Many Orioles players return to improve on last year’s losing season.
The Orioles are on the verge of bringing back pitcher Chris Tillman, who agreed to a one-year deal on Monday.
As the O’s prepare for day two of full-squad exercises on Tuesday, we’re seeing a familiar lineup. Twenty-eight of the spring training roster played for the Orioles at some time last season.
They’re familiar, but will they become better?
“It’s great having everybody back together and, you know, having a full team workout today,” said outfielder Trey Mancini. “It’s always pretty fun to get back out there with the guys.”
It’s only the first day of school, but baseball analysts predict the Orioles will receive a failing grade since their roster is basically the same as the squad that finished last in 2017.
“It’s not rocket science; we do need additionals, but it’s not rocket science,” said outfielder Adam Jones. “So I know that Dan has been very patient.”
Patience may be growing thin among a fan base that fears further failure. However, Orioles players are accustomed to low expectations, and if they are once again positioned as an underdog, they will accept the part.
“I think as a whole, we’ve got the guys in here to get the job done,” stated Chris Davis. “We’ve never had the prettiest team on the pitch, we’ve never been picked to win the division, and I don’t think we will be, which is OK. I believe we have taken that position and will run with it.
There’s optimism and sunshine in Sarasota while clouds of doubt gather elsewhere in forecasts for the O’s season. So the team will again have to work harder to exceed expectations.
“I kind of look at Baltimore as a city like that,” said pitcher Kevin Gausman. “You know, kind of a blue collar, chip on their shoulder type of city, and so, the fact that they do that to us every year, I kind of seem like it fits, and, you know, I think I can speak for everybody in that clubhouse that we love proving people wrong.”
Gausman is a big part of the Orioles starting rotation that has to improve, for the Orioles tor prove their doubters wrong in 2018.
Stay with WJZ, sports reporter Mark Viviano will report from Orioles spring training all this week.
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