Roch: Which Orioles bring the most spring curiosity?

[Frobby]

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2015/02/which-orioles-bring-the-most-spring-curiosity.html

Roch lists 18 different players who have stories he's interested in following this spring.

[24fps]

Schoop for me. There's just so much potential in his bat if Coolbaugh can unlock it. Verrett/Garcia would be my second choice.

[Aristotelian]

Maybe Lough for me. If the first half really was due to his concussion, offensive production at his second half rate combined with stellar defense would make him a major contributor. If he could pull off .280/.330, he could be more than a 4th OF, if not this year then 2016 when De Aza is gone. But his first half was so bad that it is hard to expect that.

Of course Bundy with everything that we have invested in him and his upside for the future.

Which Ubaldo we get could be a major factor this year. Like Lough, he has high upside but could be a real disaster.

One guy left off the list is Hassan. Some people have him on the active roster on opening day due to Davis's suspension.

That spot could also go to Alvarez, Walker, Urrutia, or Navarro. It's only a bench spot for one game but it will be interesting to see who gets it as that could signal who is going to be the "next man up" later this season.

[33rdst]

This article gets me excited for spring training. Lots to watch.

1. Schoop's progress is going to be huge. For me he is one of the keys to the O's having a successful season.

2. Jason Garcia. Can the O's afford to let an arm like that walk away. He has effortless velocity. Very solid delivery. Doesn't appear to overthrow at all. Can't wait to see him throw in spring training games. I expect that he'll see a lot of action in the first several weeks.

3. Manny, Wieters, Davis. Just want to see how all of them bounce back from the travails of last year.

4. Lough, Snider. Going to be an interesting battle here. I know we're paying Snider two plus million but I think Lough feels like he has something to prove.

5. Hank Urrutia. An absolute dark horse and a long shot but how can you not root for a guy like this.

6. Almost forgot Ubaldo. Recently watched a replay of the game he pitched when the O's cliched the east title. Appears as though he may have found something with the new delivary.

[spiritof66]

Lough, Alvarez, Snider, Bundy. I'm focused on the short term.

[BohKnowsBmore]

This article gets me excited for spring training. Lots to watch.

1. Schoop's progress is going to be huge. For me he is one of the keys to the O's having a successful season.

2. Jason Garcia. Can the O's afford to let an arm like that walk away. He has effortless velocity. Very solid delivery. Doesn't appear to overthrow at all. Can't wait to see him throw in spring training games. I expect that he'll see a lot of action in the first several weeks.

3. Manny, Wieters, Davis. Just want to see how all of them bounce back from the travails of last year.

4. Lough, Snider. Going to be an interesting battle here. I know we're paying Snider two plus million but I think Lough feels like he has something to prove.

5. Hank Urrutia. An absolute dark horse and a long shot but how can you not root for a guy like this.

6. Almost forgot Ubaldo. Recently watched a replay of the game he pitched when the O's cliched the east title. Appears as though he may have found something with the new delivary.

I'm sort of hesitant to get excited about him after ST last year...

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2014_03_07_phimlb_balmlb_1

2.0 IP, 0 H, 0W, 3K

[BohKnowsBmore]

Schoop for me. There's just so much potential in his bat if Coolbaugh can unlock it. Verrett/Garcia would be my second choice.

I was gonna say Garcia, but I think Schoop actually jumps to the top of my list. I'd say...

1. Schoop

2. Garcia

3. Hank

4. Gausman

[DoubleStufOriole]

I'd love to see Garcia and Verrett both impress us in spring training and somehow both remain in the organization.

Ideally, Verrett would earn the spot, and we could work out a trade with the Red Sox in order to keep Garcia but send him to the minors for more seasoning.

I mentioned it in another thread, but in an ideal situation, we could trade Matusz for Garcia, which would be a "win-win" because it would also create an extra opening in the bullpen.

[33rdst]

I'm sort of hesitant to get excited about him after ST last year...

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2014_03_07_phimlb_balmlb_1

2.0 IP, 0 H, 0W, 3K

Yeah and he faced their starters in that game too. Although, the Phillies didn't have much last year did they. I'm hoping this new delivary will help him locate his fastball. If he can minimize the walks this spring that will be significant.

[canonfaz]

Schoop is virtually a lock to start the season as the second baseman. For me, I'm more intrigued by the rule5 battle, Lough/Snider/Reimold, Bundy, and Gamboa.

[El Gordo]

What they do in ST is meaningless for the most part. The exceptions will be Manny and Matt's health, the 4th bench player and the competition for the bullpen slots.

[OFFNY]

o

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[CA-ORIOLE]

Bundy, Snider, Alvarez and Davis. Machado and Wieters health.

[El Gordo]

Bundy is not making the team no matter how good he looks, but it will be interesting to see what he does. Snider will be in competition for the 4th bench spot with a bunch of guys including Urrutia, Hassan, Alverez, Parmalee, Reimold, et al. It doesn't matter what Davis does in ST, unless he gets injured again.

[Nevermore]

Ubaldo and Chris Davis. Ubaldo improved his delivery late last year after being sent to the pen. Hopefully, his progress will continue in a regualr starting role. Chris's batting fell off last year, below the Mendoza line, though he had some home runs. I'll be watching to see how he has improved.