Orioles deciding on a leadoff hitter

Orioles manager Buck Showalter didn't hesitate last month when asked whether he'd prefer someone else batting atop the order in 2017. He offered up his appreciation of Adam Jones and made it clear that he wanted to go in another direction.

This was one of those instances where you didn't need to read between the lines.

"Adam did well there for a while and I think to take better advantage of his skills, in a perfect world, he'd hit somewhere else in the order," Showalter said at the team's season-ending news conference. "That's something that I'm hoping and I plan making happen."

Jones was given leadoff duties on May 27 in Cleveland after the Orioles set a major league record by striking out 52 times in a three-game series in Houston. He hadn't done it since 2010.

The move also was made as a possible solution to Jones' struggles. He had collected only three hits in his last 38 at-bats and was 1-for-14 with seven strikeouts in the Astros series.

Jones batted leadoff in 108 games and registered a .282/.320/.471 slash line in 488 plate appearances. He batted third in 28 games and hit .223/.281/.384 in 121 plate appearances.

"It's actually quite a good reflection on Adam," Showalter said in October. "He knows the club needed him to try to do that and he did it very well for an extended period of time. Certainly not prototype, it's not something that we wanted to do, but we just didn't have ... It fit in a lot of different ways.

"I was real proud of the way Adam embraced it and said, 'Whatever the club needs.' I'm not sure we'd be where we were if he hadn't done what he did for us for an extended period of time. It was tough doing it, but if not him, who?"

Exactly. Who replaces Jones if the Orioles are forced to look internally?

We also can debate whether Jones should move down in the order. His bat may be needed in more of a traditional run-producing spot if the club can't re-sign Mark Trumbo.

If Showalter doesn't want Jones batting first, the same must be true with Manny Machado, who also isn't your prototypical leadoff hitter and is needed more in the heart of the order.

Machado owns a career .296/.362/.497 slash line in 120 games as a leadoff hitter. You can see the appeal.

Hyun Soo Kim led the Orioles this season with a .302 average and .382 on-base percentage. However, he was stuck in a platoon in left field and wouldn't offer a fulltime solution atop the order unless Showalter began using him against left-handers. And only if he could hit them. We still don't know.

Joey Rickard is the guy who, with his speed, could fit the profile of a leadoff hitter. Showalter indicated that Rickard may have been used in that role if he hadn't sustained the thumb injury on July 20 that ended his season. However, it hasn't been determined whether he breaks camp with the team, let alone earns a fulltime job in the outfield.

Rickard no longer holds Rule 5 status and could be optioned. He could be part of a platoon with Kim. He could be a backup in all three outfield spots. He could be the everyday right fielder, since the Orioles want to improve their defense. It's a mystery in November.

The Orioles are checking the free agent and trade markets for a right fielder and a possible right-handed bat to pair with Kim. They definitely want to add a left-handed bat with Matt Wieters and Pedro Alvarez being free agents.

They've shown some interest in Ian Desmond, who had a tremendous bounceback season with the Rangers, but he may be too pricey with MLBTradeRumors.com projecting that he'll receive $60 million over four years. Dexter Fowler still would be an ideal fit, but he's projected to get $64 million over four years and he burned the Orioles in spring training by backing away from their three-year, $33 million offer after the sides appeared to reach agreement.

There's still a sense in the organization that he'd rather play center field.

The Nationals may non-tender outfielder Ben Revere, who's held the Orioles' interest in the past. Revere is coming off the worst season of his career, his health factoring into a .217/.260/.300 slash line in 103 games, but he hit .306/.342/.377 in 2015 with the Phillies and Blue Jays, bats from the left side and can play all three outfield positions.

If you were in charge, who would you choose as leadoff hitter?

A. Adam Jones
B. Manny Machado
C. Hyun Soo Kim
D. Joey Rickard
E. Someone else in the organization
F. Someone outside the organization