Time to get back to it

It looks like my vacation is over and it’s time to get back to posting regularly. Players have reported and the foreplay of real baseball is amongst us. Of course, we still have six weeks until there is any meaning baseball, but the world for me is a better place knowing that right now in Fort Lauderdale Miguel Tejada is doing batting practice and Daniel Cabrera is perfecting his pitches.

I’m full of optimism right now and why shoudn’t I be? It’s a clean slate for every team. We’re all first and we’re all last. This is an Orioles team that I feel better about. I don’t think this is the best team in the AL East by any means, but this is the most balanced lineup we’ve had in awhile. There’s not the glaring weakspots the were featured last season. I’m hoping for a bounce back year for Melvin Mora and that Ramon Hernandez keeps up his play from last season. The bullpen is vastly improved from last season and Chris Ray should easily have 40 saves this seasons with some experienced and pricey arms setting him up. The rotation has tons of potential. Erik Bedard had a nice year last year and I think he can improve on it. If Cabrera gets his stuff mentally together he will be a top 5 MLB pitcher. Loewen has good stuff, especially considering how he was rushed. I think Jaret Wright could be a surprise. Steve Trashel? I think he’ll be ok but I’m going to make sure to have a book handy on the days he pitches. Hayden Penn isn’t one to write off yet, I’m betting he’ll be in the bigs by mid-season.

All in all, there’s more to happy about with this team than in the past few years. .500 is definately reachable and that’s what we need, some baby steps towards respectability and that’s what I think the team is finally doing.