Baltimore Orioles

We are now more than halfway through January and spring training is just weeks away.

The Baltimore Orioles are coming off two consecutive winning seasons, including a playoff berth in 2012, and that—coupled with the team's talented core—gives O's fans hope for the 2014 season.

However, the Orioles have done virtually nothing to improve their team this winter, or at least in the sense of an impact signing of a bigger-name player.

It's a new year, and for Baltimore Orioles fans, that means a new sense of urgency. The holidays are behind us and the free agent and trade markets will soon begin to pick up again, as some big names and impact players are still out there up for grabs.

It's hard enough to find five good starting pitchers. But the high occurrence of injuries to pitchers in this day and age commonly forces teams to utilize at least eight or nine starting pitchers to get through a 162-game season.

As a result, certain characteristics have become extremely important when assembling a starting rotation. Without a good combination of consistency, durability and reliability, things can get ugly very quickly. 

Christmas has passed, and we're less than a week away from the new year. Most Major League Baseball teams are at or near the completion of their winter shopping, and are looking to make minor moves in the month-and-a-half before spring training.

Then there's the Baltimore Orioles, a team who has the resources to make an impact move or two, but has only seemingly gotten worse on paper.

Former Baltimore Orioles center fielder Paul Blair passed away on Thursday, Dec. 26 at the age of 69.

Blair passed away at Sinai Hospital, according to a hospital spokeswoman (via the Associated Press).

He may not have been their first choice, but signing Fernando Rodney would be a good use of money for the Baltimore Orioles.

The Baltimore Orioles have a new closer, and one thing we know is that he'll be cheaper in 2014 than their old closer would have been.

But better? I wouldn't be quick to count on it, no.

Late last night, news broke from Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports that longtime Baltimore Orioles second baseman and fan-favorite Brian Roberts was "likely" to sign a deal with the New York Yankees.

Mired in a five-game losing streak and all but eliminated from the AL wild card race, the Baltimore Orioles were dealt a blow on Monday that could affect them beyond this September.

At 77-66, the Baltimore Orioles are 1.5 games back from a Wild Card spot. If they can make up that ground in the final 19 games of the season and make it to the postseason, it would be their second straight playoff birth after 14 years of disappointment.