2016 Baltimore Orioles Preview, Fantasy Baseball Draft Prep
Source confirms: Pedro Alvarez in agreement with #Orioles. First reported: @sdutdennislin.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 8, 2016
The Dexter Fowler-to-the-Orioles drama that unfolded in late-February opened up a Pandora's box of sorts. Ken Rosenthal reports on the behind-the-scenes soap opera. Fowler's return to the Cubbies opens up a competition for the leadoff spot in the lineup.
The Orioles ranked ninth in runs scored last season. However, anybody who follows MLB home field advantage(s) knows Camden Yards' home cookin' is among the most favorable. How favorable? The O's ranked fifth in runs scored at home and, wait for it, 24th in runs scored on the road with the third-worst road batting average (.232).
ALSO SEE: TEAM PREVIEWS ARCHIVE
In case you missed my "American League Did you know" fantasy facts on the Orioles, here they are:
- Manny Machado is 23 years old. He's 23 years old. Wow.
- Only third basemen with more than 13 stolen bases. Also, hit 35 homers if that matters.
- Chris Davis healthy is a lock for 40+ homers in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the bigs
- Hyun-Soo Kim raked overseas, but know that Pacific Rim stats mimic inflated Pacific Coast League stats. Stay grounded.
- Zach Britton 36 saves in 40 opps with 1.92 ERA and 0.99 WHIP
Key Additions: Yovani Gallardo, Mark Trumbo, Hyun-soo Kim
Key Losses: Wei-Yin Chen, Gerardo Parra, Steve Pearce
Projected Lineup
1. Hyun-soo Kim
2. Manny Machado
3. Chris Davis
4. Adam Jones
5. Matt Wieters
6. Mark Trumbo
7. Jonathan Schoop
8. Jimmy Paredes
9. J.J. Hardy
When Fowler was assumed to be signing with the O's, Roster Resource bumped Kim down to seventh in the lineup ... Machado led off 111 games last season ... the leadoff gig is up for grabs ... how hard is the game of baseball? ... Machado had a breakout season and hit .286 with .297 BABIP ... 25+ homers and 15 SB should be expected in 2016 ... by sticking with the Orioles and playing half his games at Camden, Davis should flirt with 50 homers again ... in two out of the last three seasons, his HR/FB rate has been better than 29 percent ... when you factor in Davis' strikeout rate -€“ 31 percent for his career - he's Adam Dunn with a .250-.260 average ... before Tommy John surgery, Wieters averaged 22 homers per season 2011-2013 ... if you're waiting on catcher come draft day, he could be a bargain for potential ... if he plays in 140+ games, I think DH-focused Trumbo could hit 35 plus homers this season ... Steamer projections have Schoop pegged for the second-most homers among second basemen this season ... Paredes' minor league speed never translated to MLB due to sub-.300 OBP in the bigs ... Hardy's fantasy relevance has expired
Projected Rotation
1. Ubaldo Jimenez
2. Yovani Gallardo
3. Chris Tillman
4. Miguel Gonzalez
5. Kevin Gausman
Of all starting pitchers who posted an 8.22 or higher K/9 rate, Jimenez's ERA was third-highest ERA (4.11) and WHIP 1.36 ... Gallardo could be a late-round starting pitcher option ... not wow'd with the O's move to acquire him, but losing Chen to Miami didn't create a vacuum ... Tillman posted ninth-highest BB/9 innings among starting pitchers at 3.33, which led to a 4.99 ERA -€“ his highest since 2011 ... Gonzalez's ERA in 2014 was 3.23, his xFIP that season was 4.46 ... his 2015 ERA? 4.91 ... course corrected ... if Gausman can work his way into the starting rotation, I'm a buyer ... in 12 starts last August and September, Gausman struck out five-or-more batters nine times
Top Prospects
Hunter Harvey, SP – the 21-year-old prospect missed all 2015 due to a broken fibula suffered during a spring training game before forearm soreness during rehab … when we last saw him in 2014, he finished 7-5 with a 10.88 K/9 rate and ERA around 3.50 at Single-A
Dylan Bundy, P – since Tommy John surgery in 2013, Bundy has appeared in just 17 minor league games … he’s now out of options … currently is slated for the O’s bullpen … the fourth overall pick in the 2011 Amateur Draft, once the one in the one-two Bundy, Gausman rotation punch, is now a wild card