Now and then

The Orioles are holding their annual FanFest today at the Baltimore Convention Center, which figures to keep me busy for approximately 12 hours. I tend to arrive early and stay late.

Players, former players, executives and coaches will meet with reporters throughout the day behind the main stage, giving us 10-15 minutes to interview each one.

We may need more time with Chris Davis, who joins Manny Machado, Tommy Hunter and Chris Tillman in the first wave around 11 a.m.

I talked to Machado, Hunter and Tillman at the minicamp and passed along their quotes in the blog. Davis hasn't said a word to reporters since his 25-game suspension that began on Sept. 12.

You may recall that we gave him another chance after the Royals completed their sweep in the American League Championship Series, but he declined comment by reminding us that he had one game remaining on the suspension.

Will Davis talk today? Will he talk about everything except the suspension? Will he make us wait until spring training? Will he make us wait until the second game of the regular season?

Stay tuned.

I'm certain that he'll want to convey his admiration for new hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh.

Executive vice president Dan Duquette will talk to reporters and address fans during one of the forums. I've already posted his comments on the Blue Jays pursuit of him from Thursday night's banquet at Ripken Stadium, but he's going to be hit with another wave of questions.

Catcher Michael Ohlman won't be signing autographs today after the Orioles designated him for assignment. Catcher Steve Clevenger may take his place.

Clevenger has this backup role down pat.

Pitching coach Dave Wallace is in town today. He was one of the call-in guests on Monday night's "Hot Stove Show" on 105.7 The Fan as he braced for the winter storm forecast for the Boston area.

Wallace was asked about the Orioles having six starters for five spots.

"I've said to many pitching coaches over the years, don't ever tell me you have too many arms," Wallace said. "Going in, it is a nice problem. Something's going to happen in spring training. Somebody's going to pull a leg muscle, something's going to come up. Some crazy thing's going to happen where you need the depth.

"When you have some depth going into spring training, it's always a good thing. Now if nothing happens and you have to make some tough decisions, then that's OK because that's on myself and Buck (Showalter) and Dom (Chiti) and everybody on the staff and Dan and all involved. There might be some disappointments, but the reality is, as you well know, the staff you start with opening day on April 6, that's likely not going to be the staff you're going to end the season with. So not only is it good to have that many guys, we have some new faces coming in and it gives us a chance to get to know the guys that we don't know quite as well during spring training."

Wallace got the chance to watch Rule 5 right-handers Jason Garcia and Logan Verrett throw at the minicamp.

"Obviously, Garcia's got a really good arm," Wallace said. "Ball comes out of his hand, ball's explosive. Is he going to be healthy, is everything going to be OK? We'll see about that, but it certainly looks like he has a good delivery. And Logan Verrett is a polished college guy. Obviously pitched real well in the Mets organization, and when you look him in the eye and he gives you some answers, it's pretty impressive, so those are some things going on."

Wallace remains optimistic that Ubaldo Jimenez will be a contributor in 2015 if he sticks to the adjustments made in September.

"Looking at video with him, he had some ideas about getting up over his head with his hands and getting some rhythm in his delivery, so that seemed to help a little bit, but there's a lot of moving parts in that delivery," Wallace said. "Whether he can maintain that and be consistent, we certainly hope so because his first year was tough on him, tough for everybody involved, but we hope moving forward that it'll get better just because he's had flashes in the past.

"It's a big contract. Who knows what happened from a psychological standpoint? Did he want to prove to everybody that it was well worth it and all that kind of stuff? It's a crazy game, but my sense is that he'll be a little bit more relaxed and comfortable coming into his second year and we certainly hope that's the case."