More spots if Moore hits
Scott Moore doesn't care if he's at first base, third base, left field or even second base. He just wants to play. And if he keeps hitting like he did yesterday, Orioles manager Dave Trembley will find a spot for him. Moore homered in his first at-bat against Washington Nationals starter John Patterson and added a two-run double in the fifth. Perhaps his best moment came at first base when he snagged a hard grounder from Felipe Lopez in the third inning. Moore stepped on first and threw to second for an inning-ending double play.
Olson focuses on mechanics
After not pitching as well as he would have liked in an intrasquad game, left-hander Garrett Olson concentrated on his mechanics while throwing side sessions last week. The result: two scoreless innings and three strikeouts in his first exhibition outing yesterday. Olson, who is competing for the fifth spot in the rotation, said he is trying not to overstride while making his pitches come from a downward plane. Against the Nationals, Olson said he felt as if he was "staying on top" of his pitches, which gave him better command of his fastball. Although he walked two, he allowed just one hit.
From bat to glove
Third baseman Oscar Salazar had the big, late-inning home run in Friday's win. Yesterday, it was his late-inning work in the field that preserved a victory. With two on and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Matt Whitney grounded to Salazar, who fielded the sharp hopper cleanly. He stepped on third base and then made a laser throw to first for a game-ending, 5-3 double play.
On deck
After visiting the Nationals yesterday, the Orioles host them today at 1:05 p.m. in Fort Lauderdale. Right-hander Jeremy Guthrie, the club's likely Opening Day starter, will make his first outing. He'll be followed by left-hander Chris Tillman, whom the Orioles received in the Erik Bedard trade. Also scheduled to pitch are Jamie Walker, Chad Bradford and Lance Cormier. Garrett Mock will start for the Nationals, who will be sending split squads to Fort Lauderdale and Kissimmee.
