The good, bad and ugly from the 2015 season

It wasn't all bad.

I don't suggest that the Orioles adopt this line as their slogan. Nor would I go with "It could have been worse." But honestly, there was plenty to like about this season and lots more to lament.

Manny Machado played in all 162 games. That alone was cause for celebration following two knee surgeries and the scrutiny that accompanied his every move at minicamp and spring training. But he took his game to a whole new level by batting .286/.359/.502 with 30 doubles, 35 home runs, 86 RBIs, 20 stolen bases and 102 runs scored.

The kid has "superstar" written all over him, which probably won't meet with the approval of Major League Baseball. They're pretty strict about logos and inscriptions.

Jonathan Schoop overcame a knee injury and hit 15 home runs in 86 games. He also is a plus-defender at second base and mature beyond his years. He's got good makeup, as they say.

Schoop is part of the core that we know is coming back next season and he's only going to get better. An infield with Machado and Schoop is special.

Zach Britton went 37 for 41 in save situations and left no doubt that he belonged in any discussion regarding the top closers in the game. He's getting tough outs on the road in the American League East. His sinker is filthy. Players in both dugouts are in awe on a nightly basis.

Chris Davis led the majors with 47 home runs and drove in 117 runs. He also led the team with 84 walks. Guess the TUE was no joke. He should have received it every year. And not having an oblique injury also made a world of difference.

A year ago, the Orioles were wise for not trying to sign Davis to a long extension. Now it's unfortunate. That's baseball.

The Orioles didn't finish with a losing record. Sounds pretty hollow considering how they won 96 games and the division last season and swept the Tigers in the ALDS, but they went 5-0 at the end when they had little more to play for than pride. And I don't care what anyone says, third place is a heck of a lot better than last. You're still home watching the playoffs, but you're not a basement dweller.

The world has enough of those. Trust me. I'm on Twitter.

Brad Brach remains one of the most underrated relievers in baseball. His last three outings before yesterday weren't up to his standards, but ignore them. He was an extremely valuable part of the bullpen and his importance could grow if Darren O'Day isn't re-signed.

O'Day wasn't a fluke in 2012, 2013 or 2014. He's still an elite set-up man, as he proved again this season. He's also the leader of the bullpen. Don't underestimate the importance of it.

Mychal Givens earned the chance to break camp with the team next spring. He'd have to pitch his way off the club. It may be too soon to anoint him the replacement for O'Day if the veteran leaves, but the kid looks legit. He also fields his position like you'd expect from a former shortstop.

He may be the first defensive replacement reliever, as manager Buck Showalter kinda/sorta joked.

Jason Garcia made it through the season as a Rule 5 pick and can continue his development in the minors next season, whether it's Double-A Bowie or Triple-A Norfolk. It wasn't easy, but it happened. He's worth developing, with the hope that his velocity returns.

For those fans saying at various points that the Orioles quit, you were wrong then and you're wrong now. Major overreaction. The club played poorly for stretches and wasn't as sound fundamentally as in previous years, but it didn't stop caring and wasn't lacking in effort. There's a big difference.

For those fans saying Nolan Reimold would get hurt again this year, he stayed healthy with the Orioles and Norfolk. It's OK to admit you were wrong - and at times pretty cruel.

We'll never know whether re-signing Nelson Cruz would have hoisted the Orioles into the playoffs. If you're sure of it, please lend me your crystal ball. I'm tired of asking for it.

Maybe those extra 43 home runs would have allowed the Orioles to out-bash teams in games they otherwise lost this season. Maybe those extra 43 home runs would have covered for the sins of a rotation that, in my opinion, still shoulders most of the blame.

The Orioles didn't want to give Cruz a fourth year due to his age and injury history. I would have deemed it a sound investment if he enabled them to win a World Series during those first three years. Not my money, though.

The season ended with the Orioles out of the playoff field in large part because they didn't adequately replace Cruz and Nick Markakis. They lost production and clubhouse leadership, and players privately seethed.

Markakis only hit three home runs, easily the lowest total of his career, but he batted .296 with a .370 on-base percentage and played in 156 games. From the sound of his MRI results over the winter, I thought his head was supposed to roll off his shoulders before opening day. Perhaps I misunderstood.

The on-base percentage would have come in handy here. Machado was sensational as the primary leadoff hitter, but you can tell that Showalter wants to move him down the order where he belongs.

The Orioles counted on repeat production from a group of players who couldn't deliver, including Bud Norris, Miguel Gonzalez and Alejandro De Aza. Steve Pearce heated up late, but he wasn't the same player in 2015. Travis Snider wasn't nearly as good as advertised, the Orioles tricked by his second half with the Pirates, who must have changed their uniform colors to black and fools gold.

Chris Tillman's ERA jumped from 3.34 in 2014 to 4.99 this year and his innings fell from 207 1/3 to 172 2/3. J.J. Hardy, his offense impacted by a left shoulder injury, needed two hits yesterday to raise his average to .219. Delmon Young and David Lough were designated for assignment, though Lough is back in the organization. Young must be in the Witness Protection Program.

Wesley Wright wasn't supposed to replace Andrew Miller by himself, but he was supposed to make more than two appearances. The Orioles were concerned about him from the minute he started throwing in spring training.

Everth Cabrera was supposed to bring much-needed stolen base skills. He swiped two bags, didn't impress in the field - especially at second base - and never got back to the majors after being released in June.

The roster wasn't flexible. Too many players without options, a mistake that can't be repeated. Showalter often managed with his hands tied, yearning for the days when players more easily could be shuttled back and forth between Baltimore and Norfolk.

Showalter might also appreciate not having to carry a Rule 5 pick in his bullpen, but the Orioles "know who they are," to borrow another one of his expressions, and rely on the draft during the final day of the Winter Meetings to help stock their roster.

The Orioles had their share of injuries. So does everybody else. It's not an excuse, but it's a reality that they would have been much better with full seasons from Matt Wieters, Hardy, Schoop, etc.

The rotation lacked depth, and not only because of injuries to top prospects Dylan Bundy and Hunter Harvey. It's an area that must be addressed. It's usually a specialty of executive vice president Dan Duquette.

You'll still find members of the organization who resent Duquette's interest in becoming Blue Jays president, or at least his refusal to shoot down the rumors. They viewed him as having one foot out the door. Some agents complained about a lack of accessibility at the Winter Meetings. But not everyone agrees with this perception. It depends on the individuals, and Duquette continues to deny that he wasn't fully engaged in his current duties.

Would the Orioles really have been more active in December and January if the Blue Jays never reached out to him? I have my doubts. They didn't sign Cruz and Ubaldo Jimenez until spring training 2014. Since when do they make a flurry of moves before Christmas or before the ball drops on New Years Eve?

Whatever. It still created controversy that lingered through the season. It's a challenge in any organization to have everyone on the same page. The Orioles aren't always in the same book.

The Orioles were 25-26 in one-run games and 34-50 on the road. That hurt. Their offense ranked fourth in strikeouts with 1,331, but the top two teams - the Cubs (1,518) and Astros (1,392) - made the playoffs. Maybe that deficiency is overblown.

The media is invited into the clubhouse today from 3 p.m.-4 p.m., but players usually are packed and headed home following the last game. One or two may trickle in, but I won't plan my entire day around it.

Duquette and Showalter will meet with reporters and I'll pass along their quotes later in the day. Plan your entire day around it so I don't feel abandoned on the first day of the offseason.