| 28 March 2011
The Orioles got the bats going as they beat the Detroit Tigers, 14-9
. With Spring Training winding down, Baltimore perhaps put forth one of their best offensive displays of the exhibition season as Luke Scott homered twice – a grand slam in the first inning and a three-run home run in the second – and drove in seven. He’s been hitting pretty well as of late, so let’s hope he saves some bullets for Friday night.
Vladmir Guerrero went 3-for-4 and drove in two, and the Jake Fox continued his impressive Spring Training as he hit his tenth homer. Nick Markakis went 3-for-4 at the plate and drove in two; meanwhile, Brian Roberts also had three hits and drove in a run.
In what was his last start before being sent down to the minors, Zack Britton impressed again on the pitching mound. He went six innings on the afternoon and gave up two runs on eight hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
Britton was no doubt the best pitcher in camp for the Orioles; however, he will start the season in Triple-A due to the organization simply wanting to delay his free agency clock and have him for a little less than seven years instead of six.
Britton will be up in the majors sooner rather than later unless he falters in the minors during April.
Aside from Zach Britton being demoted to the minors, a several other players – some notable – got cut as well.
This afternoon, pitchers David Riske, Mark Hendrickson, Ryan Drese, Clay Rapada, Pat Egan were removed from the roster. Joining them were outfielders Nolan Reimold and Randy Winn (who asked and got his outright release according to the Baltimore Sun), plus infielder Nick Green.
Also pitchers David Riske, Mark Hendrickson and Rick VandenHurk were cut.
The most high-profile name on the cut list has to be Nolan Reimold. He got cut due to a numbers game, and Felix Pie making the team due to having no options left, plus perhaps having the ability to play center field.
From the Orioles.com: Of Monday's cuts, Reimold was the most intriguing given his impressive spring. The outfielder batted .315 with three doubles, three homers, 10 RBIs and a .448 on-base percentage, outplaying the incumbent Felix Pie.
But Reimold has an option remaining -- Pie does not -- and the decision was also based on Pie -- who will be the team's fourth outfielder -- being able to back up center field. The organization would also like Reimold to get regular at-bats given that he had a difficult 2010 campaign, in which he hit .207 in 39 big league games, hampered by 2009 Achilles' heel surgery and off-the-field issues.
"He put a lot of the challenges he had last year behind him and put himself in a good spot to get back to the 2009 form that I had heard about," manager Buck Showalter said. "I know it's frustrating for him, but it was frustrating for us also to see all the struggles he went through last year ... but he's put the tough part behind him and I think he's got the best ahead of him. He'll be back."
It’s too bad to have seen Reimold cut; however, his stay in the minors won’t be long if someone on the main roster gets injured, or Pie gets off to a horrendous start. Reimold came back from his awful season last year and made his impact known in Spring Training.
Finally, some bad news perhaps came the Orioles’ way as pitcher Brian Matusz got drilled with a linedrive during a simulation game. From all accounts, Matusz says he is all right and didn’t need X-Rays. According to the Orioles.com Britt Ghiroli, he should be able to go on Saturday against the Rays.
But things are unknown at this time…
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