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As Spring Training Begins; Don't tell the O's they can't


wildcard

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Spring Training camp opens on Thursday. The O's are still building but in spite of the pundits saying they are a last place team, this team may surprise. They don't like to be told they can't.

Going into the off season with 6 free agents the O's were told they couldn't compete with the highly inflated prices on the market. Peter and Dan surprised most everyone one by bring back Davis, O'Day and Wieters. Their 2nd act is not guaranteed yet but they may add Gallardo and Fowler. Don't tell the O's they won't spend. Don't tell them they can't win.

With the current lineup's power to compete with the Blue Jays for the most homers in baseball, the O's were missing the OBP capability in front of the sluggers to run up the score. Dan Duquette hopes to add Dexter Fowler at the top of the lineup in the next few days. Fowler's .363 career OBP followed by Manny's (.359 last year), Kim's OBP potential and Davis (361 OBP last year) could pack the top and middle of the order with runners for the RBI guys on the team to knock in. That could be a very productive combination.

Two others with high OBP player in the minor leagues will competing for spots on the bench. Joey Rickard and LJ Hoes have iit up the minors with their ability to get on base. Don't be surprised if they play roles to helping the O's score runs during the season.

The O'a added slugger DH Mark Trumbo to Jones, a healthy Wieters and Schoop. Watch the balls fly with this group. JJ Hardy's defense at SS rounds out what what could be one of the most potent lineups in baseball.

The pen is loaded. Britton, O'Day and rookie Mychal Given may lock down the last three innings just as effectively as anything the Yankees have, though probably not with as many strikeouts. Brach, Matusz and Worley rounded out a mostly veteran pen with the possible addition of first round draft choice Dylan Bundy. The 7th inning on should be fun to watch as the O's nail down wins.

The starting pitching is supposed to be the O's Waterloo but don't tell them they can't be good. First rounder Kevin Gausman is talking about how much confidence he has in his curve. Add that to a blazing fastball and an excellent change up and this may be year he breaks out to the top of the rotation. Tillman is looking to recapture his 2014 form were he pitched over 200 innings with 3.34ERA, leading the team to a division title. The addition of Gallardo could give the O's a 13 game winner with less than a 3.50 ERA who starts 30 games. Ubaldo has shown the ability to pitch many innings and win with around a 4.00 ERA. Gonzalez may not go more than 160 innings but he showed in 2012-2014 that a 3.45 ERA is within his reach.

Duquette has built depth to the starting staff with Worley, Despaigne, plus rookies Wright and Wilson. That should make August's wins easier to come by.

While in many ways the O's could field a team with 10 players who have been All-Stars - Davis, Hardy, Machado, Wieters, Jones, Tillman, Gallardo, Jimenez, Britton and O'Day. They also have youth on their side with Manny, Bundy, Schoop, Gausman and Rickard all 25 or younger. No one on the team is older than 33 with only Hardy, O'Day, Jimenez, Reimold and Gonzalez in the 31-33 range.

The Gallardo and Fowler additions are only talk until they happen but don't tell Peter he can't. And don't tell the O's management and players they have to be anything less than a playoff team. They like to prove those who dare wrong.

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Assuming everything plays out as expected/hoped (i.e. adding Fowler), where would you prefer Kim? Do you think he makes more sense near the top of the lineup for OBP purposes, or does he break up the righties at the bottom of the lineup? I'm thinking of two scenarios:

A.

Fowler (S)

Machado ®

Jones ®

Davis (L)

Trumbo ®

Wieters (S)

Schoop ®

Kim (L)

Hardy ®

B.

Fowler (S)

Kim (L)

Machado ®

Davis (L)

Jones ®

Trumbo ®

Wieters (S)

Schoop ®

Hardy ®

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Wildcard, that is a very refreshing outlook amongst all of the hand wringing going on this winter, and a perfect send off as the team heads to Sarasota and a new season of hope! Love it! The core of this team seems to thrive on being the underdog, I look forward to seeing how they respond to all the naysaying and apparent low expectations from the industry.

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This team will score runs but their success or lack thereof will come down to SP (as in all previous years under Buck S). When SP pitches reasonably well they make the playoffs; when SP implodes, they don't. They are always on the edge due to lack of big-time SP.

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