Hope Springs

Spring Training is just around the corner.

Baseball fans don't need to wait until some rodent looks for his shadow next week; we already know that Spring is right around the corner.

As you enjoy the six hour Super Bowl pre-game show this Sunday, rejoice. Baseball season starts in just two weeks, when Orioles pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training.

Here's a complete list of the O's pre-season radio broadcasts.

While the team is still looking for one more veteran starter and talking to Brian Roberts about a possible contract extension, most of the offseason maneuvering is over with.

Here are some of the new faces you'll see in the orange and black this year, followed by a few guys departing from the '08 squad.

New Orioles

Ryan Freel – OF, 2B

Chris Gomez - IF

Mark Hendrickson – SP, RP

Cesar Izturis - SS

Felix Pie – OF

Koji Uehara – SP

Matt Wieters - C

Gregg Zaun - C

Departing Orioles

Juan Castro – SS (signed a minor league deal with the LA Dodgers)

Alex Cintron – IF (currently a free agent)

Brandon Fahey – IF (signed a minor league deal with Toronto)

Ramon Hernandez- lazy C (traded to Cincinatti)

Kevin Millar – 1B (currently a free agent)

Garrett Olson – SP (traded to Cubs, then flipped to Seattle)

Jay Payton – OF (currently a free agent)

2009 Outlook

Freel and Gomez are utility players in their 30s, so it's hard to get excited about them, though they offer a clear upgrade backing up Izturis and Roberts in the middle infield. Izturis will save the club from the shortstop merry-go-round they suffered through in 2008. He's a defensive specialist, but he should be fine at the bottom of the order as well.

Felix Pie is a great defensive outfielder who was the Cubs' number one prospect in 2006 and 2007. He wore out his welcome in Chicago, where his offensive struggles were too much for a playoff team to allow. The O's hope to make him their every day left fielder. Hitting coach Terry Crowley will try to shorten Pie's swing to decrease his strikeout totals. At 24, Pie has tremendous upside, and the O's hope he, Adam Jones, and $66 million man Nick Markakis will make a formidable outfield for the next decade.

The club added two veteran free agent pitchers, though at 6'9" Mark Hendrickson may have more success in one of Cal's pick-up basketball games than on the mound. Koji Uehara, 34, is a little past his prime. He may be one of those players who blows teams away the first time around, then struggles once hitters adjust to him. Only time will tell.

Gregg Zaun, 37, is keeping Matt Wieters' seat warm behind home plate.

Veterans Jay Payton and Kevin Millar have not gotten any bites on the free agent market. Both in their late 30s, it wouldn't be surprising to see both players hang it up, either before or after they get a Spring Training invite somewhere.

In all, the 2009 Orioles are better play-by-player than the 2008 Orioles. The team should take a step forward even if veterans like Aubrey Huff and Melvin Mora fail to reproduce their huge 2008 totals.

That said, the club's weak starting pitching will make it difficult to compete. It will probably be another long summer of suffering and evaluating players for the future. But hey, that beats a winter of chasing rumors and prognosticating. It's not even February, but it's almost time to turn off the hot stove and keep an eye on the happenings in the Grapefruit League. Let's get ready to play ball.