Orioles' outfield picture remains blurry
What does that mean? Will top prospect Nick Markakis be standing out in left field on Opening Day? Do the Orioles expect to mix and match between Jeff Conine, Kevin Millar and Luis Matos? Right now, it's fair to say they don't know what to expect.
"When you look at that particular situation, there's about three different ways you can look at it. Each way has a little something not right at the end of it, no matter what way you go," said Perlozzo. "Sooner or later, hopefully, one of those people will just absolutely make that decision for us. We're working on that. We're working on getting that done."
It's not as easy as it sounds. The left-field predicament is tied to roster questions at first base and catcher, which complicates Perlozzo's lineup construction. If Javy Lopez isn't capable of playing first base on a regular basis, the Orioles will need Conine and Millar to spend some time with an infield glove.
And if the opposite is true, Perlozzo will have to find some outfield time for Millar and Conine, making sure the veteran acquisitions are in the lineup on a somewhat regular basis. Also, if Lopez is manning first base, Perlozzo will think heavily about carrying another catcher to serve as the team's primary backup to Ramon Hernandez.
That decision, in turn, will influence whether he wants to start the season with Markakis, Matos and Corey Patterson on the roster. All these factors point to left field as the most unsettled spot on the roster, the position Perlozzo fields questions about more than any other.
"There are several trains of thought that go into deciding what you want to do. We've been hassling with this for a while now," said Perlozzo on Wednesday, responding to a question about Markakis. "It changes on a daily basis and everyone has an opinion. But sooner or later, we're going to say this is the way we want to go, and live with it.
"I think there's a little more to it than just picking somebody. There are other repercussions that fall into place. If those can't be taken care of, then it changes things."
One spot over, in center field, things are relatively simple. Perlozzo will choose between Patterson and Matos, with the loser in that derby serving as fourth outfielder and an additional candidate for playing time in left field. The Orioles may even have a time-sharing arrangement in center, with Matos spelling the left-handed-hitting Patterson against southpaws.
The full-time job, though, is still in question. Patterson seemed to have seized hold of the position by batting .286 through his first 12 games, but he's gone cold since. The 26-year-old is just 1-for-15 in his last five games, dropping his spring batting average to .220. Matos, by contrast, has only played in five games because of the World Baseball Classic.
"I wouldn't really call it a cold spot," said Patterson, who hit .215 last season. "A cold spot, for me, is when you start overanalyzing things and changing different things in your approach. I'm not going to do that again.
"As a player, you can't really base things off numbers and results. You can't worry about it. You just have to come out the next day and keep your same gameplan. If you do that, you'll be where you need to be at the end of the season."
Markakis should be in Baltimore by the end of the season, but nobody seems sure about the beginning. The former first-round pick has looked impressive this spring, batting .293 with a .423 on-base percentage. The numbers have never been an issue for Markakis, but he's only spent 33 games above Class A.
The Orioles have to decide whether he's ready now or whether he'd be better served by some additional time against upper-level bats. If the 22-year-old is on the roster, he'll be there to play -- not to sit and learn from Baltimore's older players.
"I think, offensively, he can compete in the big leagues," said Perlozzo. "He has the talent and the knowledge of the strike zone that I think he can hold his own and maybe do a lot better than that if he can get going.
"If we expect him to be a polished player after playing a year and a half, you are not being fair to the kid. There are certain areas where he'd be on-the-job training. We should be working and learning -- all of us -- as we go."
And that applies to any interested observers. Keep working, keep learning about the players on hand -- and don't expect any roster decisions until the last possible minute. If Markakis goes to Double-A Bowie, expect a demolition derby for playing time in left field, a situation that may not be fully clarified until the All-Star break.
"As an organization, we'll make that decision. I am not a czar out there," said Perlozzo, again regarding Markakis. "This is our team. This is the Baltimore Orioles. We need to do the best thing for the ballclub. If we all give our opinions and discuss it and we feel that it is the right way to go, then I am willing to go with it."
"Everyone that's out there is a great player," said Patterson. "We're all working hard and pulling for each other, helping each other out. Whoever's penciled in there will do the best they can. We all like each other, and that's what's most important. We'll talk and we'll communicate, and that's what you have to do to win ballgames."
Spencer Fordin is a reporter for MLB.com.