BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Starting Lineup
2B Brian Roberts: the 31 year-old switch-hitter flies under the radar in Baltimore but is a top-notch lead off hitter that can run, field, hit, and has some pop (averaging 12 HR's and 43 2B's over the past four seasons)
CF Adam Jones: toolsy 23 year-old should be much better with a full major league season under his belt UPDATE 3/24 - has had a very good spring, hitting .341 (14-for-41) with 7 SB's hitting primarily out of the #2 spot
RF Nick Markakis: star in the making and current face of the franchise after averaging 20 HR's, 87 RBI's, 39 2B's and a .299 BA in his first three ML seasons
1B Aubrey Huff: had his best season since 2003 in his second season with the O's (.304 BA, 32 HR's, 108 RBI's)
DH Luke Scott: 30 year-old hit 23 HR's in 475 AB's in first season with O's
3B Melvin Mora: still productive at age 36 (.285 BA, 23 HR, 104 RBI); should provide the O's at least one more season at the hot corner
C Gregg Zaun: the 37 year-old returns to the team he started out with way back in 1995, this time as a stop-gap starter until the best catching prospect in baseball is ready to take over
LF Felix Pie: former #1 prospect for the Cubs will get a chance to win the LF job and will be the fourth OF at the very least
SS Cesar Izturis: speedy, defensive specialist should stabilize what was a revolving door in 2008

Bench
C Chad Moeller: UPDATE 3/20 - chances increase now that Quiroz has been released but he's hit just 1-for-14 this spring UPDATE 4/2 - has won the backup job over Robby Hammock
IF Robert Andino: out of options and stuck behind Ramirez at SS, he'll likely be auditioning in spring training for another team UPDATE 3/13 - will get a chance to show what he can do in the OF with Amezaga out; if he can handle it, he'll have an good shot at a bench job UPDATE 4/1 - acquired from the Marlins, his arrival likely ends any chance Jolbert Cabrera had of making the team
1B/3B Ty Wigginton: will be in the lineup somewhere (DH/1B/3B/LF) against lefties (.340 BA, 7 HR's in 108 AB's vs LHP's in '08)
UTL Ryan Freel: versatile player gives the O's a gritty veteran who can play all three OF positions, 2B ,and 3B; manager Dave Trembley says he'll play LF against LHP's

Starting Rotation
RHP Jeremy Guthrie: has 17 wins and a 3.66 ERA in two seasons on a mediocre O's team
RHP Koji Uehara: Japanese pitchers are unpredictable; he could be the best pitcher on the roster or he could be nothing more than a mediocre #5 starter; he's impressed the O's so far
LHP Mark Hendrickson: veteran returns to the NL East, where he was 37-40 for Toronto and TB from 2002-mid 2006
RHP Alfredo Simon: UPDATE 3/19 - add the 27 year-old to the mix for a rotation spot UPDATE 3/30 - making a strong case for one of the three open rotation spots after six strong innings in today's start; with just 2 ER allowed in 16 IP this spring, it would be a shame if he didn't win a rotation spot

Bullpen
LHP George Sherrill: made the all-star team on his way to saving 31 games in 37 chances in his first season with the O's
RHP Chris Ray: former closer should be back in '09 after missing all of 2008 but he'll have to prove he's healthy; if he is, pencil him into the closer or 8th inning set up role UPDATE 3/2 - pitched a 1-2-3 inning in his first spring outing with one strikeout UPDATE 3/12 - Ray will be the setup man and fill-in closer on occasion
RHP Jim Johnson: a 2.23 ERA in 54 appearances as a rookie makes the set-up man job his to lose UPDATE 3/12 - a healthy Chris Ray pushes Johnson to the 7th inning setup role UPDATE 3/14 - shoulder injury will shut him down for at least a week
LHP Jamie Walker: disappointing 6.87 ERA in '08 after posting a 3.31 ERA in his previous six seasons
RHP Dennis Sarfate: struck out 86 hitters in 79.2 IP with a 4.74 ERA in his first full ML season
RHP Matt Albers: pitched mostly in relief in his first season with the O's but he'll compete for a rotation spot in '09 if he's healthy UPDATE 3/11 - out of competition for a rotation spot; will start the season in the bullpen if he makes the team
RHP Danys Baez: word is that he wants to become a starter again but the O's will be happy if he can just get back to his pre-2007 form as a solid middle-relief option UPDATE 3/8 - making a case for a rotation spot with 3.2 scoreless innings on Sunday UPDATE 3/25 - latest pitcher to be ruled out of the competition for a rotation spot; he'll compete for a bullpen job
RHP Brian Bass: middle relief option posted a 4.71 ER A in 21 IP after being picked up by the O's in a late-season trade UPDATE 3/17 - injuries have opened the door to possibly earn a spot in the rotation UPDATE 3/31 - being considered for a relief role UPDATE 4/3 - 5th starter Adam Eaton will not be added to the roster until April 11th or 12th so the team might put off a decision and keep Baez and Bass UPDATE 4/5 - has made the opening day roster

Disabled List
LHP Rich Hill: went 11-8 with a 3.92 ERA for the Cubs in 2007 before completely falling apart in 2008, spending most of the season trying to find his control in the minors UPDATE 3/15 - threw a bullpen session today but his status for opening day is still questionable because of an elbow ailment UPDATE 3/22 - won't be ready to start the season

In limbo
RHP Adam Eaton: UPDATE 3/1 - signed to a minor league deal after being released by the Phillies; his last good season was 2005 with the Padres, when he was 11-5 with a 4.05 ERA in 22 starts UPDATE 3/13 - making a case for one of the three open rotation spots UPDATE 4/3 - named the team's 5th starter but won't be added to the roster until his first start on April 11th or 12th

Traded
RHP Hayden Penn: former top prospect was 6-7 in 21 starts with a 4.79 ERA in AAA in 2008 UPDATE 3/25 - out of options, this once promising prospect is still in the mix for a rotation spot UPDATE 3/26 - didn't help his cause today UPDATE 3/30 - likely down to his last chance on Tuesday to secure a rotation spot UPDATE 3/31 - out of the competition for a rotation spot after today's start and could very well be done with the O's UPDATE 4/1 - traded to Florida for IF Robert Andino

Released
C Guillermo Quiroz: batted just .187 in 134 AB's, sealing his fate that he is nothing more than a backup catcher
IF Chris Gomez: batted .302 with the O's from 2005-07; can play all 4 IF positions UPDATE 3/17 - appears to be losing the battle for the final bench job with Jolbert Cabrera, who is 10-for-24 this spring while Gomez is just 2-for-21 UPDATE 4/1 - released after refusing an assignment to AAA

Reassigned to Minor League Camp
LHP John Parrish: posted a 4.04 ERA in 42.1 IP in '08 with Toronto but did his best work out of the bullpen (1.46 ERA in 12.1 IP) UPDATE 3/2 - Parrish gives an update on his sore shoulder UPDATE 3/8 - out of the race for a rotation spot UPDATE 3/25 - reassigned to the minors
RHP Brad Hennessey: just two years removed from a solid season with the Giants when he posted a 3.42 ERA and had 19 saves UPDATE 3/8 - out of the race for a rotation spot UPDATE 3/25 - reassigned to the minors
C Matt Wieters: Zaun will be the stop-gap starter until Wieters, considered by some to be one of the top prospects in baseball, is ready to take over for good, likely mid-season UPDATE 3/29 - reassigned to the minors
IF Oscar Salazar: UPDATE 3/31 - reassigned to the minors
IF Scott Moore: UPDATE 3/31 - reassigned to the minors
RHP Alberto Castillo: UPDATE 3/31 - reassigned to the minors
UTL Robby Hammock: has played catcher, 1B, 3B, and OF in his career and is a .255 hitter with 12 HR's in 479 big league AB's since 2003 UPDATE 3/20 - off to a 6-for-19 start, he could be the leading candidate to backup Zaun to start the season UPDATE 3/21 - has an out clause if the team chooses to send him to AAA UPDATE 4/2 - reassigned to the minors
UTL Jolbert Cabrera: UPDATE 4/2 - reassigned to the minors despite hitting .415 (17-for-41) this spring

Optioned to AAA
RHP Brad Bergesen: UPDATE 3/2 - has a chance to earn a rotation spot after throwing three scoreless innings in today's game and with injuries already mounting to rotation candidates UPDATE 3/21 - optioned to AAA after making a run at a rotation spot
LHP Chris Waters: 28 year-old went 3-5 with a 5.01 ERA in 11 starts for the O's in 2008 although two of the starts were brilliant (8 IP, 0 R, H, 3 BB, 3 K @ ANA in his debut; 9 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K @ TOR) UPDATE 3/25 - optioned to AAA
RHP Kam Mickolio: this 24 year-old giant (6'9", 255 lbs) can throw 97 mph; he should be in the O's bullpen by mid-season, at the latest UPDATE 3/25 - optioned to AAA
RHP Jim Miller: gave up just 1 ER in 7.2 IP before being shutdown with a shoulder injury in September UPDATE 3/29 - optioned to AAA
OF Luis Montanez: UPDATE 3/31 - optioned to AAA despite hitting .340 this spring
RHP David Pauley: UPDATE 3/31 - cleared waivers and was outrighted to AAA Norfolk
RHP Radhames Liz: UPDATE 3/31 - optioned to AAA