masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSARASOTA, Fla. – Orioles third baseman Manny Machado has a 12:30 p.m. appointment on Thursday with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles, and he will take a red-eye flight back to Sarasota that evening.

Machado is scheduled to depart at 6 a.m.

Manager Buck Showalter said Machado still hasn’t run the bases due to scar tissue breaking up in his left knee, but he’s doing infield drills. He could run during his examination by ElAttrache, which would seem to be a requirement before clearing him to…SARASOTA, Fla. – Orioles third baseman Manny Machado has a 12:30 p.m. appointment on Thursday with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles, and he will take a red-eye flight back to Sarasota that evening.

Machado is scheduled to depart at 6 a.m.

Manager Buck Showalter said Machado still hasn’t run the bases due to scar tissue breaking up in his left knee, but he’s doing infield drills. He could run during his examination by ElAttrache, which would seem to be a requirement before clearing him to play in games.

Outfielder David Lough ran and took batting practice today, and he’s scheduled to play in a Triple-A game on Thursday.

Lough might have accompanied the team to Bradenton for a night game against the Pirates, but the Orioles are facing left-hander Francisco Liriano. Showalter would prefer sending Lough to minor league camp.

More cuts are coming at lunch.

Showalter said outfielder Francisco Peguero will wear a “cast” on his right wrist for two weeks due to the inflammation.

“That kind of takes him out of the picture for opening day,” Showalter said.

The Orioles stretched out Brian Matusz to five innings yesterday against the Twins’ Triple-A team because he’s still fighting for a rotation spot and they want him to get a better feel for his changeup against right-handed hitters if he returns to a bullpen role.

Dylan Bundy threw 15 pitches off a flat mound today and said it felt much different than throwing on grass. He was excited to make the progression.

Bundy is expected to throw off a flat mound two more times before moving to a half mound. He’s still targeting March 31 as his first session off a regular mound.

Johan Santana followed Bundy and threw 25 pitches in his third session off a flat mound. Santana, who was pleased with his changeup, will progress to a half mound for his next session.

Here are videos and pictures of Bundy and Santana throwing:

Here’s what Bundy looks like throwing off a flat mound.

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And this is what Santana looks like throwing off flat mound.

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