Spring Training is unbearable sometimes. I’m not referring to the fact that Hyun Soo Kim has one hit. Or about the fact that the Orioles’ best two results in their Grapefruit League games have been a pair of ties. This Spring Training is unbearable because I don’t want to have to talk about those two things. Or the fact that some starters have gotten shelled. Or the fact that the Orioles have been grossly outscored in these games – you know, an offense that is supposed to win games 8-6 this year.

None of it matters. Well, maybe some of it matters, but as Scott will tell us, the correlation between Spring Training results and the following season is not very strong. I’m not going to waste time caring about things that aren’t going well now, because come April 4th, they won’t be relevant. And to be fair, I wouldn’t be crowing if the Orioles were having a Jake-Fox-esque spring, either.

Instead, I’m trying to focus on the season to come. Here are a few highlights I will enjoy from the first month of the season.

 

1. Opening Day.

 

This is pretty much self explanatory, right? I love everything about Opening Day. The pomp and circumstance. The joy across the city, at the return of baseball. Even when the Orioles were terrible, this was the one day when the harshest critics shut it down, donned their finest orange and black, and welcomed the Birds back to Baltimore. Now that the Orioles are relevant again, it’s amazing to hope on Opening Day, and know those hopes won’t be extinguished the very next day. I take the day off every year, whether I’m at the park, or not. The reason, listed? “Religious holiday.”

 

2. Orioles participate in Boston’s Patriots’ Day.

 

The Orioles have become Boston’s regular Patriots’ Day opponent in recent years. The scheduling quirk of an early game (2:05pm) on a Monday is a plus. If you have the flexibility, take a long, late lunch, and pick up a couple innings at a local eatery with a TV. Maybe go crazy, and take a half day.

I enjoy the Orioles’ role in the Patriots’ Day game, because it gives the Orioles the chance to play the heel – part of me delights in the opportunity to ruin part of Boston sports fans’ experience.

 

3. Steve Pearce returns to Camden Yards.

 

The fact that Steve Pearce is no longer an Oriole should be a good sign: one that shows that the Birds are filling its roster with more talented ballplayers, and he was simply squeezed out. Pearce spent his four seasons in Baltimore contributing to winning teams, and became a fan favorite, going from “Who the Hell Is” Steve Pearce to a member of Team Steve. He may never be a star player, but Pearce was solid offensively and defensively. He carried the club while Cruz disappeared in 2014, and he played second base in 2015 when Schoop was hurt. No player has been easier to root for during the resurgence of the Orioles since 2012.

Regardless of his role on the Rays this season, he will undoubtedly find his way into the lineup when the Rays come to town April 8-10. I hope that Birdland gives him a warm welcome, and I hope he hits a couple of meaningless home runs deep into the left field seats. Good luck, Steve, we’ll miss you.

 

4. Darren O’Day get his first chance to throw at Jose Bautista.

 

I’m kidding about this, but only mostly. The ascension of the Orioles and Blue Jays in the AL East, coupled with a quiet period from the Yankees and Red Sox, has left the O’s and Jays to bitterly duke it out for the top spot in the division. I wouldn’t call this a burgeoning rivalry just yet, but the contest does have some heat, thanks to the antics of Darren O’Day and Jose Bautista.

Put simply, O’Day likes to hit Bautista, and Bautista likes to make him pay by hitting pitches to the moon. Get your popcorn ready in the late innings, folks.

 

 5. Orioles test their mettle against the 2015 World Champions.

 

The 2014 ALCS was tough to swallow. Fresh off sweeping the Tigers in the ALDS, it was surprising to see the Orioles go quietly into that good night. It was difficult to watch a long-suffering fan base like Kansas City get everything that we wanted. Watching them win the 2015 World Series made it even harder. The Orioles play a weekend series against the reigning world champions on April 22-24. Neither the Royals nor Orioles have been projected to be one of baseball’s top teams in 2016, but for those of us who watched the Royals celebrate on our field after taking a 2-0 ALCS lead, this series will offer the opportunity to exorcise a few demons. And what could be better than that?