Baltimore Orioles' 6 Most Important Players for 2015 Success
Every year, teams across MLB enter spring training camp with questions surrounding the construction and ability of their roster.
Arguably, no team in baseball has more question marks surrounding the potential of its roster than the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles figure to be contenders for the 2015 season, but there are certainly some things that need to go right in order for the team to meet its potential.
A few guys who have been keys to the team's success in the past are question marks for the team heading toward the start of camp. But those same guys have the ability and the opportunity to do something special with a talented Baltimore Orioles team this year.
This breakdown won't analyze the obvious, such as center fielder Adam Jones or starting pitcher Chris Tillman, but rather take a look at some guys whose rebound or growth could collectively make or break the team. Having said that, here is a list of six players who, at this point in time, appear to be the biggest keys to the team's success in the coming season.
Chris Davis, 1st Baseman
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In 2013, first baseman Chris Davis led all of baseball in home runs (53) and RBI (138) while sporting a .286 batting average.
In 2014, Davis hit a measly .196 to accompany 26 homers with 72 RBI prior to a 25-game amphetamine suspension that ended his season and will force him to sit out Opening Day this year.
Will the real Chris Davis please stand up?
It's likely that the true Davis lies somewhere in the middle. After all, he had a very nice season in 2012, the first season he was truly given a chance to play all year. His .270 average was solid, and his 33 long balls and 85 RBI led the team that year. So the potential for a good season is there, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see it happen.
The Birds are hoping to see a return to form from Davis—a return to the same form that earned him the nickname "Crush." Surely, Davis is hoping for the same as he's due to become a free agent at the end of the season.
It's likely that Orioles fans will see plenty of dingers coming off of the bat of Crush in 2015.
Matt Wieters, Catcher
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Catcher Matt Wieters started the 2014 season off strong, batting .308 with five doubles, five homers and 18 RBI in 104 at-bats. But after 26 games, Wieters suffered an injury that ultimately required Tommy John surgery.
In Wieters' absence, the pairing of Caleb Joseph and Nick Hundley worked out well for the Birds, but prior to his injury, he was one of the better all-around catchers in baseball.
With the O's losing a big bat in Nelson Cruz and an on-base threat in Nick Markakis, the return of Wieters' power potential will be key to the O's lineup. The switch-hitter hit 22, 23 and 22 homers from 2011-2013, respectively, so assuming he's healthy, it's not ridiculous to assume he can provide 20-plus homers this campaign.
When one considers that Wieters is scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the 2015 season, he'll be more motivated than ever to prove he's healthy and productive so that he can land a nice contract next winter.
A strong year from Wieters could be coming, and the Orioles would surely welcome it.
Kevin Gausman, Starting Pitcher
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There may be no one on the O's roster that fans are more excited to see this year than right-hander Kevin Gausman.
After a solid first full-season effort in 2014 that saw him go 7-7 with a 3.57 ERA in 20 starts (16 of which were efforts in which he allowed three runs or fewer), Gausman looks to take another step forward in his development, and that thought has O's fans pumped up.
Gausman has the potential to be an ace as he possesses a hard fastball, a devastating changeup and a sharp slider that he's been working on. Fans are wondering if 2015 is the year that Gausman puts it all together and steps forward as the O's first true ace since Mike Mussina.
With six starters for five slots as spring training approaches, it's possible that Gausman begins the 2015 season in either the bullpen or at Triple-A. But in this writer's humble opinion, the O's would be wise to slot Gausman somewhere in the rotation and leave him there for the entire season, unless he performs so badly that he has to be removed.
Considering how deep and strong the O's rotation was in 2014, imagine what adding an ace would do for the rotation, the bullpen and the entire team for 2015. All Gausman has to do is work hard and pitch like he's capable of, and the rest will fall into place.
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Manny Machado, 3rd Baseman
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Coming off of his second knee surgery in consecutive seasons, third baseman Manny Machado is looking to prove he's not only healthy but that he can still blossom into the superstar he was pegged to be.
When Machado returned in 2014, he got off to a pretty slow start at the plate, but his bat eventually came around prior to his injury in August.
Machado may be able to skip the slow start this time around. When he injured his knee in 2013, he didn't have surgery on it until October, making a return for spring training and the start of the regular season not possible.
Last season, Machado had his surgery done in August, a full six weeks earlier. While the injury from last season was the same as the season before—just on his other knee—the injury from last season wasn't quite as severe as his ligament wasn't fully torn, so his rehab on his right knee should go quicker than it did on his left.
The young third baseman has a lot to prove in 2015: that he's healthy, that he has the same ability and potential as he did prior to his injury and that he can control his temper. If he can reclaim the ability that helped him smack 51 doubles and win the Platinum Glove on defense in 2013, then the O's will benefit greatly.
Machado's talent and potential could be the biggest factor for the O's in 2015. If he can come through, the O's will be a drastically better team.
Alejandro De Aza, Outfielder
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Surprised to see outfielder Alejandro De Aza's name on this list?
You shouldn't be.
With Markakis gone, the Orioles are in need of a leadoff hitter, and De Aza has the tools to be the answer.
De Aza has had some solid seasons in MLB during his seven-year career, and fans saw a bit of a resurgence after he was dealt from the Chicago White Sox to the Birds in 2014. After the trade, De Aza appeared in 20 games for the O's, totaling 82 at-bats and batting .293 with a .341 OBP, five doubles, three triples, three homers and 10 RBI.
While it's unrealistic to expect the left-handed batter to keep that pace up all season in 2015, it's not unrealistic to think he could post numbers around his career totals of a .268 BA and a .330 OBP. Both numbers would certainly be good enough for the leadoff spot in the lineup, and De Aza even has some speed, as he stole 26 bases in 2012, 20 bases in 2013 and 17 bases last year.
De Aza's presence on the O's roster is more important than some fans might realize, and if he can be a spark plug for the team at the top of the lineup (or even in the nine-hole), he'll do wonders for a team that lacks in on-base and speed capabilities.
Steve Pearce, 1st Baseman/Outfielder
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Steve Pearce finally had his breakout season in 2014.
As the Orioles lost key player after key player to injury (or suspension), Pearce stepped up big to fill a vacancy in the lineup. Pearce set career bests in games (102), plate appearances (383), at-bats (338), runs (51), hits (99), doubles (26), home runs (21) and RBI (49), all while batting .293 overall with a .373 OBP and a .319 average with runners in scoring position.
Pearce was huge for the O's in 2014, and the team hopes that he can continue his success again this year to help fill holes in the lineup and on the field left by Markakis and Cruz.
Defensively, Pearce is solid in either of the outfield corners and at first base, and he can DH if manager Buck Showalter so desires. What's more, he's even going to take some ground balls at third base in spring training, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports, adding even more to his defensive versatility. Of course, taking grounders at a position is a long way from being game-ready there, but it's still a nice thing to see.
If Pearce can continue to hit for power and get on base, he'd make the perfect two-hole hitter for the Birds, and realistically, he'd have the ability to hit anywhere in the lineup for any given game. He'd be an acceptable option at any spot in the batting order.
Don't expect Pearce to produce at the same clip he did in 2014, a clip that would have put him on pace for over 30 homers. But don't be shocked if he continues to hit well and puts up 20-plus doubles, 20-plus homers and a good BA and OBP. Along with natural competitiveness and a desire to succeed, he has an added incentive to perform well as he's entering a contract year.
He's going to be key for the Orioles in 2015, and I bet he'll come through.
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