Should Orioles consider an eight-man bullpen?

Watching how bullpens have been utilized in the postseason, especially by Indians manager Terry Francona, led to an interesting discussion yesterday on "Wall-to-Wall Baseball" on MASN.

Will more teams consider breaking camp next year with eight relievers and only three bench players, or will a fresh season bring a return to normalcy?

It would be tough to manage an entire season yanking your starters in the fourth or fifth innings and passing the baton, and bringing in set-up men in the middle innings the way Andrew Miller has been used, but it certainly has worked in the playoffs.

There may not be a lot of teams able to find eight capable relievers, but the Orioles could be an exception.

We know the four locks - closer Zach Britton, Darren O'Day, Brad Brach and Mychael Givens. Left-hander Donnie Hart would have to be putrid next spring and pitch his way off the staff.

Executive vice president Dan Duquette figures to sign or acquire at least one more reliever. In the meantime, the 40-man roster currently includes left-handers Brian Duensing, T.J. McFarland and Jayson Aquino and right-handers Vance Worley, Mike Wright, Tyler Wilson and Oliver Drake.

Duensing will become a free agent five days after the World Series. Worley and McFarland are non-tender candidates, but would be more valuable to a team wanting to carry an extra reliever. Worley may have been the unsung hero this season for handling a variety of roles and unsteady work.

The Orioles have six starters for five spots and could move one to the bullpen. Dylan Bundy would make sense because he began the season in a relief role, but he's likely to stay in the rotation.

An eight-man bullpen works best with some optionable pieces. Pretty much everything in baseball is easier with optionable pieces.

The other consideration, of course, is whether manager Buck Showalter would be comfortable with only three reserves. He doesn't do a whole lot of pinch-hitting. Adam Jones, Manny Machado, J.J. Hardy, Jonathan Schoop and Chris Davis have to be dragged off the field - no one got a firm grip on Schoop this season - and the same is true of Mark Trumbo, a free agent this winter.

The backup catcher could get more regular duty if Matt Wieters leaves as a free agent, but it doesn't matter in this discussion. The Orioles will carry a backup catcher like everyone else.

The bench would be completed by a fourth outfielder and a super utility player capable of handling the infield spots and moving to the outfield if needed. We can use former Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard as an example of the extra outfielder, but we also need to know what the Orioles are doing with right field and the designated hitter slot.

Ryan Flaherty is ideal as a super utility player because he can play any position, but he's also a non-tender candidate with MLBTradeRumors.com projecting his 2017 salary at $1.7 million. He's approaching a level that's got the Orioles contemplating whether they should search for a cheaper alternative.

A full-time DH makes a three-man bench more enticing. Pedro Alvarez was a platoon player this year. Trumbo could re-sign and get the majority of his at-bats as the DH while the Orioles seek to improve their defense in right field.

I'm just thinking out loud here and I don't expect the Orioles to break camp with an extra reliever unless they go with only four starters due to the off days in early April. It won't last and Showalter will have a four-man bench. But it's certainly worth debating while we wait for the free-agent market to open and more awards to be handed out.