Ready to Start the 2016 Baltimore Orioles Season

The Baltimore Orioles are just a few short weeks away from being back in Sarasota to kick off the 2016 season, and for me it could not come soon enough.

Are you tired of winter? Tired of shoveling snow, even though most of the East Coast where a lot of Orioles fans hail from has only seen one snow storm? (For those not from the area, that one storm was enough for the year.)

As a meteorologist, I’m not necessarily sure I am ready for winter to be done, and I don’t think it is.

What I am ready for is baseball season to start. I’d even take a rainout (like the one from late last year above) over the lull in activity.

I am tired of not writing anything about the Orioles simply because I don’t have anything extra new to say. Either my colleagues have already said it, or there is nothing to write. How many times and ways can one say the team still needs pitching help?

The outfield, I am all for letting that play out in Spring Training. But, the pitching staff is still a bunch of question marks.

What Ubaldo will the team get? Will Chris Tillman and Miguel Gonzalez have bounce-back years? Will Kevin Gausman thrive knowing he is a fixture in the starting rotation? Who will replace Wei-Yin Chen? Who is the fifth starter?

As I said, more questions than answers.

The team’s trade today for former San Diego Padre Odrisamer Despaigne is an interesting addition, as profiled here. I will add him to the list of potential fifth starters, with Vance Worley, Mike Wright and my prohibitive favorite, Tyler Wilson.

On Thursday, the team also decided to designate C.J. Riefenhauser for assignment. This means that for all those who dislike Brian Matusz, it appears he is targeted for the bullpen again in 2016, as the team has few other left-handed options.

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Also Thursday, LJ Hoes accepted his outright assignment to Norfolk, which doesn’t surprise me. He has a lot of friends in the organization, and will be waiting for the shuttle to be called.

For those who are new to the site, around this time of year I typically start my position rankings, comparing the Orioles to the rest of the AL East.

Last year, I think my projections led to the Red Sox winning the division. I also was accused of being a homer for the Orioles, which I try hard not to be. But, I know third base will surely be a topic for contention, as it should be. CBS Sports just ranked Manny Machado the best third baseman, with AL MVP Josh Donaldson second. I rated Manny ahead of Donaldson last year, but this year…well, you will just have to wait and see.

The only thing left at this point is what trick Dan Duquette has up his sleeve before Spring Training kicks off.