FORT MYERS, Fla. - Koji Uehara, the only Oriole currently in camp who has a spot in the rotation locked up, could miss a start after straining his left hamstring during his outing Monday.
Uehara suffered the injury while covering first base during the second inning of the Orioles' 9-8 loss to the New York Mets. Uehara was scheduled to pitch four innings but lasted only two, allowing three earned runs on four hits and two walks.
"It's not really pain, just a little tightness, a slight strain," Uehara said through interpreter Jiwon Bang. "One or maybe two [starts]. We'll wait a week and see how it improves."
Orioles manager Dave Trembley said head athletic trainer Richie Bancells told pitching coach Rick Kranitz that he didn't think Uehara's injury "was anything to be concerned about."
"We'll probably still just back him up a couple of days just to be safe," Trembley said.
Even if it is minor, injuries continue to mount for Orioles pitchers. John Parrish, Brad Hennessey and Troy Patton have been ruled out of the Opening Day rotation. Danys Baez and Matt Albers are coming off arm injuries and being treated with caution. Mark Hendrickson has pitched only once because of ailments, and Rich Hill hasn't pitched at all because of a sore left elbow.
Trembley said yesterday that Hill, who has been playing catch and reporting no discomfort, will have to pitch in a game soon to still be considered for the rotation.
"I think it will be close, but I think that would be determined more clearly after he throws his sideline session," Trembley said.
Guthrie: No sweat
Orioles ace Jeremy Guthrie wasn't necessarily expecting a raise from the $770,000 he made last year. But he also knew that a team cutting a productive player's salary one year to the next was rare, even if collective bargaining agreement rules stipulate that teams have every right to do so in certain situations.
The Orioles did that to Guthrie, cutting his 2009 salary by $120,000, or about 15 percent. The club was entitled to slash the right-hander's salary by as much as 20 percent.
"The [collective] bargaining agreement gives each team the ability to run and operate their payroll, and this is well within the Orioles' right," Guthrie said from Toronto, where he is preparing to start for Team USA tomorrow against Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.
