In the deal that broke the local internet, Dexter Fowler has signed with the Chicago Cubs. A one year, $9MM deal that is far less than the $15.8MM deal he turned down, when he refused the Cubs’ qualifying offer.

Reports were that Fowler and the Orioles had come to terms on a three year, $35MM deal, but it apparently fell apart when Fowler insisted on an opt out. Dan Duquette has made it clear that the opt out is not something the organization will work into its contracts, and so, the Orioles are back to having a question mark at the top of their lineup and in right field.

A player like Dexter Fowler was considered ideal for the Orioles, as he would have provided a “table setter” at the top of the lineup, allowing Manny Machado to slot further down. He would also play at least league-average defense in right.

In my own opinion, I was excited about having Fowler – an outfielder I trusted – so that we could avoid another 2015 outfield problem. Last year, the team had too many low risk, high reward guys. None of the high rewards came through, and so both corner spots were a revolving door of subpar performance. With Hyun Soo Kim set to play left field in 2016, I was looking forward to having one outfielder who I could count on. This is not to say that I expect Kim’s skills to fail to translate to MLB, it’s just that Fowler provided excellent insurance in case they didn’t. Now that insurance is gone. Now the Orioles need Kim to take a step forward. And they’ll need whatever solution (player or players) who patrol right field to take a step forward, as well. It would have been nice to not have to depend on a career year from anyone. I would have taken Fowler’s average one.

So, missing out on Fowler is a disappointment. And it is a challenge the Orioles will have to face. However, if it’s OK with you, I’m going to hold off on losing my mind about it. Social media is a place for overreaction, and it did not let us down today on the Fowler front.

Spring Training is here, and unless Dan Duquette pulls a rabbit out of his hat, and gets this team a legitimate right fielder, the person patrolling 2110 Eutaw Street this season will be an in-house candidate(s). That means a combination of Nolan Reimold, Joey Rickard, and Dariel Alvarez.

Maybe the Orioles take this opportunity to try to improve the club in other areas, like using that “freed up” money to bring in Pedro Alvarez, to provide a superior DH platoon with Mark Trumbo. Scott talked about the benefits of this approach on Episode 152 (entitled, ironically, “Fowler  Fair”).

But it’s more likely that what you see is what you get. This is the Orioles team you will see try to make the playoffs in 2016. They have made a lot of moves – spending around $250MM in the offseason. Look, I wouldn’t have spent that money the same way, but let’s not pretend that this offseason is a failure because the deal with Fowler didn’t move from pencil to ink.

There’s every chance that this team is no better than the .500  team that disappointed in 2015. That team had substandard starting pitching, and its offense went quiet for stretches when they were needed the most. Maybe this team will have the same flaws.

And maybe they won’t.

I’m kind of over predictions and prognostication. I’m not saying we should slap on the orange sunglasses and pour ourselves a cup of kool aid. I’m not saying we should pretend this team doesn’t have major flaws. I’m saying that we’re here now: Spring Training has begun, and it is time to start enjoying this baseball team for what it is, and not lamenting what it is not. Or what it should have been.

I’m not going to waste my time trying to figure out why the deal was announced, then didn’t happen. I’m not going to bother wondering whether someone was disingenuous, or incompetent. Dexter Fowler isn’t an Oriole. I was disappointed, but I’ve moved on, and recommend you do the same.