Mark Kabaly

We are still, what, five weeks away from this becoming real, real baseball in the final week of March.

But

We are at the point where we will finally get to see this team that has a lot of optimism around it put together.

First matchup on Saturday against the Orioles at 105.

You can hear that game on 100.1 FM and AM 1020 KDKA.

I will be down in that area this weekend.

In fact, I plan to attend the game in Clearwater against the Phillies on Sunday, so that should be a fun little time.

But there's reason for optimism there.

Around the buck goes right now.

Nearly 70 home runs added to the lineup.

Connor Griffin is the top prospect in baseball and could be on the roster by opening day.

A bench that includes a good hitter and base stealer in the form of Jake Mangum.

The password is on the bench, Jostinson Garcia, a top 100 prospect in baseball that came back in exchange for Johan Oviedo.

Paul Skeens is the reigning Cy Young winner in the National League, doing so in unanimous fashion.

And he will lead an exciting rotation, but it's still a group that needs to make a move.

It's hard to not like some of the arms.

Skeens, his work speaks for itself.

He's the best in the business.

Rookie of the year, unanimously.

He was a finalist for the Cy Young as a rookie.