A Fan's Christmas Wish List for the Baltimore Orioles in 2015

Christmas is almost here, and families and friends are getting together all over the world for the merriest time of the year.

It's a time of gift giving, bringing joy to others in your life and having your wishes come true.

For fans of the Baltimore Orioles, Santa Claus hasn't come bearing gifts for the good boys and girls just yet, but there are plenty of things to be thankful for heading into the 2015 season.

For one, the Orioles are returning all but one of their pitchers from last season's staff, so all is well in keeping the family together.

Also, the Orioles will be returning a handful of players who missed time last season due to injuries, which should help compensate for the departures of outfielders Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis via free agency.

The Orioles, as it stands now, are better off than a majority of teams in the majors, so one cannot get too greedy and should instead appreciate what is already there.

Although, 'tis the season to wish and dream of things to come.

Here is a look into a wish list of scenarios that could come true in the 2015 season for the Baltimore Orioles.

Stars Remain Healthy

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

The trio of Chris Davis, Manny Machado and Matt Wieters were injured at various points last season and never really got things going for the Baltimore Orioles.

The three combined to play in just 235 games, and Wieters in particular played in just 26 games before undergoing Tommy John surgery in mid-June for his injured right elbow.

Machado missed nearly a half of a season's worth of games while rehabbing a left knee injury from the end of the 2013 season and injured his right knee in late August this past season.

Chris Davis played in 127 games, the most among the group, but he was unable to even sniff at his gaudy numbers from 2013. Instead, he went on to bat below the Mendoza Line while reaching base at just a .300 percentage.

Having this trio of stars get off to a positive and healthy start is paramount if the Orioles hope to reach the American League Championship Series again in 2015, as they will need to effectively replace the offensive production lost with the subtraction of both Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis from the lineup.

Ubaldo Jimenez Plays Closer to His Price Tag

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Ubaldo Jimenez's performance in 2014, or lack thereof, has alienated a large majority of Baltimore fans.

Management was certainly hoping that after signing the right-handed pitcher to a four-year, $50 million contract prior to the start of spring training, Jimenez would be able to at least come close to his production from the 2013 season.

Jimenez's 2013 season in Cleveland was his best since 2010, a season in which he finished third in National League Cy Young Award voting when he posted a 2.88 ERA and 19 wins for the Colorado Rockies.

In Cleveland, Jimenez finished the 2013 season with a 3.30 ERA and 194 strikeouts over 182.2 innings pitched.

The Orioles' coaching staff is hoping Jimenez can fine-tune his control and lower his walk rate to be closer to that of 2013's 3.9 walks-per-nine ratio.

If Jimenez can do this, it would go a long way for bringing value to an expensive contract that the Orioles will most likely be unable to get rid of before it expires.

Dylan Bundy Makes an Impact in the Rotation

Steven Senne/Associated Press

Fans of the Orioles who love to follow prospects and dream about their potential at the major league level were surely excited when Baltimore drafted Dylan Bundy as the fourth overall pick in the 2011 Major League Baseball draft.

For a player who was once deemed the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America (h/t MASN Sports), fans have been waiting far too long to see Bundy make a considerable impact at the major league level.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2013 and recovering from said surgery, Bundy continued to improve and gain confidence in the minors during the 2014 season.

Bundy finished the 2014 season with a 3.27 ERA and a 8.1 strikeout-per-nine ratio in nine starts across two levels in the minors.

With a strong spring training, Bundy could possibly force manager Buck Showalter's hand in placing him in the starting rotation on Opening Day.

However, this is a long shot, and Bundy will most likely start his season at High-A Frederick, where he finished last season.

Still, with continued dominance, Bundy can skyrocket up the minor league ladder and could possibly reach the majors in the dog days of the summer when the pitching staff may need a fresh arm or two.

All stats provided by Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted.