‘Love the competition’: Orioles waltz into Spring Training balancing competition, high expectations
BESIDES ALL THE SUNSHINE THAT YOU’RE BLOCKING WITH ALL YOUR SHADES? I MEAN, LIKE YOU SAID, ONE LITTLE CLOUD RIGHT NOW OVER THERE THAT JUST KIND OF RUB IT IN. IT WAS 78 DEGREES FOR THE HIGH TODAY, SO I GUESS I CAN’T COMPLAIN ALL THAT MUCH, BUT IT IS REALLY EXCITING FOR THIS TEAM WHEN YOU CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, THEY REALLY DO BELIEVE THEY HAVE THE QUALITY AND THE TALENT THAT IS THERE. AND WE’VE SEEN IT IN FOR FOR SO MANY OF THESE PLAYERS, BUT THEY NOW HAVE THE DEPTH TO HANDLE THE ADVERSITY THAT MAY YET FIND THEIR WAY. AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT ABILITY, WELL, WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT BASEBALL? SPRING TRAINING. IT BRINGS HOPE AND RENEWAL. WHATEVER WENT WRONG OR EVEN WENT RIGHT LAST SEASON. THAT’S FLUSHED ON DAY ONE IN ORIOLES CAMP. THAT WINDOW OF POSSIBILITY FULLY OPENS AND REMINDS PLAYERS WHY THEY LOVE THE GAME OF BASEBALL IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT BASEBALL? WHAT STILL GETS YOU JUST JUICED ABOUT PLAYING THIS GAME? THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION. PROBABLY JUST, YOU KNOW, BEING IN THE GRIND WITH THE BOYS EVERY DAY, YOU KNOW, WORKING TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND TO BE HONEST, I JUST I LOVE THE COMPETITION. AS ADULTS, 99% OF US HAVE ALREADY LOST THE CHANCE FOR COMPETITION ON THE FIELD OF PLAY. THESE GUYS KNOW HOW SPECIAL IT IS TO COMPETE AND DO IT AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. I MEAN, JUST THE COMPETITION. I MEAN, IT’S SUCH A FUN GAME. I MEAN, IT’S JUST SUCH A BEAUTIFUL GAME. IT’S THE MOST IT’S THE MOST PERFECT AND PERFECT GAME. AND IT’S IT’S, IT’S IT’S A BEAUTIFUL THING. I LOVE TO COMPETE. AND JUST PLAYING THIS GAME, IT JUST BRINGS ME TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF JOY AND THE RELATIONSHIPS BUILT IN THE CLUBHOUSE. THEY’RE JUST DIFFERENT AND THEY MEAN THE WORLD. BASEBALL HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CONSTANT IN MY LIFE. IT’S THE WAY THAT I MADE FRIENDS. IT’S THE WAY THAT I BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. YOU KNOW? I THINK THAT BASEBALL IS A REALLY COOL SPORT IN THE SENSE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE COME FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. PLUS, THE MOMENT YOU DO SOMETHING SPECIAL ON THE FIELD, WELL, THERE’S JUST NOTHING BETTER. I THINK THE HIGHS ARE REALLY HIGH. IT’S SUCH A HARD SPORT THAT WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR GOOD MOMENTS, LIKE THEY FEEL LIKE YOU’RE WALKING ON, YOU’RE WALKING ON WATER. AND SO FAR, UNIVERSALLY, THE PLAYERS REALLY SEEM TO ENJOY THEIR NEW MANAGER. CRAIG ALBERT HAS BEEN COMING UP AT SIX, A WAY THAT HE IS FURTHER ENDEARING HIMSELF TO HIS NEW TEAM. IT’S A REALLY GOOD IDEA. WE’LL TALK ABOUT THAT COMING UP AT SIX LIVE HERE
‘Love the competition’: Orioles waltz into Spring Training balancing competition, high expectations
Updated: 5:59 PM EST Feb 17, 2026
Orioles Spring Training is in full swing as the team looks to bounce back from a challenging 2025 campaign.Team leadership brought in a new manager, a host of new players and other core stars to help Baltimore realize its enormous potential. In mid-February, it isn’t difficult to buy into the hype surrounding the team. Spring Training brings hope and renewal. Whatever went wrong or even went right last season got flushed away on the first day of camp. The window of possibility reopens and reminds players why they love the game of baseball in the first place.Trevor Rogers said he loves the competition that baseball brings.”Just being in the grind with the boys every day,” Rogers said. “Working toward a common goal every single day, and to be honest, I just love the competition.””I mean, just the competition,” said Orioles newcomer Pete Alonso. “It’s such a fun game. It’s just such a beautiful game. It’s the most perfect game, and it’s a beautiful thing, and I love to compete. Playing this game, it brings me a tremendous amount of joy.”The relationships built in the clubhouse are just different, and they mean the world.”Baseball has always been the constant in my life. It’s the way that I made friends, it’s the way that I’ve built relationships. I think that baseball is a really cool sport in the sense that a lot of people come from a lot of different backgrounds,” said pitcher Tyler Wells.And the moment you do something special on the field, there’s just nothing better.”I think the highs are really high,” said infielder Coby Mayo. “It’s such a hard sport that when you have your good moments, you feel like you’re walking on water.”
SARASOTA, Fla. —
Orioles Spring Training is in full swing as the team looks to bounce back from a challenging 2025 campaign.
Team leadership brought in a new manager, a host of new players and other core stars to help Baltimore realize its enormous potential. In mid-February, it isn’t difficult to buy into the hype surrounding the team.
Spring Training brings hope and renewal. Whatever went wrong or even went right last season got flushed away on the first day of camp. The window of possibility reopens and reminds players why they love the game of baseball in the first place.
Trevor Rogers said he loves the competition that baseball brings.
“Just being in the grind with the boys every day,” Rogers said. “Working toward a common goal every single day, and to be honest, I just love the competition.”
“I mean, just the competition,” said Orioles newcomer Pete Alonso. “It’s such a fun game. It’s just such a beautiful game. It’s the most perfect game, and it’s a beautiful thing, and I love to compete. Playing this game, it brings me a tremendous amount of joy.”
The relationships built in the clubhouse are just different, and they mean the world.
“Baseball has always been the constant in my life. It’s the way that I made friends, it’s the way that I’ve built relationships. I think that baseball is a really cool sport in the sense that a lot of people come from a lot of different backgrounds,” said pitcher Tyler Wells.
And the moment you do something special on the field, there’s just nothing better.
“I think the highs are really high,” said infielder Coby Mayo. “It’s such a hard sport that when you have your good moments, you feel like you’re walking on water.”