Orioles state-of-the-art training facility demonstrates real benefit of new ownership

This week, David Rubenstein cut the red ribbon on perhaps the most important investment he's made since taking over as owner of the Baltimore Orioles —a brand new player development complex at the Baltimore Orioles' spring training facility in Sarasota, Florida.

The new facility is incredibly impressive. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, President of Baseball Operations Mike Elias called it "Maybe the best indoor hitting facility in the world right now". The hitting facility features multiple cages with turf flooring, so the space can be used for batting practice and fielding drills if the weather demands that players be inside.

Orioles' new facility is an investment that will pay them back major returns

Besides the hitting area, the complex also boasts a covered pitching center featuring eight mounds side by side so that players won't be delayed by weather or large crowds. There is also a state-of-the-art biomechanics lab with over 37 different cameras, where both hitters and pitchers can get important performance data. There is a half-acre turf field painted like a football field for cardio exercises. There are revamped classroom and lounge areas for the players to hang out and study.

This complex is more than just a nice temporary home during spring training. The Orioles will be able to use this facility basically all year round. It's where injured players will rehab, and it will serve as the initial landing spot for every player the Orioles draft from here on out.

When David Rubenstein took over, Orioles fans and media expected him to behave like a mid-Atlantic Steve Cohen, but despite the fact that the Orioles have increased their payroll and signed some large contracts, many have been disappointed by the lack of big spending from the new owner.

This new facility is a good reminder that competent ownership shows up in more places than just the teams payroll. The same way that being owned by the Angelos family hurt the Orioles in more ways than just not being able to spend as much as the Yankees on players, being owned by Rubenstein and his group will benefit the Orioles in more ways than just being able to spend an additional $70 million on the payroll.

It is understandable to wish that Rubenstein would smack Elias in the head with his checkbook and make him sign a top-of-the-rotation pitcher, but ownership getting involved with baseball decisions is a slippery slope. The Orioles are much better off with their ownership focusing on making the organizational infrastructure as strong as possible.