The Orioles play a night game against the Pirates at Bradenton, and it could be a pretty significant evening. Brad Bergesen is scheduled to take the mound for his first exhibition appearance. He has gotten through his side sessions and batting practice workouts without incident, but this will be the first opportunity to see whether he's completely unimpaired after the shin injury he suffered last July and the shoulder soreness that cropped up in December.
It's a big day for catcher Matt Wieters. He's on the cover of the Sports Illustrated issue that hits the stands today -- the first Oriole since Roberto Alomar was on the cover almost 14 years ago. I'll let you worry about the supposed SI jinx. The cover story is by Tom Verducci, who spent several days in camp in late February.
And while I'm plugging stuff, you might want to take a look at my column today about beloved Orioles "ballboy" and umpire attendant Ernie Tyler, who wants to get back on the field this season, but has encountered some well-intentioned resistance from his family.