Dan Connolly

Some pre-game observations (Kim, Jones, Hardy, Wright, Gausman)

By Dan Connolly

Posted on April 10, 2016

Well, it’s happening. Mark your history books. Hyun Soo Kim is getting a start for the Orioles on April 10.

It’s not an easy assignment: Tampa Bay right-hander Jake Odorizzi is no walk at the harbor.

But I don’t think Kim cares. He’s been a starter almost all of his career in Korea. And now he gets a chance today in the starting lineup.

“I’m hoping he gets three or four hits today and continues to be an option for us,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.

Showalter said he has had an ongoing dialogue with Kim, so there was no special pep talk with his name in the lineup.

“You don’t want to say too much … Let him go play,” Showalter said.

Jones is out again

Adam Jones has not played since Wednesday due to rib cage soreness and he sat out again Sunday.

Don’t expect him to go on the DL with this, at least not for several more days. Jones is key to this team, and Showalter will be patient waiting for his return.

And, again, Showalter is stressing the injury is a not the dreaded oblique strain – which often lingers and sidelines players for weeks.

“They don’t really think at this point that it is an oblique. He’s got one little spot there, one little movement at the end (when) he feels it,” Showalter said. “It’s just a little bit, trying to get that resolved. I’m told, talking to him and the trainers, that that’s close. But I’m not going to push it. It’s a concern because he’s one of our best players.”

The Orioles can backdate any disabled list stint 10 days; it’s only been four days with Jones.

“On the 11^th day, he comes in and says it feels good, I’m fine with that too,” Showalter said. “He’s worth waiting on.”

Other thoughts

Shortstop J.J. Hardy is back in the lineup after missing one game with a calf strain. The Orioles are likely going to be very cautious this year with Hardy. His glove is such a difference-maker, and the belief is if he rests more often this season, his bat should see an uptick from last year.

Right-hander Kevin Gausman (shoulder) pitches today for Double-A Bowie. He is expected to throw three to four innings and 45 to 60 pitches. It’s definitely something worth monitoring; he is still on pace to return to the majors around April 19.

Right-hander Mike Wright, who was supposed to start Saturday before the rainout, will pitch Tuesday at Fenway Park against Clay Buchholz. Showalter said he doesn’t remember the last time he had to skip a starter for a few days because of a rainout, but Wright warmed up fully before Saturday’s game was postponed.

Pitching prospect Hunter Harvey is again dealing with a lingering groin issue in extended spring, Showalter said Sunday. Doesn’t sound serious, but Harvey is the club’s best pitching prospect with Dylan Bundy in the majors. And he has had a rough time with injuries for a while now.