Taking another shot at Orioles spring storylines

The Orioles set their coaching staff. They have a ways to go before they can say the same about their roster.

Pitchers and catchers report in February – it’s usually somewhere in the second week – and more storylines will materialize as we plow through the offseason.

I’ve already provided a sampling - how Heston Kjerstad and Coby Mayo fit on the roster, how Adley Rutschman will hit, anything Félix Bautista, rehab progress made by Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells, Grayson Rodriguez’s health after being left off the Wild Card roster, anything Jackson Holliday, what a full season of Zach Eflin could do, whether Daz Cameron can make the club as an extra outfielder, whether Dean Kremer can take the next step, reaction to the left field wall, the bullpen, and whether Cade Povich makes the club.

I focused on Danny Coulombe’s removal from the ‘pen, but now we can add Jacob Webb.

Here are a few more.

Emmanuel Rivera’s bid to break camp with the team.

Rivera seemed like a bubble guy on non-tender day but he was the only Oriole player to reach agreement on a new contract. Eleven others were tendered. Webb was non-tendered.

The Orioles signed Rivera for $1 million. MLBTradeRumors.com projected a salary of $1.4 million. This is a team-friendly deal for a corner infielder who plays a good third base and hit .313/.370/.578 with three doubles, a triple, four home runs and 14 RBIs in 27 games. He made the Wild Card roster.

That’s a nice waiver claim.

None of that guarantees Rivera a spot on Opening Day.

This is  well-stocked infield barring a trade or injury. Rivera is out of minor league options and can’t be sent down without clearing waivers. Results can only take him so far on a roster with Holliday, Mayo, Ryan Mountcastle, Ryan O’Hearn, Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, Ramón Urías and Jorge Mateo.

Rivera will be trying to earn a bench job with the Orioles but he’ll also have scouts watching him.

Improvements with Trevor Rogers.

The Orioles tendered Rogers a contract, as expected. They didn’t trade Connor Norby and Kyle Stowers to the Marlins so they could make a full evaluation of Rogers in four starts. He didn’t belong on the bubble.

Rogers allowed 15 earned runs and 16 total with 25 hits in 19 innings. He also walked 10 batters. The Orioles set up a plan for him with their pitching instructors at Triple-A Norfolk and during the offseason.

Optioning Rogers is a possibility if he’s struggling in camp. He will try to get back into the rotation but could be considered for a long relief role, especially if Albert Suárez breaks camp as a starter.

Media will want more details on what he worked on, and the exhibition games will be important to him. He can’t just “work on things.” He’s got to impress, and that makes him an interesting story.

Any noticeable changes with new hitting coaches.

The Orioles promoted offensive strategist Cody Asche to hitting coach. Tommy Joseph comes over from the Mariners as an assistant hitting coach. Upper-level hitting coordinator Sherman Johnson is getting a bump to assistant hitting coach.

Players will be asked about their early impressions of the new unit and whether there are extreme changes or just some tweaks to the instruction.

Don’t expect anything drastic.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias has talked about “improving, modifying, adjusting,” and how baseball is “a game of evolution.” Methods will be sought to upgrade production with runners on base and in certain counts and scores. But the overall philosophies aren’t expected to be overhauled.

Increasing on-base percentages, like drawing more walks, figures to be an area of emphasis.