Baltimore Orioles: The Annual Inevitability of Injuries

May 21, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones (10) reacts after getting injured in the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /

Injuries to professional baseball players on teams like the Baltimore Orioles are as certain as the annual return of the boys of summer to Florida and Arizona each February.

After several years of an unusual array of injuries, Orioles fans hoped against hope that this year can be different. And perhaps it will prove to be when we reflect upon it in October.

But the first injury report out of Florida has come, bearing news of some sort of nebulous issue with Chris Tillman described as a core muscle injury. Needing a return to his prior form of 2012-2014, this is not what we want to be hearing, though it will most likely prove to be nothing of great substance.

But just hearing about it picks at an old sore — that of injuries that derail players and position the Orioles to never really have the intact roster that was envisioned to carry the team to success.

Perhaps in this modern era, having a totally intact roster that is largely free of injury is an illusion — something that only exists on paper.

Every year, after long months of offseason maneuverings to anticipate the roster that will comprise the Orioles opening trip north for the season, it would appear to be rather set as spring training begins. Yes, there will be a few position battles and roles to determine, but most of the roster is well-known.

It is especially true this year. With some sense of certainty, we know the rotation and all of the bullpen except for one middle innings pitcher, we know the catchers and infielders and DH, and we know two-thirds of the outfield. It is only right field and the backup outfielders that are yet to be determined … pending no injuries.

But there will be injuries. If not in the spring, over and over as the season progresses. Buck often speaks of the need to use the 40-man roster and the minor league teams as an expansive effort to provide all the needed personnel.

Yet again, at the end of February, or for that matter at the end of spring training, it annually looks like the O’s know their team and that few others will be in an out of the 25-man roster over the course of the season. But then it happens. Sometimes it involves players who just flame out or fail to meet expectations, but more often the roster changes because of injuries.