Talking the rotation, the infield and more

Taking stock today of a few topics that have recently been discussed in Birdland.

* O's executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias pledges to sign some starting pitchers this winter (minor league and/or major league deals) to bolster rotation depth. Is this the right move for now?

The club had two of its young pitchers emerge last season in the rotation and Keegan Akin and Dean Kremer flashed both talent and poise. They showed that work on their individual development was paying off. Akin worked in 2019 to improve his changeup and slider, and he did. Kremer worked on his cut fastball and it was a real weapon for him with the Orioles.

Is now the time for the club to double down on its young rotation candidates? If Akin and Kremer showed that promise, do they soon give the ball to others like Michael Baumann, Zac Lowther, Alexander Wells and Kevin Smith to name just a few?

The 2020 O's rotation, in the 60-game season, showed improvement over the 162 games of the previous year. And the ERA was the best for an O's team since the 2016 team that won 89 games and made the postseason.

O's rotation ERA in recent seasons:
2016: 4.72, 13th in American League
2017: 5.70, 15th in AL
2018: 5.48, 15th in AL
2019: 5.57, 14th in AL
2020: 5.09, 11th in AL

* Should the O's start Yolmer Sánchez at second base for defensive reasons?

Claimed recently off waivers, Sánchez and José Iglesias could provide the Orioles with above-average defense up the middle. And maybe their best double play combo since J.J. Hardy and Jonathan Schoop played together and Manny Machado and Schoop played up the middle. Having plus defense behind young pitchers seems like a pretty good idea.

But Sánchez brings little value on offense and the O's would be potentially sacrificing some run production here. When Sánchez was a regular with the Chicago White Sox in 2018, playing in 155 games, he hit .242/.306/.372 with an OPS+ of 87, which is 13 percent under league average. That year, he did lead the AL with 10 triples and was the White Sox winner of the Heart and Hustle Award. In 149 games in 2019, he batted .252/.318/.321 with an OPS+ of 73. A switch-hitter, he has a career OPS of .670 versus right-handed pitching and .626 versus lefties.

But he did win the Gold Glove at second base in 2019. His .987 fielding percentage that year ranked second among AL second baseman and tied for fifth in the majors. His 11 Defensive Runs Saved was first in the AL and second among his position in the majors.

So do the O's go offense over defense at second?

* It was great to hear from Trey Mancini, as he spoke with my colleague, Roch Kubatko, this week for this story. Mancini has resumed hitting and baseball activities. He said he feels ready to start spring training. Great news and now Mancini will have months to build up endurance and strength.

The 2021 season is simply going to be a season of uncertainty for Mancini. How will he feel when he begins playing every day? Will his body be ready for the rigors of a full season? How much rest will he need? As the season goes on, will he wear down a bit or will his body continue to build up strength to handle it?

We don't have these answers and it may simply be a matter of we'll know when we get there. I'm sure he'll take it day by day and let his body let him know what he can handle and what he should not. But just knowing he will be back and hearing more good news from him this week was a great thing throughout Birdland.