SARASOTA, Fla. -- As right-handers Dean Kremer and Shane Baz warmed up to throw live batting practice on Wednesday afternoon, Pete Alonso assembled his group of Orioles hitters in the first-base dugout at Ed Smith Stadium. The Polar Bear couldn’t be missed, putting on his helmet while wearing a black hoodie and bright turquoise-colored cleats.
It wasn’t hard to hear Alonso, either. In his first Spring Training with Baltimore, the 31-year-old first baseman has been the most vocal player in the early days of camp.
Alonso dialed it up further during live BP. He talked trash with Kremer. He hyped up fellow hitters Samuel Basallo, Dylan Beavers, Jeremiah Jackson, Luis Vázquez and others. Alonso made sure pitchers knew when they gave up a hit -- or acknowledged they had thrown a good pitch, such as when Kremer struck out Alonso swinging.
This is part of the reason why the Orioles signed Alonso to a five-year, $155 million deal. His big bat is accompanied by natural leadership -- even during a drill as simple as live BP.
“We’re having fun, but we’re also working hard. It’s loose and fun, but also, give honest feedback,” Alonso said Thursday morning in the O’s clubhouse in Sarasota. “Live BPs are mostly for the pitchers and to give them feedback from a hitting perspective. It can always be super useful. If something looks good, you’re letting them know.
“And then also, too, you’re starting to get those competitive juices flowing early, so it’s fun. Especially if it’s inter-team competition like that, it’s always good, because it’s bragging rights for later on in the year.”
On Thursday afternoon, Alonso's boisterous voice was again loud, but so was his bat. He slugged the first home run in two days of Orioles live BP, connecting on a pitch from right-hander Tyler Wells and sending it over the left-center-field wall.
Alonso’s presence has already been a welcome addition to Orioles camp this year, as he’s integrated himself well in a short amount of time. He's been heavily involved in pitchers' fielding practice, working on scooping grounders and flipping them to pitchers covering the bag. He's also visibly rallied the group on the backfields.
Of course, it’s easy for new teammates to buy in when the guy talking is a five-time All-Star who has 264 career home runs in seven previous MLB seasons with the Mets, during which he became one of the most fearsome sluggers in baseball.
“I think that when we bring somebody into our org who has had success like he’s had, it’s easy to buy in and stand behind him,” Jackson said. “It’s fun to have him up there, and it keeps things loose. I think we’re all excited to play and go win some ballgames this year.”
Alonso will be doing his best to make sure the Orioles bounce back from a 75-87 season that resulted in a last-place finish in the American League East. His goal is to help Baltimore return to the postseason for the third time in four years -- and then win its first World Series championship since 1983.
For Alonso, being himself is the key to ingratiating himself with a new team for the first time.
“Ultimately, it boils down to two things,” Alonso said. “One thing is show up, work every day and connect with people. And the second thing is, when the season comes around, you just go out, produce and win. That’s really it.”
O’s fans attending workouts this week have lined up in droves to get Alonso’s autograph. He’s obliged, taking the time to chat with youngsters while signing balls and hats.
Soon, those fans will get to see Alonso don an Orioles uniform in game action for the first time, with the Grapefruit League opener set for Feb. 20 vs. the Yankees at Ed Smith Stadium. If Alonso isn’t in the lineup that day, he should be soon after.
Until then, Alonso is focused on taking advantage of drills and live BP -- keeping it loose and fun in the meantime -- to put himself in a position to be ready for his first Opening Day in Baltimore on March 26 at Camden Yards.
“You really get to kind of see where you’re at, especially if you’re not seeing anything moving at you hard for four months,” Alonso said. “You can try and replicate all you can, whether it be the pitching machine or drills or whatever you have in the cage, but it doesn’t resemble someone going up there trying to get you out. You just can’t replicate it."
And if it's up to manager Craig Albernaz, the live BPs will stay plenty loud.
"Baseball is fun, we want to have fun, but we want to work hard and we want to get after it. Pete does that the best," Albernaz said. "It's the energy we need."