How will the Orioles' rotation shake out?
Jeremy Guthrie and Koji Uehara are the only two pitchers considered a lock for the group, leaving three vacancies and as many as 13 candidates. Rich Hill, whom the Orioles acquired from the Chicago Cubs, will get a rotation spot if he shows progress throwing strikes more consistently. Matt Albers is also a front-runner for a spot if he stays healthy, though he'll be pitching with a tear in his right shoulder. Other candidates include Danys Baez, Brian Bass, Mark Hendrickson, Brad Hennessey, Radhames Liz, Troy Patton, John Parrish, Hayden Penn, David Pauley, Alfredo Simon and Chris Waters. Only four pitchers in camp have made more than 30 career starts.
Is this Brian Roberts' last spring training with the club?
Orioles president Andy MacPhail said signing the two-time All-Star second baseman to a contract extension remains a priority, but he's running out of time to get it done. Roberts (right) doesn't want negotiations extending deep into the spring, and if nothing is accomplished before Opening Day, he'll opt for free agency after the season. The two sides haven't made much progress on a deal, and the Orioles' three-year, $30 million offer is not going to get it done. If they are unable to sign the leadoff man, the Orioles could deal Roberts, though that probably wouldn't happen until closer to the trade deadline.
Does top prospect Matt Wieters have any chance to make the Opening Day roster?
From the moment this offseason when he traded Ramon Hernandez, MacPhail has maintained that Wieters will begin the season at Triple-A. The switch-hitting catcher, 22, has only 437 minor league at-bats, and the last thing the club wants to do is rush a player widely viewed as the best prospect in baseball. There is also the matter of not starting Wieters' free-agent clock right away, a factor team officials won't discuss publicly. It is conceivable that Wieters could force the team's hand with a tremendous spring, similar to what Nick Markakis did in 2006. However, the odds are that Wieters starts with Norfolk and makes his much-anticipated Orioles debut in mid- to late May.
Can the Orioles' pitchers stay healthy?
