Is the team ascending or descending? With most teams, it's reasonably easy to see this... with the Orioles, I haven't really had much of an idea the last 5 years. I guess that's part of their formula for success, figure out a way with a patchwork 25 man roster. The Orioles won 96 games and the division in 2014 without Manny Machado or Chris Davis in the 2nd half. Know how? They had really good starting pitching, that's how.
Know what they haven't had in ... ANY ... of the other years? Good starting pitching. Know what they're unlikely to have this year? Average starting pitching.
Someone in the FO or Buck or whoever hitched their reins to homers, bullpen and defense and the results have been pretty damned good considering the haphazard/nonstandard approach. But if you look at the historical results, they have been their best when the starting pitching has excelled. We're going into Spring Training with 2/5 of a rotation and let's be honest.... 2 guys who have shown flashes but not consistency.