Baltimore Orioles: The projections have been released for 2018

Two reputable websites have released their projections for the 2018 season. Neither of them is in favor of the Baltimore Orioles.

Baseball Prospectus and USA Today Sports each have released their projections for the upcoming 2018 season. If the featured image of this post is any indication, the Baltimore Orioles are looking up at teams higher in the standings.

As usual, each site has projected the Orioles to finish near the bottom of the division. BP gives them 69 wins, and USA Today Sports gives them a few more, 72.

In recent years, the projections and actual standings haven’t matched up too well. BP projected them to finish 71-91 in 2012. Instead, they made the postseason with 93 wins. Two years later, when they captured their first division title in 14 years, USA Today Sports pegged them in third place.

No matter how often the so-called, “experts,” pick the Orioles to finish last, Buck Showalter always seems to shrug it off.

“It’s fun to see people kind of scratching their heads about our team.”

Buck said that very quote last March, during Spring Training, as you can read here in this Washington Post article. The difference between years past and 2018 though, is that people are genuinely scratching their heads about this team.

They haven’t made moves to improve

As I wrote last week, there’s still plenty of time for the Orioles to make a few splashes this offseason. After all, they’re notorious for signing players well into February. Nelson Cruz, Ubaldo Jimenez, Pedro Alvarez and Miguel Gonzalez are four examples of players signed after February 1.

With a week remaining before pitchers and catchers begin trickling into the Ed Smith Stadium complex, it seems as if the Orioles are going to audition more than 30 pitchers attending camp, for a starting rotation job.

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Earlier today, the reports starting releasing about more discussions with former St. Louis Cardinals starter, Lance Lynn. As you can read here on MLBTradeRumors.com, the Orioles and Lynn are beginning talks, but nothing appears imminent.

Even if the team somehow decides to offer Lynn a four-year contract and he brings his services to Baltimore, nothing is guaranteed.

Four years ago, they offered former Colorado Rockies starting pitcher, Ubaldo Jimenez, a four-year contract. Without too much of a painful reminder, Jimenez finished his very forgettable career in Baltimore with a 32-42 record and an ERA of 5.22 in 117 appearances – 104 starts.

Next: Baltimore Orioles: Six days until pitchers and catchers report

I can’t tell the future, and I certainly have no idea who the Orioles are going to sign to improve the team. I can assure you though, that if they choose to go with the projected five-man rotation, this may be the year the projections are closer to reality.