This is a weekly column that dives into eight random thoughts about the Orioles/MLB. Why eight? It’s a nod to Cal Ripken Jr. of course. That, and doing 2,632 of these would be a little overboard. – A.S.
1. The training room in Sarasota continues to see action as spring training rolls along, and the latest entrant is a bit scary. No one is saying Kevin Gausman’s shoulder ailment is anything to worry about just yet, but any time there’s a cortisone injection involved, I cringe a bit.
To say that the Orioles’ fate this season hinges on Gausman would be a bit of hyperbole, but there’s no doubt he’s a crucial part of the equation. Without a major leap from him in the starting rotation, there’s no way you can imagine the O’s making a run at the playoffs. The starting rotation is already the weakest part of the roster, so injuries can’t be taken lightly.
When you pair this with Chris Tillman’s earlier hiccup this spring with the injury bug, the thoughts of Odrisamer Despaigne and Vance Worley potentially starting games creeps into the mind. That’s a scary proposition.
2. There’s another somewhat concerning injury that’s lingering for the Orioles, that of their $15.8-million catcher. Matt Wieters had a throwing session earlier this week, but is he going to be ready for Opening Day? Everyone knew it was a risk to extend Wieters the qualifying offer this winter, but it was a necessary risk.
Once he accepted, I got the sense that many were a little upset. If there is an elbow injury hovering over him, it’s not only bad for his future, but for that of the Orioles as well. I’m not attempting to throw dirt on the start of the season for Wieters (or Gausman for that matter), but the O’s need to prepare themselves for the very real possibility that some key players will miss time due to injury. Weeks ago, I wrote about the very fact that while the Orioles were putting together a decent roster, there was virtually no depth within it. That’s starting to become painfully obvious.
GulfBird Sports/Craig Landefeld
3. Everyone seems to have jumped off that train that had Hyun-Soo Kim starting the season in Norfolk. After a horrific start, Kim has heated up and started to get on base during recent spring training action. I am hopeful that everyone has taken a deep breath when it comes to Kim and realized that the guy is going to need time to adjust. He’s going to have his ups and downs throughout this season and need space to develop his game.
I don’t know if Kim’s recent surge means that he’s close to winning himself a starting job in left field. I don’t know what it means for where he might hit in the lineup. I just know that the O’s are counting on him to be a contributor this season. He’s also probably the player I’m most looking forward to watching this season. There’s something intriguing about him. Hopefully he gets his chances.
4. Dylan Bundy is having himself a fine spring, knowing he has to make the major league roster. There’s obviously no chance the O’s are leaving the 23-year-old right-hander off their roster, but it’s important to see him prove himself in Sarasota. Bundy had become a bit of an afterthought following Tommy John surgery, but he’s starting to creep back into many people’s minds as someone who could actually be a contributor.
Call me the skeptic. I’m still very worried that this all turns bad for the O’s. I feel like he’s never going to live up to the hype once placed on him, and how could he? Those were lofty goals. Yet still, no matter what Bundy turns out as, I feel like it won’t be enough.
5. The speculation that Chris Davis may see some extended time in right field this season has been the fuel for much discussion this spring. This tweet from ESPN’s Jayson Stark caught my eye:
Buck Showalter has always been intrigued by the concept of Chris Davis playing right field. But even though the… https://t.co/MIWunJi5u0
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) March 16, 2016
. That’s a really interesting thought from Showalter, and one that shows how much he thinks about the long game. Sure, he wants to win now. But he also wants to create a better chance for Davis to be a productive player in year six and seven of his contract, even if Buck won’t be around to see it. The larger issue of course with all of this is the fact that the O’s may feel a need to play Davis in the outfield at all. That’s simply their own doing.
By failing to acquire a real corner outfielder, they’ve forced themselves into the position of having Mark Trumbo be the default starter in right. For a team that prides itself on defense, that’s alarming. The dance that goes on between Davis and right field this season will be something to watch.
GulfBird Sports/Craig Landefeld
6. We’re less than two weeks away from real baseball being played, and the Orioles still have many questions about their roster to answer. Injuries are playing a part, with Gausman and Brian Matusz possibly set to miss Opening Day. The O’s entered spring training needing to solidify the bullpen and the bench. The starting position players are basically set, aside from knowing for sure who takes the field in the corner outfield spots.
One real question, and something I wrote about a few weeks back, is who rounds out the rotation. It has been long assumed that Miguel Gonzalez would take the final rotation spot, but that’s no guarantee in my mind. I think he starts there, especially with the injury to Gausman, but don’t be surprised if he’s on a short leash. There are many others that would jump at the chance to leap into the starting five.
Final roster cuts are coming soon, just another sign that the orange carpet will soon be rolled out.
7. We all know that these final few weeks before the regular season begins brings out the predictions from all the experts. We also know that you will have to keep searching and searching to find anyone saying nice things about the Orioles this season.
Over the years, I’ve written a lot about the word “expectation” when it comes to this team. The expectations have been molded and formed, and have even expanded in recent years. That’s what winning and appearing in the postseason will do. Those expectations seem to have come crashing down entering this season in the eyes of many, but I’m not included in them. I fully recognize that “on paper” the O’s don’t have as talented of a team as others, even within the AL East.
That doesn’t change the fact that I expect more as a fan. That might be hard to grasp, but while I don’t predict success this season, I still expect it. Fans should keep expecting it, even when it doesn’t seem possible.
8. I didn’t really want to write anything about the Adam LaRoche situation in Chicago. When the news first broke, I was a bit surprised like everyone else, but I mostly shrugged the story off as a non-story. Then I had a few days to think about it and realized how terribly wrong I was. If you’re one of those people that are tired of hearing about the story, I understand. If you think it’s a pointless story that is getting too much coverage, you couldn’t be more wrong.
As Orioles fans, we may not fully care or grasp the concept of a starter walking away from the game a few weeks before the start of the season for these reasons. But more so than the actual loss of LaRoche, the White Sox are now dealing with the aftermath. It’s not just a blow to the roster, it’s a public relations nightmare. The way the Sox have handled the entire ordeal leaves a ton to be desired.
I attempted to think about how Dan Duquette and Buck Showalter would’ve dealt with such a situation, and have to imagine it going much differently. More so than the way team officials have handled it, the other players have been impacted by it. That’s something that can linger into a long baseball season. There’s been a lot of talk about how little team chemistry matters in baseball in recent years, what with the evolution of advanced metrics. But if you don’t think this will do something to the mindset of a baseball team going forward, you’re not taking everything into consideration.
Perhaps it will be a positive for Chicago. Maybe they’ll rally around LaRoche as he sits at home with his son. The flip side is more likely, though. It’s something to watch develop throughout the season.
