Pitchers and catchers have been in camp for five days and the majority of position players will begin reporting today.
Here?s an analysis at each position, and which 25 players will make the Opening Day roster when the Orioles take the field against the Tampa Bay Rays at Camden Yards on March 31.
CATCHERS
Ramon Hernandez arrived in camp in great shape after batting just .258 with nine home runs and 62 RBI last season ? a major dip from 2006, when he hit .275 with 23 homers and 91 RBI. Hernandez, 31, will start, but the battle for his backup is intriguing. Guillermo Quiroz, 26, was signed in the offseason, but the team invited five non-roster players to spring training to compete for a job, including switch-hitting former big leaguer Ben Davis. First-round pick Matt Wieters is in camp, too, and could make his Orioles debut later this season after starting in the minor leagues.
» Starter: Hernandez
» Reserve: Quiroz
INFIELD
There?s still a chance the Orioles open with a completely different double-play pair from last season, as the team still could trade All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts after dealing Miguel Tejada to Houston during the offseason. Luis Hernandez, who is stellar defensively, is likely to replace Tejada at short, though Brandon Fahey is an option. Corner infielder Scott Moore showed some potential late last season, but is behind a logjam of highly paid veterans ? Melvin Mora, Aubrey Huff, and Kevin Millar ? to start at either first or third base. Millar (.254, 17 HR, 63 RBIs) likely will play first and bat cleanup, and Huff will probably serve as the starting designated hitter.
» Starters: 1B Millar, 2B Roberts, SS Hernandez, 3B Mora
» Reserves: SS/OF Freddie Bynum, 1B/3B Huff
OUTFIELD
Luke Scott, Adam Jones and Nick Markakis make up the team?s most exciting unit. Markakis, 24, is coming off a team MVP season (.300, 23 HR, 112 RBIs), and Jones, 22, enters camp as the biggest acquisition of the offseason. The best position battles will be for the reserve spots. Jay Payton is a solid fourth outfielder, but soured playing for a losing team last year, and could be valuable to a contending team. Jay Gibbons will miss the first two weeks of the season because he was suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs. Tike Redman is under contract, and should take Gibbons? place until his 15-game suspension ends.
» Starters: LF Scott, CF Jones, RF Markakis
» Reserves: Jay Gibbons (suspended), Jay Payton, Tike Redman
ROTATION
At least two open spots exist after the team traded ace left-hander Erik Bedard to Seattle earlier this month. Right-handed pitcher Jeremy Guthrie won one of the final roster spots last spring, but after a strong rookie season (7-5, 3.70 ERA), he could replace Bedard as the Opening Day starter. Adam Loewen is coming back from elbow surgery, and Daniel Cabrera hasn?t lived up to potential. With Guthrie, Loewen and Cabrera taking the first three spots of the rotation, young arms Troy Patton, Garrett Olson, Hayden Penn, Radhames Liz and Matt Albers will battle with veteran non-roster invite Steve Trachsel, who returned on a minor league contract this month, for the final two spots.
» Starters: Guthrie, Loewen, Cabrera, Trachsel, Patton
BULLPEN
There are only three locks to start the year in the bullpen: submarine right-hander Chad Bradford and left-handers Jamie Walker and George Sherrill. The rest of the spots ? as many as five ? are up for grabs. The bullpen was a weak spot last year, and the team looked to young and unknown acquisitions to close games. Potential closers Chris Ray and Danys Baez likely are unavailable this season, as each are recovering from elbow surgery. Sherrill (2-0, 2.36 ERA in Seattle in ?07) is the favorite to be the closer.
» Left-handers: Brian Burres, George Sherrill, Jamie Walker
» Right-handers: Greg Aquino, Chad Bradford, Dennis Sarfate, Esteban Yan
