Post-game Buck
Buck Showalter said he didn't notice that top pitching prospect Zach Britton was very nervous when he took the mound for his Grapefruit League debut against a very dangerous Philadelphia Phillies lineup, but he wasn't surprised.
"I think he threw well," Showalter said. "When you think about it, these young men work their whole lives to get an opportunity to do that. I'm not much into the too-cool-for-school thing."
Chris Tillman got out over his skis at times during the first two innings, but his manager seemed satisfied with the performance of the two youngest pitchers in the competition for the final spot in the rotation.
"We'll just send them out there again on four days rest and see them again,'' he said.
The Orioles had another banner day with the bats, though the gusty wind blowing in from right center field kept the ball in the ballpark until the Phillies hit a couple of homers in the bottom of the ninth.
Showalter was particularly impressed with the performance of Matt Wieters, who had three run-scoring hits as the designated hitter. He only got credit for two RBIs because of an interference ruling, but he basically delivered three RBI singles.
"There's a new sheriff in town,'' Showalter said, who has been impressed with Wieters attitude as much as his performance. "He gets three hits and comes out of the game, then I look up and he's out there warming up the pitcher when a lot of guys would be in their cars already."
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Comments
I know BP ragged on Wieters that he is a big disappointment, but I think this will be his breakout year.
He has a great attitude and with the pressure off he will blossom. Some guys need the pressure to get started, some need the space. He needed the space and now that he has it, he is really gonna bloom.
Posted by: wgmeisheid | March 2, 2011 5:10 PM
When did Mark Worrell join the team?
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Jeff Z's reply: Signed a minor league deal with the club this offseason. But he's not in big league camp. He's just one of the guys they are bringing over for depth purposes. Bierbrodt, Chris George, Jakubauskas and Alberto Castillo are in that group as well.
Posted by: DonM | March 2, 2011 5:41 PM
I am so sick of BP. They are like the Rolling Stone Magazine of baseball; they review players, make outlandish predictions, and jump ship or onto the bandwagon quick depending on how they come out of the gate. Seriously. These people couldn't predict a prospect's true potential to save their lives. You know why? The transition from minors to majors is too unique to measure-everyone's learning curve is different. I guarantee that if Buster Posey didn't have that tremendous season, they would be predicting a breakout season from Weiters.
Posted by: Baltimore Bryan | March 2, 2011 11:55 PM
I don't know either Buck or Matt, but it seems like Matt and Buck have the same makeup. They both seem like guys who really love the game and all aspects of it. I get the sense that Buck will have a huge impact on Matt's career.
@Baltimore Bryan, I agree with you 100%. They have these knee jerk reactions. Not everyone becomes an All Star in their 1st few years.
Posted by: Birdland Todd | March 3, 2011 12:10 AM