masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe protesters have left Camden Yards, but there’s a heavy police presence around the ballpark. Tonight’s game between the Orioles and Red Sox will be played despite rumors of a possible postponement.
The Orioles are taking batting practice and the Red Sox are stretching on the field. It seems to be business as usual here except in the home dugout.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter is expected back in Baltimore later tonight after attending a memorial service for his father-in-law in Nashville….

The protesters have left Camden Yards, but there’s a heavy police presence around the ballpark. Tonight’s game between the Orioles and Red Sox will be played despite rumors of a possible postponement.

The Orioles are taking batting practice and the Red Sox are stretching on the field. It seems to be business as usual here except in the home dugout.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter is expected back in Baltimore later tonight after attending a memorial service for his father-in-law in Nashville. Phil McMahan passed away on April 9 after a courageous battle with esophageal cancer.

Bench coach John Russell is serving as acting manager and director of player development Briain Graham is serving as bench coach.

Russell said he jokingly told Showalter, “If we’re winning, you better stay at the airport and not show up.”

Showalter could arrive at Camden Yards during the game, but his first priority is taking care of his wife, Angela, and their two children.

“It’s an emotional time for Angela, and I think if I know Buck, it’s going to be Angela’s call and Angela’s day,” Russell said. “If he gets back, he gets back. If I know him, he’s not going to put any pressure on it. But the timing of the ceremonies and everything, he could make it back before the end of the game. But that’s still up in the air. So I told him, I said, ‘We got it. We’ll be OK.’ And he’ll get here when he gets here.”

Russell met with Showalter last night to go over a few lineup possibilities and they exchanged text messages this morning.

“This is my fifth year with him, so we know each other pretty well and I know what he likes to do,” Russell said. “I’m trying to be an extension of him a little bit as far as the preparation that we’ve done. We’ve talked a lot about it the last couple of days.

“It’s just me letting the guys go out and play and try to take care of our pitching staff and our bullpen, so when Buck comes back, we’ve got some pieces for the latter part of the game and we’ve got some pieces for tomorrow.

“I think it’s an important game. We need to win this game and start turning some things around and doing some better things. We’ve been close. We’re one big hit away or one pitch away the last four or five games. We start putting it all together, we can start heading in the other direction.”

sidebar-jj-hardy-swinging-new.jpgJ.J. Hardy won’t take batting practice with the Orioles today. He’s coming to Camden Yards to discuss the next step in his rehab and whether he’s nearing an assignment with an affiliate.

Hardy is still feeling a slight twinge in his left shoulder when swinging a bat, but “I do know he’s making very good progress,” Russell said.

Matt Wieters will catch four or five innings Monday in an extended spring training game. He’s made three throws over the past two days and was timed at 1.9 seconds to second base.

“Last I heard, I think (Hardy) is coming in for the day,” Russell said. “He’s been taking batting practice. I think he still feels just a little bit. I can’t go into a lot of detail. I’ll let Buck handle more of that. I do know he’s making very good progress, so knock on wood that’s a good sign.

“I know Matt’s doing really well. He caught three innings in an extended game yesterday. He’s made three throws in the last two days with guys stealing. He’s been in the 1.9s at second, which is Matt. He’s swinging the bat pretty well, so he’s progressing nicely. Again, we’ll keep our fingers crossed.

“Obviously, we’d like to get those guys back as quick as possible, but you also don’t want to rush it where you get negative returns when they come back. I talked to Richie (Bancells) a little bit and the report I got is J.J. is feeling better. Still not quite there yet to start playing games, but from what I understand he’s pretty close.”

Russell watched video of Wieters throwing in Sarasota.

“Some of the things we always work on together, he’s doing that,” Russell said. “I’ve known Matt a long time. I watched him catch one hitter and I’m good. As far as the stance and receiving, he’s Matt, but I was anxious to see this throws and his footwork, and he’s right there. I think the next step for Matt is to be able to continue on and each day feel the same way and each day make sure he feels like he’s 100 percent ready to go.

“He’s getting past a lot of the mental blocks. I know when I got injured, there’s that thing always in your mind, ‘Am I going to do it again?’ You feel something that’s a little strange that’s normal rehab and it’s normal healing, but as a player you don’t want it to happen again and I think he’s getting over a lot of those mental obstacles to where he’s starting to feel that my arm is my arm again and that’s great strides for him. We’ll keep progressing.

“I talk to Richie about it a lot because I care about Matt a lot. Will it be three weeks, will it be four weeks? It’s up to Matt and how he continues to progress and if we don’t have any setbacks. And knock on wood, so far so good.”

Ryan Flaherty said his groin injury has improved and he’s confident that he’ll be playing in rehab games at Double-A Bowie before he’s eligible to come off the disabled list.

Third baseman Manny Machado felt some tightness in his calf last night, as evidenced by his grimacing after charging a bouncer and throwing to first. His knees are fine, Russell said.

Other Orioles also are experiencing some leg discomfort after playing on the spongy turf at Rogers Centre.

Catcher Ryan Lavarnway was working on his throws to second base today before batting practice.

Catcher Caleb Joseph was 0-for-8 throwing out runners attempting to steal, but he’s cut down the last two.