Roster cuts coming today

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles will play their second consecutive night game, but they won't do any traveling. The Pirates are coming to Sarasota. I made it back to my hotel from Fort Myers around midnight, so I had no problem staying in bed a little longer this morning. Jake Arrieta will start for the Orioles. He's allowed six runs and 12 hits, with two walks and eight strikeouts, in his last two outings covering 8 1/3 innings. He's posted a 5.40 ERA in 13 1/3 innings this spring, allowing 17 hits, walking four and striking out 10. Opponents are batting .309 against him. The Pirates are sending Ross Ohlendorf to the mound. Manager Buck Showalter met with his coaching staff for about 90 minutes yesterday to discuss the opening night roster. The Orioles still have 40 players in camp, but that doesn't include non-invitees who happened to trickle over to the major league side and make road trips, such as Mike Ballard, Alberto Castillo, Chris George and Chris Jakubauskas. We'll find out later today whether Zach Britton has survived another round of cuts or if he's headed over to the other side of the building. It wouldn't surprise anyone who covers the team if he begins the season at Triple-A Norfolk. We might see him again before April ends. Meanwhile, his service clock won't start ticking and he can continue to work on refining his secondary pitches and reaching that high ceiling. It makes sense on some levels, but I know many fans will be angry. At some point, catcher Michel Hernandez will be reassigned to the minor league camp. Nick Green figures to be another casualty, along with Randy Winn, Ryan Drese, David Riske, Rick VandenHurk and Rule 5 pick Adrian Rosario. Brendan Harris isn't projected to make the team. Neither is Josh Bell. Justin Duchscherer is expected to be placed on the disabled list before the Orioles are introduced on April 1. Nolan Reimold could be optioned despite hitting .298 (he went 0-for-3 last night) with three doubles, two homers, nine RBIs and a .920 OPS in 20 games. Felix Pie, his main competitor for the extra outfield spot, is hitting .205 with two doubles, three RBIs and a .470 OPS in 16 games. He's also out of options and can back up Adam Jones in center field. VandenHurk is out of options and the Orioles wanted to give him a long look this spring. They've watched him post a 13.50 ERA in six innings, with 10 hits allowed and eight walks. Rosario could be offered back to the Brewers, but the Orioles want to keep him in the organization, which means trying to work out a trade. The media is allowed inside the clubhouse at 2 p.m. today. We'll check out which players remain in street clothes, pack up their belongings and shake hands with teammates. Those are usually signs that they've been cut. I'll close this morning's entry by passing along some new concession items at Camden Yards, along with the descriptions that were included in the press release. Let me know if anything sounds good: Camden Yards Crab Cake: Sportservice chefs got their inspiration for the Camden Yards Crab Cake by sampling the Maryland favorite at more than 50 restaurants in the region. The exclusive crab cake for Oriole Park's concessions and premium areas is made with all-jumbo lump crabmeat and served with cocktail and tartar sauces, fresh lemons, crackers and Tabasco®. * Available at the Old Bay Seafood® satellite stand and on the club level The Birdland Dog: Sportservice created The Birdland Dog by topping the crowd-pleasing Esskay hotdog with the tastes of Baltimore: smoked pit beef, Little Italy pepperoni hash, stewed tomato jam and crispy, fried onions. Nestled in a fresh bakery bun, it's a hot dog that eats like a meal. * Available at Polock Johnny's Famous Polish Sausage stands and on the club level Polock Johnny's Sausage: A Baltimore favorite from the popular eatery in the Lexington Market, this brand holds true to its 1921 slogan: "Polock Johnny is my name. Polish sausage is my game." * Available at Polock Johnny's Famous Polish Sausage stands and on the club level O's Pretzel: These tasty pretzels are hand-rolled and formed in the Orioles script "O." Sportservice chefs make them from scratch daily, baking and basting them in butter and finishing each pretzel with a sprinkling of kosher salt. Fans can dip them in their favorite condiment, but we predict many will love them just the way they are. * Available at the Hand-Rolled Pretzel stand on the first-base side of the main concourse Chop House Steak & Egg Sandwich: Sportservice uses certified Angus skirt steak, marinated and served with balsamic onions, horseradish cream and Gouda cheese. A fried egg is the finishing touch. * Available at the Baltimore Chop House stand and on the club level Beer-Battered Soft-Shell Crab Sandwich: This new sandwich features Chesapeake Bay soft-shell crab, battered in a mixture of National Bohemian Beer and Old Bay® spices, lightly fried and served on a fresh roll. With local taste as the driving force, this sandwich is a sure home run. * Available at the Old Bay Seafood® satellite stand and on the club level Little Italy Meatball Sub: A nod to the traditions of Baltimore's Italian community, the meatballs are made right at the ballpark with San Marzano tomatoes, Pecorino Romano cheese, basil, garlic and other ingredients. Sportservice chefs hand-roll and finish the meatballs with dry white wine. * Available at the By the Slice Pizza stands and on the club level Rolling Crab: Our roller grills aren't just for hot dogs anymore. Sportservice's spiced-up crabmeat option boasts a spring roll filled with crab meat, peppers, pepper jack cheese and various secret spices. Flash-fried and then served from a traditional roller grill, the Rolling Crab satisfies one of Baltimore's most sought-after tastes with a Tex-Mex flair. * Available at the Old Bay Seafood® satellite stand Boog's BBQ: One of the most recognizable brands in the ballpark returns with a rich variety of pit beef, pork and turkey sandwiches. The meat is seasoned with Boog's signature barbeque rub, smoked and then charred on an open flame. This year we're introducing the Big Boog - twice the meat with the same great flavor. * As always, available at Boog's BBQ on Eutaw Street Old Bay® Wings: These jumbo wings are fried to perfection and tossed with local favorite Old Bay® Seasoning. Move over, Buffalo wings, Baltimore Wings are in the house. * Available at Das Sausage Haus stands and on the suite menu Natty Boh Brat: What do you get when you take a traditional bratwurst and infuse it with the great taste of National Bohemian Beer? A signature item for Orioles fans that is now available at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. * Available at Das Sausage Haus stands Berger Cookies: The signature Berger Cookie - a vanilla wafer topped with a thick layer of chocolate ganache - has been one of Baltimore's local treats since the Berger family brought it from Germany in 1835. There's a reason it's been around for 175 years: It was perfect from the start. * Available on the club level but also might be available in concessions in the future Baltimore Wedge Salad: This new salad features grape tomatoes, crispy bacon, green onions, garbanzo beans, peas and bleu cheese, topped with red wine vinaigrette. It's a dynamic field of greens for one of baseball's most innovative ballparks. * Available on the suite menu.