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Although I'm not ready to make any predictions, I really do see a lot of improvement. This entire Orioles lineup now is what I call very unpredictable.
We already know that Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis are quality hitters, but now that we have Derrek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero in the middle, it seems to put the rest of the lineup in places in the order that are more suitable for them.
Yes, Luke Scott was our big home run guy the past couple of years, but he was still prone to those slumps that took a lot of punch away at times. Guerrero and Lee command a lot of respect because they are not one-dimensional hitters. They can give you average and power along with production on a regular basis, which makes them a constant threat.
With Adam Jones, Scott, Matt Wieters and Mark Reynolds in secondary roles, it's nice to know that one or two of those guys are probably going to hurt the opposition on a nightly basis. Plus, it gives them a chance to watch the two big bats and learn something about patience and aggression that apply while they are getting more major league experience.
The balance of this lineup is tethered at the bottom with J.J. Hardy, who seems to be able to do anything. He also packs some punch and has a feel for situational hitting.
To sum it all up, we have a lineup that can match up with just about everyone - as long as we can stay healthy.
