Making the Orioles a Champion in 2014: Bench

One thing can be said for the 2013 Orioles - they didn't use their bench. The below chart shows for each American League team the number of games started and defensive innings played by a player other than the player(s) with the most starts:

Team		C	1B	2B	3B	SS	OF	Total
BAL	Games	35	7	102	6	3	51	204
	Innings	252.0	75.3	912.7	63.0	36.0	433.3	1772.3
BOS	Games	51	39	3	72	43	127	335
	Innings	450.0	356.7	56.0	656.3	360.7	1181.3	3061.0
CHI	Games	85	86	62	55	5	123	416
	Innings	767.3	802.3	570.7	515.0	54.3	1201.7	3911.3
CLE	Games	81	61	16	79	35	94	366
	Innings	728.7	531.0	149.0	744.3	341.7	804.3	3299.0
DET	Games	66	11	46	17	59	118	317
	Innings	626.0	139.0	437.3	228.0	527.0	1055.7	3013.0
HOU	Games	95	105	17	13	105	242	577
	Innings	612.7	952.3	178.3	127.7	941.0	2166.0	4978.0
KC	Games	36	9	100	36	6	145	332
	Innings	333.0	76.0	1395.3	318.7	60.0	1324.7	3507.6
LAA	Games	60	48	44	80	24	141	397
	Innings	536.0	427.0	414.3	740.7	254.7	1325.3	3698.0
MIN	Games	89	50	21	44	35	247	486
	Innings	791.7	455.0	195.0	414.7	350.7	2210.0	4417.0
NYY	Games	64	48	9	129	93	143	486
	Innings	603.0	416.3	97.0	1162.0	839.0	1262.3	4379.7
OAK	Games	91	74	49	7	47	164	432
	Innings	789.0	650.3	587.0	79.0	428.7	1536.3	4070.3
SEA	Games	114	41	72	4	83	217	531
	Innings	1035.3	380.7	636.7	40.0	763.0	1991.7	4847.3
TB	Games	76	20	46	18	14	188	362
	Innings	714.7	186.3	446.7	175.0	144.0	1744.0	3410.7
TEX	Games	52	34	39	17	18	155	315
	Innings	458.3	287.3	368.0	173.7	174.7	1333.7	2795.7
TOR	Games	47	84	113	61	70	190	565
	Innings	1022.3	367.7	623.7	40.0	750.0	1766.7	4570.3

The Orioles non-regulars started over one hundred fewer games than any those of any other team; their regulars played over 1000 more innings than the regulars of any other team. No catcher on any other team started more games than Matt Wieters; no first baseman or shortstop started more games than Chris Davis or J.J. Hardy; only one third baseman (Seattle's Kyle Seager) started more games than Manny Machado, and no outfield trio started more games than Nate McLouth - Adam Jones - Nick Markakis. If you're a glass half-full type, this is good news - the Orioles stayed healthy and have durable players. If you're a glass half-empty type, this is bad news - the Orioles didn't trust their bench and the regulars wore out.

For any given game, eight starting position players are needed. The Orioles carried at least twelve and sometimes thirteen pitchers on the 25-man roster. There was a designated hitter in almost every game; I've already written about what I think the Orioles should do at designated hitter for 2014. The rest of this article will focus on the remaining three or four bench roster spots. Like every team, the Orioles kept a backup catcher, a backup infielder who can play shortstop, and a backup outfielder on their bench. The other spot could be said to be filled with the most useful available player.

The following discussion will be light on specifics because the contributions of almost all candidates are approximately equal and almost impossible to project. With the exception of Ryan Flaherty, the bench players played 30 or fewer offensive games and 20 or fewer defensive games. If the Orioles are looking for players to play that little, the actual abilities of the available players are virtually indistinguishable, less accurately measurable, and less determinant of actual performance. I will be making general recommendations without identifying specific players.

The most-used bench player for the 2013 Orioles was Ryan Flaherty. I've discussed Flaherty in my articles on the Orioles' second-base position, but here I'm going to consider him a part of the bench. Flaherty played almost as much as Brian Roberts at second base, but did so when Roberts was injured and unavailable. When Roberts was available, he played and Flaherty returned to a reserve role. I expect that in 2014 Flaherty will remain with the Orioles, as either the regular second baseman or as part of the bench. Flaherty is a very valuable bench player. He hits left-handed with some pop; he can play second base and third base well enough, and he's capable of playing first base, shortstop, and corner outfield in an emergency. I would keep him in that role, and not try to make him a regular.

The role of backup infielder who can play shortstop was occupied by Alexi Casilla. Casilla was claimed on waivers from Minnesota because of his speed and defense, primarily at second base. He didn't hit but did play a good defensive second base. If Casilla were a young player, with team cost-control, he'd be worth bringing back in this role. Unfortunately for him, he's not; he has a $3 million club option which should and will almost certainly be declined.

The Orioles will have to go outside the organization for that backup middle infielder, because there's no one in the organization who can or should do the job. Neither Buck Britton nor Zelous Wheeler, two infielders who played some middle infield at Norfolk, can play shortstop adequately. Jonathan Schoop has too much potential to waste as a 30-game backup. And while Yamaico Navarro played adequately at short and second, and even hit fairly well, he's erratic.

For most of 2013, the role of backup oufielder who can play center field was occupied by Chris Dickerson. Dickerson was signed as a free agent after the Yankees released him in January, and after a few April games in Norfolk was recalled to Baltimore. He stayed with the Orioles through mid-July and, after six weeks in Norfolk, came back to Baltimore for September. Dickerson showed left-handed power and good outfield defense.

While Dickerson appears to be a capable backup outfielder, he wasn't a good fit for the Orioles. He's a left-handed hitter whose skills are power hitting and outfield defense. The Orioles' corner outfielder were left-handed hitters McLouth and Markakis, so Dickerson couldn't get playing time spelling them against tough left-handed pitchers. The Orioles' offense was a home-run hitting offense, so Dickerson didn't offer a different look. And the Orioles didn't have much need for a defensive replacement in the outfield.

Because Adam Jones has been so durable - he's played in at least 149 games in each of the last four seasons - having a fourth outfielder who can play center field is less critical, especially because Nate McLouth could play center field in a mid-game emergency. The Orioles' fourth outfielder should be a right-handed hitter (who can spell McLouth and Markakis occasionally) whose offensive game is based more on line-drive hitting and getting on base. L.J.Hoes would have been ideal, but unfortunately he's with the Astros now.

The Orioles backup catcher role was mostly Taylor Teagarden. Offensively, Teagarden was terrible in a very small sample - 62 plate appearances. Defensively, Teagarden caught 162 innings and was just about league-average, as far as I can tell. It's worth speculating that if Teagarden had played more, not only would he have played better but Matt Wieters would also have played better. Teagarden was outrighted to Norfolk in September so his roster spot could be given to another backup catcher, Chris Snyder, a 32-year-old who had had some good years with the Diamondbacks.

The Orioles acquired Steve Clevenger from the Cubs in the Scott Feldman trade. Clevenger is a left-handed singles hitter who didn't hit when given a chance with the 2012 Cubs. Defensively, Clevenger doesn't throw well and is error-prone. Really, about all I can say about the Orioles' backup catcher role in 2014 is that they'll need a backup catcher and they should probably play whoever it is more than they played Teagarden in 2013.

In 2013, the Orioles rode their regulars until they dropped. There's no reason to believe that the Orioles will change their approach; it seems likely that they will continue to hope for 150+ games from each regular. If that indeed will be their approach, then the Orioles don't need to invest a lot of money in their bench. I believe their bench should consist of a steady infielder with a good glove; a right-handed hitting outfielder whose offense isn't the home run; and a backup catcher capable of spelling Matt Wieters when Wieters would be at a disadvantage. It's impossible to identify who those players should be. It's more important that the Orioles use them slightly more than exactly who they are.