Bob Haynie: Preseason Projections Are Not Kind To The Orioles
I have been saying for weeks on Sports Rehab that I will refrain from making my 2016 record prediction for the Baltimore Orioles. I am going to wait until I see what the Opening Day roster looks like before I jump into prognostication mode.
I have, however, gone on record as saying that RHP Kevin Gausman will win at least 15 games this coming season. He is going to get an opportunity to pitch every fifth day and I think he is going to have a breakout campaign.
But I digress.
Other outlets have started making their predictions for the upcoming Major League Baseball year. So far, the Orioles are not being viewed as a team to fear in the American League.
USA Today sees the Orioles going 78-84 which would place them at the bottom of the AL East standings. Athlon Sports is picking Baltimore to finish fourth in their division.
Baseball Prospectus revealed their PECOTA (Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm) projections for 2016 on Tuesday. It's a computer-based system and their number crunching does not foresee the Orioles having a successful season.
PECOTA projects the Orioles to finish 72-90 in '16. That places them in last place in the AL East 13 games behind their projected fourth-place finisher the New York Yankees. As a matter of fact, that 72-90 record would be the worst in the American League according to PECOTA.
As we know, the Orioles are still in pursuit of starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo and outfielder Dexter Fowler. If those acquisitions are made, the Birds will be in better shape talent-wise.
For now, according to some experts, the Baltimore Orioles are not a team to be taken seriously in 2016.
