I was hoping to start a series breaking down the Orioles 2022 roster going into spring training. Unfortunately, the lockout has gotten in the way of spring training starting on time, and we may not get a full exhibition season whenever they do get this mess sorted out. Still, let’s break down how these position groups could look in 2022, starting with the rotation.
Oh boy, this rotation, man, I don’t know what to say about it. It is in a rough state right now with all but two spots solidified. With that said, I think some pieces could be better in 2022. So let’s separate my thoughts into sections.
The sections are as follows: the most known, the most unknown, the most underrated, free-agent options, underrated options outside the 40-man roster, and how they will perform.
The Knowns
Means and Lyles are the only pieces we know will be there. Means is an interesting case study. Some believe the ace potential he showed in the first half of the season was real, while others see the slump he went into in the second half as more indicative of the solid but very home run-prone pitcher he is.
For me, I think the true answer lies in between the two. When you look at Means’ seasons from 2019 and 2021, they aren’t that different. I think he is a quality pitcher that can offer some vast highs, as we saw in the first half of 2021, mixed with some lows like we saw during the second half. Another issue is health. Means has had some issues remaining healthy, which could have led to his second-half slump. Another factor I want to mention is the changes to Camden Yards that will impact the pitchers more positively. Means relies on fly ball outs that the new dimensions will give him more of. Baseball Savant compared him to a Jake Odorizzi type of pitcher, and I agree. He is a number 2/ 3 starter who can show he could be an ace on some days, but he is a solid pitcher that won’t kill your team often.
Lyles is the next pitcher on this list because he eats innings, consistently finding a way to pitch nearly 114 innings a year, which is valuable to the Orioles. However, he gives up some hard contact and home runs, which makes his Baseball Savant page look bad, but again, the new dimensions in Camden Yards should help. Lyles was a last-minute singing right before the lockout, and the Orioles will pay him $7 Million in 2022, the most they have paid for a pitcher since Mike Elias took over. Lyles may not be the best option in the world, but he does eat innings and will give relief to the Orioles bullpen. He could help the development of younger pitchers by bridging the gap and thus avoiding rushing them to the majors.
The Unknown
The biggest question mark in the rotation is Dean Kremer’s future. He had a disastrous season in 2021 and needs a Cedric Mullins type come back and to fix his off-speed and breaking pitches. Kremer doesn’t have elite velocity, making his control more critical. That control is something Kremer could not offer in 2021, and it was sad to see him struggle as he did. Kremer is in this section because I legit don’t know what we are getting from him this year. Could he be better? I mean, yeah, but he is close to having his time run out and could be out of the picture if he doesn’t fix his issues. I think his problems are be fixable, but I am unsure if he will resolve these issues.
The Most Underrated
Zimmermann had a weird 2021 season. He wasn’t unwatchable, but he wasn’t impressive. So why is he underrated? It is the fact that he only pitched 64.1 innings, and we haven’t seen a lot of him. He doesn’t have elite velocity, but he has a good break and spin on his fastball and curveball. He had a lot of games at the beginning of the season where he would go six innings and only give up three to four runs. That isn’t great, but it is at least serviceable. I feel like Zimmermann could be a reliable piece of the rotation, and he isn’t being talked about a lot because we just haven’t seen him pitch an entire season yet.
While he doesn’t have the upside of an upper-rotation arm, he can be a serviceable pitcher who can eat innings.
Free Agent Option
With the lockout happening in December, it left a lot of quality options on the free agent market in Limbo. One of those players was Former Detroit Tiger Matthew Boyd. Boyd was solid in 2021, after a disappointing 2020 season. However, he was non-tendered by the Tigers before the lockout. The reason was that Boyd had surgery in September, which made the Tigers not want to pay the $7.3 Million price tag for a pitcher who might not be ready for the 2022 season. Even if Boyd might not be ready for the start of the 2022 season, I still think he is perfect for the Orioles. Boyd is a solid pitcher that probably won’t be too expensive and is much better than any other options they have now outside of Means and Lyles.
Underrated Options Outside (non 40-Man edition)
Rom won’t light up the radar gun, but he has a genuine feel for pitching, with a great repertoire despite his lack of velocity. He finished last year in Double-A, so I am not sure he will be in the majors next year. He will be in Triple-A for most of the season, but after that, who knows? Color me intrigued.
How will they perform in 2022?
Honestly, I don’t expect much from this group. Do I think this is the worst rotation in baseball? Possibly, but I can think of two things that will help. The new dimensions have turned Camden Yards, heretofore a hitters paradise and a pitcher’s worst nightmare, into a more level playing field for all parties involved. Another factor is the arrival of Grayson Rodriguez and other younger pitchers. This could affect how the rotation performs, but overall I still think it will be rough going. This is the worst part of the team right now, and I am not sugar-coating that. I feel comfortable with only two pitchers. I just feel like it is going to be another tough year with some possible bright spots and exciting call-ups.
Next up: the bullpen.
