My apologies for the long delay between posts.  My skin is cracked and blistered from countless hours spent under the merciless sun of southwest Florida.  I can’t really complain, though. Anyway, let’s get right to it:

Projected 2009 Rotation:

1) Jeremy Guthrie
2) Koji Uehara
3) Mark Hendrickson
4) Adam Eaton
5) Alfredo Simon

Guthrie and Uehara are both locks to open the year in the rotation, but those last 3 spots are really up in the air.  The Orioles have the promising Rich Hill rehabbing from injury, but chances are he won’t be ready in April.  David Pauley and Danys Baez are also in the mix.  As you can see, this rotation is a major weakness.  To put it quantitatively, the sum of the projected VORP for these 5 pitchers in roughly 450 projected innings (as determined by Baseball Prospectus) is less that the projected VORP of Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon in 60 projected innings.  The AL East is stocked with powerful lineups that will feast on these guys like hunger-crazed hyennas tearing apart a bloated hippo carcass.

Rotation Grade: F+

Projected 2009 Bullpen:

George Sherrill (CL)
Chris Ray
James Johnson
Jamie Walker
Dennis Sarfate
Matt Albers
Heyden Penn

The bullpen picture is a bit more promising than the rotation, as the late innings should be in decent shape in the hands of Sherrill, Ray, and Johnson.  Walker was once a decent bullpen guy, but had a terrible season in 2008 and is turning 37 in July.  The rest of the pen consists of mop-up guys who are not quite good enough to be starting pitchers…which is fine, since the rotation is a disaster and lots of long relief innings will be needed.

Bullpen Grade: C+

Projected 2009 Offense:

1) Brian Roberts 2B
2) Adam Jones CF
3) Nick Markakis RF
4) Matt Wieters C
5) Luke Scott DH
6) Aubrey Huff 1B
7) Melvin Mora 3B
8) Felix Pie LF
9) Cesar Izturis SS

Bench:

Greg Zaun C
Ty Wiggington 1B/2B/3B
Ryan Freel SS/OF
Lou Montanez OF

Matt Wieters was born on the twenty-first day in May, in the Year of Our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty six.  When He emerged from the womb, he looked upon His world and saw that it was good.  He then unearthed a 270 foot sequoia and whittled it into his first baseball bat, for which He used to bash down the Berlin Wall at the age of three.  Throughout His adolescent years, he battled Satan’s evil hordes and drove them back to their underground lair of fire, in between punishing opposing Legion Ball pitchers and sending thousands of baseballs into orbit.  When He first donned catcher’s equipment, the local scribes dubbed this equipment “The Tools of Omnipotence”, for a bright glow could be seen emanating from them.  And they saw that it was good.  The Baltimore Orioles, realizing that great power can be dangerous as well as beneficial, have chosen to keep Him in the minor leagues for the time being.  Not unlike Frodo Baggins with “The One Ring”, Orioles management are hesitant to use Matt Wieters, in fear of the seductive lure of powerful abilities.  What if he falls into the wrong hands?  What then!?

Seriously, though, this lineup is interesting even without Wieters initially making the team.  Roberts and Markakis are both among the best at their respective positions.  Adam Jones has the potential to break out into superstar territory at some point, and Felix Pie also has a high ceiling.  Huff, Scott, and Mora are all above average offensive contributors.  The O’s also feature a solid bench, with the Crash Davis-like Zaun and the versatile Freel/Wiggington combo.

Offensive Grade: B-

2009 Fielding Projection:

Up the middle, the Orioles are strong.  Izturis and Jones are among the best fielders at their positions, and while Brian Roberts might be losing a step, he’s still better than average.  Wieters is a good defensive catcher by all accounts, as is Zaun.  The tandem of Markakis-Joes-Pie could be the best defensive outfield in the American League.  Melvin Mora isn’t the defensive abomination he once was, but neither he nor Aubrey Huff will be bringing home a Gold Glove.  Corner infielders notwithstanding, this is a nifty defensive team.  Thank God for that, or the team ERA might have found itself in John Wasdin territory.

Fielding Grade: B+

The Orioles have a handful of young guys who fans a reason to be hopeful.  Jones, Wieters, along with a couple of minor league pitchers might all be All-Star caliber players in two or three years.  When I calculated the overall grade, it was higher than I expected, mostly due to a boost from a decent bullpen and strong fielders.  A novel (yet difficult) short term goal for this team will be to avoid last place in baseball’s toughest division.

Overall Score: 52.5 (C)

Next up: the city known for mass-production of a product I often refer to as “Happy Juice”.

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