The Orioles are back! And MASN is actually bothering to put it on TV
As the cool kids are now fond of saying, we are SO back. Actual Opening Day for the Orioles is still a month and four days away, but starting today the Grapefruit League will be under way between now and then and nearly every day in that time will have exhibition games that will hopefully get everyone tuned up for the season.
This first spring game this afternoon against the Red Sox offers what will be an unfortunately rare treat for Orioles fans. The Orioles-owned television network is actually bothering to televise it. This is one of the seven games that will be televised. Regrettably, MASN has still taken the ridiculous step of having the broadcasters calling the game action from Baltimore.
At least for this first game, when we haven’t seen players in Orioles uniforms in action doing anything in more than four months, that decision shouldn’t be too much of a damper. Just seeing the guys will be fun. Will the new uniforms that have been the talk of spring training look as bad on TV as they do in still pictures? Are the pants going to turn out to be as see-through in action as they look in the posed photo day shots?
With Gunnar Henderson still on the shelf for hopefully no more than the first handful of Grapefruit League games, this lineup was never going to be a completely Opening Day-looking starting lineup. But it’s sure not that far off:
- Cedric Mullins – CF
- Adley Rutschman – C
- Anthony Santander – DH
- Ryan O’Hearn – 1B
- Austin Hays – LF
- Ramón Urías – 3B
- Jackson Holliday – 2B
- Jorge Mateo – SS
- Ryan McKenna – RF
Corbin Burnes is set to be the starting pitcher, for as much as that is worth in a first spring game appearance. Probably two innings, maybe three. He’s expected to be followed by Garrett Stallings, Mike Baumann, Jonathan Heasley, and Nick Vespi. That’s spring training for you.
If we get to see both Burnes and Holliday making their debuts on Opening Day on March 28, that’s going to set up the potential for a fun day. Holliday having a good camp will certainly help his case.