Xavier Avery

The Orioles announced Thursday night that outfielder Xavier Avery has been sent down to Triple-A Norfolk. Although they have not announced a corresponding move, left fielder Endy Chavez, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, is expected to come off the disabled list Friday. The Orioles don't want the 22-year-old Avery, who has hit .233 with a .317 on-base percentage in 24 games in three stints with the club, to be a fourth outfielder in the majors. They'd rather have him play every day. Steve Pearce and Chris Davis likely will serve as reserve outfielders.

Xavier Avery is not satisfied. Since being taken in the second round by the Orioles in 2008, the 23-year-old outfielder has risen through the minor league system and consistently found himself listed among the organization's best prospects. Last season, he played 32 games in three stints with the big league club and spent the rest of the year with Triple-A Norfolk. But after just a brief look this spring, Avery finds himself at Double-A Bowie, a victim of improved outfield depth in the organization, as he battles for another shot to impress the Orioles.

The Orioles aren't done making moves. It looks like they will be promoting outfielder Xavier Avery on Sunday. According to a tweet from his agency, Avery has been told he will be coming up Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette wouldn't confirm or deny the report because the move wouldn't be official until he is activated Sunday. The 22-year-old Avery, the club's second-round pick in 2008, was hitting .273 with a .373 on-base percentage and .469 slugging percentage in 33 games with the Tides.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Because of the surplus of minor league outfield depth the Orioles have, outfielders Xavier Avery and Lew Ford will open the season at Double-A Bowie, executive vice president Dan Duquette said Sunday. Ford, 36, had a strong spring, compiling a .405/.463/.643 batting line with three doubles, two homers and six RBIs in 37 Grapefruit League at-bats. Ford came to the Orioles on a minor league deal last season, signed from the independent league Long Island Ducks and played 25 games with the Orioles last season, hitting .183/.256/.352 with three homers and four RBIs.

Tonight has been a night of firsts for Orioles rookie outfielder Xavier Avery. The 22-year-old Avery, making his second big-league start since being called up Sunday, tallied his first major-league hit in his first at bat Monday against the Yankees, then drove in his first big-league run in the fifth. Both hits were critical parts of Orioles' rallies. Avery's double into the right-center field gap started a two-run first-inning rally for the Orioles. Avery's hit was the first of three Orioles hits in the first.

Orioles rookie Xavier Avery, who was caught stealing in the ninth inning to end Friday's 3-2 loss to the Oakland A's, said he had the green light to steal second in Chris Davis' at-bat if he thought he could make it. And he thought he could - in fact, he still thinks he was safe on the game-ender at second base. “That's what I was out there to do,” said Avery, who is six of nine in stolen base attempts in 27 games with the Orioles this year. “I had to try and get into scoring position.

The ball from his first major league hit sat in his locker, and Orioles rookie outfielder Xavier Avery promised he'd give it a good home. “Put it in my trophy room at home, back in Atlanta,” Avery said. “I'm going to hold on to it, and I'm never going to lose it.” And the memories of a night of firsts will also last forever. In the Orioles' 8-5 loss to the Yankees, Avery tallied his first hit - a leadoff double in the first inning - and drove in this first run with a fifth-inning triple that scored Robert Andino.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Because of the surplus of minor league outfield depth the Orioles have, outfielders Xavier Avery and Lew Ford will open the season at Double-A Bowie, executive vice president Dan Duquette said Sunday. Ford, 36, had a strong spring, compiling a .405/.463/.643 batting line with three doubles, two homers and six RBIs in 37 Grapefruit League at-bats. Ford came to the Orioles on a minor league deal last season, signed from the independent league Long Island Ducks and played 25 games with the Orioles last season, hitting .183/.256/.352 with three homers and four RBIs.

The Orioles' roster-move revolving door continued before Sunday's 9-8 series-finale loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. As expected, the club purchased the contract of outfielder Xavier Avery from Triple-A Norfok. In two corresponding moves, the Orioles optioned right-handed reliever Stu Pomeranz back to Norfolk to make room on the 25-man roster and also designated Norfolk infielder Matt Antonelli for assignment to clear space on the organization's 40-man roster. The 22-year-old Avery made his major league debut Sunday, batting leadoff and starting in left field.

Here's the Orioles' lineup for tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton. It's not exactly representative of the Opening Day lineup we are expecting: Alexi Casilla 6, Ryan Flaherty 4, Wilson Betemit 5, Jason Pridie DH, Travis Ishikawa 3, Trayvon Robinson 7, Chris Dickerson 9, Jose Gil 2, Xavier Avery 8, Wei-Yin Chen 1. Also pitching for the Orioles will be Brian Matusz, Tommy Hunter, Daniel Schlereth and Troy Patton. A couple quick notes: ** Manny Machado, who had a root canal yesterday, was back in the clubhouse feeling good.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter knows the numbers don't add up. The Orioles were successful in strengthening their depth this offseason, but the glut of outfielders will make it difficult to keep all of them in the organization. “You guys have done the math,” Showalter told reporters Tuesday. Before Tuesday's Grapefruit League game in Fort Myers, the team reassigned outfielder Lew Ford to minor league camp with the hope that he will be in the mix for Triple-A at-bats, but knowing that there are only so many outfield spots in Norfolk.

-- The Orioles made a few more cuts Monday, optioning three members of their 40-man roster to Triple-A Norfolk while bringing the number of players in big league camp to 53 with three weeks remaining in spring training. It was no surprise that outfielder Xavier Avery, right-hander Zach Clark and lefty Mike Belfiore, all of whom could have roles with the big league club at some point this season, were sent out to get more consistent playing time. The 23-year-old Avery, who hit .223 in 32 games for the Orioles in 2012, had just two singles in 11 at-bats this spring.

Here's the Orioles' lineup for tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton. It's not exactly representative of the Opening Day lineup we are expecting: Alexi Casilla 6, Ryan Flaherty 4, Wilson Betemit 5, Jason Pridie DH, Travis Ishikawa 3, Trayvon Robinson 7, Chris Dickerson 9, Jose Gil 2, Xavier Avery 8, Wei-Yin Chen 1. Also pitching for the Orioles will be Brian Matusz, Tommy Hunter, Daniel Schlereth and Troy Patton. A couple quick notes: ** Manny Machado, who had a root canal yesterday, was back in the clubhouse feeling good.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Nolan Reimold hasn't played left field since last Friday, and if he can't get out there consistently this spring, he could end up on the disabled list when the Orioles break camp. That's so far away in Reimold's mind, however, that he's not even slightly worried. “What do we still got, four weeks [left]? I think I'll be all right,” said Reimold, who has been dealing with right shoulder tightness and has been limited to designated hitter duties. “I'm not really concerned about not being able to play the field.

Good morning from Sarasota; apparently, I escaped the Mid-Atlantic just in time. Although, in case you were wondering, it is only 60 degrees here this morning. I guess that doesn't make things better when you have a snow shovel in your hand. I'm sorry. So, while getting my feet wet in the clubhouse -- not literally, this isn't the Fort Lauderdale clubhouse -- here's what I have for you: Nick Markakis (neck spasms) said he likely will not play tomorrow; if he does anything, it will be just light work.

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Orioles finally lost a Grapefruit League game. The Twins jumped out to a six-run lead Thursday afternoon, three of them off starter Jair Jurrjens in the first inning, as the Orioles lost their first spring game, 7-1, at Hammond Stadium. The Orioles had won their first five Grapefruit League games. Jurrjens, making his second spring start, struggled mightily through a 34-pitch first inning . Jurrjens, who is trying to earn a rotation spot after signing a minor league contract, allowed three earned runs on two hits and three walks, battling with his control throughout the outing.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Orioles played on the Ed Smith Stadium main field for the first time this spring on Thursday afternoon, making it the site for their second straight day of intrasquad games. Much like the back-to-back intrasquad games on Wednesday, Thursday's game was played within a controlled environment. Pitchers were limited to 15 pitches, but they faced extra hitters if they retired three batters without meeting the pitch count. The game lasted 4 ½ innings. One example of the controlled environment: When catcher Matt Wieters launched a solo homer to left field off Troy Patton, Wieters didn't run around the bases.

When the Orioles open up spring training down in Sarasota two weeks from tomorrow, expect non-roster pitchers Mike Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez, who are among the organization's top pitching prospects, to be among those looking to make an impression in major league camp. With the World Baseball Classic pushing the beginning of spring training up a week, the Orioles likely limit some regulars, especially pitchers, when games begin on Feb. 23. That will give many of the Orioles' younger players an opportunity to make an impression during the opening days of the Grapefruit League season.