After six lengthy weeks of spring coaching, the Orioles are heading north to play in video games that lastly rely.
Most of camp was drama-free, with out accidents or transactions disrupting the crew’s ramp-up. That barely modified the ultimate week with accidents to reliever Mychal Givens and catcher James McCann, in addition to the choice to start out high pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez in Triple-A.
Before Baltimore begins the season in opposition to the Boston Red Sox on Thursday, right here’s a have a look at a few of what we realized in regards to the Orioles this spring.
Grayson Rodriguez isn’t invincible
The Orioles’ choice to not have Rodriguez open the season on the foremost league roster was controversial.
The transfer led to questions in regards to the group’s true motivation for sending him down in addition to questions on what the rotation might appear like later within the yr.
What isn’t controversial, although, is the truth that Rodriguez didn’t carry out properly in camp. The Orioles’ high pitching prospect’s spring wasn’t all unhealthy — he nonetheless displayed plus velocity and a powerful changeup.
But he did legitimately wrestle, no matter whether or not it was sufficient for him to be despatched again to Triple-A. The 5 starters who made the rotation — Kyle Gibson, Dean Kremer, Cole Irvin, Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells — all had a minimum of one begin of 5 or extra innings, whereas Rodriguez by no means recorded greater than 12 outs.
In every of his last three spring begins, the 23-year-old had one blowup inning, often when he began dealing with the lineup a second time by the order. Twelve of his 15 runs allowed got here in these three frames.
“This is his first true major league spring training,” supervisor Brandon Hyde stated after Rodriguez’s last spring begin. “I think we have to remember he’s a really young player. Sometimes it’s OK to go through some rough patches to know that you have to make some adjustments.”
It is only a matter of time earlier than Rodriguez makes his solution to Baltimore. But he confirmed this spring that immense expertise doesn’t mechanically result in success in opposition to huge league hitters.
The youngsters can play
How a lot time do you might have?
The checklist of the Orioles’ high prospects who stood out once they have been in huge league camp is lengthy.
The high one is Heston Kjerstad. The No. 2 total collection of the 2020 draft, Kjerstad proved that his offseason feedback that he believes he can attain the large leagues by the top of 2023 weren’t simply lip service. Kjerstad, who missed all of 2020 and 2021 with coronary heart and hamstring illnesses, was maybe the Orioles’ finest hitter in spring coaching with a 1.219 OPS and 9 extra-base hits.
Another Orioles outfielder who impressed this spring was Colton Cowser. The No. 5 collection of the 2021 draft, Cowser displayed his two finest traits — his uncooked energy and his plate self-discipline. He clobbered a 467-foot dwelling run — a blast that might have been farther than all however two dwelling runs hit within the majors final season exterior thin-aired Colorado — and walked in 28% of his plate appearances.
The prospect who caught with the Orioles the longest was infielder Jordan Westburg. The No. 30 total decide in 2020, Westburg spent all of spring coaching in main league camp and greater than held his personal with a .306/.368/.510 slash line.
Orioles government vice chairman and common supervisor Mike Elias stated Monday that Westburg, who has 413 profession plate appearances in Triple-A, is “really close” to creating his solution to Baltimore.
“He continues to open eyes,” Elias stated. “I want these guys to come up and stay, and I expect that’s going to be the case with Westburg. I expect it’s going to be soon, and I expect he’s going to do really well.”
When these gamers make it to Baltimore stays to be seen. But this spring was actually a sign of what they’re able to.
The Orioles have loads of depth
Can there be such something as an excessive amount of depth?
Of course, the Orioles aren’t fairly there but, however maybe the starkest distinction between the 2023 spring in contrast with these throughout the rebuild is the variety of main league-caliber gamers on the membership’s disposal.
The rotation and bullpen competitions are proof of that.
In addition to the 5 starters within the rotation, the Orioles have a handful of different starters who both have excessive pedigrees as prospects (Rodriguez and DL Hall), pitched properly in 2022 as main league starters (Spenser Watkins and Austin Voth) or are injured and anticipated again midseason (John Means).
In the bullpen, accidents to Dillon Tate and Mychal Givens are actually setbacks for a bunch of largely inexperienced relievers. But the pitchers who’re more likely to fill these vacant seats — Mike Baumann and Joey Krehbiel — are nonetheless viable choices.
Depth is an effective factor, however what the Orioles nonetheless lack, for now, is a top-tier beginning pitcher to headline the rotation. Veteran Kyle Gibson is an innings-eater and is a candidate to bounce again in 2023, however among the many No. 1 starters for groups eyeing the playoffs, the Orioles have one of many weakest.
The roster isn’t a lot completely different from what was anticipated
Aside from Rodriguez’s absence and the unexpected accidents to Givens and McCann, the roster, which hasn’t formally been set, is anticipated to look fairly much like the offseason projections, particularly on the place participant facet.
Ryan McKenna stored his job because the right-handed-hitting backup outfielder, defensive alternative and pinch runner. Kyle Stowers stored his job because the left-handed-hitting backup outfielder and designated hitter candidate. Terrin Vavra, who frolicked enjoying first, second and third base in addition to left and proper discipline this spring, stored his job because the utility man.
One of probably the most adopted camp battles was amongst Franchy Cordero, Josh Lester, Lewin Díaz and Ryan O’Hearn for the backup first baseman/left-handed-hitting bench bat job.
Despite all these gamers hitting properly this spring — headlined by Cordero’s .413 batting common — the Orioles selected to stay with McKenna, Vavra and Stowers.
Adley Rutschman could be on a famous person trajectory
Wasn’t he already?
Rutschman was already an awesome participant, however he may need proven the beginning of one thing this spring — albeit in a minuscule pattern dimension — that might take his recreation to the following degree.
The hallmark of an elite participant within the majors is his capability to assault his greatest flaw within the offseason and proper it in a single season’s time. In his rookie marketing campaign, Rutschman, a switch-hitter, struggled mightily whereas hitting right-handed in opposition to left-handed pitchers in 2022, posting a .552 OPS in 115 plate appearances.
In a fair smaller pattern this spring, Rutschman appeared way more snug on the plate in opposition to lefties, strolling 4 instances in 16 plate appearances and hitting two dwelling runs — greater than the one homer he hit from the precise facet in 2022.
Rutschman, who was the American League Rookie of the Year runner-up, has the ninth-best odds on BetMGM Sportsbook to win the AL Most Valuable Player Award this season. Reaching that mountaintop isn’t out of the query for him in Year 2.
Opening day
Orioles at Red Sox
Thursday, 2:10 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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Source: www.bostonherald.com