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Still Plenty of Questions for O’s as Spring Training Winds Down

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We all wanted it, we all hoped for it, but deep down, we all knew it was unrealistic to expect that Manny Machado would run down the orange carpet on Opening Day. The Orioles made the right decision in announcing Machado would start the season on the disabled list. Machado could miss a week, two weeks, maybe most of April, but the O’s knew it was more important to have Machado’s patented line drive swing hitting doubles later this summer than in April. They wisely decided not to rush him.

The question is who replaces Machado. The front runner would be Ryan Flaherty with Jonathan Schoop or Jemile Weeks starting at second. If the O’s aren’t comfortable with either of those guys at second, Flaherty could start there with Steve Lombardozzi manning the hot corner. Schoop has done his part in trying to make the team, but the Orioles will probably still want him to start the year in Triple-A. If Buck Showalter and company do bring Schoop up north, he may prove he is good enough to stay and not get demoted when Machado returns.

This is just one of the many questions that are still left to be decided with one week to go in spring training. Showalter has to figure out who will bat second now. Nick Markakis will more than likely bat leadoff against lefties which could move J.J. Hardy into the second slot of the batting order. David Lough could leadoff when a right-handed pitcher is on the mound, which would allow Markakis to bat second.

The battle for the right-handed hitting DH/OF appears it will come down to the final cuts. Showalter has said that there is a chance the team can keep two between Delmon Young, Nolan Reimold, and Steve Pearce. I’m not buying it. The way the roster is being constructed, the O’s will need someone on the bench to provide speed and above average defense, and having two players on the roster that would only play against lefties and play a corner outfield slot or DH is not the flexibility needed on a team. Whatever direction they go, the two guys that don’t make the roster will probably end up in a different organization for the 2014 season.

The bullpen also needs to be figured out. Tommy Hunter, Ryan Webb, and Darren O’Day are locks. If Brian Matusz and Zach Britton aren’t traded, they will find themselves in the bullpen as well. This leaves a few players fighting for the last two slots. Josh Stinson and Evan Meek have been lights out all spring which gives them the advantage on making the team. The Orioles hoped Alfredo Aceves would pitch his way onto the team with his versatility, but he hasn’t. T.J. McFarland will probably end up in Norfolk to start along with Steve Johnson. Troy Patton eventually will be back in the mix after he serves his suspension. To cap it all off, we are still waiting for confirmation that Hunter will be the closer.

The Orioles have had the perfect blend of players that showed up to spring training to get ready for the long season and players that showed up competing to win a job. Spring training can drag and the last week can seem like a month with the anticipation of the season starting, but with plenty of questions still unanswered, this last week will be very interesting.

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