Thursday Bird Droppings: There are no split squads in blogging

Hello, friends.

There are now 32 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day. That is Matt Wieters days. Before that, it was Jamie Walker days. I think things are a little better now. Here's hoping Wieters himself is there for the first game. We won't really have much of an idea of that for a couple of weeks until he starts to catch in games.

It's a split squad day for the O's in Florida today which means two games for the price of one. They will be in the Rays house for an afternoon game, with a night game in Sarasota against the Blue Jays. That second game will be televised on MASN with Gary Thorne and Jim Palmer in the booth. I have missed those guys.

Some news from around Birdland as the O's are 0-2 to start out the Grapefruit League...

Orioles limiting pitcher Kevin Gausman early in spring training : Fantasy News
Did you notice that the O's only used Gausman for one inning? These guys noticed. How does it affect his fantasy outlook for the season?

Orioles notes on Eddie Gamboa, Paul Janish and more - Baltimore Sun
Buck Showalter had a message for Eddie Gamboa, and it was this: Throw more knuckleballs. He gave up his home run the other day on a fastball. That's not why you're around, Eddie.

School of Roch: Showalter speaks after 5-4 loss in exhibition home opener (O's sign Beato)
Speaking of Buck, here's his thoughts as related by Roch on how things have gone so far. Also some notes on who will be pitching over the next few days. And apparently the Orioles have brought Pedro Beato in to minor league camp. Now that is a name I've not heard in a long time... a long time.

Anibal Sanchez, Ian Krol impress in Tigers' 5-4 win vs. O's and other notes - Bless You Boys
Our Bless You Boys counterparts react to the same game that you listened to on the radio yesterday.

Belchertown wins overtime thriller, beating defending champ Longmeadow in Division 2 girls semifinal | GazetteNet.com
In our countrywide tour of other Orioles teams, here we find the Orioles of the Belchertown High School girls basketball team of Belchertown, Massachusetts taking out a giant of their conference and plowing their way into a divisional final. Kayla Henry had 22 points to lead these Orioles into the next round.

Today is the birthday of some former Orioles from a few different stages of my life: L.J. Hoes, Erik Bedard, Jose Mercedes, and Jeffrey Hammonds. A career for Hammonds that began in Baltimore in 1993 ended in Washington in 2005. I'd say that was a good job by him.

On this day in 1992, the Orioles made a trade for Alan Mills, now a pitching coach in the minor league system. Most famous, perhaps, for his karate kick in that infamous brawl with the Yankees, his former organization.

And that's the way it is in Birdland on March 5 - at least, until something happens later. If you're in the Baltimore area, enjoy the snow. Have a safe Thursday.