Orioles Spring Training Report #3

March 10, 2006

The O’s lost another stinker to the Marlins today, 7-2.

I got there earlier today, but had to pay $7 for parking. I was so early that the scalpers weren’t out yet, so I ended up buying a lawn seat at the ticket window for $8. I never made it out to the lawn, however. J There were few people there, so I sat just to the first base side of home plate (to avoid having to sit behind the screen) and about 15 rows back so I could get into the shade. This white boy needs to keep from getting fried. On Wednesday at Vero, I was cooking in my own juices, and began to detect the distinct smell of pork rinds. J

The Roger Dean Stadium Complex is a VERY nice facility. This is a shared facility between the Cardinals and Marlins. There are two distinct buildings, one for each team, and a nicely manicured complex of practice fields adjoining. Why can’t the O’s have such a sweet deal? Did I mention how difficult it was to maneuver through Fort Lauderdale traffic?! But I digress.

The O’s took extensive BP while I was there, but none of the vets were a part of it. The only projected starter in today’s lineup was Conine (and I wish he wasn’t a projected starter). I guess he made the trip just to be kind to the Marlin fan base that seems to still love him.

Whiteside and Fio just kept hitting line shots throughout BP. No one else really caught my eye. Fio has such an easy, fluid swing! Whiteside’s curly locks are turning grey (or are colored that way), but it makes him look about 45 years old.

Jim Palmer hung around the cage talking to Sammy and Elia and then wondered over to the visitors dugout and chatted with folks over there.

Fernando Tatis, walked past several autograph hounds and ignored their requests for a signature. He had a very sour expression on his face. However, in the game, he had a very good nine pitch at bat adjusting well to a variety of pitch speeds and locations. Eventually he broke his bat and popped out to shallow left (ss made the play).

Not many offensive highlights. Newhan nearly knocked one out, hitting it high off the rightfield wall in the third. The wind was blowing strongly to left, so I think it held up the drive. It went for a double. Rogers had a couple of hits while playing third – but didn’t look very comfortable over there. In the 3^rd Rogers had a baserunning brain fart. He went all the way to second on a fly to left by Conine and got thrown out going back to first 7-4-3. DOH! Fio laced a ball into the RF gap in the 7^th, but the Florida Centerfielder (Reed) made an all out diving catch parallel to the ground. Fio was robbed!

Markakis had 4 productive, if unspectacular, AB s. He reached on an error, singled, walked and hit a sac fly. His single was a very quick-bat drive of a low inside fastball, pounding it up the middle for a hit.

Keith Reed actually contributed. He came in for Val in the 7^th (Markakis moved to left to replace Val, and reed went to RF). Reed singled in the 8^th, but his real contribution was when Fio (CF) made a nice diving attempt on a vicious drive. Though Fio bounced up like he had flubber in his uni, the ball skipped to the wall. Reed was backing up the play, fielded the ball and pegged a throw to third to nail the runner (Little) trying to stretch it to a triple. VERY impressive throw.

Gomez made two errors in the 2nd and was later replaced by Fahey. I really like this kid a lot. He has very quick hands, good range, good speed and seems to really know how to play the game. He’s always hustling, and has a body type much like our very own Kerry Leibowitz – though Brandon is a bit taller. J I don’t think there’s any room on the 25 man roster (barring injury) but this kid will be a major leaguer someday.

The pitching was the story. Benson started and had a 1-2-3 first inning on 10 pitches with a strike out. In the second he got behind in the count and gave up a leadoff homer to Stokes. He then got behind 3-0 to the next two hitters and both ended up singling. Then another single, an error, a double play, another error and finally a pop up to second. He threw 20 pitches in the inning and gave up 4 runs. In the 3^rd he gave up 2 more hits and another run on 15 pitches with a second K. The good news, in my humble opinion, is that he threw hard, missed a few spots but didn’t adjust to throwing from the stretch. This looks like just a tweak in his mechanics to me. His full windup was very slow and deliberate, but when he worked from the stretch he didn’t seem to be able to establish a rhythm.

Halama pitched 3 effective innings giving up three hits and one run. He seemed pretty mature out there. The defense behind him wasn’t exactly stellar, but he didn’t get rattled. He squelched a couple of threats all by himself picking off two would-be base stealers. He may figure in the lefty relief picture. He threw 14, 8, & 13 pitches in his three innings

Johnson came in and finished the game going two effective innings yielding 2 hits and a run. He looked good out there, but got the ball up a couple of times resulting in a double and a triple. The triple was by none other than former O Mike Kinkade. This was a ball that Fio lost in the sun and it got by him and went to the wall. It should have been an out, but Fio never touched it and fell down trying to keep from getting killed out there. It sure looked ugly, but I’ve been there and it’s a hopeless feeling.

Another day without a Flanny or Duq siting. I’m sure they’re just avoiding me due to my reputation for insightful, probing questions. :-)