masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSARASOTA, Fla. – Nick Markakis has an ice pack on his left shoulder this morning, the standard treatment for tendinitis. However, Markakis said he will start in right field for the Orioles Monday afternoon in Clearwater in a split-squad game against the Phillies.

“Just a little spring training arm soreness,” said Markakis, who served as the designated hitter yesterday. “Nothing too alarming. It’s been pretty much back to normal the past couple days, so it’s been good.”

Markakis, who’s…SARASOTA, Fla. – Nick Markakis has an ice pack on his left shoulder this morning, the standard treatment for tendinitis. However, Markakis said he will start in right field for the Orioles Monday afternoon in Clearwater in a split-squad game against the Phillies.

“Just a little spring training arm soreness,” said Markakis, who served as the designated hitter yesterday. “Nothing too alarming. It’s been pretty much back to normal the past couple days, so it’s been good.”

Markakis, who’s 11-for-25 with four doubles and a triple, is experiencing the typical discomfort for this stage of camp.

“Yeah, your body is adjusting to preparing for a long season, so you’re going to have your soreness along the way,” he said.

Manny Machado hopes to be cleared to run in the next couple of days after being shut down due to scar tissue breaking up in his surgically repaired left knee.

Machado doesn’t consider it much of a setback, though he won’t make Tuesday’s appointment in Los Angeles.

“It’s part of the process, scar tissue breaking up,” he said. “It’s normal after the surgery I had. It was going to happen now or later, so I’m pretty glad it was now. Just sit back a couple days and let it heal and then keep going.”

Machado isn’t sure when the appointment with Dr. Neal Attrache will take place. Manager Buck Showalter has shot down the idea that it could go off as scheduled on Tuesday.

“It might be pushed a couple days back or it might be the same day,” Machado said. “We’re still trying to figure it out and see how the next couple days go. It might be pushed back maybe a couple days later or even a week or even the same day. It’s Sunday today, so we’re going to wait a couple more days to see how my (knee) holds up.”

Machado hasn’t given up on being ready by opening day.

“Maybe,” he said. “I’m still on track. Just a couple days off from running. I don’t know if I’ll make opening day or not. It’s not in the back of my mind. I’m just trying to get out there first. I’m not worried about playing games yet. I just want to get healthy. Once I get healthy, I’ll be ready to roll and keep playing and just get back into playing mode.

“It’s just hard to explain. You don’t want to force it and feel like something else is going to go wrong. Might as well just prevent it and not let it happen. It’s just tightness.

“Once I start running, I’ll give you a better idea. I was getting close already to start hitting the bases a little harder at this time. I’m physically ready to go. Just a little tightness. The scar tissue is beginning to break up. Once that gets done, hopefully I’ll be ready to play games.

“Basically, this was going to happen. It happened now and it just set me back a couple days. It’s not a big deal.”