World Champions 1983, 1970, 1966 American League Champions 1983, 1979, 1971, 1970, 1969, 1966 American League East Division Champions 2014, 1997, 1983, 1979, 1974, 1973, 1971, 1970, 1969 American League Wild Card 2012, 1996 Tuesday, March 24, 2015 Columns: Wieters: 'I'd much rather be playing for the playoffs as opposed to playing on that Opening Day' The Sun 3/24 Who wins the American League East? The Sun 3/24 Cal and Bill Ripken look to 2015 in Aberdeen and beyond The Sun 3/24 Five Orioles roster battles still being waged in spring training The Sun 3/23 Inbox: How will catching situation shake out? MLB.com 3/23 10 MLB players, one fantasy mock draft MLB.com 3/23 Wieters: "I want to be ready as quick as possible" MASNsports.com 3/24 Orioles lineup vs. Pirates MASNsports.com 3/24 Hardy on Janish: "He struck me out in '09, so use that" MASNsports.com 3/24 Ripken brothers talk Orioles, IronBirds and more at Aberdeen event MASNsports.com 3/24 Under-the-radar spring breakthroughs ESPN.com 3/23 Wieters knows there won't be an Opening Day for him CSN Baltimore 3/24 Jimenez needs strong start to impress Orioles CSN Baltimore 3/24 Orioles prospect Hunter Harvey suffers fractured fibula NBCSports.com 3/23 Sunday Notes: Snider’s Swing, Starting Matusz, Backstop Academia, Grapefruit Nuggets FanGraphs.com 3/22 It’s time for MLB to expand teams’ rosters Boston Globe 3/22 http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-wieters-id-much-rather-be-playing-for-the- playoffs-as-opposed-to-playing-on-that-opening-day-20150324-story.html Wieters: 'I'd much rather be playing for the playoffs as opposed to playing on that Opening Day' By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun March 24, 2015 Orioles catcher Matt Wieters – speaking for the first time since manager Buck Showalter said he is unlikely to be recovered in time for Opening Day – expressed disappointment in not making the target date he set when he had Tommy John surgery in June. But the three-time All-Star is focused on making sure once he does return, it’s for good. "It's hard, and it's what – the last five years, been able to be on the Opening Day [roster],” Wieters said. “It's a special date, it's always fun to experience it, but at the same time, I want to be there at the end of the year and I'd much rather be playing for the playoffs as opposed to playing on that Opening Day date. "Opening Day was always the goal. It was always something that I was shooting for just because throughout the course of a long offseason, you want to have that end goal in sight. I think once I came to terms that probably wasn't going to be the best thing for my arm as well as for the team at that point, it was a little bit easier to sit back and say, 'OK, now let's just let it calm down and when it's ready, it's ready.' " Wieters said his elbow is feeling better, but won’t test it out every day as was the case before. "The latest is we're still letting it rest,” he said. “We're seeing improvement, and it's getting better and feeling better. But at the same time, getting into the mindset where we're not going to test it out every day like we were before. We're going to try to spread it out. Treatment's been going well. We're just going to continue to stay on that path." Wieters was shut down with elbow tendinitis on the day after catching his first Grapefruit League game on March 17. On Saturday, Showalter said it was unlikely Wieters would make the Opening Day roster, saying his return will now be monitored week-by-week instead of day-by- day. "I think now that Opening Day has kind of come and gone and passed, it's not a matter of a date,” Wieters said. “It's more when it's ready, and I think that's the thing that's probably a little bit easier for me than trying to say, 'OK, we have to be ready by here or we have to be ready by here.' "I want to be ready as quick as possible and where I feel like once I start playing, I'm going to be able to keep improving and we're not going to have any issues throughout the course of the year, then I'll be confident." Wieters, who is hitless in 23 Grapefruit League at bats (mostly as a DH), said he would probably play in minor league spring training games instead of Grapefruit League games if he’s able play before Opening Day. He is eligible to come off the disabled list on April 11. Wieters also echoed Showalter’s sentiment that he wouldn’t join the major league club to be strictly a designated hitter. "That's kind of always been whatever Buck feels is best,” Wieters said. “I think as far as my rehab, I really wanted to focus on getting the catching right first. Once we get there, then we can sort of look at whether or not DHing's an option. But right now, it's a matter of just making sure I can get back behind the plate and get catching first. "If Buck ever feels like that's better for the team for me to DH as opposed to just making sure I get back quick catching, then I'll surely do it. But I think the big thing is being able to get back catching first." Here are the starting lineups for today's game against the Pirates in Bradenton: Orioles lineup vs Pitts: De Aza 7, Pearce 9, Paredes 5, Young DH, Davis 3, Lavarnway 2, Lough 8, Cabrera 4, Janish 6, Jimenez 1. Pirates lineup vs Os: Harrison 5, Polanco 9, McCutchen 8, Walker DH, Marte 7, Alvarez 3, Mercer 6, Kang 4, Sanchez 2. Liz 1. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-connollys-bar-who-wins-the-al-east- 20150323-story.html Who wins the American League East? By Dan Connolly / The Baltimore Sun March 24, 2015 Welcome back to the bar. It’s been a while. We were closed for renovations. Some wise guy painted black bars over our Ravens mural; that took some time to clean up. While we were it at it, we changed the decor. Now that Maryland’s men’s basketball season has ended, everything in Connolly’s is in black and orange. Time for you to talk some baseball with the barkeep. And I’ve got a solid question for you today. Each year we make our baseball predictions for The Sun’s special section – it’s about that time for me to send mine in. And I don’t see any way around it: I’m predicting the Orioles win the division again. I know – a Baltimore homer. But here’s a little historical perspective: This is my 15th season covering the team, and I’ve never once predicted in March that the Orioles would win the division at season’s end. Last year I had them back in the playoffs, but as a Wild Card. In 2013, I said they would finish above .500, but fail to make the postseason – and I was right. In 2012? Um, I was a bit off on that one. I had the Orioles finishing dead last in the American League East -- and they reached the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. Point is, I’m not perfect (I’m sure that was what all of you were thinking) and I’m not just being an Orioles drone here. I was prepared to select the Toronto Blue Jays as my division winner, but the season-ending knee injury to pitcher Marcus Stroman makes that rotation too shaky to pick first (though I still love their gritty additions of Russell Martin and Josh Donaldson). I’m going with the Blue Jays to end up third. I have the New York Yankees fourth, because I think they are too old to make a run and the Tampa Bay Rays, who are too banged up and undermanned, finishing fifth. So that leaves the Orioles and the revamped Boston Red Sox, who I think will make the playoffs. The Red Sox are the chic pick this year given their bevy of offseason moves. But I just haven’t bought into that rotation or a bullpen led by the ageless Koji Uehara, who is already dealing with injury. I asked two Boston scribes what they thought – and both said they were choosing between the Orioles and Red Sox, as well. And both were leaning to the Orioles. Frankly, I think the Orioles will take a step back from their 96-win season last year. But the rest of the teams in the division are just as flawed, or more so. I don’t see another club moving up to meet the Orioles – unless the Red Sox package some top prospects for a rotation boost (Cole Hamels?). And since that hasn’t happened yet, I’m picking the Orioles to repeat as division champions. Your turn. Daily Think Special: Who wins the 2015 American League East? http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/harford/aberdeen-havre-de-grace/ph-ag-ripken- hot-stove-0325-20150324-story.html Cal and Bill Ripken look to 2015 in Aberdeen and beyond By Jeff Seidel / The Baltimore Sun March 24, 2015 For the Ripkens and the Aberdeen IronBirds, the 2015 season promises to celebrate the past while looking to the future.