Some targeted Orioles topics for start of spring training

This wintery weather – snow, freezing rain, ice that’s closing schools and turning backyard decks into hazardous rinks – heats up the interest in pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training.

The wait is almost over, with the official arrival date Wednesday and the first workout set for Thursday. Gentlemen, start your bullpen sessions and PFPs.

The first day will bring a media scrum with executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias and possible injury news. Last spring’s session confirmed Kyle Bradish’s sprained elbow ligament and platelet-rich plasma injection, John Means being about a month behind the other starters, Gunnar Henderson’s sore oblique and Samuel Basallo’s elbow stress fracture.

Elias reminded reporters at the Birdland Caravan that he traditionally kind of forecasts “anybody who’s off or on an abnormal schedule when we get down to Sarasota, so I’ll probably do that in a couple of weeks.”

We already learned that Jorge Mateo and Félix Bautista will be on a lighter schedule early in camp. Bradish and Tyler Wells won’t be activated until the second half, with their move to the 60-day injured list approaching. The media finally will have access to them.

Much of the winter has been spent going over storylines. Interest in rehabbing players will be intense, but also Tomoyuki Sugano’s acclimation to major league life. Charlie Morton’s arrival at age 41 and what he’s got left in the tank. Gary Sánchez's arrival as Adley Rutschman’s backup and how he looks in the cage, at the plate and behind the dish. Tyler O’Neill’s arrival as the new primary right fielder and replacement for Anthony Santander.

Overreactions could surface if certain players don’t hit, since the offense took a powder for much of the second half and in the Wild Card round. Every at-bat from Rutschman will be put under a microscope. He’d do himself a huge favor by going 2-for-2 in the first game.

Jackson Holliday also will be a media magnet again, except the narrative has changed. This isn’t about a No. 1 prospect trying to break camp with the team, which he failed to do last spring despite batting .311/.354/.600 with three doubles, two triples and two home runs in 15 games. This is about a former No. 1 prospect who hit .189 with a .566 OPS in the majors as a rookie and is out to prove that he’s ready for a much bigger role and much better production.

Trying to figure out the 13-man pitching staff will be one of the many spring activities. Can someone break into a rotation that appears to be set right now with Sugano, Morton, Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer? Can someone break into a bullpen that appears to be set right now with Bautista, Seranthony Domínguez, Yennier Cano, Andrew Kittredge, Cionel Pérez, Gregory Soto, Keegan Akin and Albert Suárez?

Attempts by Trevor Rogers, Cade Povich and Chayce McDermott to mess with the mocks will be worthy of extreme close-ups in monitoring.

“I think my mindset really is similar to how it was at the end of the year going into the postseason,” Povich said at the Birdland Caravan.” I’ve put in some work this offseason working on stuff and in communication with (Drew) French and Plass (Mitch Plassmeyer) and the rest of the coaching staff. Just take spring training as an opportunity.”

“I think that (competing for job) is everyone’s goal when you get to go to spring training,” McDermott said at the Caravan. “Getting that one day last year kind of amplifies it for me a little bit this year. I don’t really know where we stand. We have a lot of guys this year and a lot of really good pitchers, so I’m just gonna try my best and hopefully I can prove that I deserve a spot.”

Trying to figure out the 13-man position player side of the roster also will keep people busy. Mateo is a key figure. He could be a seventh infielder if ready for Opening Day, leaving the outfield with four players. How does that work with Ramón Laureano signing a $4 million contract and Heston Kjerstad supposedly set to receive a real chance to become established like Colton Cowser did last season?

I tend to dismiss Dylan Carlson because of his three minor league options, but he’s there to compete and complicate. He’s a switch-hitter who slashes .285/.361/.431 against left-handers and can play all three outfield positions. And he’s four years removed from a third-place finish in voting for top National League rookie.

Coby Mayo might need to return to Triple-A Norfolk until a spot opens, but he’ll do whatever he can to avoid it. Let’s see how much first base he plays in spring training, and whether anything is done to clear his path.

It would help his cause if he blisters the baseball in exhibition games and gains more trust defensively.

The catchers are established unless there’s an injury. Rutschman and Sánchez are immovable. However, the Orioles need to know who’s the first man up as a replacement. Basallo isn’t ready now but maybe he’s the first option later in the summer. David Bañuelos and Maverick Handley also are camp invitees with Triple-A experience, and the former received his one and only major league at-bat last summer.