5 Bold Predictions for the Baltimore Orioles' 2015 Season

At the time this article is published, it'll be just 80 days until the Baltimore Orioles begin the regular season.

Fans across MLB are counting down the days until they can watch their favorite teams play meaningful baseball once more.

Leading up to the start of the season, it's always fun to discuss and analyze each team's roster and try to predict how things are going to go for everyone. Baseball fans can never get enough of number crunching, comparing and debating.

Coming off a 96-win season that saw them win the American League East and make it to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 1997, the Orioles are hoping to have yet another successful season resulting in a strong playoff run. With the amount of talent currently on the roster, such a season is certainly not out of the question.

Though the team has some questions that need answering, it figures to be a contender for a fourth straight season. Let's take a jab at how we think certain things will go for the team during the 2015 season.

Chris Davis Will Have a Bounce-Back Season

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Orioles first baseman Chris Davis had a very good season in 2012, a historical season in 2013 and a fairly crappy season last year.

Some fans are probably wondering who the real Chris Davis truly is.

Looking to prove himself after a frustrating year in 2014 coupled with the fact that he's set to become a free agent at the end of the 2015 season, Davis will put together a nice campaign for the O's this time around.

I don't believe he'll come close to putting up the kinds of numbers he did in 2013 (53 homers and 138 RBI), but he'll definitely at least tally something around the 33 homers and 85 RBI he totaled in 2012. His average should sit somewhere around the .260-.280 mark, and he'll post a good OBP around .330.

After losing Nelson Cruz's 40 homers in free agency this offseason, the O's need Davis to come around and help the offense produce. Davis will be up to the task.

Jonathan Schoop Will Continue to Progress

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All things considered, second baseman Jonathan Schoop had a solid rookie season for the Birds in 2014.

Sure, his .209 batting average and .244 OBP were underwhelming, to put it nicely, but he hit 16 homers (good for fifth on the team) while playing pretty exceptional defense.

The fact that he was able to hit that many homers is a good sign, even with his low average. And a man who can play defense like Schoop will always have a place on Buck Showalter's team.

When you consider that Schoop played the 2014 season at the young age of 22, it's easy to accept the growing pains that come with a player so raw with so much potential.

The O's are hoping to see improvement offensively from Schoop in 2015, and it's likely that he'll deliver. I expect another 15-20 homers with about 25 doubles and 60 RBI from the second baseman, as well as an improved batting average of around .240 and an OBP that sits close to .300.

The more Schoop plays, the better he'll become at recognizing pitches and working at-bats into his favor. He may get off to a slow start at the beginning of the season, but give him time. He'll come around. The kid's got talent.

The O's Will Trade One of Their Starting Pitchers Before the Season Ends

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For the first time in a very long time, the Orioles have a surplus of quality starting pitching.

Of course, that's a good thing for any team to have. With six starters for five slots entering spring training, the O's are in a position to have those arms battle it out for rotation spots while also attempting to deal from their surplus in order to add to other areas of the team.

Chris Tillman is a lock for the rotation and the likely Opening Day starter for the team, having pitched over 200 innings each of the last two seasons while tallying double digits in wins and posting ERAs of 3.71 and 3.34.

Wei-Yin Chen is also a likely lock for the rotation, leaving Bud Norris, Miguel Gonzalez, Kevin Gausman and Ubaldo Jimenez (pictured) to fill out the final three spots. Any one of those guys could slot into the bullpen, giving Showalter some options while constructing his pitching staff.

When it comes to trades, Chen and Norris are the two who are probably most likely to be dealt, as they both are set to become free agents at the end of the 2015 season. However, both are talented pitchers who contributed heavily to the success of the 2014 season for the team, and in Chen's case, he's the only left-handed pitcher the O's have who is projected to be in the rotation.

Gonzalez is a talented pitcher who could bring back value for the team, and Tillman and Gausman are probably untouchable. The team would love to move Jimenez and his contract, but it would be hard for it to get another team to take him on. On top of that, the O's have some guys in the minors who could end up contributing to the team this year, such as Dylan Bundy and Mike Wright.

A surplus of talent always has a way of working itself out for teams, and the O's will figure out how to handle this situation. Don't be surprised to see one of these guys on the move sometime this season.

The Offense Will Be OK

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For the last three seasons, the Orioles have been a team that wins by playing exceptional defense, pitching well and scoring runs by hitting a ton of long balls.

With the departures of Nelson Cruz and longtime fan favorite Nick Markakis, some wonder if the O's offense will weaken this year. Losing a bat that can get on base at a .340 clip as well as a guy who hit 40 homers in 2014 appears to be a significant blow.

However, the O's still have some talented hitters on their roster. Adam Jones (pictured) has been a sure bet for at least 25 homers, 80 RBI and a .280 batting average for the last four seasons. Steve Pearce had a breakout season last year (.293 BA, 21 homers, .373 OBP), and J.J. Hardy has hit at least 27 doubles each of the last four seasons, as well as blasting at least 22 homers three of those four years (nine in 2014).

The O's will have Matt Wieters and Manny Machado returning from injury, which should provide a huge boost for the depth of the lineup, and as I've already written, I expect a good year from Davis this time around, making up for the loss of Cruz.

(A side note: Much like Schoop, I believe Machado will continue to progress this year as well now that both of his knees have been surgically repaired, and he'll grow into more of a run-producer this season.)

By the middle of the season, Birdland will be looking back on the fond memories of Markakis and Cruz, and they'll be just that: fond memories. There won't be a noticeable lack of production. Not with this team.

The Orioles Will Win the AL East in 2015

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Sure, the Orioles haven't done much this winter. But they didn't do much last winter either. Or the winter before.

When it comes down to it, the Orioles are a talented team, and they're arguably still the most talented team in the division.

They have a strong core. Their starting pitching is arguably the deepest and most talented in the division, possessing five starting pitchers who finished last season with an ERA of 3.65 or better. Their bullpen remains strong, with Darren O'Day and Zach Britton slamming the door at the end of games.

Their offense can still hit homers (over 200 for three straight seasons). Their defense can still make all the routine plays as well as all the flashy ones (four Gold Glove winners on the roster).

And they still have one of the best managers in baseball and certainly the best manager in the division in Buck Showalter, winner of the AL Manager of the Year award in 2014, the third time he's won said award.

With the Baltimore Orioles, there are some questions surrounding the team as the season approaches. There are things that could definitely not break their way.

But if those things don't break their way, they'll find a way to fix or replace what isn't working, because that's what winning teams do.

You don't become the winningest team in your division since 2012 on accident. The O's front office and the players on the field wearing the black and orange know what they're doing.

And they'll do it better than everyone else.