It’s (sort of) baseball season! Hip hip hooray!
Down in sunny Sarasota, Baltimore Orioles pitchers and catchers are reporting to Spring Training for their first workouts and practices this morning. Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com writes that position players will report Friday with the O’s first full-squad workout on Saturday.
The World Baseball Classic has thrown a wrench into all 30 teams’ preparations for the 2013 season.
This year’s Spring Training schedule will be different with the World Baseball Classic taking place, and the Orioles will lose a trio of players temporarily in centerfielder Adam Jones (Team USA), and relievers Luis Ayala (Team Mexico) and Pedro Strop (Team Dominican Republic) although exactly when and for how long is still not set in stone.
After last season’s success, the Birds have much to prove this season. They’ll be tasked with showing the baseball world that 2012 wasn’t a fluke and will have to exceed the projections many have made for them this season. Of course, they’re forced to do so in one of the most competitive — if not the hardest — division in baseball.
Summertime is just around the corner. Want to get spy and The Intimidator out to the park this year. Beers are on me!