Sarasota

Some highlights from Buck Showalter's pre-game news conference: Showalter confirmed that if the club wasn't facing six games in National League parks without the designated hitter, it probably would have dealt with not having outfielder Endy Chavez (strained right hamstring) for a couple days as he attempted to get his leg ready. But because Showalter doesn't want to have a short bench, the club placed Chavez on the 15-day DL and recalled Steve Tolleson from Triple-A Norfolk. Showalter said he expects Chavez to be ready to come off the DL as soon as he is eligible.

Adam Jones is back in the Orioles' lineup after leaving Sunday's game with right wrist pain. He had his right wrist - which he injured while sliding a while ago - and his left wrist examined Monday in Sarasota and everything came out fine. No breaks, only bruises. So fine, Jones said, that he spent part of Monday with injured teammate Nick Markakis at Markakis' pool in Sarasota. “I knew there was nothing, but they just wanted it. So I wasn't tripping,” he said.

Not a whole lot of news from Buck Showalter's pre-game news conference today. Here are some highlights: Showalter believes Nolan Reimold's second epidural injection in the bulging disk in his neck is scheduled for Friday. A timetable for his return is still unknown. “We don't really know until we see how this responds,” Showalter said. “I'm hoping this does the trick. That's what we are hoping. There's always that potential [for a third epidural].”  Catcher Taylor Teagarden is seeing Dr. Andrew Dossett at 3 p.m. Thursday for a second opinion on the back problems that have sidelined him since the spring.

Last week, Orioles manager Buck Showalter and executive vice president Dan Duquette were knee deep in personnel decisions, trying to figure out how to fortify a battered 25-man roster. Eventually, perhaps fairly soon, Showalter and Duquette will have to deal with the flip side - trying to jam everybody back on the big-league roster. "Through the years, these things kind of work themselves out. It's a good problem, but I don't consider it a problem," Showalter said.

Just before their unofficial end to spring training here in Sarasota, the Orioles made two roster moves to trim their active roster to 27 players. The club reassigned nonroster right-handed pitcher Pat Neshek to minor league camp and outrighted outfielder Jai Miller to Triple-A Norfolk after he officially cleared waivers. Earlier in the day, right-handed pitcher Alfredo Simon was claimed off waivers by the Reds. That puts the Orioles' official roster at 28, but catcher Taylor Teagarden (back)

After his final outing of the spring Tuesday, Orioles left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada said he felt physically ready to join the big league club for Opening Day in Baltimore on Friday. But the Orioles brass believes Wada, who signed a two-year, $8.14 million contract in December, will benefit from remaining in Sarasota to build his arm strength and pitch count. Manager Buck Showalter said Tuesday that Wada will begin the season on the disabled list. He will make a minimum of two starts - his first in an extended spring training game scheduled for Monday - in hopes of reaching a pitch count of 90. His second start could be a minor league rehabilitation assignment.

- Given what's happened in the past two years, catcher Ronny Paulino isn't fazed by his current situation. That's what happens when you've been traded three times, suspended for failing a drug test and faced with a career-threatening health condition. "To go through tough times, you know you can handle adversity," said the 30-year-old Paulino. "So I can now take advantage of opportunities. " Paulino signed a minor-league deal with the Orioles in late January and was considered a long shot to make the 25-man roster.

The Orioles and Red Sox are playing a pair of simutaneous split-squad contests today -- one here at Ed Smith Stadium and another down south at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers. We'll have double-barrel coverage. Follow me on Twitter at @EddieInTheYard for updates from Sarasota, and Dan Connolly (@DanConnollySun) will be reporting from JetBlue Park.  A couple of notes from today's clubhouse time in Sarasota: -- RHP Tommy Hunter, who hasn't thrown in a Grapefruit League game yet, threw four innings in a Single-A minor league game on Friday.

Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen became the first Orioles starter to throw five innings this spring and was one wind-aided home run ball away from a scoreless effort against the Red Sox's split-squad team Saturday afternoon at Ed Smith Stadium. Otherwise, the Orioles tied the Red Sox 3-3 after 10 innings, Baltimore's third tie in eight days. Chen yielded six hits and struck out three in his five innings (75 pitches) but allowed a three-run homer to Nate Spears, a fifth-round pick of the Orioles' in 2003.