A few things the 2025 baseball season could bring

Now that 2025 has arrived on the calendar, can the baseball season be that far behind?

It will be here sooner than we think, with spring training arriving next month, the first spring game set for Feb. 22 and Opening Day 2025 scheduled for March 27 with the Orioles at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

Here are a few things to ponder and look forward to during this coming season.

The filling out of the roster: Will the O’s add a front-line starting pitcher? If they add someone or more than one, does that happen via free agency or via a trade?

Last season it was not until Feb. 1 that the deal for Corbin Burnes was announced.

In just the last 10 days of 2024 the Orioles added four players on minor league deals, players that could help on the fringes of the roster or maybe surprise us and contribute more. They added pitcher Matt Bowman, outfielder Jordyn Adams, pitcher Gerald Ogando and infielder/outfielder Nick Gordon.

Transactions for the club last January included mostly signings to avoid arbitration and more minor league deals.

The O’s rotation now could be a good one, if most pitchers stay healthy and max out their talents. But more help seems important as the new season looms.

Will Jackson Holliday prove his critics wrong?: Maybe it is just coming from loud voices, or maybe it just surprises me that it seems like this kid has doubters everywhere. How can you go from the No. 1 prospect in the sport to questionable talent that fast?

To me, you don’t. To others, I guess they have already seen enough. Well, at least you gave him a few dozen games.

It feels like we see more prospects than ever, on all teams, come up and struggle. I don’t have any studies to cite here, but it feels that way and I don’t know why that is.

As it relates to Holliday, if he were a stock and someone was selling, I’d be happy to buy your shares. I remain bullish on this kid, who is physically talented, mentally strong and still the elite player he was a few months ago.

I look forward to reminding some readers how good he can be when he shows it on a big league diamond soon, and to reminding everybody that some fans got very down on him. Then I'll await the predictable avalanche of “Well, that was not me!”

Chance to tie a franchise record: The 2025 season will represent the fourth time in Baltimore Orioles history that an O’s team has a chance to make the playoffs in three straight seasons.

The first crack at it they got it done, making the playoffs in 1971 after also doing so in 1969 and 1970. Any O’s fan should be aware, or make themselves aware, that this was the best three-year run in team history. The Orioles won 318 games over three consecutive 100-win seasons and made the World Series all three years, winning it all in 1970.

The 2025 O’s can match that group with three straight playoff appearances but not in win totals. Nor will they match the talent of those earlier teams. However, if they win the 2025 World Series, that brings about a different conversation.

The O’s made back-to-back playoff appearances in 1973 and 1974, but while the 1975 club won 90, the Orioles missed the postseason. They made the playoffs in 1996 and 1997 but missed out in 1998 with a 79-win club. The Orioles would not post another winning season or playoff season until 2012.

But this season provides a chance for a playoff three-peat. 

More Holliday: Late last season, Holliday ditched his high leg kick at the plate for more of a toe tap, with stunning results. He went 4-for-5 at Minnesota during the final weekend and, as expected and per this video, he is still hitting without the leg kick as he preps for the coming season.