of the bullpen, firing a scoreless fourth inning.
Grapefruit League record: Red Sox 5-7; Orioles 7-5.
Up next: The Red Sox have their second off-day of the spring on Wednesday. They will travel to Jupiter, Fla., on Thursday for a matchup with the Cardinals at 1:05 p.m. ET. Ace Josh Beckett will take the ball in that one, followed out of the bullpen by Justin Masterson and Michael Bowden. Jason Varitek, Jacoby Ellsbury and Julio Lugo will be among the regulars on the trip.
The Orioles host the Twins on Wednesday at 1:05 p.m., with David Pauley making the start. Left-hander Glen Perkins gets the nod for Minnesota.
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Orioles 7 Nationals 5
Sunday March 1st at Viera, Florida
Nationals at the plate: Nick Johnson hit a solo home run in the third inning to cut the Orioles’ lead to 3-1. Joel Guzman and Jorge Padilla also had RBIs.
Orioles at the plate: Luke Scott went 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Justin Turner had a two-run homer third inning Matt Wieters hit a two-run home run in the sixth.
Depth Charge
The Orioles have received kudos for increasing their depth at the big-league level in recent weeks, but one thing that has gone virtually unnoticed is the maturation of some of their younger infielders. Blake Davis and Justin Turner have both earned accolades for their improvement this spring and will stand as potential reinforcements if anyone gets injured.
“Every player that’s in camp here should have the mindset that they’re here to compete for one of the 25 jobs,” said Baltimore manager Dave Trembley. “You have to send a message and you have to have people notice you. And they’re either going to notice you in a positive or a negative way. I would dare say, you guys that follow the club, the inventory is better.”
Baltimore signed Ty Wigginton and Ryan Freel to flesh out its bench, relegating Scott Moore to the challenge of trying to distinguish himself. And Moore has hit well, finding himself in a grouping with Turner, Davis and several other youngsters trying to separate themselves.
“There are some players here in camp,” Trembley said. “I’m not talking about stars. I’m not talking about impact type players, but there are better overall baseball players in camp. I don’t want to put the whammy on them, but look at the way the infielders have played.
“If Blake Davis didn’t have No. 82 on his back, you’d think he’s a big-leaguer. Honest to God. …And for me, he is a Major League player. I think these guys deserve a lot of credit.”
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Approaching the ninth inning
Andy Mitchell gave up a bases-empty home run in the eighth inning while reporters were interviewing Matt Albers and Chris Ray outside the clubhouse. The Orioles got the run back on singles by Brandon Snyder and Scott Moore, and Justin Turner’s double.
Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa just made a pitching change with the Orioles still batting – I didn’t realize it was Game 7 – so I raced back to the media trailer to update you.
Bob McCrory threw a scoreless seventh inning.
Here’s what Ray had to say about his outing:
“I felt good. It was good to get out there in a big league game, and to get three outs like that, it’s a good feeling. I had a little adrenaline going, actually seeing a big league hitter at the plate. It’s been a long time coming. I’ve been looking forward to it.”
Ray struck out Chris Duncan on a splitter.
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Tomorrow’s lineup
Orioles manager Dave Trembley doesn’t like posting his lineups a day in advance in case a player has to be scratched. Reporters tend to notice when a name has been covered in white-out and another name is written over it. That leads to the inevitable questions that Trembley would rather avoid.
He made an exception today. Here’s the lineup for tomorrow’s game against the Italian national team:
Christian – CF
Murphy – 2B
Moore – 3B
Salazar – 1B
Wieters – C
Brazell – DH
Montanez – RF
Reimold – LF
Turner – SS
Matusz – P
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Uehara vs. live hitters
I know that phrase sounds ridiculous. It’s not like I’ve seen a dead body plopped into the batters box.
If it happens, look for the “take” sign.
Koji Uehara threw batting practice today, with Adam Donachie, Blake Davis and Justin Turner taking their hacks against him. They didn’t chase every pitch – these sessions are more for the benefit of the guy standing on the mound – but they swung at their share.
Davis was impressive in the cage. He ripped a couple “doubles” into left-center field against Uehara, and pulled another pitch into right.
Uehara finished his session and gave his 2-year-old son, Kazuma, a thumbs up. Uehara’s family, including wife Miho, arrived here today.
Overall, Uehara was pleased with the results, considering it was the first time he faced hitters, but his fastball was elevated. That’s unusual for him.
Uehara blew one high fastball past Turner, who chuckled at being so overmatched on the pitch.
Pitching behind a screen didn’t distract Uehara, since it’s the same height in Japan. He joked that he asked pitching coach Rick Kranitz if he could use it during games this season.
I’ll have more later on Uehara’s session. I also watched David Pauley throw and spoke to him a few minutes ago. Check back with me.
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I
mentioned earlier that Orioles manager Dave Trembley plans on keeping
his projected regulars on the back fields during Tuesday’s game against
the Italian national team.
“You won’t see Roberts, Markakis, Huff, Mora, Jones,” Trembley said. “This game is not for them.”
That means, as he noted, we’ll get the chance to see Wieters,
Snyder, Turner, Murphy, Christian, Montanez, Reimold, Moore and Brazell
in the boxscore.
“I think that’s fair,” Trembley said.
The Italian team requested the chance to take batting practice
before the noon game, so Trembley will surrender one of his back
fields. That meant sitting in his room at 4 a.m. and reconfiguring his
workout schedule. It’s that precise. And Trembley is that organized -
and a person who doesn’t require much sleep.
Trembley mentioned that he’d like for Adam Jones to become more
aggressive on the bases this season. Look for Jones to get the green
light more often.
“He’s our center fielder,” Trembley added. “There’s no tryout there. He’s our center fielder.”
In case you wondered, the first glove that Matt Wieters owned as a
kid was a Lance Parrish catchers mitt. Guess he was born to play the
position.
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Uehara gets first taste in BP session
Trio of Orioles hitters face Japanese starter on Saturday
By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The mystery regarding Koji Uehara’s stateside tradition began to slowly dissipate Saturday, when the Japanese transplant faced hitters for the first time as an Oriole. Uehara threw 35 pitches to a trio of Minor League batters and considered the initiation a successful learning experience.”My fastball was a little bit high — that’s something I need to work on,” Uehara said via interpreter Jiwon Bang. “For the first time facing batters, it was all right. … I expected hitters to take a lot of pitches, but no surprises.”
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The hitters, for the most part, lived up to his expectations. Catcher Adam Donachie didn’t swing often and didn’t make hard contact, popping a few balls out to medium-depth outfield. Second baseman Justin Turner didn’t really make hard contact, but shortstop Blake Davis hit two balls that looked like gap doubles and another line-drive single.
“It felt good,” said Davis. “He was telling you ahead, ‘Here’s a fastball. Get ready to hit it.’ I saw the first one, kind of measured it up a little and then just took a good swing. It got me feeling pretty good about myself.”
Pitching coach Rick Kranitz said there was no rhyme or reason to Uehara facing three hitters with zero combined Major League experience, and he said things may change the next time he pitches. Uehara will throw live batting practice one more time before getting his first game action once the Grapefruit League schedule begins.
“Really, what Koji wanted to get out of this was the hitters’ reactions,” Kranitz said. “He threw the ball really well. For the first time, he’s trying to make some adjustments with the feel of the baseball. I think next time we’re probably going to let him throw a few more pitches, get him where he’s comfortable. But overall, I thought he did pretty nice.”
“We know he can throw strikes,” said manager Dave Trembley. “We know he has very good command of his fastball. We knew that going in and I’ve seen that on the side with him. What I liked today that I saw was much better command of his breaking ball. I don’t know because I didn’t talk to him, but from what I saw, he’s got to be pleased.”
Uehara did say he was reasonably happy with the way he threw, and he also said that he feels facing live hitters is the best preparatory drill available. The right-hander threw all of his pitches and had his family — wife Miho and son Kazuma — witness his practice for the first time all spring, lending an air of familiarity to a foreign setting.
Slowly but surely, Uehara is beginning to feel more like an Oriole and less like a curiosity.
“I’m getting used to the flow of how the practice session goes, so I’m obviously more comfortable,” he said. “Everybody’s really nice. These guys try to learn Japanese to get to know me. And by the same token, I want to learn English. Before that, the first thing I try to do is remember the names of the players and the staff members.”
Uehara has all but mastered that introductory goal, and he demonstrated that point by greeting each of the American beat writers by name before the interview began. And perhaps more importantly, now that the Orioles have had players stand in the batter’s box against him, they have a better understanding of what to expect next time.
“He had pretty good movement on his offspeed pitches and the fastball had a little bit more life than expected,” Davis said. “I’m pretty sure he wasn’t trying to do too much against guys hitting in the cage.”
“His ball looks like it has a little giddy-up on it,” added Turner, who was acquired from the Reds in the offseason trade for Ramon Hernandez. “He’s got a pretty nasty little split. I think the first four pitches I saw when I jumped in there, he was throwing splitties. And a little cutter. I didn’t find too many balls off the barrel on him.”
Earl Weaver was forever trying to get guys to pull that pitch on the inner half. I’ll go with that plan.
According to the Cal State Fullerton web site, Turner played some shortstop in high school and college.
I think that it is safe to say that Turner could very well be the starting shortstop once Izturis is gone. Hopefully his fielding and hitting improve this year at AAA, and then next year as well being the most likely candidate for infield utility role.
09 infield: Huff, Roberts, Izturis, Mora
10 infield: 1B ?, Roberts, Izturis, Wiggington
11 infield: Snyder?, Roberts, Turner, Rowell?
I’ll take those chances. And wasn’t there talk of switching Snyder and Roweel at one point, or at least they were tinkering with it a little bit?
Roch–
Great job. We all owe you.
A little off topic, and I know he’s otherwise plenty busy, but do you share my view that having a President share his March Madness picks with the nation is about the coolest thing ever? It really makes me feel like we are all together as citizens despite the inevitable political battles and rivalries, and general “important stuff” that’s always dividing us.
How did he pick UNC over Pitt, though?!?
Thanks, Roch. Sunny and warmer in the Land of Pleasant Living today
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Yeah, I think it’s cool. And it’s much easier to do once you’ve been elected and don’t have to worry about ticking off any voters. – Roch