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Orioles' Salazar Takes the Long Way in His Return to the Major Leagues
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Salazar, whose skills as a hitter were always ahead of the rest of his game, flourished in obscurity. He led the top division in Italian professional baseball with a .524 slugging percentage, slamming more extra-base hits (28) than singles (26). It led to a job in the Venezuelan Winter League, where his swing caught the eye of Orioles scouts.
"It is his bat that is his tool now," Orioles minor league director David Stockstill said. "When we saw him again, he still showed some of those tools. But he showed the ability to hit."
After he led the Eastern League with 39 doubles and 63 extra-base hits for Class AA Bowie last season, he earned an invitation to spring training. There, he left Trembley and his coaches convinced that when the Orioles needed an extra hitter for interleague play, Salazar could be their man.
He was hitting .311 with seven homers and 44 RBI for Class AAA Norfolk when he got the call to pack his bags for Boston. He was back in the major leagues.
"I identify with all of them guys who grinded," Trembley said. ". . . It's a reminder to our group. I said it before. You cannot let anyone tell you you can't do anything."
Staff writers Zach Berman and Mark Viera contributed to this report.
