Good morning, Camden Chatters.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re just past the halfway point of the Orioles\u2019 Grapefruit League schedule. The O\u2019s played their 17th game yesterday \u2014 not including their exhibition against the Netherlands WBC team \u2014 and took a 7-2 loss to the Cardinals in Jupiter (the city, not the planet). Most of the Orioles\u2019 regulars didn\u2019t make the road trip, but Coby Mayo did, adding another hit to his already impressive spring tally. He also played an errorless third base. Granted, there was only one grounder hit in his direction \u2014 by former O\u2019s third baseman Ram\u00f3n Ur\u00edas, coincidentally enough \u2014 but Mayo made the play successfully.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a couple of Orioles are about to return to camp after brief stints in the World Baseball Classic. Dean Kremer pitched brilliantly for Team Israel with 4.2 scoreless innings on Sunday, but his club has been eliminated from advancing. He\u2019ll be back with the Birds after Israel\u2019s final game today.<\/p>\n
So too will Enrique Bradfield Jr., whose eliminated Panama club wrapped up its pool play round yesterday. Panama\u2019s quick exit is hardly the fault of Bradfield, who was a spark plug for the team. I attended the Panama-Canada WBC game in San Juan on Sunday and Bradfield was electrifying on the basepaths and in the outfield, twice reaching base on bunt singles \u2014 one of which was a drag bunt over the pitcher\u2019s mound \u2014 and causing havoc with his speed. He made a couple of extremely impressive plays in center field, too, showing fantastic range to get to balls that many outfielders couldn\u2019t touch. I\u2019d sure be happy if Bradfield could bring that kind of energy and game-changing speed and defense to the Orioles, though he\u2019ll need to test his mettle at Triple-A Norfolk first.<\/p>\n
Two weeks from today, the Orioles will be finished with spring training and will be setting their sights on Opening Day. They have 14 games remaining \u2014 12 in Florida, followed by home-and-home exhibitions against the Nationals in Baltimore and D.C. \u2014 to whittle down their camp roster to the season-opening 26-man. Considering there are currently 60 players remaining, the O\u2019s still have plenty of decisions to make.<\/p>\n
Hits keep coming for Mayo, Gibson talks about today\u2019s start, plus more notes in O\u2019s 7-2 loss – School of Roch<\/a><\/p>\n I\u2019m still of the opinion that Mayo\u2019s defense at third base is going to be a disaster, so he\u2019s sure going to need to mash at the plate to make up for it. It could actually happen, if his spring performance is any indication.<\/p>\n How is the Orioles\u2019 bullpen shaping up? – Steve Melewski<\/a><\/p>\n Considering that Yennier Cano might be one of the Orioles\u2019 main setup men, I\u2019d say the answer is \u201cnot great.\u201d<\/p>\n