15 Predictions For The Orioles' 2015 Season

[PressBoxOnline]

Paul Fokemer makes his predictions for the Orioles' 2015 season and projects Manny Machado will play a fully and healthy season. http://www.pressboxonline.com/2015/03/12/the-15-predictions-for-the-orioles-2015-seasons

[bobmc]

Paul Fokemer makes his predictions for the Orioles' 2015 season and projects Manny Machado will play a fully and healthy season. http://www.pressboxonline.com/2015/03/12/the-15-predictions-for-the-orioles-2015-seasons

Ouch! #jinxintact #fingerscrossed

[Aristotelian]

15. THE ORIOLES WILL RETURN TO THE POSTSEASON

Various baseball pundits and projection systems aren't bullish on the Orioles' chances of winning this season. But then again, they weren't bullish on the Orioles the last three years, either, and the O's won 85 or more games all three times. Under manager Buck Showalter, the Birds have a way of outperforming everyone's expectations. While they might not have the second-best record in the majors like in 2014, they still figure to be one of the top five teams in the AL, which will earn them another trip to the postseason.

I like it!

[El Gordo]

I don't see how we can make in seasons trades of Wieters, Davis, Chen, Norris, etc. and still make the post season. Maybe one of them. Also I can see a round robin approach at the OF corners where no one is regarded as the full time starter.

[PaulFolk]

I don't see how we can make in seasons trades of Wieters, Davis, Chen, Norris, etc. and still make the post season. Maybe one of them. Also I can see a round robin approach at the OF corners where no one is regarded as the full time starter.

I take it you're referring to this prediction?

13. The Orioles will make a flurry of in-season trades

Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette tends to swing more big trades during the season than he does during the winter, often hoping to build depth for inevitable free-agent departures. And with 11 Orioles players eligible for free agency after 2015 -- including Davis, Wieters and starters Bud Norris and Wei-Yin Chen -- Duquette could start stockpiling their potential replacements throughout the 2015 season.

Sorry, that prediction might have been confusingly worded. I didn't mean that the O's would trade away their free agents-to-be. I meant that they'll trade for a bunch of players who are under contract for 2016, so that they'll have them on hand as possible replacements once the FAs leave. Similar to how they acquired De Aza last season, partly in anticipation of losing Markakis/Cruz to free agency.

[Rene88]

Do you think we acquire another SP from outside the organization? Bundy may not be a sure thing next year after all. Wright has looked good but not a lock....

I thought Chen and Norris were all but gone but maybe we keep 1?

[Frobby]

I like these predictions. Especially the last one.

[wildcard]

I take it you're referring to this prediction?

Sorry, that prediction might have been confusingly worded. I didn't mean that the O's would trade away their free agents-to-be. I meant that they'll trade for a bunch of players who are under contract for 2016, so that they'll have them on hand as possible replacements once the FAs leave. Similar to how they acquired De Aza last season, partly in anticipation of losing Markakis/Cruz to free agency.

Dan and Buck may have already done some of this replacement

2016

1B - Davis - re-sign Pearce

2B - Schoop

SS - Hardy

3B - Manny

C - Wieters - replaced with Joseph

RF - Snider - replaced with Alvarez also backup CF

CF - Jones

LF - de Aza - Snider moves to left

DH - Young - replaced with Paredes

UIF - Cabrera, Flaherty, Navarro

BC - Joseph - replaced by Arencibia or Lavanway or Clevenger

Backup 1B/DH - Pearce replaced by Walker

25th man - Paredes - Urrutia added

Tillman

Gausman

Gonzo

Jimenez

Chen - replaced by Bundy or Harvey

Britton

O'Day replaced by Garcia

Hunter replaced by Mike Wright

Brach

Garcia replaced S Johnson, Z Davies,

Wesley Wright - re signed

Jimenez - replaced by S Johnson, Z Davies, McFarland, Wilson

[PaulFolk]

Dan and Buck may have already done some of this replacement

2016

1B - Davis - re-sign Pearce

2B - Schoop

SS - Hardy

3B - Manny

C - Wieters - replaced with Joseph

RF - Snider - replaced with Alvarez also backup CF

CF - Jones

LF - de Aza - Snider moves to left

DH - Young - replaced with Paredes

UIF - Cabrera, Flaherty, Navarro

BC - Joseph - replaced by Arencibia or Lavanway or Clevenger

Backup 1B/DH - Pearce replaced by Walker

25th man - Paredes - Urrutia added

I certainly hope that's not what the Orioles are counting on. That's a pretty weak looking offense. Any lineup that has Caleb Joseph as the everyday catcher and Jimmy Paredes as the everyday DH isn't going to score a lot of runs, not to mention that guys like Alvarez, Walker, and Urrutia are question marks at this point.

I think we'll see the O's acquire at least a couple of veterans as candidates for some lineup spots in 2016.

[PaulFolk]

Do you think we acquire another SP from outside the organization? Bundy may not be a sure thing next year after all. Wright has looked good but not a lock....

I thought Chen and Norris were all but gone but maybe we keep 1?

I think the O's will probably look for another SP. As wildcard mentioned, you could theoretically put together an in-house rotation for 2016 with Tillman, Gausman, Gonzalez, Jimenez, and a current minor league guy (Bundy, M.Wright, etc.), but it doesn't hurt to have depth.

I also think it's a possibility that O's will re-sign Norris. He seems to like it in Baltimore and probably won't demand an outrageous amount. But I don't see the O's having much chance of re-signing Chen, since he's a Boras client who will be seeking top dollar.

[wildcard]

I certainly hope that's not what the Orioles are counting on. That's a pretty weak looking offense. Any lineup that has Caleb Joseph as the everyday catcher and Jimmy Paredes as the everyday DH isn't going to score a lot of runs, not to mention that guys like Alvarez, Walker, and Urrutia are question marks at this point.

I think we'll see the O's acquire at least a couple of veterans as candidates for some lineup spots in 2016.

There is still time. This is the 2016 lineup. Still time for players to develop, get called up this year. The picture will become clearer in time.

[Orioles0615]

Dan and Buck may have already done some of this replacement

2016

1B - Davis - re-sign Pearce

2B - Schoop

SS - Hardy

3B - Manny

C - Wieters - replaced with Joseph

RF - Snider - replaced with Alvarez also backup CF

CF - Jones

LF - de Aza - Snider moves to left

DH - Young - replaced with Paredes

UIF - Cabrera, Flaherty, Navarro

BC - Joseph - replaced by Arencibia or Lavanway or Clevenger

Backup 1B/DH - Pearce replaced by Walker

25th man - Paredes - Urrutia added

Tillman

Gausman

Gonzo

Jimenez

Chen - replaced by Bundy or Harvey

Britton

O'Day replaced by Garcia

Hunter replaced by Mike Wright

Brach

Garcia replaced S Johnson, Z Davies,

Wesley Wright - re signed

Jimenez - replaced by S Johnson, Z Davies, McFarland, Wilson

Looks like a solid sub 80 win team

[Orioles0615]

14. The Duquette/Toronto rumors will resurface after the season

And this will interfere with getting anything done in the off season, which will be one of the most important off seasons in recent Orioles history. If we loose a lot of guys I do not see us competing with rookies and rule 5 guys.

[PaulFolk]

14. The Duquette/Toronto rumors will resurface after the season

And this will interfere with getting anything done in the off season, which will be one of the most important off seasons in recent Orioles history. If we loose a lot of guys I do not see us competing with rookies and rule 5 guys.

It depends on how quickly the issue gets resolved. If the Duquette issue is resolved one way or the other very early in the offseason (like right after the World Series), then the O's should have time to do what they need to do during the offseason. That assumes that either Duquette stays or they find his replacement quickly.

[weams]

It depends on how quickly the issue gets resolved. If the Duquette issue is resolved one way or the other very early in the offseason (like right after the World Series), then the O's should have time to do what they need to do during the offseason. That assumes that either Duquette stays or they find his replacement quickly.

You think Toronto will bother again? They know the price.