Shoulder

Thursday's off day - which halted a span of 20 games in 20 days for the Orioles - was a needed respite for everyone on the club. But perhaps nobody appreciated it more than J.J. Hardy, who also had Wednesday off because manager Buck Showalter said his shortstop was dealing with a "barky" right shoulder. Truthfully, Hardy said Saturday, his shoulder has been screaming and howling for the past couple weeks - hurting so much that he considered receiving a cortisone shot similar to the one he had in March when the problem first arose.

Thursday's off day - which halted a span of 20 games in 20 days for the Orioles - was a needed respite for everyone on the club. But perhaps nobody appreciated it more than J.J. Hardy, who also had Wednesday off because manager Buck Showalter said his shortstop was dealing with a "barky" right shoulder. Truthfully, Hardy said Saturday, his shoulder has been screaming and howling for the past couple weeks - hurting so much that he considered receiving a cortisone shot similar to the one he had in March when the problem first arose.

The Orioles continue to make roster moves at a dizzying pace, the latest occurring Saturday afternoon when third baseman Mark Reynolds was placed on the disabled list with a strained oblique. To replace Reynolds on the 25-man roster, the Orioles purchased the contract of veteran infielder-outfielder Bill Hall and immediately inserted him into left field and in the seventh spot of the starting lineup against the Tampa Bay Rays. Hall, who was signed last month after failing to make the New York Yankees out of spring training, was not on the 40-man roster, so the Orioles had to make a corresponding move.

On the heels of Johns Hopkins announcing that junior midfielder John Greeley will miss the remainder of the season due to a left knee injury, Maryland said Wednesday morning that senior midfielder Jake Bernhardt will not play this year and will apply for a medical redshirt. Bernhardt, who registered 15 goals and three assists as a member of the first line in 2011, injured his left shoulder in a scrimmage at Loyola on Feb. 4 and underwent surgery. He had returned to practice on a limited basis last month, but coach John Tillman announced that Bernhardt would not suit up for the Terps.

The rules of lacrosse allow for both player-to-player and stick-to-player contact, leaving players susceptible to acute traumatic injuries like those commonly seen in football and ice hockey. However, as lacrosse continues to become a year-round game, chronic repetitive injuries like those typical in baseball, tennis and swimming may begin to surface. Lacrosse has grown rapidly in the past 10 years. According to a recent survey by US Lacrosse, the sport's national governing body, participation has risen by an average of 10 percent a year since 2002, with more than 600,000 people now playing at various levels.

With just five regular-season contests and the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament remaining on the regular schedule, time is running out on Maryland's Jake Bernhardt to return from a left shoulder injury that has sidelined the senior midfielder since the preseason. For now, coach John Tillman's approach is that Bernhardt, who registered 14 goals and three assists as a starter last season, will not return this season. “We're preparing that he's never coming back, knowing that if he does, those are some good problems to have,” Tillman said Tuesday.

Shortstop J.J. Hardy, who received a cortisone shot in his right shoulder Tuesday, said he is hoping to throw Friday and could get into the Orioles' game that afternoon against the Detroit Tigersif all goes well.   “I'm hoping when I throw tomorrow I'll just feel like nothing's wrong and I'll be able to go from there,” said Hardy, who last played Monday night in Bradenton. Hardy, who has been dealing with the soreness in his shoulder for several weeks, said he had never had a cortisone shot in his shoulder before.

- Former Orioles' first-roundpick Matt Hobgood, who has battled ineffectiveness and injury in his brief pro career, will have right rotator-cuff surgery on April 2 and is expected to miss all of the 2012 season. The 21-year-old Hobgood, whom the Orioles selected in the first round (fifth overall) in 2009, was shut down earlier this month with shoulder discomfort, something that previously has hampered him in his career. He was examined by Dr. Craig Morgan earlier this week and surgery to repair the shoulder was recommended, according to John Stockstill, the Orioles director of player development.

Here are some highlights from Buck Showalter's pre-game media session: Shortstop J.J. Hardy is out of today's lineup, his second consecutive day off, because he is dealing with right arm and shoulder soreness. Showalter said it is a typical spring occurrence and that he is just being cautious, but Hardy will play tomorrow. Hardy, Showalter said, wanted to play today, but the manager said no. “I want to get it resolved, it's taking a tad longer than usual, usually (the soreness)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles pitcher Zach Britton will not need surgery on his ailing left shoulder, but a process to help lessen the inflammation could sideline the 24-year-old left-hander up to six weeks. It means he will miss Opening Day and potentially all of April. "I'm not going to rush back and have the same issue crop back up," said Britton, who has been dealing with the inflammation off and on since August. "It's just a process that I've got to take. I'm frustrated with it, but if it's going to help me pitch and have a long career, that's the most important thing.