One could say that even in the most abysmal of circumstances last year, Davis still almost hit hat total last season, clubbing 26 Bolts in 127 Games Played. Look for him to crush between 35 – 42 HRs this season.  The big 1B is among several key figures that are in contract years after the season concludes, including more than half of the Bullpen’s becoming Free Agents following this campaign as well.

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The Orioles have had a quiet off season, but where that not amount too much in terms of adding talent to their 2014 Roster, a lot of it has to do with some of their players maturing in salary via Arbitration.

I am sure there is a degree of urgency for the O’s brass, since they have a plethora of pending Free Agents after this year.

The franchise is slated to dole out about $120 MIL in team money this campaign.  While that places them in the top half of the MLB, they only register 4th in the AL East.

With Chris Davis, Matt Wieters and Wie-Yin Chen all hitting the open market after this season, maybe the club should take a run at acquiring some guys for their World Series plight half way through this year.

If those aforementioned O’s aren’t enough, Chris Tillman, Darren O’Day, Bud Norris. Tommy Hunter, Alejandro De Aza, Ryan Webb and Steve Peace are also free to sign with all 30 clubs beyond 2015.

Past this campaign the team still has solid building blocks instilled with having Adam Jones, J.J. Hardy, Manny Machado, Kevin Gausman, Dylan Bundy, Zach Britton and Jonathan Schoop under Team Control for years to come, but still the time to strike is right now.

For a Year to Year Breakdown For all of the O’s players salaries please visit here.

Adam Jones was brought over in a trade with Chris Tillman, George Sherrill from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Erik Bedard in the 2007 offeseson. Jones is a 3 time Gold Glove Winner, and has 2 straight season of 30+ HRs, and might well be in the top 5 AL MVP consideration this year by the time it is all said and done. This trade started the pendulum swinging back in the other direction – after a horrible 10 year stretch for the O’s. Baltimore broke a 15 year playoff drought n 2012 with a Post Season Berth and then won the AL East for the 1st time since the mid 90’s in 2014. This 4 time ALL – Star and Gold Glover is a perennial MVP candidate now.  Jones, now 29, signed a 7 YRs/$91.7 MIL deal prior to the 2012 season, which means he is with Baltimore until the end of 2018.  He will earn $64 MIL over the next 4 years.

Adam Jones is owed $64 MIL over the next 4 seasons, but one could say that his pact to him $85 MIL over 6 years (2013 – 2018) is a very fair deal for a guy who clubs 30 HRs and 100 RBI, while playing Gold Glove caliber CF.

Chris Davis and Matt Wieters are under the Team Boras Coporation umbrella – so there is next to nil chance of them signing back with Baltimore.  It is the same reason why the Cubs will wait 12 service days until the call up Kris Bryant.  Boras always advises his player to make it to Free Agency, and he wonders why clubs hold back players!

J.J. Hardy was extended at the tail end of the calendar last year, and is owed a minimum of $40 MIL from 2015 – 2017.  He has a Vesting Option for 2018, that if kicked in, translates his deal into a 4 YRs/$56 MIL contract.  Decent numbers for a guy who smacked just 9 Bolts in 2014.

Chris Tillman will be paid $4.32 MIL in 2015, and has 2 more years left of Arbitration before he can elect for Free Agency.  He is 29 – 13 with a mid 3 ERA the last 2 seasons, and has back to back 200+ IP campaigns.  He is asserting himself as close to a staff ace as the club has.  Of course the squad is hoping that Dylan Bundy or Kevin Gausman will usurp the role at some point in the next few years.

Wieters arm issues (recovering from Tommy John) should see him plate many AB as the teams Designated Hitter.  His $8.3 MIL salary in 2015 will dictate Buck Showalter should keep him as healthy as he can be.  The team fared well with their backup Catchers in 2014, and will need Caleb Joseph to maintain some production this season as well.

Ubaldo Jimenez enters the 2nd year of a 4 YR deal worth $49 MIL.  Unfortunately for the club, he was on a downward trend last season.  All you can hope for is to find that 4 month stretch of dominance he seems to come up with every 3 years or so.  This albatross deal meant the team was stuck not making moves this past winter.

I fully commend for the management letting Nick Markakis walk for the kind of money he eventually signed with the Braves for.  One could argue, with the tandem of Delmon Young and Steve Pearce, his services could be transitioned in for about a 3rd of the price.  Heck, add De Aza and his $5 MIL deal this season and you still have paid less to those guys than the former O’s hit leader.

Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop are still young enough where they don’t cost you money – and have plenty of upside.

The Starting Pitching well at least have several guys returning in 2016 past Bud Norris.  Miguel Gonzalez must wait until 2018 for Free Agency.  Along with Tillman, Bundy and Gausman, this core of Starters should keep the teams staff looking solid for the next 3 – 4. Keep in mind that Tillman and Gonzalez will make more dough each year in Arbitration though.

The onus has to be on winning right now.  I would seriously consider trading either Bundy or Gausman for a guy like Cole Hamels.

The Bullpen is actually one of the better bunch of Relief Core’s there is in the game, however by years end, only Britton will be under contract.  Webb, O’Day, Hunter, Brian Matusz and Wesley Wright may walk as Free Agents.  It would be tough to see just Brad Brach an T.J. MacFarland as the only significant pieces left to help Relieve the games beyond 2015.

Maybe that is why the club is dangling Matusz in a deal.

I am not worried about the coach working out late inning arms as time goes on either.  A lot of money will come off the books, and Dan Duquette has found several guys to pitch well for his team.

Having another decent year for Chris Davis, could mean a heavy payday for him in the winter.

Matt Wieters is recovering from Tommy john Surgery this spring. He is also in the last year of team control. In yet another Scott Boras play. he is requesting his client to receive as many AB as possible heading into Free Agency.  The soon to be 29 Year Old, will enter the year earning $8.3 MIL in 2015.  At the time of his injury last year, the Catcher had an .839 OPS through 26 games, which is 96 PTS higher than his career mark.

*** The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com and their partners***

A Big thanks goes out to our chief writer Hunter Stokes for preparing today’s feature post.

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