Stuffing together Turkey Day wishes and a few O's takes

Happy Thanksgiving, Birdland!

I hope everyone has a great day and holiday weekend with family and friends. I am very thankful for many things today. But I am always thankful that I get to cover my hometown team as a reporter, and that so many readers come here and take the time to leave comments and thoughts. Even if we disagree, I appreciate the input and it keeps a great conversation going during the cold winter months while we wait for more baseball.

If you have time to leave any comments today, feel free. If not, we'll catch you another day.

Recently we discussed some of these topics:

* A look at some free agent outfielders. Here, I wrote about four that the Orioles might consider in Dexter Fowler, Ian Desmond, Josh Reddick and Michael Saunders. Reddick has since signed with Houston, getting a four-year deal worth $52 million. That seemed pricy to me for a player with a career line of .255/.316/.430 -and he is just a .218 career hitter versus lefty pitchers. Fowler obviously would bring a few things the Orioles could use with speed, solid defense and a high OBP. He is a leadoff man and switch-hitter with a career .366 OBP. But the price should be high and a team signing him will lose a draft pick.

* Dylan Bundy and his innings outlook for 2017. Bundy went 10-6 with a 4.02 ERA last year and moved into the starting rotation in the second half. He threw 109 2/3 innings. Bundy became the 17th Orioles pitcher to record 10 wins in his rookie season. But how many innings can the Orioles expect him to pitch next year? Can he go up to 150? Can he exceed that? He may not have enough innings to pitch as a starter all season next year and we looked at that issue here.

* The Orioles' 2017 rotation which right now includes six starters. It looks like the rotation gets off to a good start with, in some order, Chris Tillman, Kevin Gausman and Bundy. But then the veterans come next with Yovani Gallardo, Ubaldo Jimenez and Wade Miley. Better late than never, all three pitched better at the end of the 2016 season.

At the All-Star break, the Orioles starters had an ERA of 5.15. In the second half, that number was 4.24. Over a full year, a rotation pitching to an ERA of 4.24 would have ranked fourth in the American League in 2016. In this blog, we asked whether fans are hopeful or fearful about the 2017 rotation.