Uncertainty Reigns as Baltimore Orioles Start 2018 Spring Training

The Baltimore Orioles will kick off Spring Training on Tuesday, although it is safe to say that at least a few members of the team won’t be there yet.

The Baltimore Orioles and all of Major League Baseball are ready to kick off the 2018 season. Only one problem. You could make a championship contender of the remaining MLB free agents.

• Catchers: Jonathan Lucroy, Carlos Ruiz, A.J. Ellis
• First basemen: Eric Hosmer, Mark Reynolds, Logan Morrison
• Second basemen: Neil Walker, Brandon Phillips, Chase Utley
• Third basemen: Mike Moustakas, Jhonny Peralta, Yunel Escobar
• Shortstops: Eduardo Nunez, Erick Aybar, Stephen Drew
• Left fielders: Andre Either, Ben Revere, Chris Young
• Center fielders: Jon Jay, Jarrod Dyson, Cameron Maybin
• Right fielders: J.D. Martinez, Carlos Gonzalez, Seth Smith
• Starting pitchers: Jake Arrieta, Alex Cobb, Lance Lynn, Jason Vargas, Andrew Cashner, Chris Tillman, John Lackey
• Relief Pitcher: Trevor Rosenthal, Koji Uehara, Huston Street, Drew Storen, Tyler Clippard, Greg Holland, Peter Moylan, Robbie Ross, Francisco Liriano

I bet that team could win a division. Could probably win the World Series too.

And that is why it so hard to predict what will happen in Spring Training. Will the rotation really be Dylan Bundy, Kevin Gausman and a combination of Mike Wright, Gabriel Ynoa, Nestor Cortes and Miguel Castro?

Will Caleb Joseph and one of Chance Sisco, Andrew Susac, and Austin Wynns be the team’s catchers?

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Or what about a left-handed hitting outfielder? Even more, will the Orioles sign another hitter, like Mike Moustakas, who they have had rumored interest in? So many questions, and at this point, so few answers.

But, let’s get to the exciting part here. The Baltimore Orioles, regardless of who is on the team at this point, are preparing to kick off Spring Training on Tuesday. Amidst a flurry of fantastic holidays, the beginning of baseball season ranks up there.

How would you rank this week’s holidays? You have Fat Tuesday, or Fasnacht Day, Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day and the beginning of Spring Training.

It is truly quite a list, isn’t it?

Some carry more significance, the others are excuses to eat or party. But, nothing brings joy to the hearts of Oriole fans like that of Spring Training. Now, whether we feel this way in two months will largely be determined soon.

The Orioles have a good lineup. It could be a great lineup if guys show up at Spring Training and hit the cover off the ball (looking at you, Austin Hays, Chance Sisco, and Anthony Santander).

The Orioles have a good bullpen. The back-end is weakened by Zach Britton‘s injury, but there is space for optimism there, as he looks like he will be back sooner rather than later.

Brad Brach, Darren O’Day, and Mychal Givens are formidable without Britton. Add in Richard Bleier, Donnie Hart, losers from the rotation battle and maybe a dark horse or two and that bullpen is good, and with Britton will be great.

The rotation is the big question. If Alex Cobb wants to get to a camp, then get it done DD. Or Lance Lynn.

Ideally, in my mind, the team would sign one of those two and another piece. That piece could be Cashner, Vargas, Jaime Garcia or Chris Tillman. I have no issues with Tillman, unlike others here. Although, it would be an incentive heavy deal. What that would do is loosen up that mess at the back of the rotation.

I don’t think Mike Wright’s future is in the rotation, unlike what Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com wrote today.

He has the ability, but not the emotional capability to overcome a tough outing as a starter. But, I think he can be effective in the bullpen. We know how effective Castro can be from 2017.

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Combine signing a few starters and my idea of a nine-man bullpen and the Orioles ‘pen could be lights out, and more importantly, mask many of the rotation concerns. It would also mean the rotation is improved, and we are all here for that.

Make it happen, Dan, please!