A friend who hosted a 60th birthday party at her house Saturday night, complete with chef, bartender and keyboard player, was talking about the gorgeous cake created by a Russian architect who found a second career baking and decorating desserts. I immediately tried to come up with a joke that I knew existed but had to be crafted. So I zoned out while the story continued and then waited for my opening.

“Her specialty is Kremlin Brûlée,” I blurted out before rising from my chair to make a faux exit. Everyone seated at the large L-shaped table played along and applauded me.

This is how my mind works.

It’s also filled with wonder, and in the most annoying sense. As in, “I wonder why …” And, “I wonder if …” Drives my wife nuts. I won’t necessarily research the subject. I just want to know.

Some people bake. I stew over things.

Let’s spend the morning wondering about the Orioles, and not just whether they’re able to make the necessary moves and changes to qualify for the playoffs in 2027.

*Who gets the most closing opportunities in a healthy field of candidates, Ryan Helsley or Félix Bautista?

Manager Craig Albernaz could split the duties and some decisions will be based on effectiveness and availability. First dibs could go to the free-agent signing who’s making $28 million over two years, and this is based on the not-so-bold assumption that Helsley exercises his option.

Helsley already is motivated as a competitor. Imagine having your next contract possibly/probably hinge on your performance.

Bautista pitched twice in September after returning from August 2025 surgery to repair his labrum and rotator cuff. He already had to recover from Tommy John surgery in October 2023. He’s logged 36 1/3 innings since his All-Star season in 2023 and he hasn’t regained his full velocity. He could be a stud setup man and part-time closer. Then again, the same could apply to Helsley.

First things first. Get them through camp without an injury.

*Does president of baseball operations Mike Elias consider trading an infielder?

The infield seems far more settled than the outfield. It’s downright packed with Pete Alonso, Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Jordan Westburg and Blaze Alexander.

Add in the two catchers and that’s nine position players, leaving room for four outfielders. Alexander can go back and forth, but how is this construction supposed to improve the defense and bolster the lineup?

A scout asked a few days ago whether the Orioles would consider moving Henderson over the winter. Anything is possible, I replied, and especially after they traded Adley Rutschman. But Henderson is under team control through 2028 and there’s the ol’ “selling low” argument because of his disappointing season – certainly by his standards.

“I think most teams still see him as a star,” the scout said. I totally agree. Again, just ask around.

“He’s only 25,” the scout added, “and even his down years are not exactly bad.”

Maybe we’ll be revisiting this subject at the 2027 trade deadline or in the offseason. In the meantime, I’ll assume that Henderson is on the Opening Day roster. But that confidence isn’t as high with some other infielders.

Not Alonso. Get serious.

That’s about as far as I’ll go with the speculation. I’m just wondering whether Elias views the infield as a position of strength and an area that has some redundancy to it or just the ability to fill some needs by swapping players.  

*What’s happening with the catcher position?

Yes, Samuel Basallo is coming back, and for many years beyond 2027. But the organization doesn’t envision him with a heavy workload behind the plate.

Again, from Elias: “The plan with him all along was never to have him be the guy who is your primary catcher most nights behind the plate. He’s a big guy with a big bat and it’s a bat that can play out of the first base spot and out of the designated hitter spot. So our plan with him was always to kind of rotate him through and have him catch more like half or fewer than half of the games.”

If the arrangement keeps him from getting too banged up, go for it. Basallo, not Elias. But the Orioles might not be comfortable with a catch-and-throw, little-to-no offense backup. He’s going to play more than maybe the typical second guy. And not to pile on Carlos Narváez, who could bounce back, but he was 8-for-77 with the Orioles.

They like everything else about him and surely believe that the bat is better than his .161/.241/.226 line, including 62 games with the Red Sox, but Elias could be busy studying the trade and free agent markets.

Don’t undersell the importance. I know that backup catcher isn’t a sexy item, but it’s pretty darn important on this team.

Here’s the list of free-agent catchers provided by MLBTradeRumors.com:

Travis d’Arnaud (38)
Elias Diaz (36)
Mitch Garver (36)
Austin Hedges (34)
Jonah Heim (32)
Kyle Higashioka (37) – $7 million mutual option
Ryan Jeffers (30)
Carson Kelly (32) – $7.5 million mutual option
Luke Maile (36)
James McCann (37)
Reese McGuire (32)
Jake Rogers (32)
Gary Sanchez (34) – mutual option
Tyler Stephenson (30)
Christian Vazquez (36)

Makes your mouth water, doesn’t it?

The Orioles won’t flood the catching room with newcomers, but some sort of move is anticipated.

*Who’s next to receive a contract extension?

It isn’t usually the expected player, and this tendency from the Orioles makes it almost impossible to guess correctly.

Unless, that is, you thought Basallo would get an eight-year, $67 million guaranteed pre-arbitration extension only five days into his major league career. And Shane Baz would get $68 million over five years without throwing a pitch for the Orioles. And Kyle Bradish would be rewarded with a five-year, $90 million extension after his recovery from Tommy John surgery in 2024. And, straight out of nowhere, Yennier Cano would get two years at $7.5 million with a club option.

“We are open for business, of course,” control owner David Rubenstein said at the Baz press conference. “We’re interested in doing the best we can for the team, and whatever Mike thinks is the best for the team, that’s what we’re going to do. We have the resources necessary to do this with others who are interested in this. So sure, we’re open for business.

“It has to make sense for the player and it has to make sense for the team, but we’re certainly all ears.”

To really be all-in would necessitate, I don’t know, a massive deal with Henderson or one that would have kept Adley Rutschman in Baltimore for the long haul. But would that make sense for the team? In this market?

The extension ship probably sailed with Trevor Rogers, but the Orioles could make the qualifying offer and negotiate with his representative in free agency. They could try to lock up a younger “core” player like Holliday or Westburg, with the obvious risks that come with that kind of commitment at this stage of the infielders’ careers and with the past injury issues. And especially Westburg, who missed the entire 2026 season but is “the glue,” as Tony Mansolino called him.

They could remain on brand and extend Encarnacion-Strand.

Josh Walker should stay close to his phone.