Season Preview

Baltimore once was known for good baseball and terrific crab cakes. Now it's known for bad baseball and terrific crab cakes. The Orioles have produced 10 consecutive losing seasons and are poised to push it to 11 in 2008. Thanks to years of mismanagement, this franchise that once was a model now is in the gutter. New president/general manager/contractor/architect Andy MacPhail has made some smart early moves, but the O's will remain zeroes for the foreseeable future. Video Outlook

Strengths
Center fielder Adam Jones, obtained from Seattle in the Erik Bedard deal, will be fun to watch. Kevin Millar is funny. The uniforms are still attractive. If you close your eyes while listening to Jim Palmer on an O's broadcast, you can still picture him on the field. Otherwise? Well, Brian Roberts is a sparkplug at second base -- if he makes it to opening day. Prediction here is he finally is traded to the Cubs in the final days of spring training. Right fielder Nick Markakis (.300, 23 homers, 112 RBI) owns the biggest bat in the lineup.

Weaknesses
Precious little protection for Markakis in the lineup. Though the Orioles scooped up 10 prospects for Bedard and shortstop Miguel Tejada, their post-Tejada prospects are depressing. Luis Hernandez will not win many games at short. Without Bedard, there is no ace. You never know when Daniel Cabrera will start walking hitters in the middle of a game. This is a franchise that, for the most part over the past decade, couldn't spell M-E-S-S if you spotted it an M and two S's.

Difference Maker
Andy MacPhail. The best signs for this franchise currently are off the field: A new five-year lease with a facility in the Dominican Republic, a newly created director of international scouting position and the payout of more than $7 million to the O's top two draft picks last summer. All indications that the future will be better -- if Angelos doesn't screw it up.