Opening Day of Spring Training came today for the Baltimore Orioles. Trevor Rogers was on the mound, and was all but flawless. Okay, he gave up one base hit in two innings. But other than that he looked good. Rogers’ line: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K.
I’ll only say this seven or eight more times over the next week or so. But keep in mind that hitters are roughly 5-7 days behind pitchers and catchers. So it isn’t shocking to see low-scoring spring games. Especially in early spring.
One important aspect of today’s game was prior to it – Mike Elias told the media that Jordan Westburg had a partially torn UCL, and would miss at the very least the first month of the season. I suspect more. He’s undergoing therapy, and the Orioles are hopeful of a positive prognosis.
So injuries are once again leading the day. It’s unclear how this injury occurred, but one way or the other it occurred. And the Orioles are now taxed with finding a replacement, at least temporarily.
That replacement could be Coby Mayo in the interim. The youngster went 0-for-2 today, but looked good in the field at the hot corner. Needless to say that could be the biggest early camp storyline for the O’s.
Filling in for Jackson Holliday at second was Jeremiah Jackson, who looks better and better as an acquisition. He led off the sixth with a base hit, and later scored the Orioles’ first run in camp on a two-run home run by Pete Alonso. The Orioles’ biggest offseason acquisition in years made his first bang. And led to a 2-0 Orioles’ win on Grapefruit League Opening Day.
The Orioles remain in Sarasota tomorrow as Pittsburgh rides into Ed Smith Stadium. Dean Kremer gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Pittsburgh’s Wilber Dotel. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.
Birdland Crush 