masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSARASOTA, Fla. – Infielder Paul Janish remains back in camp today while the Orioles make their latest spring road trip to Dunedin. However, he’s inching closer to his exhibition debut.
Janish had bone chips removed from his right elbow four weeks ago. He’s been throwing the past three days and took batting practice on the field for the first time yesterday morning.
“That was good,” said Janish, who already had been taking ground balls. “At this point, the throwing has gone really well. I…

SARASOTA, Fla. – Infielder Paul Janish remains back in camp today while the Orioles make their latest spring road trip to Dunedin. However, he’s inching closer to his exhibition debut.

Janish had bone chips removed from his right elbow four weeks ago. He’s been throwing the past three days and took batting practice on the field for the first time yesterday morning.

“That was good,” said Janish, who already had been taking ground balls. “At this point, the throwing has gone really well. I don’t have a really good estimate in terms of how long the throwing program is going to take, but I don’t think it’s going to be too long, so it looks like I’ll play for the last couple weeks of camp, hopefully.

JanishBravesSidebar.jpg“Up to this point it’s really gone about as well as I could have hoped. I was a little apprehensive at first, obviously, just getting back to throwing and swinging. And even after having done that for a couple days, I’m not outrageously sore or anything like that, so for all intents and purposes that’s a pretty good sign. I think we’re hopefully kind of over the hump a little bit and going in the right direction.

When Janish reported to camp, he set March 20 or 21 as target dates to play in his first game. Is that still realistic?

“It’s optimistic,” he said. “That would be next Friday. It’s a feasible option, but like I said, it’s optimistic. But probably, assuming everything goes well over the next week, sometime in that timeframe or next weekend being in the mix to hopefully play in games.

“That’s not entirely my decision, so I’ll be at the disposal of the trainers, but health-wise I’m feeling good and I think we’re going to be in the clear in terms of having the opportunity to play while we’re down here, which ultimately was my goal.”

Janish figures to be assigned to Triple-A Norfolk to start the season and perhaps have his contract selected over the summer. He’s a plus-defender, which immediately puts him in an advantageous position with manager Buck Showalter.

The Orioles’ bullpen today in Dunedin includes T.J. McFarland, Steve Johnson, Chaz Roe, Tyler Wilson, Jon Keller, Daniel Rodriguez and Jesse Beal. The bench includes Rey Navarro, Dariel Alvarez, Ryan Lavarnway, Nolan Reimold, Jayson Nix, Matt Tuiasosopo, Christian Walker, Mike Yastrzemski, Drew Dosch and Garabez Rosa.

Update: Showalter told reporters in Dunedin that Janish will play Saturday against Puerto Rico on the Camden Yards replica field.