Tyler Wilson on the good and bad of the 2016 season

Chris Davis is taking the "off" out of "offseason."

Davis is really making the rounds this week, starting with his appearance Tuesday at the Orioles' annual holiday party for kids at Dave & Busters. He showed up yesterday in three CBS Radio studios after calling into MLB Network and MLB Network Radio. He's agreed to an interview later today for MASNsports.com before heading down to Dempsey's Brew Pub & Restaurant for the "Hot Stove Show" on 105.7 The Fan.

Just thinking out loud here, but perhaps Davis can expand his presence beyond sports and enter the political arena. He seems like a natural for the Supreme Court bench press.

Tyler Wilson would settle for staying in the Orioles' plans for 2017. It's sort of up in the air at the moment.

The club has six starters for five spots, the math going unchanged since the wild card loss in Toronto. Wilson would make seven or eight, depending where you slot Mike Wright. And Logan Verrett expands the size of the party, whether it's being held in the rotation or bullpen. Just don't show up empty-handed and, please, no double-dipping your chip.

"We had really good pitchers (this) year and it was a battle to be in the mix sometimes," Wilson said earlier this week at the holiday party. "That competition is a really good thing. It's a good problem to have, too much starting pitching or trying to decide who's going to be the guy.

"It doesn't change my motivation. It doesn't change anyone's motivation. You go out there and train to do whatever you can to help the team. And whatever role that ends up being, I'll be prepared for it."

Wilson on paper would appear to have a better shot at replacing Vance Worley as a long man who could make the occasional start. He'd certainly be a cheaper version, though whether he could be as effective doing it is open for debate.

"I look at a situation like that and wish Vance the best and hope our paths cross again, whether that's with the Orioles or on opposite sides of the field, wherever that may be," Wilson said. "It's hard to predict what other people are thinking. For the most part, I try to take care of the variables I can, like we've talked about in the past, and go out there and let the cards fall where they may."

Wilson needs to raise his level of play and he knows it.

The 3.50 ERA in nine games in 2015 rose to 5.27 in 24 games. In his final start on July 2 in Seattle, he allowed eight runs and nine hits over three innings, a line that also included two walks and three home runs. But Wilson shut out the Red Sox on three hits over eight innings in a June 16 start at Fenway Park.

Wilson registered a 5.67 ERA in 13 starts and a 3.86 ERA in 11 relief appearances. However, there wasn't much difference in his WHIP as a starter (1.425) and reliever (1.429).

"I think there was a lot of good and a lot of bad," Wilson said. "I think the bad is part of the development. My first couple years in the big leagues, there's a lot of things I've learned and that's a product of those struggles. I'm thankful for that.

"Obviously, you don't want those struggles as far as results go, but you have to face adversity to be able to learn and grow as a player. So I'm looking forward to the upcoming season."

Wilson was asked to expand on the "bad."

"The game is still the game in the big leagues like everybody talks about, but there's certain things that don't necessarily fly in the big leagues that maybe do in the minor leagues," Wilson replied. "Just witnessing it firsthand, it's a lot easier to grow and learn from that. Being on the mound and witnessing those things happen, or the dugout or bullpen, wherever it may be. It's just a lot easier to witness them happen and learn from those."

The Orioles optioned Wilson on July 3 and recalled left-hander Ariel Miranda, later traded to the Mariners for Wade Miley. Wilson was shut down at Triple-A Norfolk to freshen his arm, making only two starts before rejoining the Orioles on July 23 while Ubaldo Jimenez went on paternity leave.

"I think that's one of the biggest takeaways from last year is I felt really good in spring training and the first half of the year and then kind of hit a wall, per se, in the second half. And the second half is the most important half of the season," Wilson said.

"I've made some adjustments in my offseason training and hopefully can be on the incline going into the second half rather than maxing out earlier in the season when it's not as valuable."

Of course, Wilson was asked to expand on the adjustments. He got quite a workout during this interview.

"It's putting a little bit more time into my body and not throwing quite as early," he replied. "In years past, I've felt like coming into spring training you always want to drive something and set a tone and let your teammates know that you've put your time in in the offseason and are ready to go. I think I maybe started throwing too early and the quantity of work has been a little too much.

"I felt great in spring training, but it's a marathon not a sprint type of sport. I think pushing back my timeline a little bit and alleviating some of that volume is going to lead to a better second half."

In whatever role he occupies.

While I can envision Wilson making some starts for the Orioles next season, I'm assuming that he enters camp as a candidate for a bullpen that right now seems assured of carrying Zach Britton, Darren O'Day, Brad Brach, Mychal Givens and Donnie Hart.

Brach could be moved in a trade for a right fielder, but the Orioles know the gamble of tampering with a bullpen that posted the lowest ERA in the American League at 3.40.

They could go in lots of directions to fill the other two openings, assuming they go with five starters and seven relievers. Wilson and Wright could vie for Worley's job. So could Joe Gunkel, who's now on the 40-man roster but must prove that his stuff will play in the big leagues. Logan Ondrusek was signed to a major league deal.

Verrett, Jason Garcia, Jayson Aquino, Oliver Drake, Parker Bridwell and Chris Lee also are on the 40-man. I'll be bold and eliminate Garcia, who has a better shot at starting for Norfolk, and Lee, who started only seven games at Double-A Bowie due to injury and needs to focus on healing, staying healthy and maybe getting a shot later.

It's also possible that executive vice president Dan Duquette signs another reliever before the Orioles report to spring training. Never assume that he's done.

Revisiting the agreement with catcher Welington Castillo, I should note that Francisco Pena is out of minor league options. He's on the 40-man roster and will compete with Caleb Joseph, who isn't out of options, for the backup role behind Castillo.

Does Pena have an edge because he's out of options, or does it make no difference? I guess Joseph is the current favorite, but we shouldn't just hand him the job.

Let's not factor in RBI totals. This is meaningless and I can't stress it enough.