The seven errors that Orioles shortstop Luis Hernandez committed during the exhibition schedule aren't going to keep him out of the Opening Day lineup.

Manager Dave Trembley confirmed yesterday that Hernandez will bat ninth and play shortstop against the Tampa Bay Rays today at Camden Yards. Brandon Fahey made the club as a utility player who will back up Hernandez and perhaps split time with him in the field as the season progresses.

"I'm all for giving people an opportunity and to show [Hernandez] that I have confidence in him in what I saw when he played here last season. I'm confident that he could do that again," Trembley said.

"I really didn't want him to go into the season feeling as if he had to look over his shoulder, and when he went out there and played, he had to be perfect or if he made a mistake he wasn't going to play. You show guys your confidence, and you give them an opportunity. That's the philosophy and the direction we're going to take with all our players, especially our young players."

Hernandez, 23, batted .178 this spring and committed his seventh error Saturday night when he failed to backhand Dmitri Young's grounder. Asked if he's been nervous, a popular theory within the organization, Hernandez said, "I don't agree with that. I've been working hard every day, and sometimes we just miss the ball and we make the error. I'll be fine. I think the things that happened in spring training, that's how we learn. The season starts now, and everything is new now."

Hernandez appeared in 30 games for the Orioles last season, including 16 starts, and gave them range and consistency at shortstop that made him the early favorite to replace Miguel Tejada in 2008. Nothing that happened this spring influenced Trembley to go in another direction. "I talked to him and I told him that I appreciate the opportunity and the confidence that he has in me," Hernandez said. "I told him, thanks for that, and it's my chance now to give my confidence back to you."

Fahey filling in

With Jay Gibbons' release yesterday, the Orioles' roster includes only four outfielders.

Trembley indicated that Fahey, primarily a shortstop during his professional career, will serve as the fifth outfielder ahead of Aubrey Huff and Scott Moore. Fahey started 53 games in left field and one in right in 2006. He made one start in left last season.

"I think Fahey goes above both of those guys because he has the most experience out there as a fifth outfielder," Trembley said.

Nerves nagging Jones

Adam Jones was the first player on the field after the clubhouse closed for a team meeting. He carried a bat in center field and practiced timing his jumps against the fence.

Maybe the impact knocked away some of the jitters.

"I'm nervous, to tell you the truth. I'm so nervous about Opening Day," he said. "I've had opening days in the minors, but that's nothing. That's in front of 7,000, 8,000 people. I'm going to be tremendously nervous from the time I arrive at the ballpark to the time the game starts."

Jones became familiar with Camden Yards and its synthetic warning track last season with the Seattle Mariners.

"It's not dirt. It's that rubbery substance," he said. "I don't know what it is. Hopefully, one day I can become a Gold Glover here and ask them to change it. Now, I'm not even going to mention it. But I'm sure they've had complaints about that over the years."

Millar mulling 'Moonwalk'

After receiving a quick lesson and some serious prompting from former center fielder Corey Patterson, Orioles first baseman Kevin Millar broke into Ray Lewis' pre-game dance during last year's introductions before the home opener -- though it wasn't an exact duplicate of the routine made famous by the Ravens' linebacker.

So what does he have in store for fans today?

"I'm going to have to either repeat that dance, maybe fine-tune it, maybe have him help me if he's in town, or maybe do like a 'Moonwalk,' maybe a Michael Jackson-type thing," Millar said. "We'll see what happens. I'll have something for you guys."

roch.kubatko@baltsun.com

Sun reporter Jeff Zrebiec contributed to this article.