“It?s not an easy thing for them, but at the same time, we worked all spring training with them,” Perlozzo said. “They bunt all the time in the spring, so it?s not like it?s totally new right now.”

Perlozzo indicated that hitting coach Terry Crowley didn?t lend much input to the pitchers, leaving them to believe that bunting will be the main task.

“I still love to swing,” left-handed reliever John Parrish said. “It?s always fun to go out there, hack around and see what you can do. I take it serious because you don?t know when situations come up and you have to bunt someone over.”

Impressed with Danys Baez?s ability in the batting cage, Parrish also recognized Steve Trachsel, a longtime National League veteran whom he sits by in the clubhouse. In 639 career at-bats, Trachsel has 105 hits and three home runs ? one last season with the New York Mets.

The Orioles will be without two of their most accomplished hitting pitchers for the interleague season ? and possibly the entire season. In 19 at-bats last season, Orioles pitchers batted .211 with four RBI. Kris Benson ripped the staff?s only home run. Adam Loewen, 0 for 2 last season, batted .353 with Chipola (Fla.) Junior College in 2003.

The theory that the pitchers don?t take batting practice seriously was shattered.

“We take it serious,” right-hander Jeremy Guthrie said. “It?s fun, but I haven?t hit for 10 years. I?m not very good, but I have fun with it.”

The brutally honest Guthrie recalled using his speed while batting as a youth player.

“Most of the kids made errors at that age,” Guthrie said. “I did a lot of bunting in high school.”

While many admittedly despise stepping to the plate and facing their opposite number, some are OK with it.

“It depends who I?m facing,” Guthrie said. “If it?s a hard-throwing righty, I?d rather not do it.”