Tillman pitches two innings in debut, believes he's on track
Kim ‘a little bit relieved' after his first spring hit
“I think I'll still get four more, five more” outings, Tillman said. “I don't feel I have much more catching up to do because I threw the whole time.”
Tillman said he felt good after throwing 31 pitches — 18 for strikes — in two scoreless, one-hit innings of a victory (that doesn't count in the spring standings) over a contingent from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He said he would talk with pitching coach
“It's kind of normal soreness,” Tillman said. “I feel really good in my delivery, and normal day-to-day activities like walking and working out and running and stuff is fine.”
“I think it should be OK,” manager
While Tillman was coming off an injury for his first spring game action,
“It's a little bit different just because it is early, but I felt good,” Gausman said. “Threw some real good breaking balls for strikes and when I wanted them to chase. Left two pitches up and those were the two I gave up doubles on. Overall, I feel good and got my work in out of the stretch.”
Kim, signed out of the Korean Baseball Organization to a two-year contract this season, was becoming an unwelcome storyline for the winless Orioles this spring training.
Showalter said after the game that “everybody was pulling for him.” Kim thought his teammates and coaches were even more excited than he was.
“They were cheering for my first hit,” Kim said through translator
Showalter drew an interesting parallel to a player who went through similar struggles after coming to the majors from South Korea last season — Pirates infielder
Kang didn't start as slowly as Kim, but he endured a 1-for-24 stretch March 5-27 in spring training. Kang ended the season third in National League Rookie of the Year voting, hitting .287/.355/.461 with 15 home runs.
“I was talking to somebody with the Pirates, talking about Kang, how slow he started for them last spring,” Showalter said. “You need to keep it in mind, think about all the adjustments he's going through.”
Wilson allowed two singles and a double to open the game, but held New York to two runs, then cruised through his next two innings.
“That's kind of like Tyler,” Showalter said. “He was going to have a big inning, held it to two and came back and pitched a couple good innings. He had 29 pitches, ended up with [46]. Tyler's a survivor.
“Getting out of that first inning is great in general, whether that would have been in the second or third inning or in the first inning,” Wilson said. “Obviously, it's not how you draw it up to start a game — three straight hits — but that's a byproduct of not executing two-strike pitches. I'll take that and move forward.”
Through Thursday, Wilson has pitched a team-high six innings this spring, yielding four runs (three earned) on nine hits without a walk.
Acquired for cash last spring from the Kansas City Royals and added to the 40-man roster in November, Triggs allowed three home runs in an inning March 4 against the Toronto Blue Jays.
If he clears release waivers, he could return to the organization on a minor league deal. In 2013, when the team signed outfielder