A few ideas for the Orioles as they head into 2019

A new year carries with it the same tasks placed in front of executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias, assistant Sig Mejdal and manager Brandon Hyde.

No one has been hired to replace director of player development Brian Graham and director of scouting Gary Rajsich. Only two coaches are known to have joined the staff, with a third offered a job in the bullpen, per sources. And how's that analytics department coming along?

Openings remain for a manager at Triple-A Norfolk, a pitching coach at Single-A Frederick and a hitting coach at short-season Single-A Aberdeen. They may not rise to the top of the to-do list, but they haven't been ignored. Perhaps back-burnered is more accurate.

If I had a vote, and not a single person would give me one if his life depended on it, I'd do the following:

* Find someone who's qualified to oversee player development and scouting. At least both departments always would be on the same page, unless the person hired has a split personality.

* Continue to hold minicamps in January at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota, just as former manager Buck Showalter did after relocating it from Baltimore.

I'm expecting the Orioles to do it, perhaps later this month than usual. It really makes sense with a new manager and coaches. And it would give them an opportunity to check out Rule 5 acquisitions Richie Martin, Drew Jackson and Taylor Grover, among others, and gauge the progress made by Hunter Harvey as he continues with another throwing program.

Richard Bleier, recovering from lat surgery, also should be invited.

* Make Jonathan Villar the regular second baseman. His ability to play shortstop is a nice feature, but it shouldn't be his position on opening day.

* Continue with attempts to re-sign Caleb Joseph to provide a veteran catcher who knows the staff. Pair him with Austin Wynns and let Chance Sisco continue to develop at Triple-A Norfolk. Sisco could force his way back on the roster later in the summer, better prepared to stay on it.

* Sign a veteran starting pitcher to a one-year deal, perhaps with an option, and let the group of younger candidates vie for the fifth spot. Hyde wants this club to be competitive despite the rebuild, and there's only so much room in the deep end of the pool to be tossing in players.

Let's say, for example, that David Hess earns the fifth spot. Yefry Ramírez and others could be considered for the bullpen, where there are plenty of openings, or they could start at Norfolk to give the Orioles much-needed depth and options.

In a perfect arrangement, the veteran who's signed would be flipped at the non-waiver deadline to create room and perhaps bring back a usable piece. And more space could be made if Andrew Cashner is dealt in the final guaranteed year of his contract or the Orioles actually part with Dylan Bundy or Alex Cobb.

* Stay on top of Chris Davis, figuratively speaking, as he works out in Texas over the winter.

Elias is right, the Orioles are much better with a productive and imposing Davis in the middle of the lineup. Try to get him at least close to the player who convinced managing partner Peter Angelos that he was worth a seven-year, $161 million deal, instead of lamenting what it does to payroll.

Keep him low in the lineup until he earns middle status.

* Decide whether Jimmy Yacabonis is a starter or reliever and try to keep him in the same role for the sake of his development.

Showalter was intrigued with the idea of making Yacabonis a starter, citing among other reasons the right-hander's physique, but perhaps Elias and Hyde have differing opinions. Just figure it out and give him a better chance to flourish.

* Stop worrying that Mike Wright Jr. will become the next Jake Arrieta.

Keep him if he's effective and deemed a useful arm as a long or late-inning reliever. Let him go if he isn't, instead of carrying him because he's out of minor league options and, you know, could emerge as a star somewhere else.

* Give DJ Stewart a shot at the right field job, but make certain that there's a plan in place in case he doesn't earn it.

The plan shouldn't rhyme with Dolby Pasmus.

* Suck it up and carry reliever Pedro Araujo for the first 17 days of the season.

Araujo can shed his Rule 5 status and tackle hitters in the Eastern League. And his presence in April won't ruin the club's chances of contending. If there's a team that can afford to stash Araujo for a little while, it's the 2019 Orioles.

The same reasons why the Orioles selected him in the Rule 5 draft last winter are why he should be in the organization. Don't give up on that arm. Let him regain his confidence and develop at the proper pace.

* Find a job for Bobby Dickerson, the former third base coach and one of baseball's best infield instructors. The guy is top three in the latter category and it's mind-bending that he hasn't been scooped up by another organization. The Phillies, for instance, passed after interviewing him for the position of minor league infield instructor.

I understand that it's harder to land a new gig this late in the process, but he should be a hot commodity. Is this actual punishment for a 115-loss season, with so many coaches on the staff still out of work while the Rays are cranking out managers?

If there isn't a spot on the major league staff, and the hiring of Phillies first base coach and infield/baserunning instructor José Flores probably eliminates Dickerson from consideration, he could manage at Norfolk or Double-A Bowie if Gary Kendall moves up. This also would allow him to tutor the infielders, just as he did with Manny Machado. How did that turn out?