Orioles start Spring Training 3-0

The Orioles opened their Spring Training schedule on Feb. 23. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

The Orioles opened their Spring Training schedule on Feb. 23. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

The Baltimore Orioles are hoping their 3-0 start is a sign of things to come for the 2013 season.

The O’s opened their Spring Training schedule on Feb. 23 against the Minnesota Twins. Entering the 7th inning Baltimore trailed 3-2. After a one-out double by Yamaico Navarro, Jonathan Schoop tied the game with a single. In the 8th, Russ Canzler drew a lead-off walk and newcomer Trayvon Robinson hit a two-run home run that eventually won the game, 5-3.

The next day the Orioles traveled to Dunedin, Fla. Spring Training home of the Toronto Blue Jays. The game was tied 3-3 until the 8th inning. Robinson once again was a difference maker, leading off the inning with a double. Jason Pridie would hit a ground-rule double to score Robinson. Pridie then advanced to third on an error by Blue Jay shortstop Ryan Goins. Navarro singled in Pridie for the eventual game-winning RBI. Toronto scored one run in the bottom half of the inning and left two runners on in the 9th, O’s won 5-4.

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Everybody likes a winner: Successful 2012 pays O’s dividends

In 2012, the Orioles had their highest attendance per game in five seasons, due in large part to their position in the standings (Baltimore Sun Photo).

Before the 2012 season, the attendance at Oriole Park at Camden Yards was on a steady decline. Attendance had decreased 11 out of the last 15 seasons for the Baltimore Orioles.

According to Baseball-reference.com, the Orioles drew 2,102,240 fans in 2012, an increase of more than 350,000 fans from 2011. Granted when you divide it up, that’s an increase of just more than 4,600 fans a game.

Kevin Cowherd of the Baltimore Sun criticized the attendance on the night of Aug. 27. In a game where the Orioles trailed the New York Yankees by 3 1/2 games in the AL East — the announced crowd was 10,995.

It’s understandable that after a few years of unexpected success through May, only to collapse in June or July, that O’s fans may have been hesitant to fully invest in the 2012 birds.

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Full Squad Report Day

February 14, Valentine’s Day, typically a day most men dread and most women love (pun intended).

This year, everyone can enjoy Valentine’s Day because it’s also the day full MLB squads report to Spring Training.

Some players, such as J.J. Hardy, reported before the Feb. 14 deadline.

Dan Duquette on his 2013 Orioles in an interview with Orioles.com:

“We have some things we can build on, because we had a good year last year, but this is 2013,” Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Dan Duquette said. “This is a new group of players. This is a new season. We have new challenges. This is effectively a new team, but I can tell you this: The consistency of the leadership from the manager and the work ethic of the players instilled last year, that should carry over.”

Opening Day for the Baltimore Orioles is April 2, just 47 days away. Over the course of the next 7 weeks the Orioles will attempt to answer two important questions, who will be playing second base and what the starting rotation will look like come April.

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