Fowler gives Orioles one of baseball's best lineups
Baltimore Orioles general manager Dan Duquette has turned what had the potential to be a crippling offseason, into a highly successful winter, by constructing one of the league's best offenses.
Facing the possibility of losing both Chris Davis and Matt Wieters, the Orioles' ownership doubled down and gave Duquette the funds necessary to compete on the free-agent market. The result was more than $284 million spread across six players.
The final piece of the puzzle was added Tuesday, when the Orioles reportedly brought in right-fielder and likely leadoff man Dexter Fowler with a three-year deal. The switch-hitter gives the team a strong on-base presence at the top of the order, and adds speed to a lineup devoid of it.
| Order | Player | POS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dexter Fowler (S) | RF |
| 2 | Manny Machado | 3B |
| 3 | Chris Davis (L) | 1B |
| 4 | Adam Jones | CF |
| 5 | Matt Wieters (S) | C |
| 6 | Mark Trumbo | DH |
| 7 | Jonathan Schoop | 2B |
| 8 | J.J. Hardy | SS |
| 9 | Hyun-soo Kim (L) | LF |
Baltimore's first four hitters arguably rival the best in the league. Fowler, Manny Machado, Davis, and Adam Jones combined to hit 126 home runs last season - second to the Toronto Blue Jays' quartet of Troy Tulowitzki, Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, and Edwin Encarnacion, who belted 137 homers.
The power threat doesn't stop in the top half, either. The addition of Mark Trumbo, a full season with a healthy Wieters, and the signing of Korean thumper Hyun-soo Kim gives manager Buck Showalter legitimate power one-through-nine.
The financial commitment doesn't come without long-term questions, however. Was spending $164 million on Chris Davis a drastic overpay? Should more attention have been paid to addressing a mid-level rotation? Was a $31-million commitment to reliever Darren O'Day too much?
Despite how legitimate those concerns may be, it's difficult to blame the Orioles for going all-in when they still believe their window to contend is open.
Scoring runs won't be an issue for this club, and the offense could be strong enough to make up for an average rotation. Either way, Duquette has put his team in a better position than many believed it would have been in four months ago, and there's certainly no fault in that.