Two weeks remain until the Orioles head north from Sarasota. At least for the next few days, nicer weather up in Birdland makes it feel like spring here rather than a lingering winter. That’s nice. Also nice is that today’s game will be aired on MASN and on the Orioles flagship radio stations in Baltimore. Whether you are home or out and about, you have the opportunity to tune in. Enjoy it!
Untelevised games are less frequent here in the back half of the spring training schedule, fortunately, although some do remain.
Tyler Wells is making the start, although since he’s not being stretched out as a starter any more, he’ll probably go two innings tops and then be followed by a series of relievers. Neither of yesterday’s split squad games nor this game today have an actual starting pitcher. I don’t understand the process.
As I have commented across a number of spring training games, on the home lineups I always like to think of it as how close is this to the Opening Day lineup, or at least players who will be on the Opening Day roster? Here, I think it’s 6/9 for the roster but maybe only 4/9 for the starting lineup. I give it a strong chance that Basallo is the DH with Adley Rutschman catching on Opening Day, and I feel it’s unlikely that a healthy Tyler O’Neill would be on the bench. For now, O’Neill is with Team Canada.
Mountcastle presents the constant question of whether the Orioles will or should actually find space for him on this roster. Should there be a right-handed bench bat who can only play first base and for several years running has hit for much less power than it feels like he should? I feel that answer is no, but they haven’t moved on from him yet.
There was one lone cut from the camp roster before this game, as the Orioles optioned Reed Trimble over to the minor league camp. They have 66 players remaining in the major league camp. Masses of cuts are coming at some point to get closer to the 26-man roster. That will probably happen in the coming week. The O’s aren’t in a rush about it.