The Winter Olympics do not have the same appeal as the Summer Games. While nearly all of us can relate to the athletes running, swimming, jumping, and playing various ball sports in the sweltering heat of the summer, far fewer can sympathize with the snow-focused events that required a whole lot more time, gear, and resources than you had as a kid. I don\u2019t know anyone that cross country skis. But everyone raced their friends, or has played some games of pick-up at recess.<\/p>\n
That said, I have been enjoying the Winter Games! It\u2019s nice to have some sort of sport to check out throughout the day. I don\u2019t necessarily understand it all, but high-level competition is fun, and it\u2019s filling a gap in the sports schedule that is often devoid of much else. Give me an international curling tournament every February! Maybe they already do that. I will have to check.<\/p>\n
Anyway, the point of all of this is to say that baseball\u2019s time to shine is nearly here. This weekend will see anyone that isn\u2019t already in Orioles camp roll in ahead of the first full-squad workout on Monday. The first game of the Grapefruit League season takes place on Friday. Baseball is in the air.<\/p>\n
You can tell by the pure volume of links down below that people are getting excited. There are genuinely interesting things to read about the Orioles all over the internet. The time for offseason hypothesizing and projecting is over. The players will be on the field (and then on our TVs and radios) very, very soon.<\/p>\n
The final nail in that offseason coffin came on Friday, when the Orioles confirmed their deal with Chris Bassitt. Any lingering hopes for adding an \u201cace\u201d were officially dashed, although that probably happened in truth quite a while ago. It will be up to the arms they have in-house to carry them through the early part of the season. If the team puts itself in a good enough position come July, they might be back in the trade market for an upgrade.<\/p>\n
But let\u2019s get through the spring healthy first. That has already proven difficult for certain parts of the 2026 roster.<\/p>\n
Another look at center field, Kjerstad\u2019s long home run and other live batting practice nuggets on Day 3 of Orioles camp | Roch Kubatko<\/a> Jordan Westburg\u2019s oblique setback starts another frustrating rehab process | The Baltimore Banner<\/a> Which teams improved the most this winter? | MLB.com<\/a> The Orioles roster needed a lot of help. Like it or not, the front office has provided it. | The Baltimore Banner<\/a>
Roch runs through a bunch of outfielders in this one. It sounds like Colton Cowser is the center fielder. That is not a shock to anyone at this point, but it wasn\u2019t always obvious throughout the offseason. Heston Kjerstad is looking strong, which is great news. It\u2019s tough to see a path to playing time for him with the Orioles, but it\u2019s possible. If it doesn\u2019t happen here, maybe he shows enough in the spring to get back onto radars around the league.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, the Orioles are currently setup well to absorb an injury like this. If Westburg can actually get back to 100% (or close to it) before Opening Day, this won\u2019t be a big deal. But obliques are tricky. They can linger and nag. Even if Westburg is cleared for the opener, the O\u2019s may have to handle him with kid gloves early.<\/p>\n
The Orioles are one of the most improved teams, according to bWAR added this offseason. That does not guarantee anything, particularly not in the AL East, but it is a reflection of the work done this offseason. Hopefully it translates onto the playing field.<\/p>\n
In a similar vein to the above MLB article, this lays how all of the things that the Orioles did accomplish these last few months. There is certainly space to criticize the front office\u2019s moves this offseason, but you can\u2019t say they sat on their hands. It was a busy winter. Now we will see if it all pans out.<\/p>\n