masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgWhen the Orioles come up to bat for the first time today, Nolan Reimold will be batting first. He has just 24 career at-bats in the leadoff spot, but will add to the total today.

“I’m excited. Get up there first and set the tone. Try to get on base and score runs is my focus,” he said.

He was asked if he has to change anything about his approach when batting atop the order.

“No, I don’t think so. I mean, the goal is always to get on base and get hits. In that aspect, nothing changes….When the Orioles come up to bat for the first time today, Nolan Reimold will be batting first. He has just 24 career at-bats in the leadoff spot, but will add to the total today.

“I’m excited. Get up there first and set the tone. Try to get on base and score runs is my focus,” he said.

He was asked if he has to change anything about his approach when batting atop the order.

“No, I don’t think so. I mean, the goal is always to get on base and get hits. In that aspect, nothing changes. Yeah, I like to take pitches. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. I just want to have consistent good at-bats at the top of the order, make the pitcher work a little bit and get on base,” he said.

This is Reimold’s second opening day in the big leagues (also 2010) but will be his first opening day start.

After spending parts of the last three seasons with the Orioles, but never consistently as an everyday player, Reimold is thinking this could be the year that changes and he gets 500 or more at-bats.

“It’s a big opportunity for me,” Reimold said. “I don’t think of it as something individual for me. It’s an opportunity to help the team and that’s what I want to do. That’s a big responsibility for me batting leadoff, but just want to take the same approach and have an impact in a positive way. I hope I’m in there everyday. That is what every player wants, consistent at-bats. I’m expecting that I’ll get that opportunity this year.”

After ending last year batting .321 with five homers and 16 RBIs over the season’s last 17 games, Reimold struggled this spring with a slash line of just .179/.220/.321 in 18 games and 56 at-bats.

“I had a really good spring training last year and then didn’t start off the year very well. Didn’t have a very good spring this year so the beginning of the year could be different. It’s a small amount of at-bats and you don’t have at-bats for months until then so I’m not going to weigh too much into my spring training. Just do what I know I can do,” Reimold said.