Baltimore Orioles: Current roster still stronger than most

Photo: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been a slow developing offseason thus far for the Orioles, to say the least. Minor moves like acquiring veteran minor-leaguers Scott Barnes and Rey Navarro were done mainly in the hopes of building depths in those particular areas. However, not that depth isn’t important, those aren’t the types of moves that garner any particular excitement, and Orioles’ fans can’t help feeling a bit anxious as each week passes.

This week has been especially unnerving for Orioles’ fans as again they were forced to watch a divisional opponent dominate the headlines during another offseason. It’s a trend Orioles’ fans have become well accustom to, and will probably have to suffer through in the future. However, although it may be frustrating to consistently remain patient, for now it’s a necessary evil.

The Red Sox’s signings of Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez this week fill two spaces in a lineup that was among the bottom of the league in hitting last season. There’s no doubt that the acquisitions make the Red Sox better. However, it hardly makes them the front runner in the division. In fact, it’s a somewhat large investment for a roster with a lot of holes.

The Orioles don’t have that issue. Their roster is talented, and almost completely lacks definitive holes. Because that’s the case, any fan waiting for a headline-worthy move may be frustrated all the way up until Spring Training. Any moves the Orioles make this offseason, with exceptions to resigns, will probably be predictably boring.

The recent signings by the Red Sox won’t be the last of the big names Orioles’ fans will be forced to watch sign elsewhere, and almost certainly won’t be the last signing within the division. However, the Orioles have never been the team to outbid for free agents, and this year probably won’t be any exception, and with the current roster they have no need to be. The other teams within the division can make all the big splashes this offseason they want, but they have a long way to go before they can put forth a better team than the Orioles by opening day.