Wilkerson arrives with suitcase full of gloves
SARASOTA, FLA. – Rookie infielder Steve Wilkerson didn’t exactly light the baseball world on fire last year.
He was suspended for part of the season for taking a banned amphetamine and struggled mightily at the plate in a couple of stays at the major league level, but he’s ready to make a fresh start in front of a new manager and coaching staff.
“I think it’s a fresh start for the players, the staff, the fan base, the city,’’ he said, soon after arriving in camp to get ready for Monday’s first full-squad workout. “I think it’s a really exciting time right now.”
Everyone knows that the Ed Smith Stadium complex is a land of opportunity this spring, just as it should have been for Wilkerson in 2018 if he had not gotten such a late start. The Orioles were enamored of his defensive versatility, which should play well on a rebuilding team looking to have maximum roster flexibility.
He joked that he brought 10 gloves to camp, but certainly brought enough to play every position but catcher and said he doesn’t know where he fits into the club’s defensive plans.
“I really have no idea,’’ he said. “Hopefully, we’ll have some meetings over the next couple of days and get a better idea of how to go about my work at different positions and kind of what they’re thinking. But as of right now, nothing’s in mind.”
Despite his travails last season, Wilkerson is happy that he got a chance to make his major league debut and play in 16 games, even if his .174/.224/.239 slash line wasn’t pretty.
“Absolutely,’’ he said. “It’s not like I had a bunch of success up there, but I did a few things well and I think with the element of doubt eliminated and coming into the season kind of having seen Triple-A, seen the big leagues, it’s comforting. Yeah, I think it was very beneficial.” Hyde wants to be aggressive on bases: Newmanager Brandon Hyde expanded on his base-running philosophy while explaining why it was important for the team to add veteran players such as Alcides Escobar and Eric Young Jr., who both have been very successful base stealers.
“It’s more being aggressive on the bases,’’ Hyde said. “Whether it’s stealing bases or going first to third or being able to score on a single — pushing the envelope with our base running and making that a priority here in camp.
“E.Y. [Young] has got a lot of experience and has always been a good base stealer so that’s a big add and Escobar has been in big situations and has been at the top of the lineup in a World Series. Part of our identity is going to be an aggressive base-running team. Not necessarily a base-stealing team, per se, but we want to take advantage of opportunities on the bases.”
First full-squad workout: Orioles spring training begins in earnest on Monday with the first full-squad workout. The only players who had not reported to camp by the time Sunday’s limited workout began were Jesus Sucre (visa problems), Gregory Infante (illness), newly acquired Escobar, who just agreed to terms with the club on Saturday, and Jonathan Villar, who was expected to arrive in town late Sunday.
Opening Day starter? Hyde was asked Sunday if he is in any hurry to name an Opening Day starter for the regular season. It would figure to be either Alex Cobb or Dylan Bundy if they get through the spring without any issues, but that decision generally is not made this early in camp.
“Not right now,’’ Hyde said. “I think in the next couple of weeks we’ll determine that. I’m not in any hurry to name one guy over the other for sure at this point.”