Orioles Off-Day Observations – 3/21/11

While players generally do not start in more than two or three games in a row during Spring Training, therefore generally having multiple off days during the month, the Orioles as a whole have no game(s) today, meaning that the entire team has the chance to relax for the first time since arriving in mid-February.  Whether they choose to work out, play catch, hit BP, sleep in, or spend time with family, here are the notes I have compiled from the Orioles first and only off day of the spring:

• Jeremy Guthrie stayed on his pitching schedule today, pitching against the Minnesota Twins’ AAA squad.  Guthrie pitched six innings, though getting twenty outs (extended innings to reach pitch count), throwing 82 pitches, 56 for strikes.  He allowed one run on four hits, walked none, and struck out four.
• Derrek Lee, who played his first game of the spring just two days ago, is still recovering from hitting a foul ball off of his left foot in that first game against the Phillies (in which he went 0-1 with a walk).  Thankfully just a minor bruise of sorts, and not his wrist or thumb (which he said felt great after his first game), Lee could play tomorrow against the Yankees, Buck said.  The option to DH him in the game seems to be the preferred choice as of now.  He is day-to-day.
• Koji Uehara is slated to pitch tomorrow after three plus weeks out of game action due to soreness in his elbow.  After receiving a shot of cortisone back when the pain came up and then weeks of rest, Koji has thrown multiple bullpens and is feeling fine.  He, too, is day-to-day.
• Last we heard, Justin Duchscherer was throwing from as far as 130 feet and is supposed to throw a bullpen soon (if he hasn’t already).  With him, we will never know exactly what’s going on.  He is day-to-day as well, with a cautious tag before it.
• Brian Roberts has no reported setbacks from his debut this weekend.  Even so, I would keep an eye on him… for the rest of the season.
• Zach Britton and Chris Tillman, who both are on the same pitching schedule this spring, will make their respective starts tomorrow.  Britton will face the Yankees at Ed Smith Stadium while Tillman will pitch in the AAA game.
• While reporters say that camp was busy today with lots of guys in different areas, Kevin Gregg had a different idea:

And as a final Orioles-related note; the Pirates released slugging first baseman Garrett Atkins. Atkins was mashing a .129 average with a homerun and two doubles in seventeen games this spring for the Pirates. Impressive stuff!

Well, at least the Pirates were smart enough to back out early on this one.