LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. — The Orioles have told outfielder Nolan Reimold that he'll be starting the season in Triple-A Norfolk, but manager Buck Showalter said that plan could change if a trade is made to lessen the roster crunch by 3 p.m. Sunday.
"Nolan knows what the deal is. He'll start the season in Norfolk," Showalter said. "But we've got a lot of irons in the fire in the next 20 hours and we'll see what happens. It could change."
The Orioles are juggling the last few spots on the roster, and executive vice president Dan Duquette admitted Saturday that he is still working to make some moves before the final 25-man list is submitted to the commissioner's office.
There are several players that could be on the trade block, including a left-handed reliever — Brian Matusz or Wesley Wright — backup catcher Steve Clevenger and potentially one of their six rotation candidates.
If the Orioles make a deal, it's more likely it would be done to lessen the roster crunch instead of adding someone from outside of the organization to the 25-man roster. Therefore, anyone the Orioles would deal for likely would have options remaining and begin the year in the minors.
Reimold, 31, batted .340 this spring as he attempts to show he is healthy after missing chunks of the past three seasons following neck fusion surgery. Because he was signed to a minor league deal, however, the Orioles would have to add him to the 40-man and 25-man rosters by Sunday. And if they are forced to take him off the roster later in the month — several players are expected to come off the 15-day disabled list in April — he would have to clear waivers to go back to Norfolk.
So, roster management-wise, it's easier if Reimold is reassigned to the minors now.
Slugger Chris Davis' situation also presents the Orioles with an odd dilemma: He has one more game from last year's amphetamine suspension to serve. So he cannot be on the 25-man roster Monday, but will be activated Tuesday from the restricted list.
So one player, likely one with minor league options remaining, will be on the roster for one day: That probably will be either Clevenger or lefty T.J. McFarland.
Barring a trade, here's the expected roster, not including the one-day player: Pitchers Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen, Miguel Gonzalez, Bud Norris, Ubaldo Jimenez, Kevin Gausman, Zach Britton, Tommy Hunter, Darren O'Day, Brad Brach, Matusz, Wright, and Jason Garcia; and hitters Caleb Joseph, Ryan Lavarnway, Steve Pearce, Jonathan Schoop, Ryan Flaherty, Everth Cabrera, Manny Machado, Alejandro De Aza, Travis Snider, Delmon Young and Adam Jones. Opening on the disabled list will be J.J. Hardy, David Lough, Jimmy Paredes, and Matt Wieters.
Reimold could leave O's after July 11
Reimold may spend parts of April in Triple-A, but he does have a clause in his contract that would get him out of the minors in July if another team wants him.
According to an industry source, Reimold has a contract provision that would require the Orioles to send an email to the other 29 clubs on July 11 to canvass their interest in adding Reimold to their active rosters — assuming he is not already on the Orioles' 25-man roster.
Those teams would have 24 hours to respond to the email — July 12 is the last day of the first half of the regular season.
If a team is interested, the Orioles must either place Reimold on their 25-man or "assign" him to that interested team's big-league roster. It would likely be a cash considerations deal.
If no team shows interest, the Orioles don't have to do anything with Reimold.
It's a slightly different take on a fairly common situation these days, when former major leaguers sign minor league deals. J.P. Arencibia and Chris Parmelee, for instance, have stipulations that would allow them to opt out of their minor league deals at various times during the year if they have a chance at big league jobs elsewhere.
Paredes hopes to be back soon
Paredes, who is headed to the DL with a lower back strain, said Friday that he doesn't believe he will be sidelined for long.
"It feels better than a couple days ago," Paredes said. "I'm going to take treatment day by day so we'll see. I think I'll be OK because I feel better."
Showalter said he was encouraged by the improvement Paredes has shown since suffering the injury while lifting weights earlier this week, but thinks it's too late for him to avoid the DL. He last played Tuesday, so he can't be activated until April 16.
Paredes was the Orioles' best hitter this spring, batting .364 with 12 RBIs. After spending time with five different organizations he was on the verge of making his first Opening Day roster of his career.
"Something happens for one reason. I don't know why it happens," Paredes, 26, said. "I feel like it will be sad because I want to compete every day to make the team."
O's lose Grapefruit League finale, 5-3
The Orioles finished Grapefruit League action with a 12-19-2 record, culminating with a 5-3 loss Saturday afternoon to the Atlanta Braves. The game, however, should have an asterisk.
In accordance with the collective bargaining agreement, big league players must receive one day off between the end of the exhibition season and the start of the regular season. But Showalter and his team wanted to have a workout at Tropicana Field on Sunday, so the manager gave his projected 25-man roster off Saturday.
That meant the Orioles' lineup against the Braves featured no one who will play Opening Day and only two — first baseman Christian Walker and infielder Rey Navarro — on the club's 40-man roster.
Walker had one of the three RBIs — Parmelee had the other two — for the makeshift Orioles.
Right-handed pitching prospect Zach Davies made his second spring start and allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings. He was facing a fairly representative Braves' lineup.
Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman homered in the first and Davies allowed consecutive RBI singles to Pedro Ciriaco and Phil Gosselin in the second. A Glynn Davis error allowed the fourth run to score against Davies.
Showalter un-Disney about Braves' field
Showalter said he believes as many as 20 balls took bad hops in the two games between the Orioles and Braves this week at Champions Stadium in Disney's Wide World of Sports complex. After Saturday's game he complained about how hard and dry the field was.
"How about some water on the field?" Showalter said. "They must be using all the water at Disney World for the Pirates of the Caribbean, because they ain't putting any on this field. That's terrible."
Around the horn
Duquette said he acquired 28-year-old right-hander Michael Bowden from the Cincinnati Reds for cash considerations. A former supplemental first-round pick by the Boston Red Sox, Bowden has played in parts of six seasons in the majors and pitched in Japan last year. He will provide relief depth at Triple-A Norfolk, Duquette said. … Norris will pitch two innings in an intrasquad game Sunday at Twin Lakes Park. He will start Friday's home opener at Camden Yards. … Lough (hamstring) will also play in that intrasquad game. … Hardy (shoulder) and Wieters (elbow) went to the Ed Smith Stadium complex for treatment on the club's off day, Showalter said. He said there has been no change in their status; no setbacks. … Braves right fielder Nick Markakis was 1-for-3 with a single Saturday in his second Grapefruit League game against his old team.
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