Baltimore Orioles Roster – 10 Items for the Next 10 Days

Mar 12, 2014; Sarasota, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher

Ubaldo Jimenez

(31) throws a pitch in the first inning of the spring training exhibition game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Will the starting rotation be a major upgrade over 2013?

The answer to this question will provide the largest slice of explanation as to how successful the Orioles 2014 season will prove to be. There really is no successful model out there for a team to play at a high level without a solid rotation. Perhaps the closest anomaly would be the 2012 Orioles, where the bullpen carried the Birds to one unusual victory after another.

There is every reason to see and believe Chris Tillman will serve as an effective top-of-the-rotation starter. But beyond him, there are as many questions as hopes.

Ubaldo Jimenez is a good pickup for the Orioles if he pitches as he did at the end of last season. There have been extended periods of his career where he gets totally out of sync. He will need to control pitch counts in order to go deeply into games, and that could be difficult in the tough AL East where batters foul off pitch after pitch.

Wei-Yin Chen is the only lefty in the presumed rotation. He too has mixed results. Just yesterday he turned in a less than stellar performance, though in spring training he may be concentrating on specific items of his repertoire without concern for compete results.

Miguel Gonzalez has had some difficulty also in going deep into games, but he is consistent and looks to continue to grow and improve.

Bud Norris has also been a starter with very mixed results. His time with the Orioles at the end of last year was less effective than his previous level of performance. He wants to be a regular starter for the whole season, but that will remain to be seen.

Few teams have five starters who take the ball consistently throughout the year, and there is essentially a six- or seven-man rotation when it is all said and done. And the Orioles have as much depth as anyone for this scenario.