The O's Pitchers

The Orioles look to have a promising season this year with starting out the preseason at 7-2. Their record is currently one of the best in baseball. While the preseason is not able to tell us too much about the regular season, it can give us a glimpse of players who may be exceptional during the regular season.

Adam Jones made sure
Gausman had enough
donuts.

Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy are two top prospects for the Baltimore Orioles. Bundy was a minor league pitcher last year who only allowed one hit in his first nine appearances during AAA ball in Norfolk. The Orioles called him up as a reliever during one of their games against the New York Yankees last season where he allowed no hits. Kevin Gausman is a rookie who was acquired during the offseason. He is also a pitcher, and will most likely give the Orioles minor league depth this year. He was drafted by the Dodgers in 2009 and the Rockies in 2010, but decided to stay in high school and then go to college. He played at LSU and helped them to have a few well played seasons.  Pictured left Gausman has a ritual of eating donuts before a game and between every inning. The Orioles bullpen was what kept the time alive last season and with this two rookies, the team looks to have another strong bullpen.

Chen

Hammel

Also this season the Orioles have many competing for starting roles. Jair Jurrjens looks to make the squad after coming off of surgery on his shoulder. Tommy Hunter, Brian Matusz, Jake Arrieta, Zach Britton, Tsuyoshi Wada, Miguel Gonzalez, Chris Tillman, and Steve Johnson are all fighting for some sort of role in this years Lineup. In addition Wei-Yin Chen and Jason Hammel will return to claim their starting roles after both having great seasons last year. Last season Hammel was injured halfway through the season and was not able to return until the end. This season he will look to play an entire season after his breakout last year. Troy Patton, Jim Johnson, Pedro Strop, Luis Ayala, Darron O'Day, will return to their roles in the bullpen. Jim Johnson looks to have another great season coming off the best season as a closer in his career. Ayala, O'Day, and Strop all had great roles in the 6th, 7th, and                           8th innings last year.

Overall, it appears that the Orioles bullpen and starting pitchers will be much higher than most other teams. Last year the Orioles management were constantly bringing up and down pitchers from the minors to the majors. What the new pitchers need to figure out is that minors does not mean you will play there all season. It most likely means that you may be there for a few games and always be ready to be called up. Let's hope that the Orioles have another great season! Go O's.