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Thursday, March 23, 2017

Game Stories:  Lee inefficient on mound but Orioles power way to 7-4 win The Sun 3/22  Sisco's three-run blast lifts O's over Rays MLB.com  Wrapping up a 7-4 win MASNsports.com 3/22  Short start tonight for Chris Lee (O’s win 7-4) MASNsports.com 3/22 Columns:  After a memorable experience in the WBC, third baseman Manny Machado returns to Orioles camp The Sun 3/22  Slow spring starts growing more significant for Orioles Chris Davis, Mark Trumbo, J.J. Hardy The Sun 3/22  PR plans inspire USA's Jones in final win MLB.com 3/23  Machado savors World Baseball Classic run MLB.com 3/22  O's sticking with Sisco to give him exposure MLB.com 3/22  O's option Bleier, reassign Stewart MLB.com 3/22  Statcast Podcast: Analyzing Jones' catch MLB.com 3/22  Postive early reviews for Welington Castillo MASNsports.com 3/23  Orioles make two cuts, Machado talks about WBC experience MASNsports.com 3/22  Machado set for Saturday lineup return (and more notes) MASNsports.com 3/22  Dariel Álvarez: Now a hitter and a pitcher MASNsports.com 3/23  Welington Castillo returns to team, feels ready to start the season MASNsports.com 3/22  Chris Lee on outing: “I need to be more efficient than that” MASNsports.com 3/22  Who Is Ahead In The Orioles' Fifth Starter Competition? PressBoxOnline.com 3/23  Manny Machado Returns From World Baseball Classic PressBoxOnline.com 3/23  Three Observations From Orioles Spring Training PressBoxOnline.com 3/22  Chris Lee Looking To Impress For The Orioles CBS Baltimore 3/23  Fireworks Night at Orioles game Sarasota Herald-Tribune 3/22 http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-rail-0323-20170322-story.html

Lee inefficient on mound but Orioles power way to 7-4 win

By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun March 22, 2017

Thrown into a competition for a rotation spot, Orioles left-hander Chris Lee made his second career Grapefruit League start Wednesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays. He acknowledged some nerves, but nothing like before his first start six days ago, when he said he had trouble sleeping the previous night.

Both of his spring training starts have ended prematurely because of deep pitch counts. In Wednesday's outing, Lee lasted just two innings in after throwing 55 pitches and allowing two runs.

The Orioles won, 7-4.

Lee threw first-pitch strikes to the first three batters he faced in the first inning and the first four hitters in the second inning, but he also went to a full count four times. Seven of the 12 hitters he faced reach base.

"I was going too deep in counts not making the right pitches, finishing them early," Lee said. "I just need to be more efficient in that and just finish them early and just when I get two strikes just put them away as quick as possible."

Lee, who was coming off back-to-back scoreless outings, said receiving starts in his past two outings — and knowing he's competing to fill the rotation spot empty by Chris Tillman opening the season on the DL — hasn't affected the way he has pitched.

"I have the same approach," Lee said. "I'm still trying to go out there and get ground balls in the least amount of pitches as possible, but this time is just didn't work in my favor."

In four spring training outings, Lee — who missed most of last season with a lat strain while at Double-A Bowie — has a 2.77 ERA, allowing four earned runs over 13 innings.

“He just couldn’t finish some hitters off,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “It’s a good indication of some things he’s going to have to finish off to contribute, but I’m confident he will. He was a little better than last time. Obviously he’s crisp. The command wasn’t there where he needs to be. He’s got a chance to be a good one. Tonight was a good experience for him.”

Taking a chance on Sisco: Top prospect Chance Sisco continued to survive the latest round of cuts Wednesday, then delivered a game-winning three-run homer in the eighth inning off right- hander Andrew Kittredge.

Sisco's first home run of spring training went the opposite way, a towering blast down the left- field line that hit the foul pole.

“That was legit,” Showalter said. “I think that ball would have hit our foul pole in Baltimore. He’s got that type of use of the field and as you get closer to the lines, it plays a lot shorter.”

Sisco is 5-for-17 this spring, with all his RBIs coming on that home run.

Johnson's homer gives Orioles lead: Nonroster third baseman Chris Johnson has received more playing time than he might have anticipated this spring, thanks to Manny Machado playing in the World Baseball Classic and utility man Ryan Flaherty nursing a sore throwing shoulder.

Johnson is still slotted to start the season at Triple-A Norfolk, but his 61 Grapefruit League at- bats lead the Orioles. With Flaherty scheduled to return Friday and Machado coming back Saturday, Johnson's playing time will dwindle quickly.

But that's not before Johnson provided a spark, hitting a two-run homer off Rays starter Chris Archer that gave the Orioles a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning.

Alvarez continues being offensive: Designated hitter Pedro Alvarez had his third multi-hit game in five spring training games, going 2-for-4 on Wednesday.

In his first at-bat, Alvarez doubled into the right-center-field gap past Rays right fielder Tim Beckham. He added a single in his second at-bat, in the fifth, and scored on Johnson's homer.

Alvarez is 8-for-19 this spring with two homers and two doubles.

Wilson strong in relief: Right-hander Tyler Wilson had his best Grapefruit League outing, pitching perfect relief innings in the seventh and eighth.

Wilson entered the night having allowed runs in four of his five appearances, including each of the past four.

But he made quick work of the Tampa Bay reserves, retiring all six batters he faced.

Around the horn: Relievers Darren O’Day and Donnie Hart each threw an inning in a minor league game at Twin Lakes Park, giving them their first work on consecutive days this spring.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/220428952/orioles-beat-rays-on-chance-siscos-3-run-hr/

Sisco's three-run blast lifts O's over Rays

By Rich Dubroff and Scott Scott Butherus / MLB.com March 22, 2017

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Rays starter Chris Archer had a rough return from the World Baseball Classic and Team USA, allowing four runs (three earned) in 5 2/3 innings in a 7-4 loss to the Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday.

Rookie catcher Chance Sisco hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning for the Orioles.

Archer struck out six and walked two. He allowed a two-run home run to Chris Johnson in the fourth.

"It was different pitching into the sixth inning because I hadn't done that yet," Archer said. "My body felt good. I was able to repeat my mechanics. … I could have done more, but there was no reason to extend myself."

Designated hitter Colby Rasmus drove in his first three RBIs of the spring for Tampa Bay. He singled in the first and hit a two-run homer in the fifth.

"It feels good to get out there and get some good wood on one," Rasmus said.

Orioles Left-hander Chris Lee made his second Grapefruit League start and was pulled after two innings. He allowed two runs on five hits.

"Overall, I didn't finish enough. It's something you can't dwell on. You have to go out there and work on stuff," Lee said.

Rays Up Next: The Rays will return home to Charlotte Sports Park Thursday to host the Yankees at 1:05 p.m. ET. Austin Pruitt (1-0, 2.53 ERA, 11 K's in 10 2/3 IP) will get the start with Chase Whitley, Danny Farquhar, Shawn Tolleson, Xavier Cedeno and David Carpenter all slated to throw in relief for the Rays. Jordan Montgomery will take the hill to start for the Yankees.

Orioles Up Next: After a day off, the Orioles travel to CenturyLink Park in Fort Myers to play the Minnesota Twins on Friday. Mike Wright, who is in the skirmish for the Orioles' fifth starter job, gets his fourth start of the spring. Watch live on MLB.TV. http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/03/wrapping-up-a-7-4-win.html

Wrapping up a 7-4 win

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com March 22, 2017

SARASOTA, Fla. - Chance Sisco hit the left field foul pole with two runners aboard in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a tie and give the Orioles a 7-4 win over the Rays.

Sisco replaced Caleb Joseph behind the plate and had only one at-bat. He made it count, belting his first home run after infield singles by Joey Rickard and Paul Janish.

Sisco-Catches-Futures-Game-Sidebar.jpg“That was legit,” said manager Buck Showalter. “I think that ball would have hit our foul pole in Baltimore. He’s got that type of use of the field and as you get closer to the lines, it plays a lot shorter, so that helped.”

Tyler Wilson retired all six batters he faced and Stefan Crichton stranded a runner in the ninth to record his third save while making the trip from the minor league camp.

Chris Lee threw 55 pitches in two innings while allowing two runs and five hits. He had four full counts.

“He had the pitch count to go back out there, but I didn’t like the 55-58, somewhere in there in two innings,” Showalter said. “Just couldn’t finish some hitters off. It’s a good indication of some things he’s going to need to finish off to contribute, but I feel confident that he will.

“I thought he was a little better than last time. Obviously, he’s crisp, but his command wasn’t where it needs to be. He’s got a chance to be a good one. Tonight was a good experience for him.”

Wilson has allowed one run over five innings in his last two appearances. In the previous two, he surrendered eight runs and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings.

“Tyler’s had two or three good outings in a row against tougher competition,” Showalter said.

“He’s a reliable guy. He’s a guy who’s easy to trust and a guy who, you know what you’re going to get, especially if you can keep from using him too much.

“He’s capable of doing some different roles that a good club needs to have done.” Zach Britton retired the side on three ground balls, shattering one bat and sending pieces of wood flying in all directions.

“He’s going to lament the hard ground ball he gave up to second. That’s just Zach,” Showalter said. “I’m encouraged where he is.”

Darren O’Day and Donnie Hart each threw an inning today at minor league camp, allowing them to work on back-to-back days.

“Darren and Donnie had good outings,” Showalter said. “We just need to get Mychal Givens back in the fold.”

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/03/short-start-tonight-for-chris-lee.html

Short start tonight for Chris Lee (O’s win 7-4)

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com March 22, 2017

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP

Score: Orioles 7, Rays 4

Recap: Chance Sisco hit an opposite-field three-run homer with two outs in the eighth to break a 4-4 tie ... Chris Lee lasted only two innings in his second start and allowed two runs and five hits. He threw 55 pitches, 32 for strikes ... Chris Johnson hit a two-run homer to center field in the fourth to give the Orioles a 3-2 lead ... Brad Brach tossed another scoreless inning, giving up a hit and striking out one ... Zach Britton retired the side in order in the sixth without the ball leaving the infield ... Colby Rasmus hit a two-run homer off Jefri Hernandez in the fifth.

Need to know: Lee’s fastball topped out at 95 mph multiple times in the first inning ... Mark Trumbo was robbed of a much-needed hit on a diving catch by left fielder Corey Dickerson in the second ... Pedro Álvarez had a double and single in his first two at-bats ... Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavárez stolen his seventh base ... Britton destroyed Daniel Robertson’s bat with a pitch to end the sixth, the ball rolling to first baseman Chris Davis. Britton picked up one of the pieces near the mound ... Craig Gentry and Jeff Kemp executed a double steal in the seventh.

On deck: Friday, at Twins in Fort Myers, 7:05 p.m. ______SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Lee had four full counts and two mound visits from pitching coach Roger McDowell in the first two innings of tonight’s start against the Rays.

This was a pretty good indication that he wasn’t particularly sharp. And he wasn’t going to stick around for long.

Lee’s velocity was fine, with his fastball topping out at 95 mph on multiple occasions, but he threw 27 pitches in the first inning and 28 in the second while the Rays took a 2-0 lead.

Left-hander Garrett Cleavinger, on loan from minor league camp, entered the game in the top of the third inning. Lee allowed two runs and five hits, walked two batters and struck out one. He threw 55 pitches, 32 for strikes.

In four previous outings, Lee allowed a combined two runs over 11 innings. He matched his run total tonight in the first.

Lee walked Kevin Kiermaier with one out, Evan Longoria doubled and Brad Miller lined an RBI single into center field. Colby Rasmus followed with a run-scoring single into left field, but the Orioles turned a nice 4-6-3 double play on Logan Morrison’s ground ball.

Tim Beckham led off the second inning with a single and Daniel Robertson reached on an infield hit with one out after Chris Johnson made a diving stop. Beckham took third on Johnson’s wild throw to first base - Johnson’s third error this spring. The Rays loaded the bases with two outs on another Kiermaier walk, but Longoria grounded to third.

Lee struck out Dickerson before walking Kiermaier, his only punchout of the night. He had nine strikeouts before tonight.

Dickerson and Kiermaier worked the count full in the first inning, and Beckham and Kiermaier did the same in the second. However, Lee threw first-pitch strikes to the first three batters he faced in the first inning and the first four batters in the second.

He got ahead, but lacked the putaway pitch. It seems more likely now that Lee will open the season at Triple-A Norfolk, but manager Buck Showalter could choose to take a longer look at him in the rotation while deciding on a fifth starter.

The Orioles got a run back in the bottom of the second on Pedro Álvarez’s one-out double, the ball clearing Beckham’s head in right field, and Hyun Soo Kim’s single. Dickerson made a diving catch to rob Mark Trumbo leading off the inning, but he couldn’t glove Kim’s sinking liner.

Cleavinger retired the Rays in order in the third, striking out Rasmus. Brad Brach has replaced him.

Welington Castillo won’t catch Brach or Zach Britton tonight.

Update: Chris Johnson hit a two-run homer to center field in the fourth inning after Pedro Alvarez singled, giving the Orioles a 3-2 lead. Johnson has two homers and nine RBIs this spring. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-after-a-memorable-experience-in-the-wbc- third-baseman-manny-machado-returns-to-orioles-camp-20170322-story.html

After a memorable experience in the WBC, third baseman Manny Machado returns to Orioles camp

By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun March 22, 2017

After playing a starring role in the World Baseball Classic, Manny Machado returned to Orioles camp Wednesday ready to return his focus to preparing for the upcoming season.

Machado, who arrived back in Sarasota late Monday night, won’t return to the Orioles’ starting lineup until the team’s next home game Saturday against the Minnesota Twins, but he took part in Wednesday’s workout and pregame activities.

The WBC put the Orioles third baseman on an international stage, where the 24-year-old stood out with both his bat and glove on a stacked Dominican Republic team that was eliminated with a 6-3 loss to Team USA on Saturday night in San Diego.

“It was an exciting time at the World Baseball Classic and something I’ll never forget,” Machado said. "It was a great experience, great memories taken from that. But now I’m excited to get back and try to create some new ones this year with the team that we’ve got here and everybody that we have. I know [manager] Buck [Showalter] and the coaches have been telling me that everything’s been going pretty well, that the team looks pretty good and it’s going to be a fun one, so I’m excited to be back and excited to be with the team. Looking forward to this year.”

Machado played every inning of the Dominican Republic’s six games in nine days at the WBC, including three games at Miami’s Marlins Park that included two sellout crowd and a raucous pro-Dominican crowd. With every game holding huge implications, he was thrown into a much different atmosphere than he would usually see in mid-March. But Machado said he believes he’s better prepared for the season having participated in the WBC.

“I got into a little more game speed and trying to get used to the runners and trying to get that timing down, the pitching timing down, being on your feet for nine innings,” Machado said. “I got that out of the way. Nothing can really prepare you for April. April is an exciting day, exciting for baseball. We work so hard to get to that situation, to get there. I think you can never prepare for April, but I think I’m a little ahead of the game.”

When asked if he would play in the WBC again – commissioner Rob Manfred said this month that Major League Baseball is committed to the event’s future, though there have been rumbles that this might be the last WBC – Machado quickly said “Sign me up.”

“One hundred percent. Sign me up … right now,” Machado said. It was just unbelievable, the whole experience. The fans that were out there, San Diego, Miami, they came to watch baseball. ... They were into the game, every pitch, every moment, supporting us, and I think we thrive off of that. If it was up to me, I would do it every year and go and try and represent our country the best way we can. Sign me up for the next one.”

Machado said he planned to watch the tournament’s final game Wednesday night and root for his Orioles teammate Adam Jones on Team USA, even though it was Jones who robbed Machado of a home run in a 6-3 loss that eliminated the Dominican from the WBC.

“It was one of the best catches I’ve ever seen him make or ever seen being made,” Machado said. “It was unbelievable. Unfortunately, he robbed me, but better him than somebody else. But I’m going to be watching him tonight, rooting for him doing what he needs to do. I know he’s enjoyed definitely the whole experience and enjoyed everything about it. At the end of the day we’re all trying to represent ourselves and represent our country the right way and I think that’s what we did out there.” http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-slow-spring-starts-growing-more- significant-for-orioles-chris-davis-mark-trumbo-j-j-hardy-20170321-story.html

Slow spring starts growing more significant for Orioles Chris Davis, Mark Trumbo, J.J. Hardy

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun March 22, 2017

First baseman Chris Davis, right fielder Mark Trumbo and shortstop J.J. Hardy have all been fixtures in the team’s lineup in the absence of so many of the Orioles’ top players during the World Baseball Classic.

But with just over a week left in camp, they have little to show for it. And none of them seem terribly worried by it.

“It’s cause for a concern,” Trumbo deadpanned, drawing a laugh from his surrounding teammates.

Davis hit his first home run in 26 spring at-bats Tuesday to give him six hits in the Grapefruit League, though he has walked seven times with eight strikeouts. Trumbo and Hardy entered Wednesday hitting .182 apiece. While Hardy is still getting his approach back after being out with back spasms, Trumbo’s surprising lack of power this spring is growing into a topic to watch.

Manager Buck Showalter said all three are at different stages, and any desire to see them pick it up before Opening Day is mostly coming from them.

Davis, Showalter said, “had some of his better at-bats” of the spring Tuesday, including his opposite-field home run.

“That’s a good sign, but see if he can do it again tomorrow or the next day,” Showalter said. “It’s not something he and [hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh] have really stressed, really worked at. We know he’s got pull power. He doesn’t have to pull the ball to hit home runs. Looking at a lot of his successful periods, that’s what he’s been able to do.”

Hardy, Showalter said, isn’t where he’d like to be.

“He’s not happy with where he is offensively, but he got that fourth at-bat [Tuesday] and it was worth it,” Showalter said. “I think he’ll be able to pick up the results a little bit as we close out these last nine or 10 days.”

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. Hardy entered Wednesday’s twilight game against the Rays with five walks in 16 plate appearances, but as for the actual swings, it seems to be a work in progress.

“It’s just making adjustments in the game,” Hardy said. “You can do all you want in batting practice, but game adjustments are different. I’m finding little things that have worked for me in the past and taken those into every at-bat. What do I have —10, 15 at-bats in big league games, not including the five in the B game? I feel fine. I feel like by April 3, everything is going to be where it needs to be.”

He said he doesn’t believe the condensed spring schedule he’s on because of his back injury has been any detriment.

“I think that’s what everyone else is kind of thinking because if my first 10 to 15 at-bats in early March were like this, I don’t think it’d be an issue,” he said. “Then, by the middle of March, everything would be fine, which is April 3 for me now. So I’m not worried. I think I’m making adjustments that I need to make, so April 3 will be fine. I’ll be good to go.”

As for Trumbo, who signed a three-year deal this offseason for him to keep his league-leading home run power in Baltimore, hasn’t shown that off to this point either.

“You know Mark,” Showalter said. “He’s not one of those guys who goes, ‘Oh, my numbers will be there. Oh, it’ll all be [there] when the bell rings.’ He wants to hit a ball hard every time up. He’s a little frustrated, but it will fall in place.”

“I think I haven’t loved the way this week’s at-bats in general have gone,” Trumbo said. “The results haven’t been there. The hard contact that’s expected hasn’t been as good, and it’s not something that … I’ve been through things like this more times than I can count in my career, and it’s something that will improve. It’s probably going to be something very minor that changes and locks in a feeling, and then I’ll get rolling and we’re not talking about this.”

Trumbo hopes in the past week or so of spring that the returns of Welington Castillo, Manny Machado, Adam Jones and Jonathan Schoop from the WBC will at least give the team a few chances to get comfortable with its lineup and possibly let the reality of the approaching season wash over them.

“I think it’ll be nice to have everyone back,” he said. “I don’t think that there’s going to be a huge wave of nerves of anything like that. I think most people here know the schedule and what’s expected, but it’ll sure be nice. If we get a few games with everyone that basically has the lineup that most people are predicting it’s going to look like, I think it’ll be really nice; three or four games worth, to have the guys around you who are going to hit around you during the season, to get some of that going.” http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/220516724/uss-adam-jones-motivated-by-puerto-rico- plans/

PR plans inspire USA's Jones in final win

By David Adler / MLB.com March 23, 2017

As if Adam Jones needed any extra motivation. As the leader of Team USA on its run to the 2017 World Baseball Classic gold, Jones took center stage with some huge plays during the tournament.

Still, before the United States' 8-0 win over Puerto Rico in Wednesday night's championship game at Dodger Stadium, Jones and his teammates got some bulletin-board material, courtesy of rumors that Puerto Rico already had a celebration planned.

"Should I tell the truth? Well, before the game, we got a note that there were some championship shirts made, and we didn't make them," Jones said during the postgame ceremony. "And a flight. That didn't sit well with us. And a parade. That didn't sit well with us. So we did what we had to do."

As it turned out, Puerto Rico had the flight and parade scheduled whether it won or lost, according to a report from ESPN, so it doesn't appear as though the team was celebrating too soon.

And Puerto Rico's performance in the tournament was worthy of a celebration. The team didn't lose until the final, entering Wednesday's game on a 7-0 run that included a win over the U.S. and the Dominican Republic team that had beaten Puerto Rico in the 2013 Classic championship game.

But in the end, it was Team USA taking home its first World Baseball Classic title, and Jones was not only the heart of the team, but one of its most valuable players.

"I couldn't be prouder. I could not be prouder," Jones said. "Everyone that wanted to play is playing, and we brought it home for the United States."

Jones' first big moment at WBC '17 came in the first round, when he lined a 10th-inning walk-off hit against an upset-hungry Colombia team. His most memorable play of the tournament was a spectacular catch over the center-field wall to rob a home run from Dominican star -- and Jones' Orioles teammate -- Manny Machado, a game-changing play in Team USA's win over the defending Classic champs that sent the U.S. to the championship round.

Then in the semifinals, Jones brought home the game-winning run against two-time Classic champion Japan with an RBI groundout in the eighth inning.

Finally, after one last win Wednesday, he could sit back and drink it all in.

"We tip our hats to Team Puerto Rico and everyone else in the tournament, but we did something special," Jones said. "I'm just happy to be part of it." http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/220460192/orioles-manny-machado-enjoyed-classic-17/

Machado savors World Baseball Classic run

By Rich Dubroff / MLB.com March 22, 2017

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Manny Machado is back from the World Baseball Classic, and he had a delightful time playing for the Dominican Republic.

"It's fun to be back and be back with the guys and get ready for the season. It was an exciting time at the World Baseball Classic and something I'll never forget," Machado said. "It was a great experience; great memories taken from that. But now I'm excited to get back and try to create some new ones this year with the team that we've got here." Machado left the Orioles on March 5 to play third base and shortstop for the Dominican Republic, which was eliminated by Team USA on Saturday. He loved every part of the WBC, except the losing.

"Just everything overall, the overall experience of being a part of the team, trying to represent your country and be around the guys that I was around," Machado said. "I don't have one particular moment. I think just the whole overall experience was great."

For most fans, the moment that stood out was when Machado's O's teammate, Adam Jones, denied him a home run with a terrific catch. Machado topped the moment by doffing his helmet and saluting Jones.

"He's a great player. He's representing his country, trying to do everything, laying it out on the field every day like he does when he's here," Machado said of Jones. "He made a hell of a catch. I mean, it was unbelievable. It was one of the best catches I've ever seen him make, or ever seen being made.

"Unfortunately, he robbed me, but better him than somebody else. But I'm going to be watching him [in Wednesday night's championship game vs. Puerto Rico], rooting for him doing what he needs to do. I know he's enjoyed, definitely, the whole experience and enjoyed everything about it. At the end of the day, we're all trying to represent ourselves and represent our country the right way, and I think that's what we did out there."

Machado and his Dominican teammate Welington Castillo are expected in the O's lineup Saturday night vs. the Twins.

Even though his Classic is over, Machado is ready for 2021.

"One hundred percent. Sign me up already. Right now. It was just unbelievable, the whole experience. The fans that were out there [in] San Diego, Miami. They came to watch baseball. This is how baseball is supposed to be played," Machado said.

"They were into the game, every pitch, every moment, supporting us, and I think we thrive off of that. If it was up to me, I would do it every year and go and try and represent our country the best way we can. Sign me up for the next one." http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/220451414/orioles-want-chance-sisco-to-get-more- exposure/

O's sticking with Sisco to give him exposure

By Rich Dubroff / MLB.com March 22, 2017

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Orioles have made a series of cuts this week, and despite the team trimming two more senior catchers from its roster on Tuesday, rookie Chance Sisco remains with the team.

Francisco Pena and Audry Perez, both with Major League experience, were reassigned to Minor League camp, but the 22-year-old Sisco -- the club's top prospect, according to MLBPipeline.com -- stays on for now.

Sisco, who has a .402 on-base percentage in the Minor Leagues, has just four games of Triple-A experience, and the Orioles want him to get as much Major League exposure as they can. Welington Castillo, just back from the World Baseball Classic, and Caleb Joseph are the other catchers in camp.

"We're not going to keep him here unless we can catch him," manager Buck Showalter said. "And that's what we can do now.

"He's going to come in and catch three or four innings almost every day," Showalter said. "The experience he's getting here is immeasurable. We're not going to keep him here unless this is the best thing for his development. Everybody's in agreement the more time he can spend in this environment, the better off it will be for him down the road."

Worth noting • Showalter said that second baseman Ryan Flaherty, who has been out with a sore right shoulder since March 13, will play Friday at Minnesota. • Outfielders Seth Smith (hamstring) and Chris Dickerson (shoulder) remain out. Smith, who hasn't played since March 8, continues to progress, Showalter said. • Showalter said that Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman will pitch in Minor League games Friday and that Wade Miley, whose Monday start was scrapped because he came down with the flu, will pitch in a Minor League game Saturday. http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/220439284/orioles-option-bleier-reassign-zach-stewart/

O's option Bleier, reassign Stewart

By Rich Dubroff / MLB.com March 22nd, 2017

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Orioles optioned left-handed pitcher Richard Bleier and reassigned right-hander Zach Stewart to Minor League camp on Wednesday.

Bleier, who was obtained from the Yankees on Feb. 19, was 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in five games. Stewart, who was returning to the U.S. from a season in South Korea, last pitched in the Major Leagues in 2012 with the White Sox and Red Sox. He was 1-0 with a 5.06 ERA in six spring games.

The cuts leave 42 players in Major League camp, including nine non-roster invitees.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/220418924/statcast-podcast-analyzes-adam-jones-catch/

Statcast Podcast: Analyzing Jones' catch

MLB.com March 22, 2017

This week on the Statcast™ podcast, MLB.com columnist Mike Petriello and national editor Matt Meyers dissect the biggest play of the week through the lens of Statcast™'s newest feature: catch probability.

Using data to drive the conversation, the hosts break down Adam Jones' amazing World Baseball Classic catch, talk to two former MLB outfielders about what it takes to make a catch like that, and whether or not it was as difficult as it looked.

Petriello: Our big thing we've been talking about for the last couple of weeks is catch probability, along with hit probability. And we've been really excited about the Classic because we've wanted to see this theoretical thing we've come up with live. And one thing we said when catch probability came out was it measures how far the outfielder has to go to get the ball, and opportunity time, which is the time from the ball leaving the pitcher's hand to where its projected landing point was.

Right now, it doesn't account for the direction the fielder has to run, or for potential wall balls or home run robberies. And of course, what's the endurng image of this Classic so far? Adam Jones making a fantastic catch, taking a ball away from his teammate, Manny Machado.

I thought it would be really interesting to dig into some of the numbers there and talk about why the catch probability was actually really high on that. Higher, I think, than people would be happy about. We are going to talk about the numbers, but hopefully we're also smart enough to know what we don't know. And what neither Matt or I know is what it's like to actually be on the field and try to catch one of these balls.

We actually have two MLB outfielders who will join us on the show today. They both have World Series experience and have been in the biggest moments. So we're really excited about that. We're going to have Ryan Spilborghs on and Fernando Perez on. But first, Matt, let's just talk about this play. This is Adam Jones the other night.

Meyers: Let's set the scene a bit.

Petriello: Let's set the stage. United States vs. Dominican Republic. Bottom of the 7th. Nobody out. USA is up, 4-2. It's a very big spot in the game. Manny Machado comes up. Manny Machado destroys a baseball, 106 mph, 26 degrees, that's a 97 percent hit probability. This ball is projected to go 407 feet. He crushes it to just right of dead center at Petco Park. Now, you've seen the play, most likely. Adam Jones needs to go 98 feet, and he covered 100 feet. So it was a very efficient route. And he had six seconds of hang time to do it. And he makes an amazing catch. Some of the still photos that came out of this have been just phenomenal, because it's like right in front of the Classic logo and all the USA fans are behind him. It's an enduring moment for a ton of different reasons.

But the catch probability here, we had it at 93 percent. Again, a little unfair. We are not accounting for the wall yet. So that's too high. But that's not going to come down to like, five percent, and I think that's what people think it should be given just the game situation, right?

Meyers: To get where that 93 percent comes from, I'll use an analogy I used last week. Imagine a Little League field or softball field where there is no fence and no fans. If they weren't there, Adam Jones could just keep going, and it's a pretty easy catch. The other aspect of the play is, essentially what catch probability is measuring is feet per second. How fast were you going? It's distance traveled (in feet), opportunity time (in seconds) -- the combination of those two things. And on the play, he was going about 23-24 feet per second?

Petriello: Billy Hamilton's top speed is like 30-31 feet per second. So this isn't an insanely fast run, but Jones did what he needed to do to get to the ball. When you look at it, he's not going at top speed, it's more about the timing. It's more about the jump. http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/03/postive-early-reviews-for-welington- castillo.html

Postive early reviews for Welington Castillo

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com March 23, 2017

SARASOTA, Fla. - With Welington Castillo back inside the Orioles clubhouse and soon to be back in their lineup, the process continues of getting acclimated to a new pitching staff after signing as a free agent, spending about three weeks in camp and leaving for the World Baseball Classic.

Castillo sits at the locker once occupied by Matt Wieters, the popular former starting catcher and one of the leaders. His absence while playing for the Dominican Republic could have raised eyebrows and some doubts about his ability to learn the pitchers, but so far the reviews have been favorable.

Here’s a sampling to peruse while the Orioles are enjoying their second and final off-day of spring training:

Darren O’Day

“Welington, from the time he got here he realized that he’s got a lot of pitchers to learn, so I think he’s kind of gone out of his way to try and start a dialogue about how you pitch. For me personally, I’ve talked to him quite a bit. He’s caught me every time that I’ve thrown and I might take a little longer to learn than other pitchers just because I pitch differently, but he’s done great.

“I’ve worked with him twice in the two games and really happy. Really good. Like the way he sets up. There’s great targets for me to throw at. He’s been great on sequences. Yeah, he’s been great.”

Dylan Bundy

“Big fan of him. I love the way he receives the ball back there. He seems willing to work with every single one of us in this clubhouse, as far as pitchers. I’m sure he’s doing his work. Even though he’s been on the road, I’m sure he’s doing some research on some guys in this clubhouse. Just learning as much as he can while he’s on the WBC team.”

Bundy also talked about Castillo’s pitch framing, or “presentation.” “You can notice it just with one pitcher out there. You can notice if he’s trying to steal some strikes and stuff like that and so far from what I’ve seen it looks like he’s done a pretty good job with it.”

Brad Brach

“He receives the ball really well. He gives a real nice low target and blocked pretty much every ball I saw thrown in the dirt. Definitely excited to throw to him and looking forward in these next couple weeks to get a couple more chances to throw to him.”

Brach wasn’t worried about the length of time it would take for Castillo to learn a new staff. “I think if it was a young guy I’d be more concerned, but he’s been around, so he knows. I know he went out of his way to talk to guys. I’ve talked to him in passing a bunch. I threw to him one day and the next day in the weight room we had probably a five or 10 minute conversation about what I did that day, what I’m looking to do, what I want to do in the spring, what I normally do during the season, and it was real good. It was constructive.

“I think a guy who’s been around a little bit, he knows what it takes to get to know guys. It was real quick and I think we’re ready to go.”

Kevin Gausman

“One thing I noticed right out of the gate was I think he’s a really good low-ball catcher. I think a lot of the guys on this team throw sinkers. Bundy. I don’t throw very many sinkers, but then you’ve got (Zach) Britton and Brad. Darren’s got a lot of sink, too. Anytime you have a catcher like that who you think is going to be able to get you a lot of strikes down in the zone, it obviously helps. But yeah, it’s tough.

“He’s only caught me once, so those reps you normally get in spring, we don’t really have those. But I don’t think it will make that big of a difference. Usually, you catch a guy a couple times in a game and you get a feel for what he has and what he likes to throw in certain situations, and it will just get better as the season goes on.”

Ubaldo Jiménez

“He caught my first start. He’s good. He wants to learn everything that he needs to do and be able to be there for the pitchers. He put a lot of work into getting to know you and getting to know all the pitches that you throw and in what situation. He’s going to be good.

“You can see what he was able to do in the WBC. That’s not easy. He has to catch a Dominican staff, having guys he never caught before. And every single inning you’ve got a new guy throwing 98-99 and he was good.”

Tyler Wilson

“He interacts really well with the pitchers, which is obviously the most important thing for a pitcher. Really good leader, really good charismatic personality, which is important to encourage pitchers to trust in the guy back there putting down the fingers. He obviously knows what he’s doing.

“Has a great arm, really good target, low target, understanding of the strike zone and understanding how to work hitters. Pretty much everything that you could ask for in a solid catcher. And obviously, we got to watch him on TV doing an awesome job, too, throwing guys out and stuff. So I’m excited about him.”

Mike Wright

“He caught me like we’ve been playing together forever. I told him some of the things I wanted and it was like, ‘click.’ Obviously, he’s really good at throwing runners out and really solid at blocking. He’s been really, really good to me.”

Wright was surprised that it happened so quickly. “Yeah, absolutely. Usually they say, ‘Oh, you look like a buddy I had that was like this, and he likes doing this and this and this,’ when it’s not really like you. But like I said, we discussed kind of what my approach was and it was, ‘OK, perfect. Boom.’ It was right then and it was awesome.” http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/03/orioles-make-two-cuts-machado-talks- about-wbc-experience.html

Orioles make two cuts, Machado talks about WBC experience

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com March 22, 2017

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have reduced their camp roster to 42 players, including nine non-roster invitees, by optioning left-hander Richard Bleier to Triple-A Norfolk and reassigning right-hander Zach Stewart to minor league camp.

Bleier, acquired from the Yankees last month, allowed three runs and 10 hits in seven innings. Stewart allowed six runs and 10 hits in 10 2/3 innings. He also tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings against the Dominican Republic.

Stewart’s runs came in his last two outings over 3 1/3 innings. The defense let him down in his final appearance against the Tigers.

Batting practice is done and Manny Machado has retreated to the Orioles clubhouse, his next Grapefruit League game set for Saturday night at Ed SmithStadium.

Machado spoke to the media outside of the baseball operations center and conveyed his excitement over playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic and being back with the Orioles.

On whether he’s happy to be here: “Great. Get some sun, some beach, hit some more baseballs, good times. It’s fun to be back and be back with the guys and get ready for the season. It was an exciting time at the World Baseball Classic and something I’ll never forget. It was a great experience, great memories taken from that. But now I’m excited to get back and try to create some new ones this year with the team that we’ve got here and everybody that we have. “I know Buck (Showalter) and the coaches have been telling me that everything’s been going pretty well, that the team looks pretty good and it’s going to be a fun one, so I’m excited to be back and excited to be with the team. Looking forward to this year.”

On his favorite parts of the WBC: “Just everything overall, the overall experience of being a part of the team, trying to represent your country and be around the guys that I was around. Just overall. I don’t have one particular moment. I think just the whole overall experience was great.”

On Adam Jones’ catch that robbed him of a home run: “He’s a great player. He’s representing his country, trying to do everything, laying it out on the field every day like he does when he’s here. He made a hell of a catch. I mean, it was unbelievable. It was one of the best catches I’ve ever seen him make or ever seen being made. It was unbelievable. Unfortunately, he robbed me, but better him than somebody else. But I’m going to be watching him tonight, rooting for him doing what he needs to do.

“I know he’s enjoyed definitely the whole experience and enjoyed everything about it. At the end of the day we’re all trying to represent ourselves and represent our country the right way and I think that’s what we did out there.”

On whether playing every inning in WBC prepares him for April: “Yeah, it does, just because I got into a little more game speed and trying to get used to the runners and trying to get that timing down, the pitching timing down. Being on your feet for nine innings. I got that out of the way. Nothing can really prepare you for April. April is an exciting day, exciting for baseball. We work so hard to get to that situation, to get there. I think you can never prepare for April, but I think I’m a little ahead of the game.”

On only playing shortstop versus Puerto Rico: “At the end of the day it’s about playing for your country. I was trying to do anything to win the games, do anything possible - get on base, get the guys over, whatever it takes. You take all ego out. Everyone was playing different positions. (Jose) Bautista was playing a different position, (Starling) Marté, (Gregory) Polanco. You’ve got to just go out there and play the game, play for the country, and at the end of the day that’s all that counts.”

On being ready defensively: “Before I left, I practiced a lot with Bobby (Dickerson), got myself prepared. That’s what we do. We play defense in Baltimore. I was just ready to play.”

On hearing fans in Miami chanting “MVP, MVP”: “It was pretty impressive. It was just the overall experience. I mean, the crowd in Miami was just unbelievable. The loudest crowd I’ve been a part of was at Camden Yards and I think that was up there with that. So just overall hearing the crowd, playing nonstop, talking the whole time. The whole time was just an unbelievable moment.”

On getting to know teammate Welington Castillo: “He’s a great player. He’s going to help us out. He can do both sides of the (game). He can obviously play defense and he can have some key at-bats for us like he did with the Dominican team. Finally seeing him play throughout a couple of games - I think we played seven, eight games - he’s going to be a very impactful player for our organization and for the team that we have here. Looking forward to seeing what he’s going to do with our pitching staff and with this team.”

On whether he’d play in the WBC again: “One hundred percent. Sign me up already. Right now. It was just unbelievable, the whole experience. The fans that were out there, San Diego, Miami, they came to watch baseball. This is how baseball is supposed to be played. People are supposed to come out here and enjoy us and see us play and be in the game like how we were on every single pitch.

“I’ve never seen fans be so much into the game, even in San Diego. It was a sold-out crowd out there. They were into the game, every pitch, every moment, supporting us, and I think we thrive off of that. If it was up to me, I would do it every year and go and try and represent our country the best way we can. Sign me up for the next one.”

On how the Orioles were represented in the WBC: “I think we did a great job. I think we went out there and held our own. I think just overall, the overall game, we did it all. We hit, we played baseball the right way. At the end of the day, we’re trying to represent the organization that we play for and show them the right way, how we do things around here.

“I think we came back and everybody was excited that we did pretty well. We represented everyone in this organization, the Angelos family, Buck and Dan (Duquette). We did a pretty good job. We’re trying to do everything possible to bring this organization up and do it the right way.”

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/03/machado-set-for-saturday-lineup-return- and-more-notes.html

Machado set for Saturday lineup return (and more notes)

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com March 22, 2017

SARASOTA, Fla. - Third baseman Manny Machado is taking batting practice this afternoon with the Orioles, his cap spun backward and his hips gyrating to the music filtering through Ed Smith Stadium.

Machado returns to the lineup Saturday night against the Twins in Sarasota.

Welington Castillo also is back from the World Baseball Classic, and manager Buck Showalter is deciding whether to have him catch relievers Zach Britton and Brad Brach tonight against the Rays.

Castillo will catch Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy on separate fields Friday in minor league games at Twin Lakes Park. One pitcher will work at Triple-A game and the other a Double-A game.

“He’ll catch one one inning, one the next inning and go back and forth,” Showalter said. “He wanted to get some at-bats over there anyway.”

Second baseman Jonathan Schoop arrives in Sarasota later tonight and will return to camp Friday or Saturday. The Orioles are getting the band back together.

Ryan Flaherty will start at second base Friday night against the Twins in Fort Myers.

Wade Miley will throw a side session on Thursday while his teammates are enjoying their day off. Miley could pitch Saturday in a minor league game.

Showalter wants to watch Mike Wright on Friday and Gabriel Ynoa on Saturday in Grapefruit League games, which is why he’s sending other starters to Twin Lakes Park.

Chris Tillman remains scheduled to throw from 60-90 feet on Sunday to test his right shoulder. Showalter also said outfielder Chris Dickerson, sidelined with a sore left shoulder, is “around the corner.”

A few more cuts will be made tonight.

Dariel Álvarez has thrown off a half mound while making the conversion from outfielder to pitcher, and he’s now ready to move onto a full mound.

Álvarez is scheduled to make his pitching debut on April 10 at one of the lower affiliates.

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2017/03/dariel-alvarez-now-a-hitter-and-a- pitcher.html

Dariel Álvarez: Now a hitter and a pitcher

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com March 23, 2017

SARASOTA, Fla. - He’s been an outfielder since the Orioles signed the Cuban native to an $800,000 bonus on July 26, 2013. But this season, Dariel Álvarez will be a pitcher and designated hitter when he plays in games in the O’s minor leagues.

Long-known for his big-time right arm, Álvarez clearly fell behind a host of others on the Orioles’ major league depth chart in the outfield. Now the organization wants to move him to the mound as a potential power reliever with hopes he can pitch in the majors and follow a path similar to that of one-time shortstop-turned-pitcher Mychal Givens.

There seemed to be the suggestion that Álvarez was reluctant to try pitching again - he pitched briefly in the Cuban pro ranks - but that may not be necessarily so. At least it wasn’t at one time. During an interview yesterday at Twin Lakes Park, Álvarez confirmed that he did showcases for major league teams as a pitcher before signing with the Orioles. He also mentioned that he was close to joining another American League East team to take the mound.

“In 2012, I participated in a showcase as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. There was some talk about them signing me as a pitcher, but it didn’t materialize,” Álvarez said through Ramon Alarcon, the Orioles’ Spanish translater/media relations assistant.

“It was pretty close (to a deal getting done) and I was hoping to follow that opportunity.

Unfortunately, some things happened with my previous agent. But I was open to pitching at that time,” he said.

It appears that the Red Sox scouts saw Álvarez bringing some heat.

“In Cuba, I was 95-96 (mph) with my fastball. In the showcase that I participated in with Boston, I touched 98. So confident in my arm,” he said.

During parts of the 2006, 2007 and 2009 Cuban pro seasons, Álvarez was used to pitch briefly.

Over 32 1/3 innings, he went 1-4 with a 3.62 ERA with 12 walks and 18 strikeouts.

When Givens converted to the mound in 2013, he threw 43 innings in 28 games at Single-A Delmarva. While we don’t yet know to which affiliate the Orioles will assign Álvarez, he should follow a similar program on the mound as Givens. His outings will be scripted in that he will know which days he will be pitching and which days he won’t and the organization figures to give him plenty of rest between outings.

Álvarez has been pitching at minor league camp for just over two weeks now, but manager Buck Showalter said the early returns are quite good.

“We had a conversation about him this morning (Wednesday). He’s doing great,” Showalter said. “He’s going to pitch a maximum of 50 innings this year and they’ve got it mapped out just about through the whole season. And how to go about it.

“Ramon (Martinez, O’s special assignment pitching instructor) worked with him a lot during the offseason and kind of laid the foundation for what is going now. You had to do it in parts, so to speak.

“They’ve already made a couple of adjustments with him that seem to help him. He’s got some natural ability as a pitcher, other than his arm, that we want to take advantage of. He can spin the ball, too, and has a pretty good changeup. This is not just a guy that throws hard. I’m excited about where he is and the prospects of that, especially having another option on him next year.”

One big difference from Givens is that Álvarez is expected to continue to bat and DH on days when he is not pitching. He’ll keep active as a hitter, which should help him prepare for winter ball where he may still play some as a position player.

It also provides a rare potential future opportunity: a major league reliever that could also be used as a pinch-hitter or designated hitter.

Álvarez hit .288 with four homers and 49 RBIs for Triple-A Norfolk last season. In his O’s minor league career, he is a .293/.324/.434 hitter. He was ranked as high as No. 5 as an outfielder at the end of the 2014 season on the club’s list of top prospects by Baseball America.

He began spring training this year playing the outfield, and when he was sent to minor league camp on March 7, he officially became an Orioles pitcher with hopes of making the majors, just like every other youngster at Twin Lakes Park.

But this player is 28, older than most other players at minor league camp, and can be optioned to the minors this year and next. It gives the club two seasons to really find out what he can do on the mound.

“There is a pitching program that was designed for me and I am following that program, step by step, 100 percent,” Álvarez said. “Everything is going well right now. I feel comfortable on the mound and am doing well. This is something I’ve done in Cuba when I was there. So I feel comfortable right now.

“I feel excited and happy that I get this opportunity. I am also hitting still, so that is just a blessing for me that I can do both. I’m excited for this opportunity.”

Álvarez is working his way toward pitching in a minor league spring game, a simulated game or live batting practice sometime before O’s minor league camp breaks at the end of this month.

The tentative plan calls for his first minor league appearance on the mound to be on or around April 10.

“I talk with Brian (Graham, Orioles director of player development) daily and he is asking how my throwing program is going,” Álvarez said. “I am just happy for the chance to continue to do both (pitch and bat) and then make the team make a decision on me. Just happy to continue to work.

“I am confident in my abilities to learn as much as possible over here. I just know that I can succeed if given the opportunity. Right now I am just following the program and only throwing fastballs. But I do also throw a curveball and a changeup. Right now just working on my fastball command and then later will work on my other pitches.”

With a fastball that can touch the mid- and potentially upper-90s, the Orioles have to be intrigued to see what Álvarez can do as a pitcher. The possibility for him to also serve as a DH or pinch- hitter could provide the club essentially an extra roster spot of sorts if he can reach the majors and still be used as a hitter at times.

Álvarez does not lack for velocity apparently and the same is true of his confidence. “I am confident that I can be in the big leagues this year,” he said. “I believe in myself. I have all the tools. If given the opportunity, I am confident I can do that this year.”

Team USA wins the WBC: They had never even played in the championship game in three previous World Baseball Classic tournaments. But last night Team USA won the WBC with an 8-0 victory over Puerto Rico behind right-hander Marcus Stroman. The Orioles’ Adam Jones didn’t have any hits last night, but he had so many big plays and hits in this tournament, highlighted by his walk-off hit in their first win over Colombia and that amazing catch against the Dominican Republic.

If some fans don’t like the WBC after this year’s event, I don’t know what you are looking for in baseball entertainment. If some Orioles fans don’t better appreciate Jones after this event, I don’t know what you’ve been watching. Check out the Twitterverse after the victory. http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2017/03/welington-castillo-returns-to-team-feels- ready-to-start-the-season.html

Welington Castillo returns to team, feels ready to start the season

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com March 22, 2017

SARASOTA, Fla. - New Orioles catcher Welington Castillo rejoined the team today from the World Baseball Classic. He pretty much has pronounced himself ready to start the season and said manager Buck Showalter agrees.

Castillo caught many innings over six high-level games, giving him a much different experience than he’d get in a normal spring training. He said it left him feeling ready to go.

“Honestly, I think so. Pretty good, competitive games,” Castillo said this afternoon. “Everyone is competing because you are representing your country. Everything you give out there makes you ready for the season.

“He (Showalter) told me, ‘You are ready to play already. We are just going to play you the least that we can.’ Just depends on who is going to pitch to get involved with pitchers in the starting rotation. But I’m ready and happy to be here. Want to spend some time with my teammates in here and pull everything together for the season to go out and win.”

Castillo is expected to catch in minor league games Friday at Twin Lakes Park when Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy both pitch there.

Before he left the team, Castillo was in the midst of a crash course in getting to know some of the new pitchers he will be working with this season. He said he feels like he left the club comfortable in his knowledge of the Orioles staff, and that he’s confident they will be in sync when the regular season begins.

“I think I have a really good idea on everybody here,” Castillo said. “Even if I hadn’t caught them a lot. It’s not going to take a long time to figure it out. I feel like I’m in good shape with the pitching staff, but every day you learn something new from them. So every day is important to spend time with them.”

But it has been a very different spring for the 29-year-old Castillo. He hit .182/.250/.409 (4-for- 22) in the WBC, but he did hit a homer and drive in five runs in the Dominican Republic’s first three games. He also threw out three of six runners trying to steal second base.

“It was a little bit hard,” he said. “Out there, you are just looking to win and don’t want to come out of the game. Spring training, you catch five, six or seven innings. Out there, you go all nine and if there are extra innings, you have to go. But I feel ready for the season and I feel like I’m in good shape.”

When he spoke with reporters before tonight’s game, Showalter said he might try to get Castillo in this game specifically to catch Brad Brach and Zach Britton. But it sounds like that plan has changed.

“He told me ... it could be in the fifth or sixth inning,” Castillo added. “But he said, ‘It is not going to matter if you don’t catch because you will see them a lot the next couple of days.’ I decided not to play today. I told him I am good to start. But he said, ‘Yeah, I know you are ready.’”

So he’s back with the Orioles after the Dominicans could not complete a successful defense of their 2013 WBC championship. A baseball-crazy country that loves its players this time did not get see the Dominican team take home a championship. The 6-3 loss to the United States on Saturday night eliminated them at San Diego’s Petco Park.

“I feel like we didn’t have any pressure because we went there and gave everything we had each game,” Castillo said. “We played with passion and heart and we gave everything we had. I walk out with my head up because I gave everything I’ve got. My teammates did, too. We didn’t win but we gave everything out there.” http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2017/03/welington-castillo-returns-to-team-feels- ready-to-start-the-season.html

Chris Lee on outing: “I need to be more efficient than that”

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com March 22, 2017

SARASOTA, Fla. - It was just a spring training game. It won’t count for much once the regular season starts. But for 24-year-old left-hander Chris Lee, tonight probably felt like a lot more.

With the days left on the spring schedule dwindling, it was his latest chance to audition for the Orioles’ fifth starter job. Lee entered his fifth spring appearance and second start with real good numbers: an ERA of 1.64 and just two runs allowed over 11 innings.

But then he gave up two runs in a 27-pitch first inning to Tampa Bay this evening at Ed Smith Stadium and was in more trouble in the second when the Rays loaded the bases. Lee pitched out of that jam, but with his pitch count at 55 after two innings, that was the end of his outing.

He showed some decent velocity, touching the mid-90s at times. He also got into some favorable counts with batters, but just could not put them away.

“Overall, I felt like I didn’t finish enough,” Lee said. “Something you just can’t dwell on. Just will have to get back out there and keep on working on stuff and just pounding the zone. Be more efficient next time.

“I was going too deep in counts and not making the right pitches, finishing early. I need to be more efficient than that. Get two strikes and put them away quick as possible.” Over two innings, he gave up five hits and two runs, with two walks and one strikeout. He threw 32 of his 55 pitches for strikes. For the spring, he has yielded four runs and 12 hits over 13 innings for an ERA of 2.77.

After his last start - when he pitched three scoreless innings versus Philadelphia on Thursday - Lee said he was nervous. How about tonight?

“There are always some good butterflies,” he said. “I go out there and the passion gets my adrenaline running real fast. So always, after the first pitch, I was able to cool back down and try to relax as much as possible so the game doesn’t speed up on me.”

He gave up RBI singles in the first inning to Brad Miller and Colby Rasmus. The Rays loaded the bases in the second on two singles, an error and a walk. That brought up Evan Longoria and Lee was in a real tough spot. But he got the Rays third baseman to ground out to third to strand three runners.

On a night where he may have taken a step back and hurt his chances to win a rotation spot, Lee finished big. He showed some moxie there, getting Longoria out with the bases loaded.

“The main thing was to try and stay low in the zone,” he said of that at-bat. “Don’t let him get it in the air. Don’t miss my spot inside. I know he likes to pull the ball a lot, so I was trying to stay off his hot zone and get out there as quick as possible before my pitch counts got too high.”

Lee said he has not changed anything about how he has gone after hitters, even with his last two games coming in starts and with the stakes higher.

“No, I have the same approach,” he said. “Just trying to go out and get ground balls and throw the least amount of pitches as possible. This time it was not working my favor.” https://www.pressboxonline.com/2017/03/23/who-is-ahead-in-the-orioles-fifth-starter- competition

Who Is Ahead In The Orioles' Fifth Starter Competition?

By: Rich Dubroff / PressBoxOnline.com March 23, 2017

SARASOTA, Fla. -- One of the biggest questions remaining for the final week of spring training is the identity of the Orioles' fifth starter. Right-hander Chris Tillman won't be available for the first month of the season, and manager Buck Showalter still has five candidates for the job.

Showalter will have righty Dylan Bundy throw in a minor league game March 23, and right- hander Kevin Gausman will throw the next day in order to allow additional looks at the major league level for the five candidates.

The most experienced and perhaps most obvious pick would be right-hander Mike Wright, who has had an erratic major league career. Wright, who will start against the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers March 24, has a 4.70 ERA in three games. He also threw in a "B" game, where statistics aren't compiled, March 17.

Wright has only thrown 7.2 innings this spring, but the good news is his control hasn't been bad. He's walked only one batter.

Right-hander Tyler Wilson, who pitched two perfect innings March 22, has a 6.14 ERA and has thrown 14.2 innings, second most on the staff.

"He's easy to trust. You know what you're going to get, especially if you can keep from using him too much," Showalter said. "He's capable of doing some good roles that a good club needs to have done."

Chris Lee is the only one of the five without any major league experience, and the left-hander may have pitched himself out of the competition when he was pulled after two innings and 55 pitches March 22.

"His command wasn't where it needs to be," Showalter said. "He's got a chance to be a good one. Tonight was a good experience for him."

Right-hander Gabriel Ynoa has a 3.12 ERA in four appearances, and he's shown a decent fastball. Ynoa has struck out six in 8.2 innings. Ynoa's next start is scheduled for March 25 against the Twins. Acquired from the New York Mets Feb. 9, Ynoa still needs work on his breaking ball.

Jayson Aquino, who had three brief major league appearances, has perhaps the most raw ability of the five. Like Lee, he's left-handed but still an enigma.

The 24-year-old played for five organizations before he was acquired on waivers from St. Louis last season, and Showalter said he's seen a much different pitcher than the one he watched in 2016.

"His personality on the mound, it's something we didn't see last year," Showalter said. "… He came to a new team, didn't go through spring training with us. He was kind of apprehensive, didn't look to be real comfortable in the times I saw him. But this spring, the thing that has jumped out is he is confident. There is some personality to his pitching. He's got good tempo; he's got command; he's feeling comfortable with his third pitch now. And he's got command of two. I know the players like playing behind him. He's in the mix."

Originally, Showalter had hoped these five could be Triple-A Norfolk's starting rotation, but that was before Tillman's injury.

Showalter didn't want the five to be both starting and relieving. He said he wanted them starting in Baltimore or Norfolk. Now, he's backed off that assertion and said he would consider the five as relievers.

Wright and Wilson have both started and relieved in the majors, and if Vidal Nuno makes the club as a left-handed reliever, perhaps they could challenge Logan Verrett, who seems to have a leg up for the right-handed long man's job.

Verrett, who like Ynoa was also picked up from the Mets for cash, could have been a candidate to start, but the Orioles want him to relieve.

"Perfectly fine with me," Verrett said. "I've always said, whatever the team needs me to do, whatever Buck needs me to do, I'm going to grab the ball with a smile on my face. And right now, it seems like that job is going to be out of the bullpen, and if that's a job I can help the team, I'll be more than happy to do it, and I'll give them my best every time I'm out there."

All the starting candidates, in addition to Nuno and Verrett, have options, and Verrett realizes he and the others could be part of a Baltimore-Norfolk shuttle.

"I hope that's not the case, but you never know," Verrett said. "I hope, obviously, to break with the team, and do a good enough job that I kind of solidify myself in the bullpen if that's where the role is. That's always the goal. Whatever it is, if I have to spend some time in Norfolk, I'll bust it as hard as I can to get back up to Baltimore and help the team, because that's where I want to be. I want to be on a team that's going to be in a pennant race. That's the caliber team that we have here. I think that I can offer up some help, whether it's bullpen or starting, and that's what I like to do."

BIG HIT FROM SISCO: Catcher Chance Sisco hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning to give the Orioles a 7-4 win against the Tampa Bay Rays before a sellout crowd of 7,842 at Ed Smith Stadium March 22.

The ball hit the left-field foul pole.

"That was legit. I think that ball would have hit our foul pole in Baltimore," Showalter said.

https://www.pressboxonline.com/2017/03/23/orioles-manny-machado-returns-from-world- baseball-classic

Manny Machado Returns From World Baseball Classic

By: Rich Dubroff / PressBoxOnline.com March 23, 2017

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Orioles third baseman Manny Machado had such a good time at the World Baseball Classic that he would undoubtedly participate four years from now.

"One hundred percent. Sign me up already. Right now," Machado said. "It was just unbelievable, the whole experience. The fans that were out there, [in] San Diego, Miami, they came to watch baseball. This is how baseball is supposed to be played."

Machado played for the Dominican Republic, which was eliminated by Team USA March 18.

"People are supposed to come out here and enjoy us and see us play and be in the game like how we were on every single pitch," Machado said. "I've never seen fans be so much into the game, even in San Diego. It was a sold-out crowd out there. They were into the game, every pitch, every moment, supporting us, and I think we thrive off of that. If it was up to me, I would do it every year and go and try and represent our country the best way we can. Sign me up for the next one."

Machado left the Orioles March 5 and played in an exhibition game here March 7 with the Dominican Republic.

"It's fun to be back and be back with the guys and get ready for the season," Machado said. "It was an exciting time at the World Baseball Classic and something I'll never forget. It was a great experience, great memories taken from that. But now, I'm excited to get back and try to create some new ones this year with the team that we've got here and everybody that we have. I know [manager] Buck [Showalter] and the coaches have been telling me that everything's been going pretty well, that the team looks pretty good and it's going to be a fun one, so I'm excited to be back and excited to be with the team. Looking forward to this year."

For most fans, the best moment of the tournament was center fielder Adam Jones robbing Machado of a home run with a terrific catch in Team USA's win.

"He's a great player," Machado said. "He's representing his country, trying to do everything, laying it out on the field every day like he does when he's here. He made a hell of a catch. I mean, it was unbelievable. It was one of the best catches I've ever seen him make or ever seen being made.

"Unfortunately, he robbed me, but better him than somebody else. But I'm going to be watching him [against Puerto Rico in the finals March 22], rooting for him doing what he needs to do. I know he's enjoyed, definitely, the whole experience and enjoyed everything about it. At the end of the day, we're all trying to represent ourselves and represent our country the right way, and I think that's what we did out there."

Machado will play for the Orioles against Minnesota March 25, Showalter said.

Welington Castillo, who also returned from the WBC, will catch right-handers Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman in minor league games at Twin Lakes Park March 24.

Showalter expects second baseman Jonathan Schoop back from the WBC on either March 24 or 25.

INJURY UPDATES: Ryan Flaherty, who has been out since March 13 with a sore shoulder, will play second base March 24.

Left-hander Wade Miley (flu) will throw a side session at Twin Lakes Park March 23 and probably pitch in a minor league game two days later.

Outfielder Seth Smith (hamstring) continues to rehab. Showalter said he's progressing, but he has no idea on his return date.

ALVAREZ ON THE MOUND: Showalter expects converted outfielder Dariel Alvarez to pitch for one of the Orioles' minor league teams April 10.

"He's doing great," Showalter said. "He's going to pitch a maximum of 50 innings this year. They've got it mapped out almost through the whole season," Showalter said.

"They've already made a couple of adjustments with him that have seemed to help him. He's got some natural ability as a pitcher other than with his arm that we want to take advantage of. He can spin the ball. He's got a pretty good changeup. This is not just a guy who throws hard."

SISCO STAYS: The Orioles reassigned catchers Francisco Pena and Audry Perez to minor league camp March 21 and have three in camp: Castillo, Caleb Joseph and Chance Sisco.

Sisco will start March 26 at Toronto.

"He's going to come in and catch three or four innings almost every day," Showalter said. "The experience he's getting here is immeasurable. We're not going to keep him here unless this is the best thing for his development. Everybody's in agreement the more time he can spend in this environment, the better off it will be for him down the road."

CUT: The Orioles optioned left-handed pitcher Richard Bleier to Triple-A Norfolk and reassigned right-handed pitcher Zach Stewart to minor league camp. There are 42 players remaining in camp.

COMING UP: After an off day, the Orioles play the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers at 7:05 p.m. March 24. Right-hander Mike Wright will face righty Ervin Santana.

https://www.pressboxonline.com/2017/03/22/three-observations-from-orioles-spring-training

Three Observations From Orioles Spring Training

By: Stan Charles / PressBoxOnline.com March 22, 2017

O's Season Muddled By Tillman Injury

While it's not as simple as saying, "I've seen this movie before," watching right-hander Chris Tillman's slow, turtle-like progress from his shoulder ailment does feel like a process Orioles fans have seen before.

When news first came out about Tillman's shoulder injury, the club said it had a plan that now, in large part, looks like wishful thinking. The Orioles said they would have Tillman open the season on the disabled list but have him ready for the first time they needed a fifth starter -- around April 15.

With that plan now thrown aside, Tillman had a cortisone shot March 15, and the Orioles are hoping he will be ready by May, however, Tillman indicated he had "no idea" when he would be ready to return.

With right-handers Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy, two of the five spots in the Orioles' rotation appear to be well staffed and solid. Then you have two total uncertainties in righty Ubaldo Jimenez and lefty Wade Miley. At best, that duo appears to be potential innings-eaters that can save the all important bullpen from gross overuse.

And then there is Tillman's spot, which very easily could come around four-to-eight times before he is ready to start. None of the current candidates to fill the right-hander's spot look too promising:

Mike Wright: 6-9 with a 5.88 ERA over 119 innings pitched and a 1.48 ratio

Tyler Wilson: 6-8 with a 4.78 ERA over 130 innings pitched and a 1.41 ratio

Gabriel Ynoa: 1-0 over 10 games a 1.80 WHIP over 18 innings pitched, the most promising numbers are his 0 home runs allowed and 17 strikeouts

And then there is Chris Lee, a lefty acquired from the Houston Astros. He started against the Phillies March 16 and was impressive stuff-wise, but he was bogged down with poor command. He will start again against Tampa Bay March 22 and has a chance to rise to the top of this unimpressive class.

With Tillman, the O's are a tough out for the rest of the American League, without him for any prolonged length of time, the Orioles begin to totally count on Miley and Jimenez.

Recent history doesn't make that alternative too promising for the black and orange.

No-Fly Zone From BWI To SRQ

In January 2016, PressBox business writer Ed Waldman investigated the lack of daily Southwest flights that fly directly to Sarasota. Such flights would make for a much more convenient trip for the thousands of Orioles fans who come down here on a yearly basis.

To get to Sarasota, Orioles fans currently have to travel 95 miles from Southwest International Airport in Fort Myers, Fla., and 52 miles from Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Fla.

But despite all the positive talk in Waldman's piece, the real story may be in the numbers of air travelers served in 2014: 17.6 million in Tampa, 7.9 million in Fort Myers and 1.2 million in Sarasota.

One of the things you notice if you spend any time in Sarasota is the total lack of air-travel noise overhead. Is it possible the powers-that-be in this lovely quaint city just love the quietude and don't want multiple flights per day.

It sure seems like if the economic impact studies are accurate -- and that the Orioles/MASN partnership with Sarasota provides an economic impact of $89 million a year -- that the locals here would be working a bit harder to make that travel a bit easier to accomplish.

Southwest Airlines has said in print ads in local papers that their studies on the situation show that Sarasota residents are comfortable using Tampa and Fort Myers airports and that it makes no economic sense for them to reopen routes here from Baltimore.

It just seems that three or four flights a day during the 35 days of spring training games shouldn't be so hard to accomplish if everyone's hearts are in the right place.

Meet O's Next Great Leadoff Hitter

If you think about the history of the Orioles, you may think of Don Buford, Al Bumbry, Brady Anderson and Brian Roberts as leadoff men who have made their marks in black and orange.

Well, if manager Buck Showalter has his way and is correct in his assessment, the next great Orioles leadoff hitter is in the organization and not too far from being ready to play in Baltimore.

This came to light at Jet Blue Park March 20 when a young Orioles batter named Cedric Mullins knocked one in the right-center-field gap, which got past the centerfielder and right fielder and went to the wall. The young guy running was the fastest Oriole I had seen in years. As he rounded second, he nearly stumbled and went down for a dirt sandwich, but he kept himself upright and slid into third with a triple.

When asked about Mullins, the Orioles' 13th round draft pick in 2015, Showalter made clear the centerfielder wasn't as fast as I thought.

But Showalter clearly got a gleam in his eyes and proceeded to buildup Mullins. Showalter is not prone to being this effusive in his praise, but in the case of Mullins, he knew everything about the young man -- even his size 12 shoe, which is unusually big for a 5-foot-8 guy.

Mullins is a switch-hitter, who was drafted out of Campbell University. Mullins played at Class- A short-season Aberdeen in 2015 and hit .264 with a .333 OBP. Mullins had 15 doubles, five triples and two home runs and struck out just 33 times versus 22 walks.

Last season at Single-A Delmarva, Mullins batted .273 with his OBP dropping a bit to .321. His power numbers jumped -- 37 doubles, 10 triples and 14 home runs, but his strike-out-to-walk ratio worsened, as it looks as if he made the decision to power the ball more. His strikeouts jumped to 101 and the walks were at 37.

If Showalter has his way, Mullins will jump past Class-A Advanced Frederick and start the 2017 season at Double-A Bowie -- not too far from Baltimore.

The Orioles have an off day March 23, and I'll be making a visit to the minor league facility at Twin Lakes Park to do my own home work on Mullins. But Showalter seems to think highly of the young prospect.

"You just tell folks he is going the be the O's next impact leadoff batter," Showalter said.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2017/03/23/haynie-chris-lee-looking-to-impress-for-the-orioles/

Chris Lee Looking To Impress For The Orioles

By Bob Haynie / CBS Baltimore March 23, 2017

With Chris Tillman still trying to overcome shoulder soreness that has put his Opening Day status in doubt, the Orioles are searching for his possible replacement in the starting rotation. Mike Wright, Tyler Wilson, Gabriel Ynoa and Jayson Aquino are among the pitchers competing for that spot.

Another name frequently mentioned is Chris Lee. Lee, a hard throwing lefty, has made a good impression in Florida.

Heading into Wednesday night’s start against the Tampa Bay Rays, Lee had allowed two runs in 11 innings pitched. He had also struck out nine and allowed only three walks.

Against the Rays, however, Lee struggled in just two innings of work. He threw 55 pitches and left with the Orioles trailing 2-0.

Lee was touched for five hits and walked two. He reached full counts on four Tampa Bay batters.

The good news is that his fastball was topping out at 95 mph on the radar gun.

With the start of the 2017 season less that two weeks away, roster spots are still up for grabs. Even though he didn’t pitch well on Wednesday, Lee is still a player to watch.

At 24 years of age, Chris Lee appears to have bright future with the Orioles.

That future could be now.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20170322/fireworks-night-at-orioles-game

Fireworks Night at Orioles game

By Wade Tatangelo / Sarasota Herald-Tribune March 22, 2017

Just in case you needed one more reason to visit delightful Ed Smith Stadium and watch our (springtime) home team The Baltimore Orioles play the Minnesota Twins, there will be a fireworks display presented after the game. Because, really, it doesn't get much more American than watching the final out or winning run and then looking up to admire some explosions in the sky, perhaps with a cold one in hand. 6:05 p.m. Ed Smith Stadium; baltimore.orioles.mlb.com.