ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — When at its best, Orioles manager Buck Showalter's roster is full of flexibility. There are lots of interchangeable parts, players who can play all around the diamond and a coupe du jour of hitters who can fill the designated hitter spot.
Showalter likes to plug in different players into that DH spot. He used four different players there over the season's first 10 games.
Then Jimmy Paredes arrived. Since activating Paredes from the disabled list, he has made 10 starts, nine of them coming at DH.
Showalter hates to clog that DH spot, but right now that's what he's forced to do to get Paredes' hot bat in the lineup.
After going 1-for-4 in the Orioles' 2-0 loss to Tampa Bay on Friday, Paredes is hitting .372/.386/.721 with eight extra-base hits (four doubles, one triple and three homers) and nine RBIs.
In his 10 games, Paredes has made just one start in the field – at second base – so it's clear the Orioles still don't trust his glove.
That's another reason why the Orioles are experimenting with Steve Pearce at second base. He's one of the four players who spent time at DH in those first 10 games. He has played both corner-outfield spots and first base, but if Pearce can hold his own at second, it fills a big hole.
The fact that the Orioles are carrying six outfielders also hamstrings the roster. The team is already trying to find the at-bats for a trio of key contributors -- Delmon Young, Travis Snider and Pearce.
That's where clogging that DH spot kills you. And it appears that's what's happening with Paredes.
During pregame, Paredes usually works at third base. He's not going to see much time there because of Manny Machado. Paredes is also doing pregame work at second base and first base, but the Orioles have been hesitant to place him in the field.
We'll see what happens there.
-- As for Pearce, who made the first start of his career (at any level) at second base on Friday, the Orioles seem to be willing to be patient with him.
He held his own on Friday, but manager Buck Showalter was quick to point out things Pearce must work on.
"Stevie is not going to use that as an excuse," Showalter said. "He made a tag, covered the bag properly. He was late on covering a bag, was late backing up first on Manny's throw. That will be the biggest challenge for him, knowing where to be on the plays. It's obviously a crash course, but necessity is the mother of invention and we have some needs there."
-- Miguel Gonzalez will make his second start of the season against the Rays on Saturday. He held Tampa Bay to one run on three hits over 5 2/3 innings. Had Gonzalez not walked five hitters, he would have been able to go a little deeper.
In six career starts at Tropicana Field, Gonzalez is 3-2 with a 2.48 ERA.
Saturday will mark the second time the Orioles face Rays right-hander Chris Archer this season. In the regular-season opener, Archer allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits over 5 2/3 innings.
But over Archer's last four starts since that outing, he has not allowed an earned run over a span of 26 2/3 innings. He has also recorded 32 strikeouts and just five walks over those five starts.
Adam Jones is 1-for-14 against Archer in his career with four strikeouts.
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