masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSARASOTA, Fla. – Chris Tillman is scheduled to start Saturday’s 2 p.m. game against the Puerto Rico Development Program on Field 4 at the Ed Smith Stadium complex.
The Orioles also will be playing the Rays in a 1:05 p.m. Grapefruit League game on the stadium field. Kevin Gausman is expected to get the start.
Manager Buck Showalter said he’s not hiding Tillman from the Rays, who again serve as the Orioles’ opening day opponent April 6 at Tropicana Field. He said it has more to do with…

SARASOTA, Fla. – Chris Tillman is scheduled to start Saturday’s 2 p.m. game against the Puerto Rico Development Program on Field 4 at the Ed Smith Stadium complex.

The Orioles also will be playing the Rays in a 1:05 p.m. Grapefruit League game on the stadium field. Kevin Gausman is expected to get the start.

Manager Buck Showalter said he’s not hiding Tillman from the Rays, who again serve as the Orioles’ opening day opponent April 6 at Tropicana Field. He said it has more to do with pitching coach Dave Wallace being able to “control the climate a little bit.”

Tillman-pitches-gray-sidebar.jpg“I’ll tell you, I’m kind of over that keeping away from people,” Showalter said. “I mean, there are no secrets here. Tillman’s pitched how many games against them?

“Sometimes, (the pitcher) may pick up something from them. Chances are he’s not going to see a whole lot of guys in that lineup anyway.”

Matt Wieters is slated to catch five to seven innings against Puerto Rico and also will be behind the plate for the B game at 10 a.m. Sunday, which has been moved to the stadium field.

“I’m going to go by him,” Showalter said. “If he says in the fourth inning, ‘That’s enough,’ we’ll stop.

“By the time we get to the 17th, he should have a pretty good idea where he is.”

Bud Norris will oppose the Cardinals’ Jaime Garcia Thursday in Jupiter. Ubaldo Jimenez starts Friday against the Blue Jays’ Aaron Sanchez in Dunedin.

Showalter will take most of the same players from Jupiter to Dunedin. There will be a few tweaks.

The Orioles could make one cut before today’s game, with several more coming on Saturday. Showalter doesn’t want to significantly reduce the camp roster before the trips to Jupiter and Dunedin.

“We’re treating these two games kind of like split-squad games, so I need everybody,” Showalter said.

pearce-intense-black-sidebar.jpgSteve Pearce could take ground balls at third base later in camp, but it’s not imminent.

“We’ve got a lot of things we have to decide,” Showalter said. “Not yet, but it’s still in the back of my mind.”

Pearce could end up as the emergency catcher. Asked if Pearce has acquired the gear yet, Showalter replied, “He has them, I think. I’d be shocked if he didn’t.

“Some guys just like gearing up. It’s like people who like putting on the hunting gear but may not like hunting. Some people just like to gear up and Steve’s one of those guys.

“I don’t think Adam Jones does a lot of activities that require camouflage. He likes the look and the presentation.”