MLB\u2019s regular season is inching ever closer. The World Baseball Classic will wrap up in just a few days. The Grapefruit League enters its final week. And the Orioles have named an Opening Day starter.<\/p>\n
Team USA is still alive in the WBC, although the road has not been as easy as they probably expected it to be. They had to sweat out the final game of Pool play in order to squeak into the quarterfinals. That set the stage for a matchup with Canada on Friday night. That was a game they ultimately won 5-3, and now they will face a very impressive Dominican Republic squad on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. Even if you aren\u2019t a WBC fan overall, that is a game worth checking out. Will USA skipper Mark DeRosa come to his senses and put Gunnar Henderson (5-for-10, home run) in the lineup ahead of Alex Bregman (2-for-11, five walks)? Don\u2019t count on it.<\/p>\n
One week from today, the Orioles will play their final game in Florida. After that, they are due to head north for a home-and-home pair of exhibition games with the nearby Nationals. Those will be the last tune ups before Opening Day on March 26. It\u2019s practically right around the corner!<\/p>\n
And we now know who will be pitching for the Orioles on March 26. The team announced on Friday that Trevor Rogers will take the hill<\/a> as the unofficial \u201cace\u201d of the staff. On one hand, it\u2019s no surprise to give a veteran coming off of a Cy Young-contending season the Opening Day start. But on the other, Kyle Bradish is far more established within Baltimore, and still felt like the favorite to a degree coming into camp. Instead it looks like he will get to work in Game 2 of the year.<\/p>\n In the meantime, there is still plenty of baseball to watch. In the WBC, Puerto Rico and Italy will play at 3 p.m. ET, while Venezuela and Japan meet up at 9 p.m. ET. The Orioles will head to Bradenton for a 1:05 p.m. first pitch against the Pirates. Rogers will be on the bump.<\/p>\n Gunnar Henderson, underrated? WBC treatment is puzzling for Orioles star | The Capital Gazette<\/a> How the Orioles built a potentially special draft class of pitchers in 2023 | The Baltimore Banner<\/a> Trying to learn more about Albernaz\u2019s leadoff plans, Jackson on playing second base, teammates happy about Rogers\u2019 Opening Day start | Roch Kubatko<\/a>
Bregman is still a good player, but he is years past his prime. Meanwhile, Henderson might still be ascending. There is no question about who is the better player right now. The only arguments for Bregman being in the lineup is that he has more experience, has won big tournaments (World Series), and he plays third base everyday. And I will say that those are not without merit. Would I still pick Henderson? Yes, but I am openly biased.<\/p>\n
The Mike Elias era of Orioles baseball is not without its pitching success stories. Bradish was plucked from the Angels when many saw him as a relief pitcher long term. Rogers has found a new level in Baltimore. Dean Kremer has been far more productive than many expected when he was a prospect. But the team has not really built a player from draft pick up to impact big leaguer yet. Maybe that changes soon.<\/p>\n
The lead off consideration is interesting. The team probably still wants Jackson Holliday to be that guy at some point, but he\u2019s hurt and still needs to prove some things at the big league level. Given the current state of the team, I would probably go with Henderson. It feels like a waste for his power potential, but he does so many things well on offense. For me, he is the best choice to set the table ahead of Taylor Ward and Pete Alonso.<\/p>\n