Showalter pregame on Cobb and Sisco on catching Wright

HOUSTON - Orioles right-hander Alex Cobb it seems will have the most input as to when he makes his debut for the club. Cobb is scheduled to pitch a five-inning simulated game in Florida tomorrow. He has already had outings of three and four innings.

Manager Buck Showalter will get the video from that outing and then talk with Cobb after his workday this weekend that follows tomorrow's start. At that point it's time to decide whether Cobb pitches one more time in Florida, going six innings, or heads north to join the Orioles. He could pitch for Baltimore as soon as next Monday, April 9.

"I've got to tell you it's mostly from him," Showalter said of that decision. "He's veteran enough and he's pitched enough innings. I watched his last outing. We had it in hand (the video) 10 minutes after it was over. We're fortunate to have Scotty (McGregor) there. I was watching his last outing some today, along with (Chris) Tillman.

"Most of it is going to come from what Alex is telling us. He's very mature about it. I told him, regardless of how somebody else is doing it, we're going to do what's best for him and the organization. If anything we'll err on the side of caution."

If Cobb makes another start in Florida, it would be a Noon game next Monday versus Minnesota's extended spring training team at Sarasota's Ed Smith Stadium.

Meanwhile Showalter today confirmed that pitching prospect Hunter Harvey is scheduled to start, but throw only three innings in his outings early this season for Double-A Bowie.

"I think there is a progressing they want to make with him so there are innings available, if he shows himself well enough to be an option up here during the course of the season," Showalter said. "That is where he is going to start so the innings are there (later in the year). I don't think you're going to see him make a seven-inning start anywhere except Baltimore."

At that point Showalter acted like he was joking about that part of it, but certainly there is some truth to his comment. Make no mistake, the Orioles will have innings available for Harvey to pitch with the Orioles later in the year should they choose to make that move.

Meanwhile, hard throwing left-hander Tanner Scott it appears is moving back to a bullpen role this year at Triple-A Norfolk. Last season for Bowie he made mostly three-innings starts for pitch development and to have a between starts bullpen session.

"Our hope with Tanner is that he pitches like a relief pitcher," he daid. "As guys get closer to the big leagues you want to simulate more what they are going to do (if they make the majors)."

When Mike Wright Jr. makes his first big league start since June 17, 2016 tonight, he'll be working with a catcher very familiar with him. Chance Sisco is behind the plate tonight as he was often last year when Wright pitched for Norfolk. There is a comfort level there for both pitcher and catcher.

"It helps a lot," Sisco said this afternoon in the Baltimore clubhouse. "I know what he likes to do out there. We'll go about this lineup the way we think we should. Pitch to his strengths and hope we have a good game. He needs to get ahead and pound the strikezone. I think the key is to get ahead and then after we get ahead, pitch to Mike's strenghs."

Sisco is slowly getting more comfortable as a big league catcher. He made four starts last September and tonight is his second of 2018.

"Pretty comfortable. Not where I want to be yet. Because there are still guys I need to learn and lineups I'm not familiar with. Guys I haven't played against before. So there is that type of thing. Once we go around the league a couple of times, I'll be even more comfortable and where I want to be," Sisco said.