We're all used to complaining about the Orioles not spending much money at all. This offseason, they've added $63 million to their 2025 payroll. In this episode, Mark reacts to the simple fact: That's a lot of money! It's just not been spent on any pitchers who look like the ace the O's lost.

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The Orioles made a starting pitching move as they inked veteran Japanese righty Tomoyuki Sugano on Monday night. Mark just hopes that's not THE starting pitching move, because there still seems to be a need for the top of the O's rotation not just for 2025 but for the next few years of the current team's competitive window as well. In the mailbag, more thoughts on the starting rotation and what it means for the franchise that Mike Elias just hasn't tried hard to get much starting pitching in the draft.

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In signing outfielder Tyler O'Neill and catcher Gary Sánchez to replace Anthony Santander and James McCann, have the Orioles even improved on their 2024 roster? Mark isn't so sure, though we all know his inherent pessimism about O's signings. Also in this episode, taking a look at what's left on the starting pitching market, with the hopes that the O's will try to make an upgrade there as well.

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Are the Orioles a playoff team in 2025 based on their organization right now with no external additions? Mark is not convinced that the answer is yes, so the need for some signings and/or trades is imperative. The problem with this for O's fans is that we either wait around for big signings that don't happen, or the big signings turn out badly. Maybe this is the offseason where Mike Elias changes that.

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Did you have former Oriole Robinson Chirinos joining the coaching staff on your offseason bingo card? Come on, no you didn't. Chirinos and recent Triple-A Norfolk manager Buck Britton are in and some people want that to mean something. Mark adds his thoughts on the bullpen in the wake of Jacob Webb getting cut loose at the non-tender deadline. In the mailbag, a listener hopes for Buck Showalter to get into the HOF - Mark handicaps that case before turning to a couple of players who we can hope will make it eventually.

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As of Tuesday night, it's official: Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander declined the qualifying offers and are free agents. Mark is counting on cashing in the draft picks when they sign elsewhere, even after getting burned when Colton Cowser didn't actually win ROY and give the Orioles a bonus pick. Also in this episode: A little Hall of Fame ballot talk, the Rule 5 draft deadline, and thoughts on the coming changes to the Camden Yards fences and what really worries Mark about the whole fence thing.

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Around the midway point of the season, the Orioles had strong contenders for Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, and MVP awards. Now we're in November and the top 3 finishers were announced and all the O's have is Colton Cowser as a possible ROY winner. That's the big one, since it awards the Orioles a draft pick if he wins, so Mark hopes it comes through. Also in this episode, breaking down the Roki Sasaki situation in case the O's make a longshot bid to sign the Japanese star, and some further thoughts from the mailbag on what could be a coming free agent bonanza for the O's.

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MLB's offseason isn't even a week old and the Orioles have already made at least one surprise move in deciding not to bring back reliever Danny Coulombe on a modest contract for 2025. Mark runs down the team's routine roster maintenance over the first post-World Series days before turning to the broader question of what the O's need to do to have a successful offseason, with some focus on free agents who are suggested as possible fits for the team.

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On February 1 when the Orioles acquired Corbin Burnes, we could all imagine an exciting rotation for the season. The injuries to Kyle Bradish and John Means pierced those dreams but things worked out okay after all. Mark looks at the good and the bad from the 2024 starting pitchers in the last of his season review episodes.

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The bullpen was one of the big strengths of the Orioles in the 2023 season. For 2024, a big question was, could they continue that with Félix Bautista out for the year? In this episode, Mark runs through the various ways that this question was answered with a resounding "No," from Craig Kimbrel on down to the midseason trash heap addition of Burch Smith.

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