Shortstop Alex Cintron is close to returning, but left-handed pitcher Jamie Walker might be closer.
Walker, who threw 25 pitches in a simulated game on Tuesday, will be re-evaluated Wednesday. Cintron took batting practice with the Orioles on Tuesday, and is scheduled to do the same on Wednesday before beginning a rehab assignment.
Walker said he?s hoping he will be back in the bullpen on Thursday.
“I could pitch tomorrow, but I don?t know if they will [let me],” Walker said. “Hell,I don?t know. They haven?t told me yet.”
Manager Dave Trembley said the team will determine if the veteran middle reliever will need to go on a rehab assignment.
But Cintron?s situation is clearer.
The versatile, switch-hitting middle infielder will have a 10-day rehab assignment, playing five games between Single-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie.
Cintron is the Orioles? most experienced starter at shortstop ? a position the club has struggled to fill since the December trade of former American League MVP Miguel Tejada. The team has used six starters at the position, and Cintron has not been guaranteed a starting spot upon his return.
“I’m not going to say what role he has, what position, whose the guy going out,” Trembley said. “A lot of things could happen between now and then.”
BRADFORD IN THE SEVENTH: With closer George Sherrill and right-hander Jim Johnson slotted to pitch the eighth and ninth innings, the Orioles seem to have the seventh inning under control, too.
Right-hander Chad Bradford, it seems, will be the team?s bridge to the late innings.
“I would say more times than not he’s a guy that I feel comfortable with for a lot of reasons: one I know he’s got experience, two he throws strikes, three, for the most part, he won’t beat himself and four he’ll keep the ball in the ballpark,” Trembley said. “I didn’t use him very much [in the first half] because I felt like with more rest and fewer appearances and not used back-to-back days, I thought he would be more beneficial to the club when we came back from the All-Star break.”
Bradford, 33, entered last night?s game with a record of 3-3 and a 2.45 ERA in 43 appearances.
