SARASOTA, Fla. – Spring training can be a whirlwind. 

New faces, stars of the game and top prospects are scattered across the fields at the Orioles' spring training complex at Ed Smith Stadium. 

A team fighting to recapture an American League East crown has plenty of storylines. On “The Bird’s Nest,” Annie Klaff and I broke down some of the standouts from the early part of camp. For a more in-depth analysis, you can watch the full episode here.

Tomoyuki Sugano’s rockstar status

Sugano’s name may not have been on the radars of many around Baltimore, but it has rung like “Elvis” thus far at spring training. The three-time Central League MVP has drawn crowds of media at every step. And his first bullpen session in an Orioles uniform was sharp. Gary Sánchez joked that he could close his eyes and Sugano’s pitch would be in the perfect place in his glove. While it remains to be seen how the right-hander's stuff will fare against major league hitters, pinpoint accuracy and great movement on pitches like his splitter are never bad places to start. 

Pitchers and catchers have officially reported to spring training! And in just a short while, the full Orioles squad will report to Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota. 

Annie Klaff and I, the hosts of the MASN Orioles podcast “The Bird’s Nest,” will be joining them to put a camera in their faces, a practice that players and coaches have surely been lamentably deprived of all offseason. We’ll be providing lots of content on our MASN Orioles social pages, and I hope you’ll follow along. 

On this week’s episode of “The Bird’s Nest,” Annie and I discussed the top storylines that we’ll be keeping an eye on. For a more in-depth analysis of these topics, you can check out the full podcast here.

How will the new free agent signings fit?

Of course, the free agents that the Orioles acquired this offseason will have huge impacts on the field. At spring training, we will get glimpses of what that may be, but we’ll need to wait for 1 of 162 to start to get a better idea. Instead, this first stretch of play offers us an opportunity to have a glimpse inside the clubhouse. Will veterans like Charlie Morton and Tyler O’Neill be immediate vocal leaders? Or will they lead by their example rather than words? How will they mesh with the well-established young core that has had spots reserved in the locker room for many seasons? These are all questions that we will begin to get answers to.