Baltimore Orioles: Battle of the Birdland Bench This Spring Is Intense

Seemingly every spring for the past few years, the Baltimore Orioles have had significant position battles to determine who was going to be the starter at a certain position, or multiple positions, on Opening Day.

That, however, has changed this year.

With the projected everyday fielders and lineup all set, the only thing that could unseat anyone is injury.

The main roster battle this year at the Orioles' spring camp is for the backing fielders.

Two of the four seem to be locked in—middle infielder Cesar Izturis and outfielder Felix Pie—but even Pie has some tough competition in a finally healthy and focused Nolan Reimold.

It's possible that both Reimold and Pie make the team, and if that were the case, there would be six guys battling for the last two bench spots.

Reimold, catcher Craig Tatum, infielders Brendan Harris, Robert Andino and Josh Bell, and utility player Jake Fox are all in the running to make the big league club out of spring training.

Utility player Nick Green is also vying for a spot, though he's most likely to start the year at Triple-A Norfolk and serve as insurance should a player at the major-league level get injured.

Such few positional battles must be a refreshing sight for manager Buck Showalter, but that doesn't take away from the intensity and importance of the bench battles.

So often do bench players help decide the outcome of a ball game. It's important to not only field the best team possible, but have the best players ready to go should someone falter or get hurt. Baseball it a long, grueling season, and few starters around the league can play all 162 games.

Fox and Tatum seem to be each other's biggest competition, but like Pie and Reimold, there could be a scenario where both make the parent club.

Fox has an edge, being that he can play five positions: corner outfield, corner infield, and catcher.

Tatum would make the club as only a backup catcher, and could maybe play first should, for whatever reason, Derrek Lee, Luke Scott, and Fox not be able to. Plus, Fox seemingly has the better bat, and is lighting up the opposition's pitching this spring. He's batting .438 over 16 at-bats and has already amassed three homers and five RBI.

Tatum, however, is surely the better defensive catcher, and would probably help the younger pitchers more than Fox would. But Tatum has minor-league options and Fox does not, so if Fox didn't make the club, he'd be exposed to waivers before being sent down.

That's why both of them making the O's is not out of the question. Fox can play so many positions and would be a pretty decent bat off the bench while serving as the third, emergency catcher as well. Tatum could provide a great backup catcher option.

Harris and Andino are fighting for an infield spot, and theoretically, are also trying to best Fox and Reimold, since all of them but Reimold are so flexible positionally.

Harris is well known around the league for his solid infield play and being a good clubhouse guy. He can play any position on the infield save catcher, and can even play the outfield corners if need be.

His bat leaves something to be desired, but he isn't anywhere near as bad with the stick as shoe-in Izturis is. He's a great competitor that many teams would love to have.

Andino, on the other hand, is a former high draft choice of the Florida Marlins who hasn't really performed like he is capable.

He a shortstop, can play second and also some third.

Last year he impressed Showalter with his play in September, and impressed the fan base with homers on back-to-back days, one of those coming off New York Yankees' ace CC Sabathia.

Andino has been known for having some attitude problems, carrying himself arrogantly, but if Showalter and the rest of the veterans can help him mature, he could grow into a well-rounded player.

Josh Bell was acquired by the O's from the Los Angeles Dodgers back in 2009. He was seen as the third baseman of the future but did not impress in his September callup, prompting the O's to go out and trade for current projected starting third baseman Mark Reynolds.

Bell still has a shot to make the club as a utility player at third and first, and if his bat can come around, there will be a place for him to play at Camden Yards. He's still young, and still has a lot of upside.

With an outfield of Scott in left, Adam Jones in center, and Nick Markakis in right, it is expected that the Orioles will break camp with Felix Pie as their fourth outfielder since he can play anywhere in the outfield and is out of options.

Reimold would head back down to Norfolk since he can really only play left field and some emergency first base, but if he continues having a great spring like he is already (.286/2/4 in 14 AB's), he can force his manager's hand and make the club along with Pie.

Showalter is faced with so many options and so many ways that he can stack them in determining his Opening Day bench.

Many of the guys in camp are making personnel decisions tougher, which I'm sure Showalter loves. The flexibility of all of these guys in camp is something any manager would love to have, and I'm sure Showalter will bring out the best of the guys to help the Orioles win some games this season.