Baltimore Orioles Roundtable: Bold Predictions, Expectations, And More

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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – SEPTEMBER 19: Austin Hays #21 of the Baltimore Orioles tips his hat to the crowd after robbing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays (not pictured) of a home run in the fourth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 19, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

What is your bold prediction for 2020?

Site Expert Nick Stevens- I came up with five bold predictions just before the 2019 season and every single one of them was a complete bust, so I have to redeem myself this season. For my 2020 bold prediction, I’m picking Austin Hays to win the Rookie of the Year Award. Despite all of the injuries, he’s a special talent.

Contributor Ben Schneider- The Orioles will make a whopping three trades at the deadline after just one small move last year. Mychal Givens is the obvious choice, but I think Asher Wojciechowski and Jose Iglesias will both play well enough to return some low-level prospects with potential, much like the Andrew Cashner trade. Both of them are on in their 30’s and on short contracts, so other teams could be interested in them for a half-season, and the Orioles get the young players more time on the field.

Contributor Jesse Morrison- My bold prediction for the 2020 season is a Hanser Alberto batting title. Alberto is entering his prime at 27-years-old and is coming off quite the season where he hit .305, including .398 off lefties. He should up his average against right-handed pitchers in 2020 as he must have worked on being better against righties in the offseason. After watching his approach last year, I could see him being a prime candidate for a batting title with the way he battles

Contributor Chuck Boemmel- The roadblock at first base and DH (Chris Davis, Trey Mancini and Renato Nunez) will limit Ryan Mountcastle’s potential at-bats at the MLB level and as such will keep him in Norfolk at least until the trade deadline.

Contributor Ryan Beckwith- Chris Davis finds his groove again and smashes 40 home runs, but due to his drastically inconsistent performance the O’s can’t ship him anywhere. Most people think he is a lost cause and they’re probably right, but Davis was the best slugger in the game for a brief period so it could happen again.

Contributor Ari Ezra- Jose Iglesias will be a Gold Glove candidate this season. Iglesias has been in contention throughout the past few years to win the award, however this year I think he will thrive as the leader of the infield. His glove has been showcased since his days with the Red Sox and Tigers. As an Oriole, I think he will be a very underrated addition that could end up being a key piece to the 2020 season.

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