If Brian Roberts does indeed come back fully healthy sometime in June and begins to play again nearly every day, Robert Andino will be forced into some kind of utility role. Andino's best skill is his defense, and he can at least play adequate (or better) defense at second, shortstop, and third. Since the Orioles don't necessarily have a regular third baseman at the moment, perhaps Andino could platoon there along with Wilson Betemit. Here are their career splits vs. right- and left-handed pitching:
Wilson Betemit
vs. R: 1,393 at-bats, .276/.345/.472
vs. L: 468 at-bats, .239/.297/.376
Robert Andino
vs. R: 714 at-bats, .237/.298/.325
vs. L: 305 at-bats, .272/.316/.361
Andino's numbers aren't that much better than Betemit's against lefties, but they are better. And it's pretty clear that Betemit is a much better hitter from the left side of the plate.
This is just one possible option of many that Buck Showalter will have to choose from. And it's not like Andino or Betemit (.292 OBP), despite some key hits, have been all that great at the plate anyway.
Showing posts with label Robert Andino. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Andino. Show all posts
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
After latest cuts, O's roster down to 33 players
With the beginning of the MLB season rapidly approaching, the Orioles made another round of cuts on their way to reaching the 25-player roster limit. Via Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com, the latest round included eight demotions:
Flaherty, who turns 26 in July, is a former first-round pick by the Chicago Cubs. He posted his best numbers in Double-A last season, hitting .305/.384/.523 with 14 home runs in 83 games. He was then promoted to Triple-A, where he struggled to adjust, posting a .237/.277/.399 line in 49 games. Still, the O's thought enough of him to select him in the Rule 5 Draft, though that also means they must keep him on the major-league roster for the entire season if they want to keep him beyond this year. Because of that, Flaherty may very well make the team; then again, it's not like the O's are loaded with promising, young hitters who are even close to being major-league ready.
When the O's selected Flaherty last December, MASN's Steve Melewski talked to Baseball America writer Ben Badler, who seemed to be intrigued by the pick. Badler said:
Flaherty, or someone else, has a real shot to get some decent playing time this season. Robert Andino should see most of the regular playing time at second base if Brian Roberts is never able to recover from concussion issues, so third base may be Flaherty or another infielder's best shot at playing. Mark Reynolds is currently penciled in that spot, but he may be on the trading block. Reynolds also is one of the worst defensive third basemen in the majors, which is also a problem.
Infielder Matt Antonelli and pitchers Brad Bergesen and Jason Berken were optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, with outfielder Scott Beerer, catcher John Hester, infielder Steve Tolleson and pitchers Armando Galarraga and Dontrelle Willis reassigned to Minor League camp.Ghiroli also notes that Bergesen and Berken will transition from relievers to starters, though they were both essentially long relievers anyway. They also both came up in the Orioles farm system as starters, and neither ended up being particularly effective in the majors. At 26 and 28 years old, respectively, they'll only be summoned if someone in the rotation struggles mightily or gets hurt -- both real possibilities with this group of starters.
The moves -- which bring the spring roster to 33 -- puts two of the team's three players in contention for a utility/bench role in Minors camp, leaving only Rule 5 Draft pick Ryan Flaherty. Still, manager Buck Showalter wasn't ready to anoint Flaherty with a spot, even with Tolleson and Antonelli both sent to Minors camp.
Flaherty, who turns 26 in July, is a former first-round pick by the Chicago Cubs. He posted his best numbers in Double-A last season, hitting .305/.384/.523 with 14 home runs in 83 games. He was then promoted to Triple-A, where he struggled to adjust, posting a .237/.277/.399 line in 49 games. Still, the O's thought enough of him to select him in the Rule 5 Draft, though that also means they must keep him on the major-league roster for the entire season if they want to keep him beyond this year. Because of that, Flaherty may very well make the team; then again, it's not like the O's are loaded with promising, young hitters who are even close to being major-league ready.
When the O's selected Flaherty last December, MASN's Steve Melewski talked to Baseball America writer Ben Badler, who seemed to be intrigued by the pick. Badler said:
"He's got a solid approach to hitting. You can fool him some, but the power is plus raw power and he has a solid handle on the strike zone. He's played second, third and corner outfield. He may not excel at second or third but he can handle it capably and could move around some.Badler had more to say, so check out Melewski's entire post for more thoughts on Flaherty.
[...]
"He struggled some at Triple-A, but every level before that he hit pretty well. He's a little older than you might see for a prospect at his level, but that is probably why he was (available) in the Rule 5. He probably has as good a chance as anyone taken in that draft to stick with his team."
Flaherty, or someone else, has a real shot to get some decent playing time this season. Robert Andino should see most of the regular playing time at second base if Brian Roberts is never able to recover from concussion issues, so third base may be Flaherty or another infielder's best shot at playing. Mark Reynolds is currently penciled in that spot, but he may be on the trading block. Reynolds also is one of the worst defensive third basemen in the majors, which is also a problem.
Friday, December 10, 2010
For some reason, O's re-sign Izturis
A day after acquiring a new shortstop, the Orioles decided that they'd like to have their old one back too. Surprisingly, the O's have signed Cesar Izturis to a one-year, $1.5 million contract, according to Orioles Insider's Jeff Zrebiec. The deal apparently also includes some playing time incentives.
Even though the deal will end up only costing $1-$2 million, the decision to bring back Izturis is puzzling at best. J.J. Hardy is obviously better than Izturis in just about every way, so what's the point of spending the money on a backup shortstop like Izturis when a cheaper option like Robert Andino could be used instead?
In just 16 games last year, Andino (0.5 fWAR, 0.4 brWAR) was more valuable than Izturis (-0.3 fWAR, -0.4 brWAR) was in 150 games. Meanwhile, Andino earned the league minimum in 2010 while Izturis made a little over $2.5 million.
Even if Hardy gets hurt and ends up missing time -- which has to be Andy MacPhail's main reason for re-signing Izturis -- Izturis isn't likely to produce much at all. He hit just .230/.277/.268 last season, so it's not like he's any kind of intimidating bat coming off the bench. Hardy is also a better fielder than Izturis at this point in his career, so he won't be a late-game defensive sub at shortstop, either. Izturis could take over for Mark Reynolds at third when the O's have a late lead, but then again, so can Andino, who is a fine defensive infielder himself. Even if any of those possible roles mattered a whole lot, would it make sense to spend $1.5 million for a backup who may not see much of the field?
In the end, if this is the worst decision the O's make this offseason, it's hard to get too upset about it, especially since the deal isn't for a ton of money. But still, it's unlikely that both Izturis and Andino will be on the roster if the O's decide to keep Brendan Harris around, which seems probable since he's still due about $1.75 million in 2011.
If Izturis ends up taking Andino's roster spot, it'll be a shame because not only is Andino younger and cheaper, but he's also probably a better player.
Even though the deal will end up only costing $1-$2 million, the decision to bring back Izturis is puzzling at best. J.J. Hardy is obviously better than Izturis in just about every way, so what's the point of spending the money on a backup shortstop like Izturis when a cheaper option like Robert Andino could be used instead?
In just 16 games last year, Andino (0.5 fWAR, 0.4 brWAR) was more valuable than Izturis (-0.3 fWAR, -0.4 brWAR) was in 150 games. Meanwhile, Andino earned the league minimum in 2010 while Izturis made a little over $2.5 million.
Even if Hardy gets hurt and ends up missing time -- which has to be Andy MacPhail's main reason for re-signing Izturis -- Izturis isn't likely to produce much at all. He hit just .230/.277/.268 last season, so it's not like he's any kind of intimidating bat coming off the bench. Hardy is also a better fielder than Izturis at this point in his career, so he won't be a late-game defensive sub at shortstop, either. Izturis could take over for Mark Reynolds at third when the O's have a late lead, but then again, so can Andino, who is a fine defensive infielder himself. Even if any of those possible roles mattered a whole lot, would it make sense to spend $1.5 million for a backup who may not see much of the field?
In the end, if this is the worst decision the O's make this offseason, it's hard to get too upset about it, especially since the deal isn't for a ton of money. But still, it's unlikely that both Izturis and Andino will be on the roster if the O's decide to keep Brendan Harris around, which seems probable since he's still due about $1.75 million in 2011.
If Izturis ends up taking Andino's roster spot, it'll be a shame because not only is Andino younger and cheaper, but he's also probably a better player.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Red Sox avoid sweep; O's finish .500 against them
With a chance to finish 10-8 against the Red Sox, the Orioles came up short last night, falling to Boston, 6-1. Still, by winning the three-game series, the O's evened up the season series and finished 9-9 against the Red Sox -- not bad for a team that's 30 games under .500 (61-91).
The loss was a combination of bad Kevin Millwood pitching and very little offense. Millwood allowed six runs, including two home runs, in five innings pitched. He struck out five and walked just one, but he also threw only 83 pitches as he started to labor after three scoreless innings to start the game.
For Boston, John Lackey pitched seven innings of one-run ball, allowing just five hits, while striking out four and walking none. That's right: no walks for the O's offense. The O's also only put together six combined hits. Luke Scott had the team's only multi-hit effort, going 2-4 with a double. Ty Wigginton also doubled, driving in Nick Markakis in the fourth for the team's lone run.
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Buck Showalter has been playing Robert Andino a lot at third base lately, and I don't understand it. Sure, there's only 10 games left this season and Showalter may be trying to see what he has in Andino for the possibility of him being on the team next season, but Andino doesn't seem like a corner infield option. Plus, having him and Cesar Izturis in the lineup at the same time is rather unproductive.
Andino's value, if there's that much of it, comes from his fielding ability up the middle. In 2009 for the O's, he had a UZR of 5.5 at shortstop in a little over 70 games. That's pretty solid. Unfortunately, in 215 plate appearances, he hit .222/.274/.288 -- and that is not very good, at all.
After not making the team in spring training and being sent to Triple-A Norfolk, Andino hit .264/.302/.405 for the Tides this season before being called up in September. He also hit 13 home runs, but he still struck out a lot (20.1 K%) while not walking much (4.9 BB%). At 26 years old, Andino may be able to improve his approach at the plate, but it's not likely. He's an outstanding fielder, but he also doesn't get on base nearly enough or hit for enough power. If he gets a little better at the plate and plays great defense at shortstop, he would be an upgrade over Izturis, who has actually been worth -0.4 wins above replacement because of awful hitting and slightly above average defense at shortstop.
Could Andino be a cheaper alternative at shortstop next season? Sure. In the offseason, if the O's have to choose between re-signing Izturis for $2-$3 million per season for another season or two or relying on Andino and paying him the league minimum, Andino seems like the better selection. But why exactly is he playing third base? Not only does his presence there hurt the O's and not make any long-term sense, but he's also taking away at-bats from Josh Bell. Bell hasn't been very good at the plate this year -- actually he's been horrible -- but he's still a rookie and has actually shown significant improvement in his third-base defense. At 23, Bell still has time to grow and learn. Andino is essentially the same guy as before -- and he is who we thought he was, or something like that.
The loss was a combination of bad Kevin Millwood pitching and very little offense. Millwood allowed six runs, including two home runs, in five innings pitched. He struck out five and walked just one, but he also threw only 83 pitches as he started to labor after three scoreless innings to start the game.
For Boston, John Lackey pitched seven innings of one-run ball, allowing just five hits, while striking out four and walking none. That's right: no walks for the O's offense. The O's also only put together six combined hits. Luke Scott had the team's only multi-hit effort, going 2-4 with a double. Ty Wigginton also doubled, driving in Nick Markakis in the fourth for the team's lone run.
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Buck Showalter has been playing Robert Andino a lot at third base lately, and I don't understand it. Sure, there's only 10 games left this season and Showalter may be trying to see what he has in Andino for the possibility of him being on the team next season, but Andino doesn't seem like a corner infield option. Plus, having him and Cesar Izturis in the lineup at the same time is rather unproductive.
Andino's value, if there's that much of it, comes from his fielding ability up the middle. In 2009 for the O's, he had a UZR of 5.5 at shortstop in a little over 70 games. That's pretty solid. Unfortunately, in 215 plate appearances, he hit .222/.274/.288 -- and that is not very good, at all.
After not making the team in spring training and being sent to Triple-A Norfolk, Andino hit .264/.302/.405 for the Tides this season before being called up in September. He also hit 13 home runs, but he still struck out a lot (20.1 K%) while not walking much (4.9 BB%). At 26 years old, Andino may be able to improve his approach at the plate, but it's not likely. He's an outstanding fielder, but he also doesn't get on base nearly enough or hit for enough power. If he gets a little better at the plate and plays great defense at shortstop, he would be an upgrade over Izturis, who has actually been worth -0.4 wins above replacement because of awful hitting and slightly above average defense at shortstop.
Could Andino be a cheaper alternative at shortstop next season? Sure. In the offseason, if the O's have to choose between re-signing Izturis for $2-$3 million per season for another season or two or relying on Andino and paying him the league minimum, Andino seems like the better selection. But why exactly is he playing third base? Not only does his presence there hurt the O's and not make any long-term sense, but he's also taking away at-bats from Josh Bell. Bell hasn't been very good at the plate this year -- actually he's been horrible -- but he's still a rookie and has actually shown significant improvement in his third-base defense. At 23, Bell still has time to grow and learn. Andino is essentially the same guy as before -- and he is who we thought he was, or something like that.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
O's win again
Jake Arrieta pitched six scoreless innings, and the O's offense finally broke through for a bunch of runs in an 11-3 win over the Blue Jays. Leading 3-0, the O's tacked on six runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth to put the game away for good. Overall, the O's pounded out 16 hits, including three doubles and two homers, and five walks. Nick Markakis and Adam Jones had the home runs, and Robert Andino, Markakis, Ty Wigginton, Felix Pie, Matt Wieters, and Jones all had multi-hit games. Also, every Orioles starter recorded a hit.
Arrieta was more than solid enough to earn the win, allowing just four hits. He also walked only one batter while striking out five. He hasn't walked more than one batter in a start since August 26, which spans only three starts, but that's still some progress considering he has 52 strikeouts and 48 walks on the season.
The O's are now 8-5 in September and 25-15 overall under Buck Showalter. They're also 8-2 in their last 10 games and could have won all 10 if not for the bullpen blowing two leads late in games. And for whatever the reason, the O's have won a lot more and been much more enjoyable to watch under Showalter. Hopefully that doesn't end and provides a nice lead-in for next season.
A few other notes:
- Since the All-Star break, Wieters is hitting .286/.357/.474 with five home runs. He's also walked 17 times and struck out only 21 times.
- Also, since the All-Star break, Jones is hitting .301/.376/.446 with four home runs. In those 45 games, he's also three walked more times (13) than he did in 87 games before the break (10).
- Here is the O's pitching staff ERA by month:
March/April: 4.62
May: 4.68
June: 5.72
July: 5.60
August: 3.38
September (so far): 4.07
Have they gotten a little lucky? Probably. But starters are throwing more innings and giving the bullpen leads to protect -- and fewer innings to throw.
- Brian Matusz, who had to leave the game on Monday after just one inning because of a line drive that struck his left triceps, may have been robbed of a chance to improve his Rookie of the Year chances. Matusz has more than held his own in his rookie season and has thrown a lot of innings, but there's a strong chance that the O's will hold Matusz out of his next start if he's not 100 percent healthy -- as they should. Unfortunately for Matusz, Austin Jackson continues to hit and still seems like the top ROY choice in the American League.
Arrieta was more than solid enough to earn the win, allowing just four hits. He also walked only one batter while striking out five. He hasn't walked more than one batter in a start since August 26, which spans only three starts, but that's still some progress considering he has 52 strikeouts and 48 walks on the season.
The O's are now 8-5 in September and 25-15 overall under Buck Showalter. They're also 8-2 in their last 10 games and could have won all 10 if not for the bullpen blowing two leads late in games. And for whatever the reason, the O's have won a lot more and been much more enjoyable to watch under Showalter. Hopefully that doesn't end and provides a nice lead-in for next season.
A few other notes:
- Since the All-Star break, Wieters is hitting .286/.357/.474 with five home runs. He's also walked 17 times and struck out only 21 times.
- Also, since the All-Star break, Jones is hitting .301/.376/.446 with four home runs. In those 45 games, he's also three walked more times (13) than he did in 87 games before the break (10).
- Here is the O's pitching staff ERA by month:
March/April: 4.62
May: 4.68
June: 5.72
July: 5.60
August: 3.38
September (so far): 4.07
Have they gotten a little lucky? Probably. But starters are throwing more innings and giving the bullpen leads to protect -- and fewer innings to throw.
- Brian Matusz, who had to leave the game on Monday after just one inning because of a line drive that struck his left triceps, may have been robbed of a chance to improve his Rookie of the Year chances. Matusz has more than held his own in his rookie season and has thrown a lot of innings, but there's a strong chance that the O's will hold Matusz out of his next start if he's not 100 percent healthy -- as they should. Unfortunately for Matusz, Austin Jackson continues to hit and still seems like the top ROY choice in the American League.
Friday, June 19, 2009
O's notes: series win, HR ball mini-controversy, trade chips
Down 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, the Orioles battled back against Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez to earn a 5-4 victory and a second consecutive series win.
The situation appeared grim as Rodriguez -- 0.56 ERA, 9.74 K/9, 0.99 WHIP, 17 saves -- entered the game, but Matt Wieters greeted him rudely with a leadoff double to commence the rally. Felix Pie pinch-ran for Wieters at second, and Nolan Reimold, pinch-hitting for Robert Andino, drew a walk. Brian Roberts then bunted down the third-base line, and Pie was called safe on a close play at third base. With the bases loaded and no outs, Adam Jones walked to tie the score at four. Nick Markakis then struck out, but Aubrey Huff picked him up by singling in the winning run.
After the dust settled, Rodriguez had his second blown save on the season and his ERA had nearly doubled to 1.10.
The Orioles now go on the road to play three games in Philadelphia and three in Florida.
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Remember the Wieters home run ball? According to Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun, there appeared to be a bit of a disagreement between the Orioles and the fan over what exactly the deal was for the ball:
Well, that's fantastic. Thankfully, Schmuck talked to Mayfield, who said the whole thing was a "misunderstanding." Schmuck: "He has talked to the Orioles and he got an invitation back to the ballpark with his family to meet Matt." So at least that's over with.
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Jorge Says No! recently took a look at the Orioles' possible trade chips as the all-star break approaches. Aubrey Huff, George Sherrill, and Danys Baez are listed as "obvious" players to move, while Luke Scott is characterized as "debatable." I've already written about what I think of a potential deal involving Scott, so Scott should definitely be considered if the right offer comes along from a team looking for a left-handed power bat. Gregg Zaun could also possibly be moved for a lower-level prospect, but another team would have to be pretty desperate at catcher for that to happen -- plus, the Orioles seem to like Zaun as a mentoring figure for Matt Wieters.
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Finally, Keith Law had a few Orioles-related notes in his latest ESPN chat:
I was mostly intrigued by Law's comments on Bergesen. The rookie has come on strong as of late, winning three of his last four starts by giving up two, zero, two, and two runs, respectively, in those starts.
Bergesen -- 4-2, 3.79 ERA, 4.16 K/9, 1.94 K/BB, 1.14 HR/9 -- has been pretty consistent too, with his worst start being his second one when he gave up five runs in four innings against the Texas Rangers. He doesn't strike out a whole lot of batters, but he doesn't walk many either. Still, he has a 2.05 groundball-to-flyball ratio, with his two-seamer being his most effective pitch. With a .276 BABIP, he also hasn't been particularly lucky (the league average is about .300).
So, as long as Bergesen doesn't elevate the ball and keeps it in the ballpark, he's been effective. Law could be right, though; after all, Bergesen is a rookie and seems likely to go through a rough patch or two as the season rolls along, but he's certainly been better than expected.
The situation appeared grim as Rodriguez -- 0.56 ERA, 9.74 K/9, 0.99 WHIP, 17 saves -- entered the game, but Matt Wieters greeted him rudely with a leadoff double to commence the rally. Felix Pie pinch-ran for Wieters at second, and Nolan Reimold, pinch-hitting for Robert Andino, drew a walk. Brian Roberts then bunted down the third-base line, and Pie was called safe on a close play at third base. With the bases loaded and no outs, Adam Jones walked to tie the score at four. Nick Markakis then struck out, but Aubrey Huff picked him up by singling in the winning run.
After the dust settled, Rodriguez had his second blown save on the season and his ERA had nearly doubled to 1.10.
The Orioles now go on the road to play three games in Philadelphia and three in Florida.
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Remember the Wieters home run ball? According to Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun, there appeared to be a bit of a disagreement between the Orioles and the fan over what exactly the deal was for the ball:
It seemed like a simple enough transaction. Matt Wieters hit his first major league home run and a guy named Sam Mayfield was on the other end of the deal, retrieving the ball and trading it back to the team for a Wieters autographed bat and ball and a chance to meet and talk to the boy wonder.
Except we all have awakened to a different version of the story. Mayfield and his wife have both posted comments on the blog (and I believe the posts are legit because of the e-mail addresses that accompanied them) claiming that the Orioles should have offered them much more for the ball and making it sound like the Orioles owe them more stuff and some kind of apology.
Well, that's fantastic. Thankfully, Schmuck talked to Mayfield, who said the whole thing was a "misunderstanding." Schmuck: "He has talked to the Orioles and he got an invitation back to the ballpark with his family to meet Matt." So at least that's over with.
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Jorge Says No! recently took a look at the Orioles' possible trade chips as the all-star break approaches. Aubrey Huff, George Sherrill, and Danys Baez are listed as "obvious" players to move, while Luke Scott is characterized as "debatable." I've already written about what I think of a potential deal involving Scott, so Scott should definitely be considered if the right offer comes along from a team looking for a left-handed power bat. Gregg Zaun could also possibly be moved for a lower-level prospect, but another team would have to be pretty desperate at catcher for that to happen -- plus, the Orioles seem to like Zaun as a mentoring figure for Matt Wieters.
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Finally, Keith Law had a few Orioles-related notes in his latest ESPN chat:
Anthony (MD): Who are the front runners for AL Rookie of the Year? Brad Bergesen and Nolan Reimold have to be in the top 3 right?
Keith Law: Bergesen would definitely be in my top 3 of players to sell now, fast, before they implode.
Andy (Baltimore): How concerned, on a scale from 1 to 10, should I be that the O's may have blown their #5 pick by taking Hobgood instead of a more highly regarded pitcher?
Keith Law: 1.
John (Baltimore): So you're a fan of Hobgood?
Keith Law: Yes. Would he have been my pick at 5? No, definitely not over Zack Wheeler, but I do like Hobgood. Chance for a plus FB/plus CB combo with some feel, and he really competes.
Vincent (DC): Can I get your thoughts on Brandon Snyder? His star has certainly faded a bit, but he's having a very strong season. Thanks.
Keith Law: Liked his swing a lot in AFL but had two concerns - I don't see him getting to the ball down without trouble, and I don't see where he plays other than 1b.
I was mostly intrigued by Law's comments on Bergesen. The rookie has come on strong as of late, winning three of his last four starts by giving up two, zero, two, and two runs, respectively, in those starts.
Bergesen -- 4-2, 3.79 ERA, 4.16 K/9, 1.94 K/BB, 1.14 HR/9 -- has been pretty consistent too, with his worst start being his second one when he gave up five runs in four innings against the Texas Rangers. He doesn't strike out a whole lot of batters, but he doesn't walk many either. Still, he has a 2.05 groundball-to-flyball ratio, with his two-seamer being his most effective pitch. With a .276 BABIP, he also hasn't been particularly lucky (the league average is about .300).
So, as long as Bergesen doesn't elevate the ball and keeps it in the ballpark, he's been effective. Law could be right, though; after all, Bergesen is a rookie and seems likely to go through a rough patch or two as the season rolls along, but he's certainly been better than expected.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Some O's fans are frustrated
Rather than analyze what appears to be another Orioles loss tonight, this time against the Braves, I figured I'd post a couple of comments I made today on Roch Kubatko's MASN blog in response to some odd suggestions from a couple of O's fans on what the team should do to get out of its current funk.
Feel free to chime in if you agree, disagree, or have a comment of your own.
First comment:
"Matt K. said:
After reading some of these comments, it's pretty evident how fickle so many Orioles fans are. Someone suggested hitting Roberts 9th and Andino 1st -- really, that's the solution? Actually, that's a perfect way for Trembley to get fired -- to make a whole bunch of snap decisions that don't make sense.
Another person suggested trading Guthrie for a third baseman -- well, what kind of trade value does he have right now with an ERA around 5.50? What kind of player would that get the O's?
As unfortunate as it is, teams go through slumps. I know the Orioles are 10 games below .500 now, but sit back and relax: the team is improving. Wieters is starting to feel more comfortable at the plate, and Reimold has been better than most O's fans could hope for, especially after watching Felix Pie for the first part of the season.
The pitching staff is getting younger and better, and that's not even counting the top pitching prospects that should be on the way within a year or so. So what if Roberts, Jones, Markakis, Huff, and Mora are underperforming a bit? The O's front office knows what it has in those guys, and they will turn it around sooner or later -- they're too talented not to. It's a shame that they're all struggling at the same time, but they will break out of it.
The worst thing to do would be to overreact and make poor choices now. Hey, Marco Scutaro is playing well this season, let's trade Markakis for him!"
A response to my comment, with a comment of my own following that:
"AnotherBrian said:
Matt K.,
I put Andino first because he's actually been hitting decent lately. Also, he's a base-stealing threat. What is your definition of a leadoff guy? A guy who gets on base and can steal second? Yeah.
I put Roberts 9th because although he hasn't been hitting lately, it takes pressure off of him. It also allows Mora and Weiters to see a few more pitches since teams will be trying to get them out before Roberts gets up. I wouldn't expect Roberts to be batting 4th-6th because I don't view him as a power guy as much as Huff, Scott, Jones, and Reimold.
There's nothing 'fickle' about that. It doesn't follow the set-in-stone ways of people like you who have one view on how things should be, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work. This wasn't the 'what would Matt K. do' question.
I wonder if you think Walker should still be in the bullpen because it was a fickle move to get rid of him after he had a couple bad outings? I mean, he has had a history of success. Why change anything?
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(My response:) How is there not anything fickle about moving Andino into the leadoff spot and moving Roberts 9th? So Andino has been in a bit of a good stretch -- so what? He's hitting .254, and he has 1 stolen base in 2 attempts. And in 207 career at bats, his on-base percentage is .260. Granted, that's not a huge sample size, but that's not exactly tiny either. He's an 8th or 9th place hitter, and putting him in the leadoff spot for anything other than a game or two would make little sense.
On the other hand, Roberts is hitting .284 and hits plenty of doubles. He also gets on base a lot -- his career OBP is .355. His walks are down a bit, but he's still getting on base at an effective rate. Even if he's had a bad stretch, he's still the guy the O's want at the top of the lineup; why move him to the 9th spot, and how exactly does that take the pressure off of him if every time he has a slump he has to worry about being moved down? And also, if he's doing so bad as to be hitting 9th, why would other teams be concerned about hurrying up and getting the hitters before him out before he comes up? That logic doesn't make any sense.
There's no reason for you to get angry about what I said, and it's not just the way "only Matt K. thinks." If you ran a poll, maybe 1 percent of O's fans would choose Andino to hit leadoff over Roberts. That's not just what I think, it's a fact; Roberts is a much, much better hitter than Andino.
Walker is a completely different case altogether. He turns 38 on July 1st, and he wasn't effective at all last year. I didn't even think he'd make the team out of spring training and was shocked when he did. I do think the O's need to make a change here or there, but what's the point in overreacting and messing with the whole roster? The O's have a plan, and Roberts, Markakis, Jones, etc. are all in it. Moving them up and down the order just because the O's have been losing lately wouldn't change much, especially if you buy into the fact that batters' placement in the order doesn't matter a whole lot. I think it matters some, but obviously you think it is extremely important. I guess we'll just agree to disagree."
Another response to my first comment, with my comments again after:
"Malignant said:
Matt K wrote: 'Another person suggested trading Guthrie for a third baseman -- well, what kind of trade value does he have right now with an ERA around 5.50? What kind of player would that get the O's?'
I assume you're directing that towards me? The answer is, plenty. Not what you may have gotten last year, but he's got enough of a track record that you get one premium prospect and a couple of lower tier prospects. Easily. Whether or not there's a 3rd base prospect out there on a contending team, I don't know without doing research. The point is, this teams NEEDS a 3rd baseman for the future.
-----
(My response:) Really, a team would give up a premium prospect right now for Jeremy Guthrie? Look, I like Guthrie, but there's something wrong with him lately. His walks and strikeouts are about the same percentage as last year, but he's giving up way more home runs, plus opposing batters are hitting .291 off of him. For the Guthrie of last season, I'm sure the Orioles could have gotten back a nice prospect or two, but now, I'm not so sure. If it was possible, I guess that would be a smart move, but I don't know.
By the way, the Orioles don't just need a third baseman for the future -- how about potential starters at the rest of the infield positions, not counting catcher, of course. Snyder could work at first base, I guess, but second base (after Roberts is gone) and shortstop are question marks right now.
I know what you're trying to say, but it's hard to get another team to part with a potential solid player for players that aren't performing that well. What is Guthrie really worth at this point?"
Again, it's not a real big deal that there are some strange opinions out there on what the Orioles should or shouldn't be doing, but I thought these two were particularly odd.
Feel free to chime in if you agree, disagree, or have a comment of your own.
First comment:
"Matt K. said:
After reading some of these comments, it's pretty evident how fickle so many Orioles fans are. Someone suggested hitting Roberts 9th and Andino 1st -- really, that's the solution? Actually, that's a perfect way for Trembley to get fired -- to make a whole bunch of snap decisions that don't make sense.
Another person suggested trading Guthrie for a third baseman -- well, what kind of trade value does he have right now with an ERA around 5.50? What kind of player would that get the O's?
As unfortunate as it is, teams go through slumps. I know the Orioles are 10 games below .500 now, but sit back and relax: the team is improving. Wieters is starting to feel more comfortable at the plate, and Reimold has been better than most O's fans could hope for, especially after watching Felix Pie for the first part of the season.
The pitching staff is getting younger and better, and that's not even counting the top pitching prospects that should be on the way within a year or so. So what if Roberts, Jones, Markakis, Huff, and Mora are underperforming a bit? The O's front office knows what it has in those guys, and they will turn it around sooner or later -- they're too talented not to. It's a shame that they're all struggling at the same time, but they will break out of it.
The worst thing to do would be to overreact and make poor choices now. Hey, Marco Scutaro is playing well this season, let's trade Markakis for him!"
A response to my comment, with a comment of my own following that:
"AnotherBrian said:
Matt K.,
I put Andino first because he's actually been hitting decent lately. Also, he's a base-stealing threat. What is your definition of a leadoff guy? A guy who gets on base and can steal second? Yeah.
I put Roberts 9th because although he hasn't been hitting lately, it takes pressure off of him. It also allows Mora and Weiters to see a few more pitches since teams will be trying to get them out before Roberts gets up. I wouldn't expect Roberts to be batting 4th-6th because I don't view him as a power guy as much as Huff, Scott, Jones, and Reimold.
There's nothing 'fickle' about that. It doesn't follow the set-in-stone ways of people like you who have one view on how things should be, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work. This wasn't the 'what would Matt K. do' question.
I wonder if you think Walker should still be in the bullpen because it was a fickle move to get rid of him after he had a couple bad outings? I mean, he has had a history of success. Why change anything?
-----
(My response:) How is there not anything fickle about moving Andino into the leadoff spot and moving Roberts 9th? So Andino has been in a bit of a good stretch -- so what? He's hitting .254, and he has 1 stolen base in 2 attempts. And in 207 career at bats, his on-base percentage is .260. Granted, that's not a huge sample size, but that's not exactly tiny either. He's an 8th or 9th place hitter, and putting him in the leadoff spot for anything other than a game or two would make little sense.
On the other hand, Roberts is hitting .284 and hits plenty of doubles. He also gets on base a lot -- his career OBP is .355. His walks are down a bit, but he's still getting on base at an effective rate. Even if he's had a bad stretch, he's still the guy the O's want at the top of the lineup; why move him to the 9th spot, and how exactly does that take the pressure off of him if every time he has a slump he has to worry about being moved down? And also, if he's doing so bad as to be hitting 9th, why would other teams be concerned about hurrying up and getting the hitters before him out before he comes up? That logic doesn't make any sense.
There's no reason for you to get angry about what I said, and it's not just the way "only Matt K. thinks." If you ran a poll, maybe 1 percent of O's fans would choose Andino to hit leadoff over Roberts. That's not just what I think, it's a fact; Roberts is a much, much better hitter than Andino.
Walker is a completely different case altogether. He turns 38 on July 1st, and he wasn't effective at all last year. I didn't even think he'd make the team out of spring training and was shocked when he did. I do think the O's need to make a change here or there, but what's the point in overreacting and messing with the whole roster? The O's have a plan, and Roberts, Markakis, Jones, etc. are all in it. Moving them up and down the order just because the O's have been losing lately wouldn't change much, especially if you buy into the fact that batters' placement in the order doesn't matter a whole lot. I think it matters some, but obviously you think it is extremely important. I guess we'll just agree to disagree."
Another response to my first comment, with my comments again after:
"Malignant said:
Matt K wrote: 'Another person suggested trading Guthrie for a third baseman -- well, what kind of trade value does he have right now with an ERA around 5.50? What kind of player would that get the O's?'
I assume you're directing that towards me? The answer is, plenty. Not what you may have gotten last year, but he's got enough of a track record that you get one premium prospect and a couple of lower tier prospects. Easily. Whether or not there's a 3rd base prospect out there on a contending team, I don't know without doing research. The point is, this teams NEEDS a 3rd baseman for the future.
-----
(My response:) Really, a team would give up a premium prospect right now for Jeremy Guthrie? Look, I like Guthrie, but there's something wrong with him lately. His walks and strikeouts are about the same percentage as last year, but he's giving up way more home runs, plus opposing batters are hitting .291 off of him. For the Guthrie of last season, I'm sure the Orioles could have gotten back a nice prospect or two, but now, I'm not so sure. If it was possible, I guess that would be a smart move, but I don't know.
By the way, the Orioles don't just need a third baseman for the future -- how about potential starters at the rest of the infield positions, not counting catcher, of course. Snyder could work at first base, I guess, but second base (after Roberts is gone) and shortstop are question marks right now.
I know what you're trying to say, but it's hard to get another team to part with a potential solid player for players that aren't performing that well. What is Guthrie really worth at this point?"
Again, it's not a real big deal that there are some strange opinions out there on what the Orioles should or shouldn't be doing, but I thought these two were particularly odd.
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