MLB Network analysts size up the Orioles

MLB Network made its annual stop at Orioles spring camp in Sarasota, Fla., and its "30 in 30" broadcast on the Birds aired last night.

The O's coverage began with former Oriole Harold Reynolds live at Ed Smith Stadium talking about shortstop J.J. Hardy's injured left shoulder. He is expected to have an MRA on the shoulder today.

Reynolds speculated whether Manny Machado would move over to short or whether Everth Cabrera might play there if Hardy missed time. He interviewed Hardy on the injury.

"Before this, my body has felt as good as it has in a long time," Hardy said. "So pretty positive about that. I felt like I was where I needed to be and hopefully this is not too bad and I'll be out there soon."

Tom Verducci took an overall look at the Orioles.

"They won 96 games," he said. "I don't see them winning 96, but they are a legitimate contender. I don't think any team in baseball uses their roster - and I'm talking one through 40, not just one through 25 - as well as do the Baltimore Orioles. That is their mentality. It is almost like a college program, they just keep reloading.

"Yeah, they've had some (player) losses and had incredible health last year pitching-wise. I don't see them as a 96-win team, but I do think they are a legit for-sure contender."

Analyst Dan O'Dowd was also on the broadcast. O'Dowd is the former general manager of the Colorado Rockies who also once worked in the Orioles front office.

"I think they have a winning culture in place now and I think the sum of their parts is greater than any one individual part," O'Dowd said. "Similar to the Giants in the National League for me. They have this culture of resiliency and Buck Showalter is a great evaluator of talent that puts his players into a position where their skill set allows them to be successful."

O'Dowd said the Orioles' pitching depth this year is even better than it was last season.

"They all have more experience and I'm a huge Kevin Gausman guy," he said. "They have six pitchers competing for five (rotation) spots and have four other prospects that will be sitting in Triple-A. They've got as good as depth with starting pitching as any of the 30 clubs in the game this year.

"I think the whole key to this is how do they get Gausman into the rotation? For me, he is the one guy that has a chance to become a legitimate No. 1. Tillman and him at the top of the rotation matches up with others clubs in the American League."

Reynolds provided a take on the pitching depth: "It is an organizational depth that they have, not just the five-man rotation. They look at everybody on the staff as one sum to get things done. They pitch and play defense, and feel like they'll scratch out runs. They keep the double play in order and turn the double play, and as a result, they are in some games at the end of the night when you don't think they would be."

"They have a staff that is good enough with a real good bullpen behind it," Verducci added. "I look at it as almost a six- or seven-man rotation - only five at a time - with the organizational depth that they will tap into."

There was a segment on Chris Davis, who went from hitting 53 homers in 2013 to 26 last year. Verducci noted that pitchers often busted Davis up and in to get him out with fastballs last year. He couldn't extend his hands in time to get the barrel of the bat to the ball.

"There is a window on Chris Davis' hands - it reminds me of David Ortiz early in his career - where as long as it is at the belt or above, that is the spot that pitchers exploited," Verducci said. "Hard to get that pitch with velocity on it. He told me two years ago they just showed him (pitches) in. Last year, they pitched him in to get him out inside. You know they will continue to pound him in."

MLB Network's coverage of the team ended with predictions, and all three analysts saw the O's as playoff and AL East contenders, although Verducci predicted a second-place finish.

"I have them at about 86 or 87 wins," he said. "But every year, they seem to do better than what the numbers suggest. They win a lot of close games. Right now, I've got them as a second-place team, but legit contender."

"I love spending time around the Orioles," Reynolds said. "They know how to play the game. They know who they are - that is one of their big expressions. This is a playoff club. There is a culture of winning now. The days of the Orioles losing are past. That goes for everyone in their minor leagues as well. Playoff club for the O's. We'll see them in postseason in 2015."