Baltimore Orioles: A Week Away from Opening Day
By Nate Wardle
As Spring Training winds down, the Baltimore Orioles are one week away from Opening Day at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, where the games will count.
With that in mind, there is a lot going on with this team right now. The starting pitching all spring long has been pretty terrible.
The hitting has really come on of late, led by Joey Rickard, Xavier Avery, J.J. Hardy, Pedro Alvarez and Nolan Reimold, among others. The team is getting clutch hits from minor leaguers, and their putrid start to Spring Training is as distant as Baltimore’s January snow storm.
So, as everything irons out, with a week to go, I want to attempt to predict the Orioles opening day 25-man roster. It is difficult to predict who will be starting at a few positions, despite the Orioles saying Chris Tillman will take the mound, and the Minnesota Twins countering with Ervin Santana.
Without further ado:
Catchers
Matt Wieters
Caleb Joseph
Infielders
Chris Davis 1B
Jonathan Schoop 2B
Manny Machado 3B
J.J. Hardy SS
Ryan Flaherty INF
Paul Janish INF
Pedro Alvarez DH/INF – somehow I originally forgot Alvarez, as a commenter astutely pointed out. He will surely be on the roster. But, if the team keeps 13 position players, which I expect, there is room for Janish too.
Outfielders
Joey Rickard LF
Adam Jones CF
Mark Trumbo RF
Nolan Reimold OF
Starting Pitchers
Chris Tillman
Yovani Gallardo
Ubaldo Jimenez
Mike Wright
Relief Pitchers
Zach Britton CL
Darren O’Day SU
Brad Brach SU
Dylan Bundy
Mychal Givens
Chaz Roe
Tyler Wilson
Zach Phillips
Disabled List
Kevin Gausman
Brian Matusz
Jimmy Paredes
A few things you will immediately notice is that neither Miguel Gonzalez or Hyun Soo Kim are on this roster. I think Gonzalez is the first pitcher in Norfolk’s rotation, with Odrisamer Despaigne, T.J. McFarland and others. I think the Orioles work out a deal to send Kim to Norfolk as well to get him acquainted to the United States, and if he refuses that, then he heads back to Korea. Not saying I would do that, but it is what I think happens.
More from Baltimore Orioles
- What other Baltimore Orioles Offseason Storylines will you be interested in seeing?
- Baltimore Orioles to Face Numerous Playoff Contenders Down the Stretch
- Baltimore Orioles Showing Encouraging Signs During Recent Wins
- The Baltimore Orioles and the Expanded September Roster
- Orioles Josh Rogers Expectations in his Major League Debut
The toughest players to predict here are Janish, Wilson and Wright. I think that most everyone else is close to a lock, as long as the team feels Phillips is ready, which he should be. Janish, if optioned, can decline and go elsewhere. But, the Orioles really like his defense and what he brings as a back up in case J.J. would get hurt. For that reason, I think he is on the roster at least through the first week.
Wilson and Wright, I think also make the roster, before decisions have to be made on Matusz and Gausman. Wilson has only pitched three and two innings in his last two outings, and for that reason I feel he may be headed for a bullpen role, temporarily.
Once Gausman and Matusz are ready, the team is going to have some tough choices. Do they send down Givens, despite him being a key piece in the bullpen, and hope Bundy can fill a key role? Does Wright stay in the rotation, or does Wilson move to the rotation and Wright get sent down? Remember, both Wright and Wilson have options.
For that reason, the Opening Day roster is one thing to predict, but the roster for one week later will be even tougher.