FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Garrett Olson has had complete command at every stop in the Minor Leagues, but he feels like he may have lost a critical edge in his brief big league audition. Olson, one of several candidates vying for a back-end rotation slot this spring with the Orioles, thinks he'll be much better whenever he makes it back to the Major Leagues.

"I just felt like I tried to put too much pressure on myself," said Olson, who went 1-3 with a 7.79 ERA for the Orioles. "I felt like my focus was on everything instead of just one thing at a time out there on the field. When you try to do that, sometimes it feels like the world can spin on you a little bit. This time, I'm trying to simplify it and make it more my game. There are always going to be new experiences I haven't faced yet, but I'll be ready to go next time if I get another chance."

Olson, who played his college ball at Cal Poly, wouldn't be the first pitcher to outthink himself on the mound. The southpaw thinks it's a lot simpler than that, though, and he points to his Minor League track record to prove it. Olson, who's never had an ERA above 3.42 at any Minor League stop, said that he's often struggled at each new level.

"I've done that at other levels, but I feel like once I get my feet wet and start to get comfortable, I start to find my rhythm. Then I can just go to my strengths and pitch to my game," he said. "It's just the environment, I'd say. New places and new situations, but it's still the same game. It may be a little faster, but you adjust to that with experience.

"I think it's just being around it enough. ... For me, when you see something the first time, it can be shocking."

Olson went from finishing third in the Triple-A International League on the ERA charts (3.16) to struggling just to make it start to start in the big leagues. He completed five innings in four of his seven starts, but he also allowed at least four earned runs four times. Finally, Olson was shut down for the final three weeks with tightness in his left forearm.

In that case, it was more of the same theme. Baltimore manager Dave Trembley thinks that injury developed by overexertion in the weight room, providing yet another incident of Olson trying to do more than his body could safely handle.

"He does some things in the gym that are counterproductive to range of motion and flexibility," said Trembley. "I think sometimes young guys like that think more is better, and it's not necessarily the case. It's what you're doing. A lot of these guys have their own personal trainers and their own workout regimens in the winter. ... He had some forearm tightness last year, and I thought that was a direct result of some of his workouts that weren't baseball-related."

Now, with his workout routine streamlined and his nerves steeled by prior experience, Olson feels ready to make his pitch. He knows he'll have to fend off charges from several other arms, but he feels ready to perform to the best of his abilities.

"You've just got to come out here and worry about your game and yourself," he said. "It could be wide open, but I'm not really sure. That's up to the coaching staff and the front office. You've just got to come out here and do what you can."

On the mend: Second baseman Brian Roberts returned to practice Friday, setting aside a two-day bout with an ailment believed to be a kidney stone. Roberts was a full-go player on Friday and participated in several rounds of batting practice, in addition to baserunning drills and some light jogging.

"I saw him yesterday when he got here. It's great to have him back," said Trembley about his leadoff hitter. "He looked real good today and there's no restrictions on him. He's a big part of our club."

George Sherrill, the team's projected closer, left the field early Friday after tweaking his right hamstring. The southpaw received treatment and wasn't available for comment, but Trembley said his team has been pretty healthy.

"The injury report has been minimal," the manager said of the early days in Spring Training. "I don't see anybody who hasn't been able to participate, with the exception of [Danys Baez], [Chris] Ray and [Fernando] Cabrera."

Cabrera, who's battling back from an offseason procedure on his right elbow, is behind all of his teammates and is doubtful to begin the season on time. With that in mind, Trembley said he wouldn't be in camp much longer.

"He's probably going to go to [the Minor League camp in] Sarasota at some point in time," Trembley said. "When his throwing program is to a point where he can get up on a mound and do those kind of things, he'll go to Sarasota."

Long balls: Kevin Millar had an impressive day of batting practice, taking pitches from hard-throwing relievers Jim Hoey and Greg Aquino deep over the fence. Millar, who noted that he had just four hits through all of last year's Spring Training, said that it's important for him to get his mind right and get off to a better start this year.

"Physically, I love this game and I play it. The problem is mentally," Millar said. "From Day 1 on the field -- from the first day of Spring Training -- I'm trying to get focused immediately. Gary Sheffield always says that the good ones don't give any at-bats away. When you get up 700 times a year, there may be a couple you give away, but it's true for the most part.

"You might get the good hitters out, but it's not because they're giving at-bats away."

Quotable: "I just think this is the year he's really going to turn the corner. I know a lot of people won't believe it until they see it, but I believe it's going to happen." -- Trembley, on Daniel Cabrera