It's funny what a difference a year can make. Last March, approaching opening day, there were many O's fans angered that Felix Pie was going to be the starting left fielder while home-grown product Nolan Reimold was headed to Triple-A. Now some fans are wondering how Pie will get at bats and wondering why Reimold has been anointed the starter in left. Maybe it's the same philosophy that sometimes makes the backup quarterback the most popular guy on the team. You know, the fans want him...

Taking a page from Sunday's blog, here are six questions to follow when the spring training games begin tomorrow. It's an exciting time with a real game (granted an exhibition) at hand. We start getting answers to these questions on Wednesday afternoon. How will Miggi do at third base? I expect he will at least be an average third baseman on defense by Opening Day. He may not be as good as Melvin Mora was on defense last year at any point. He has said his biggest hurdle could be handling...

Jeremy Guthrie's mulligan for the 2009 season starts today in the Orioles' exhibition opener. When Guthrie takes the mound in Sarasota, all O's fans hope it's the start of a season for him much like the years he had in 2007 and 2008. Based on his first two seasons in the Orange and Black, Guthrie's performance was way off in 2009. Guthrie by year: 2007: 7-5, 3.70 in 175 1/3 innings 2008: 10-12, 3.63 in 190 2/3 innings 2009: 10-17, 5.04 in 200 innings Guthrie's starts allowing two...

It happened to Tyler Townsend. He isn't the first player and won't be the last to put up great numbers in college, then struggle in his first professional season. The 21-year-old Townsend was one of college baseball's best hitters last year, hitting .426-24-77 at Florida International. He set several school records and was a Louisville Slugger first-team all American. Then the Orioles drafted him in round three in June, the 85th pick overall and soon he was playing with the Aberdeen...

As he approaches the one-year anniversary of having Tommy John surgery, lefty pitcher Cameron Coffey is throwing well and optimistic about the 2010 season. The 19-year-old underwent the elbow ligament replacement procedure last March 19th, then in June he was drafted in round 22 by the Orioles. Most everyone assumed Coffey was headed to Duke to play college baseball, but the O's made him an offer he couldn't refuse. On August 13, Coffey agreed to a reported $990,000 bonus, one of the...

While some fans wonder who will become the future clubhouse and on field leader of the Orioles, the Birds have two players right now who are leaders on this team. That's Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis. Okay, no one confuses their style of leadership with that of Frank Robinson from the 1966 World Champs and they are not vocal in the clubhouse like a Kevin Millar. But they are well respected by their teammates and are leaders for two primary reasons - performance and seniority. Roberts is...

O's second baseman Brian Roberts remains out of the Orioles lineup again today as he deals with a small herniated disc in his back. This past Thursday, during the Brian Roberts segment on the Scott Garceau show, that airs on MASN and 105.7 FM the fan, Roberts provided an update on his injury. "The back is getting better every day. I'm doing most regular activities that every one else is doing, just haven't gotten in a game yet. I was a little delayed on batting practice, we are taking...

Fact: Kevin Millwood gave up six runs and didn't survive the first inning Saturday vs. Detroit. Overreaction: "I told you he was overrated." Sanity: After 13 years and 155 career wins, the man knows how to prep for a season. Wait until at least May to begin to worry. Fact: The O's lost Thursday, Friday and Sunday when they gave up ninth-inning runs. OR: "This club can't blow late leads. They need to learn how to win and losing these games in the ninth won't help." Sanity: ...

For a franchise that lost 98 games last year, has not had a winning season since 1997 and has not won the World Series since 1983, the Orioles are getting their fair share of positive publicity. Countless national media outlets and big-time writers, broadcasters and columnists are bullish on the O's. No one is predicting the playoffs but the message from most is some variation of this - they are clearly making strides forward and getting better and could really have some fun this year if...

The talk of possible realignment of divisions in baseball may become more than just talk. When Andy MacPhail floated the thought at FanFest, some in the audience didn't seem to grasp the concept, but basically baseball officials may be looking at moving teams to another division on a "floating" and not permanent basis. Here is more on that thought in Tom Verducci's article in SI.com. I think the time may have come for baseball to experiment with this concept of "floating realignment." ...