2014 MLB Team Previews – Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles will be looking to get back to their 2012 form in which they won an astounding 93 games with what was, on paper, an average team.
Bovada’s Odds to Win
AL East: +1200
American League: 20/1
World Series: 40/1
Key Additions: Nelson Cruz, Jemile Weeks
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Last year their 85 wins was more a reflection of the team they sent out every day. Chris Davis graduated to an elite slugger and Adam Jones continues his climb up the ranks as one of the best all-around players in the game. Will it continue this year?
Projected Starting Line-Up
1 Nick Markakis OF
2 Manny Machado Injury
3 Chris Davis 1B
4 Adam Jones OF
5 Matt Wieters Catcher
6 J.J. Hardy SS
7 Delmon Young OF
8 Nolan Reimold DH
9 Jemile Weeks 2B
The O’s added Nelson Cruz last week to a lineup that looks a tad suspect. Speed in the basepaths is sadly lacking but the undeniable power in the batting order may make it so speed is unnecessary. Baltimore was fourth in the AL last year in runs scored and it appears as though they will need every one of those runs because of a sketchy pitching rotation that figures to be a bottom third unit.
Manny Machado will start the season on the DL which hurts this team and there are questions abound about exactly where he will be physically when he returns. Any chink in the Oriole’s armor is troublesome – the depth just isn’t there!
Projected Starting Rotation
1 Ubaldo Jimenez SP
2 Chris Tillman SP
3 Wei-Yin Chen SP
4 Bud Norris SP
5 Miguel Gonzalez Injury
6 Kevin Gausman SP
7 Dylan Bundy
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Pitching will likely be the thing that holds Baltimore back this upcoming season. There is a serious lack of a legitimate #1 and there is definitely some depth issues with this squad. On paper, Baltimore has a below average staff – scary as they head into another season of ball in the AL East. There are some free agent fish still available and the O’s have been linked to every one of them – the rotation could look a whole lot different by opening day. Baltimore fans will be crossing their fingers that it is.
Closer
Tommy Hunter RP
Darren O’Day RP
Ryan Webb RP
The Orioles traded their best bullpen arm in the offseason – gone is Jim Johnson and his 50+ saves the last two seasons and in is a decent but unproven Tommy Hunter to assume the closers role. The O’s also lost out on Grant Balfour to become their closer which speaks to the dire straits of this unit. All of the arms out of the pen will have to overachieve for them to be in the top half of the AL but I can’t see that happening.
2014 Prediction:
A lot of things have to come together at precisely the right time in order for the Baltimore Orioles to even crack the .500 mark this year. As it stands, the starting rotation is uninspiring and the bullpen looks unproven and a tad sketchy on paper. The O’s will hit home runs (four players had 20 last year and they added Nelson Cruz) but if the staff can’t hold the opposition down it won’t matter how many long-balls they hit.
The AL East should be one of the tougher divisions in baseball again this year – the O’s will have to navigate some pretty tough batting orders all season long. Expect 75-78 wins this year and for the O’s to challenge for last place in the AL East.
