After a week where it’s been light on televised Orioles spring training action, the Orioles are back on MASN for their home contest against the Cardinals on Friday afternoon. As a bonus, those who are out of market can check this one out on MLB Network if they have the ability. Tough luck if you are limited to radio, though. There isn’t one of those. The flagship stations are mostly not interrupting their weekday afternoon programming for spring training games.
Orioles lineup
- Blaze Alexander – SS
- Taylor Ward – LF
- Adley Rutschman – C
- Pete Alonso – DH
- Ryan Mountcastle – 1B
- Colton Cowser – CF
- Heston Kjerstad – RF
- Coby Mayo – 3B
- Thairo Estrada – 2B
Chris Bassitt is the starting pitcher
for this game. Other pitches expected to see action today are: Albert Suárez, Yennier Cano, Jean Carlos Henriquez, Josh Walker.
It’s obviously not going to be an Opening Day clone for the lineup as long as Gunnar Henderson is away with Team USA for the WBC. I think we’re pretty close, though. Seven of the nine players here are definitely expected to see regular MLB time with the team and the other two – for my money, Kjerstad and Estrada – could end up as reserves on the Opening Day roster, depending on how the team decides to evaluate its options.
Ahead of the game, manager Craig Albernaz was asked a variety of questions about his pitching staff and did not offer any definitive replies:
Taking these answers at face value, he hasn’t made decisions yet. I suspect he has an inclination towards what he is going to do and he’s just choosing not to reveal what that is yet, since something could easily happen to change the plan over the next couple of weeks. I have my doubts that either a six man rotation or piggybacking is really on the table. But the Orioles have surprised me before and will surprise me again.
