Chris Davis got off to a hot start, hitting .310/.359/.563 in 71 at-bats. Compared to a career .254/.303/.449 line, that seemed pretty good. Unfortunately, that solid start to the season is likely yet another case of small sample size, as he's started to look like the Chris Davis we were already familiar with.
In May, Davis is hitting .217/.250/.304 in 46 at-bats and has looked lost at the plate. He always strikes out a lot, but he's doing so at a more rapid rate than even for him, while walking just one time in May. Plate discipline has never been an elite skill for Davis, but a 35.4 K% and a 2.1 BB% (in May) is absurdly bad.
And even though FanGraphs somehow has Davis with a positive UZR (0.5 UZR, 3.3 UZR/150), his defense at first base is also becoming an issue. He committed his third error last night while the bases were loaded, allowing two runs to score. He also misplayed another ground ball earlier in the game, which could have started a double play. Instead, Davis barely recorded the out at first. He's also missed several scoop opportunities to save other infielders errors, which is what every slick-handed first baseman does. Even when Mark Teixeira isn't hitting for the Yankees, he still provides very good defense at first. It would be nice if the O's had that sort of luxury.
Really, the O's don't have many options at first right now besides Davis. That's something that was evident going into the season. Wilson Betemit can play there, but he's looked rather helpless at both corner infield positions. And, obviously, he is not an outfielder. Nick Johnson can play some first, but he's probably not much of an improvement over Davis. Mark Reynolds, who's on the disabled list with a strained oblique, may be the team's best option at first base, but that's not saying a whole lot either. None of the four is a great defensive player, and every time the ball is hit to any of them, there's a worry that a defensive miscue is about to follow.
Technically, anyone can play first base. Davis Ortiz can play first. That doesn't mean it's something that a team wants to happen.
Showing posts with label Chris Davis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chris Davis. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Reynolds could done as the full-time third baseman
Remember when the Orioles signed Garrett Atkins a couple years ago and tried to sell fans on him being the team's primary first baseman? (The O's do a lot of things like this.) Even in the face of mounting evidence that Atkins had taken a considerable step back and wasn't a full-time player anymore, he was signed to be the guy at first. Well, as you know, after a few months of him barely doing anything, the O's released him. Atkins hasn't played for a major league team since.
When the O's traded for Mark Reynolds, he was brought in to play third base. Unlike the Atkins signing, that seemed fine. Not only did the O's not have any reliable options at third, but Reynolds actually had an average defensive season at third in 2010 (2.2 UZR in 1,214 innings). So the O's hoped he could continue to play average (or even slightly below average) defense and give them more production at the plate.
Reynolds had an OK offensive season, posting a .221/.323/.483 line that most O's fans hoped would be better, but probably couldn't be that surprised with. But what was truly terrible was Reynolds's defense: Instead of reverting back to a below-average defender at third, Reynolds skipped that level and went all the way to abysmal. Of all major league third basemen, Reynolds was far and away the worst, with a UZR of -22.8. The next closest awful defender was Houston's Chris Johnson, who finished with a UZR of -14.5. I had to go back to 2007 to find a third baseman who had that kind of horrible defensive season at third. That guy's name is Ryan Braun, who had a -27.7 UZR and was so terrible that he moved to left field and has played there since. (I'd say that's worked out well.) It's actually funny to go back and look at players who have posted major league worst UZRs at third. There are a few former O's from various seasons: Tony Batista, Ty Wigginton, and Melvin Mora.
Reynolds is terrible at third, and the O's made the decision to bring him back as the team's starting third baseman. All spring, fans heard about his renewed dedication to third-base defense and how he had improved. Considering some of the other team options at third -- Chris Davis, Wilson Betemit, and Ryan Flaherty -- it's not like the O's had any other slick-fielding player to take his place if he faltered.
And that's exactly what's happened. In the team's first handful of games, Reynolds committed two errors and hasn't looked better. He still doesn't have much range, struggles when charging the ball, and generally makes routine plays look much more difficult.
I'm not sure fans ever really bought the idea of signing Atkins. I don't know if a majority of fans believed Reynolds could play third base competently last season after not seeing a whole lot of him in the National League. But there's one thing I do know: No one bought the notion that Reynolds could transform into anything resembling a decent major league third baseman. I'm glad that he worked hard in the spring and dedicated himself to re-learning the craft. Unfortunately, hard work is not always enough, and Reynolds isn't some up-and-coming player who deserves the benefit of the doubt. He hurts the team when he plays third -- case closed.
Fortunately, it seems that Buck Showalter agrees. Betemit got the start at third base last night while Reynolds served as the designated hitter. And while Betemit is far from a significant improvement at third, he is at least somewhat better. I'd like to see Flaherty get a chance at third, but since he has to be on the O's active roster all season to stay in Baltimore's organization, I guess there's no hurry to run him out there.
When the O's traded for Mark Reynolds, he was brought in to play third base. Unlike the Atkins signing, that seemed fine. Not only did the O's not have any reliable options at third, but Reynolds actually had an average defensive season at third in 2010 (2.2 UZR in 1,214 innings). So the O's hoped he could continue to play average (or even slightly below average) defense and give them more production at the plate.
Reynolds had an OK offensive season, posting a .221/.323/.483 line that most O's fans hoped would be better, but probably couldn't be that surprised with. But what was truly terrible was Reynolds's defense: Instead of reverting back to a below-average defender at third, Reynolds skipped that level and went all the way to abysmal. Of all major league third basemen, Reynolds was far and away the worst, with a UZR of -22.8. The next closest awful defender was Houston's Chris Johnson, who finished with a UZR of -14.5. I had to go back to 2007 to find a third baseman who had that kind of horrible defensive season at third. That guy's name is Ryan Braun, who had a -27.7 UZR and was so terrible that he moved to left field and has played there since. (I'd say that's worked out well.) It's actually funny to go back and look at players who have posted major league worst UZRs at third. There are a few former O's from various seasons: Tony Batista, Ty Wigginton, and Melvin Mora.
Reynolds is terrible at third, and the O's made the decision to bring him back as the team's starting third baseman. All spring, fans heard about his renewed dedication to third-base defense and how he had improved. Considering some of the other team options at third -- Chris Davis, Wilson Betemit, and Ryan Flaherty -- it's not like the O's had any other slick-fielding player to take his place if he faltered.
And that's exactly what's happened. In the team's first handful of games, Reynolds committed two errors and hasn't looked better. He still doesn't have much range, struggles when charging the ball, and generally makes routine plays look much more difficult.
I'm not sure fans ever really bought the idea of signing Atkins. I don't know if a majority of fans believed Reynolds could play third base competently last season after not seeing a whole lot of him in the National League. But there's one thing I do know: No one bought the notion that Reynolds could transform into anything resembling a decent major league third baseman. I'm glad that he worked hard in the spring and dedicated himself to re-learning the craft. Unfortunately, hard work is not always enough, and Reynolds isn't some up-and-coming player who deserves the benefit of the doubt. He hurts the team when he plays third -- case closed.
Fortunately, it seems that Buck Showalter agrees. Betemit got the start at third base last night while Reynolds served as the designated hitter. And while Betemit is far from a significant improvement at third, he is at least somewhat better. I'd like to see Flaherty get a chance at third, but since he has to be on the O's active roster all season to stay in Baltimore's organization, I guess there's no hurry to run him out there.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Revisiting the O's deadline trades
At the non-waiver trade deadline (July 31), the Orioles made two moves. They were:
1) Koji Uehara and $2 million to the Rangers for Chris Davis and Tommy Hunter; and
2) Derrek Lee and cash to the Pirates for Aaron Baker.
And in a waiver deadline (August 31) deal, the O's shipped Mike Gonzalez to the Rangers for cash. They then used that cash to claim Pedro Strop off of waivers. Essentially, it was a swap of Gonzalez for Strop.
The O's have made a flurry of other roster moves, bringing several players up and sending others down -- including designating Felix Pie for assignment and then assigning him to Norfolk once he cleared waivers -- but for the most part, that's a pretty common thing for most MLB clubs in September. So let's focus on the four players acquired in the three trades mentioned above.
Chris Davis
Davis has not collected a whole lot of service time in his career, meaning that the O's won't have to worry about paying him a bunch of money anytime soon. And that's positive news, because he probably wouldn't be around otherwise. By acquiring Davis (25) and Hunter (25) in exchange for Uehara, the O's took a chance on bringing in a couple of older players rather than actual prospects. And both players, mainly because of how thin the O's roster is, should receive plenty of playing time next season.
Davis will probably see his name in the lineup in most games next season at a corner infield position or designated hitter. And unless the O's go out and sign someone, there aren't many better options on the roster. Davis has played in 26 games and has only 109 plate appearances, but in that time he hasn't performed well. He has a slash line of .260/.294/.385 with the O's, and he's been striking out more (33.9%) and walking less (4.6%) than usual -- which is pretty tough considering he has a career 31.9 K% and a 6.5 BB%. He also doesn't bring much defensive value to the table; he appears to be a below average third baseman and an average first baseman. But if Mark Reynolds sticks around next season, he'll likely play first, which will push Davis to third or DH.
Davis has also been dealing with a shoulder injury basically since he arrived in Baltimore, so it may be unfair to judge his play. That's fine, and it's very possible that he plays much better next season if he's healthy. But his issues aren't just with this season; he doesn't have great overall numbers. In 1,062 career plate appearances, Davis has hit .249/.299/.447 -- not good. The ability to hit for power is obviously Davis's strongest attribute, but he doesn't get on base nearly enough. Taking more pitches and walking more would aid Davis tremendously, but that's not an easily acquired skill.
Tommy Hunter
Like Davis, Hunter has his flaws. He has a career pitching line of 4.55/4.71/4.51 (ERA/FIP/xFIP) in 330.2 innings, which suggests that he's been a little unlucky in his 64.1 innings with the O's (5.32/4.53/4.22). Hunter is essentially an innings eater right now, and he may end up in that role next year if the O's young pitchers continue to falter.
Hunter has barely been walking any opposing batters (0.98 BB/9), and he hasn't struck out many either (4.62 K/9). By all accounts, he doesn't have fantastic stuff, and he really shouldn't be in the rotation next season if everyone's healthy. But with the O's, that rarely happens, meaning that it's good to have someone like Hunter around, even if he's not spectacular. Hunter may be best utilized out of the bullpen, where he could give the O's three or four innings at a time.
So, basically, the O's traded a fantastic reliever (Uehara) and received two 25-year-old players with limited upside. Don't get me wrong: Both players could end up being useful. But that's not exactly the best way to go about furthering along a rebuilding process.
Aaron Baker
Baker, 23, is not viewed as a top prospect, which is why the Pirates were willing to part with him. In 12 games at Single-A Frederick, Baker hit well, posting a .386/.472/.591 line. But in 15 games at Double-A Bowie, he struggled and hit only .196/.188/.239. The O's were not going to receive much value for Lee, and Baker may never make it to Baltimore, though there's still time for him to do so. Regardless, the deal was reasonable because it got Lee off the roster and allowed Reynolds to move to first.
Pedro Strop
The most effective player the O's received, surprisingly, has been Strop (26). He's only pitched in 8.2 innings, but he's yet to give up a run and has already earned eighth-inning responsibilities. Whether or not that continues next season is another question entirely, but for now Strop is dealing. In those 8.2 innings, Strop has 11 strikeouts and two walks. FanGraphs' PitchFx data has Strop's fastball sitting at 94 mph (about his career average), and it also shows that Strop has been throwing more sliders (40.6% now, 27.2% career). Maybe that's a recipe for continued success, or maybe not.
Strop has only thrown 36 innings in the majors, so it's hard to take much of anything away from such limited experience. But the O's acquired him for someone that they didn't want on the roster and who wouldn't be on the team next year anyway (Gonzalez), meaning that it appears the O's did something right.
Strop won't keep pitching this well, and who knows what his true talent level actually is. But similar moves are the ones the O's should be making. The least-publicized move may end up being the best one. It's funny how things work sometimes.
1) Koji Uehara and $2 million to the Rangers for Chris Davis and Tommy Hunter; and
2) Derrek Lee and cash to the Pirates for Aaron Baker.
And in a waiver deadline (August 31) deal, the O's shipped Mike Gonzalez to the Rangers for cash. They then used that cash to claim Pedro Strop off of waivers. Essentially, it was a swap of Gonzalez for Strop.
The O's have made a flurry of other roster moves, bringing several players up and sending others down -- including designating Felix Pie for assignment and then assigning him to Norfolk once he cleared waivers -- but for the most part, that's a pretty common thing for most MLB clubs in September. So let's focus on the four players acquired in the three trades mentioned above.
Chris Davis
Davis has not collected a whole lot of service time in his career, meaning that the O's won't have to worry about paying him a bunch of money anytime soon. And that's positive news, because he probably wouldn't be around otherwise. By acquiring Davis (25) and Hunter (25) in exchange for Uehara, the O's took a chance on bringing in a couple of older players rather than actual prospects. And both players, mainly because of how thin the O's roster is, should receive plenty of playing time next season.
Davis will probably see his name in the lineup in most games next season at a corner infield position or designated hitter. And unless the O's go out and sign someone, there aren't many better options on the roster. Davis has played in 26 games and has only 109 plate appearances, but in that time he hasn't performed well. He has a slash line of .260/.294/.385 with the O's, and he's been striking out more (33.9%) and walking less (4.6%) than usual -- which is pretty tough considering he has a career 31.9 K% and a 6.5 BB%. He also doesn't bring much defensive value to the table; he appears to be a below average third baseman and an average first baseman. But if Mark Reynolds sticks around next season, he'll likely play first, which will push Davis to third or DH.
Davis has also been dealing with a shoulder injury basically since he arrived in Baltimore, so it may be unfair to judge his play. That's fine, and it's very possible that he plays much better next season if he's healthy. But his issues aren't just with this season; he doesn't have great overall numbers. In 1,062 career plate appearances, Davis has hit .249/.299/.447 -- not good. The ability to hit for power is obviously Davis's strongest attribute, but he doesn't get on base nearly enough. Taking more pitches and walking more would aid Davis tremendously, but that's not an easily acquired skill.
Tommy Hunter
Like Davis, Hunter has his flaws. He has a career pitching line of 4.55/4.71/4.51 (ERA/FIP/xFIP) in 330.2 innings, which suggests that he's been a little unlucky in his 64.1 innings with the O's (5.32/4.53/4.22). Hunter is essentially an innings eater right now, and he may end up in that role next year if the O's young pitchers continue to falter.
Hunter has barely been walking any opposing batters (0.98 BB/9), and he hasn't struck out many either (4.62 K/9). By all accounts, he doesn't have fantastic stuff, and he really shouldn't be in the rotation next season if everyone's healthy. But with the O's, that rarely happens, meaning that it's good to have someone like Hunter around, even if he's not spectacular. Hunter may be best utilized out of the bullpen, where he could give the O's three or four innings at a time.
So, basically, the O's traded a fantastic reliever (Uehara) and received two 25-year-old players with limited upside. Don't get me wrong: Both players could end up being useful. But that's not exactly the best way to go about furthering along a rebuilding process.
Aaron Baker
Baker, 23, is not viewed as a top prospect, which is why the Pirates were willing to part with him. In 12 games at Single-A Frederick, Baker hit well, posting a .386/.472/.591 line. But in 15 games at Double-A Bowie, he struggled and hit only .196/.188/.239. The O's were not going to receive much value for Lee, and Baker may never make it to Baltimore, though there's still time for him to do so. Regardless, the deal was reasonable because it got Lee off the roster and allowed Reynolds to move to first.
Pedro Strop
The most effective player the O's received, surprisingly, has been Strop (26). He's only pitched in 8.2 innings, but he's yet to give up a run and has already earned eighth-inning responsibilities. Whether or not that continues next season is another question entirely, but for now Strop is dealing. In those 8.2 innings, Strop has 11 strikeouts and two walks. FanGraphs' PitchFx data has Strop's fastball sitting at 94 mph (about his career average), and it also shows that Strop has been throwing more sliders (40.6% now, 27.2% career). Maybe that's a recipe for continued success, or maybe not.
Strop has only thrown 36 innings in the majors, so it's hard to take much of anything away from such limited experience. But the O's acquired him for someone that they didn't want on the roster and who wouldn't be on the team next year anyway (Gonzalez), meaning that it appears the O's did something right.
Strop won't keep pitching this well, and who knows what his true talent level actually is. But similar moves are the ones the O's should be making. The least-publicized move may end up being the best one. It's funny how things work sometimes.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
More on Wieters's power surge
Behind Jeremy Guthrie's strong start (7 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 10 K, 3 BB), the Orioles beat the Rays again last night, this time 6-2. The O's scored all of their runs via the long ball -- a line-drive solo shot by Nolan Reimold, a three-run bomb by Chris Davis, and a two-run blast by Matt Wieters.
The Wieters home run is particularly noteworthy for three reasons:
1) It was his third homer in three games, and it gives him 20 on the season. It also raises his slugging percentage to .449, which is top five among qualified catchers.
2) He hit the bomb off of Matt Moore, who many analysts and scouts consider to be the best pitching prospect in baseball.
3) It highlights just how well Wieters is hitting against left-handed pitching this season. Take a look:
vs. RH: 367 PA, .231/.283/.365
vs. LH: 133 PA, .348/.429/.696
So that's a little weird, especially since his career splits aren't that crazy.
Career vs. RH: 974 PA, .264/.325/.397
Career vs. LH: 410 PA, .267/.327/.453
Much of that jump in slugging percentage against left-handers is because of his performance this season, so it remains to be seen whether it's legitimate or sort of fluky. I'd probably lean towards fluky, especially since Wieters has a .400 BABIP against lefties and a .243 BABIP against righties this season.
Regardless, Wieters is on a roll lately, and it's never a bad thing to hit for more power.
The Wieters home run is particularly noteworthy for three reasons:
1) It was his third homer in three games, and it gives him 20 on the season. It also raises his slugging percentage to .449, which is top five among qualified catchers.
2) He hit the bomb off of Matt Moore, who many analysts and scouts consider to be the best pitching prospect in baseball.
3) It highlights just how well Wieters is hitting against left-handed pitching this season. Take a look:
vs. RH: 367 PA, .231/.283/.365
vs. LH: 133 PA, .348/.429/.696
So that's a little weird, especially since his career splits aren't that crazy.
Career vs. RH: 974 PA, .264/.325/.397
Career vs. LH: 410 PA, .267/.327/.453
Much of that jump in slugging percentage against left-handers is because of his performance this season, so it remains to be seen whether it's legitimate or sort of fluky. I'd probably lean towards fluky, especially since Wieters has a .400 BABIP against lefties and a .243 BABIP against righties this season.
Regardless, Wieters is on a roll lately, and it's never a bad thing to hit for more power.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Chris Davis whiffs five times in O's win
In yesterday's 5-4 win, Chris Davis struck out five times -- a feat occasionally called the platinum sombrero. Mark Reynolds struck out four times, but he also knocked in the game-winning run in the top of the 11th. All Orioles batters combined had 15 strikeouts at the plate.
But the five strikeouts by Davis is particularly interesting. Here are some notes on his awful day at the plate:
Since joining the O's, Davis has hit .180/.196/.260 in 50 at-bats. He's been dealing with a strained right shoulder, so it may be unfair to judge his performance with the O's just yet. Regardless, he's under team control for a while, so the O's will likely give him every opportunity the rest of this season and next (and possibly beyond) to find out just how good he is.
But the five strikeouts by Davis is particularly interesting. Here are some notes on his awful day at the plate:
Chris Davis becomes the 1st player in 2011 to strikeout 5 times in a single game. Last player to do so, Ryan Howard on 8/24/2010. #whiffking
jasoncollette
jasoncollette
jasoncollettejasoncollette
Before Davis, the last Oriole to strike out 5x in a game was Chris Hoiles, who did it on June 14, 1997 against Atlanta in a 12-inn contest
Brittany Ghiroli
Britt_Ghiroli
Brittany GhiroliBritt_Ghiroli
In 1950 Yogi Berra struck out 12 times in 597 ABs. Today Mark Reynolds, Chris Davis, and Ryan Adams have 12 Ks in 14 ABs.
Sweeny Murti
YankeesWFAN
Sweeny MurtiYankeesWFAN
Congrats to Chris Davis for becoming only the 23rd player in MLB history to strikeout 5 times in 6 plate appearances. I kid, but come on.
Danny Friedheim
oriolesfan
Danny Friedheimoriolesfan
Since joining the O's, Davis has hit .180/.196/.260 in 50 at-bats. He's been dealing with a strained right shoulder, so it may be unfair to judge his performance with the O's just yet. Regardless, he's under team control for a while, so the O's will likely give him every opportunity the rest of this season and next (and possibly beyond) to find out just how good he is.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
What they're saying about the Uehara trade
Yesterday, the Orioles made two trades. First, they sent Koji Uehara to the Rangers in exchange for corner infielder Chris Davis and pitcher Tommy Hunter. The O's also sent $2 million to the Rangers in the deal. Second, the O's then shipped Derrek Lee and some cash to the Pirates for prospect Aaron Baker, a Single-A first baseman. Baker is not viewed as a top prospect.
The Lee deal was made to free up playing time for the newly acquired Davis. The O's possibly saved some money on the rest of Lee's deal, but it also hasn't been reported how much cash they're sending to the Pirates. Still, it's a minor move that was a no-brainer.
The Uehara trade, though, is more important. Here's what others are saying about it:
- "Both Hunter and Davis are under team control for a long time. Uehara has a vesting option for 2012, worth $4 million with additional bonuses. This looks like a good longer-term gamble for the Orioles, while the Rangers land immediate help in exchange for two guys who probably weren't in their future plans." Jeff Sullivan, Baseball Nation
- "Davis has more upside, but is less likely to reach it. Really, he should spell his name with a ‘K,’ because his career strikeout rate (31.7%) would rank among the league leaders every year if he qualified for the batting title. He’s been trying to cut down that number with limited success, but really he should be focusing on his walk rate. Players like Russell Branyan have shown us that a bad strikeout rate, paired with a strong walk rate and gobs of power, can make for a useful (if winding) major league career. At this point, he’s a flier taken by a team looking to acquire young talent." Eno Sarris, FanGraphs
- "Moving to the Orioles, Davis might have another shot of realizing those big league dreams. Derrek Lee(notes) has been traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. And manager Buck Showalter probably has some familiarity with Davis, having been the Rangers' skipper when Davis was drafted in 2006.
The Orioles also get some help for their starting rotation in Hunter. While he didn't start any games this year for the Rangers, largely due to a groin injury he suffered in the spring, Hunter did make 41 starts over the previous two seasons. Baltimore may also like a groundball pitcher who relies on control working in a hitters' park like Camden Yards." Ian Casselberry, Big League Stew
- "Edged out for playing time in Texas by the more consistent Mitch Moreland, Davis has mashed this season in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, batting .368/.405/.824 with 24 home runs in just 193 at-bats. (He hit .327 in the PCL last year to finish second in the batting race.) Still, Davis lacks plate discipline and figures to remain a streaky hitter prone to slumps and short bursts where he's a force—in other words, a lefthanded-hitting Mark Reynolds. . . . The Rangers used Davis' third and final minor league option to send him to Round Rock this season, so the Orioles will have to keep him in the big leagues in 2012 or risk losing him on waivers." John Manuel and Matt Eddy, Baseball America
However, leave it to Keith Law to provide the snarky take on the O's haul:
Most people seem to think the deal was a win-win for both teams. I rather would have had Andy MacPhail target some actual prospects, but it's hard to argue his logic in making this trade. As long as the O's play Davis consistently, they should be able to figure out whether he's competent enough to stick in the majors or if he's, in fact, a 4-A player. Hunter should have no problem sticking in the O's rotation, especially considering how awful the O's young pitchers look. Also, both players are 25 and have several years of team control left between them.
It's not clear whether or not Mark Reynolds will stay at third or move across the diamond to first. Honestly, I'd like to see them put Davis at first and let Josh Bell (no superior defender either) man third, while letting Reynolds serve as the designated hitter. But with Vladimir Guerrero on the roster, there's basically no chance of that. Bell will likely be sent back to Triple-A Norfolk, which is a shame. Considering Lee's little trade value, Guerrero probably has even less since he's exclusively a DH at this point. At least Lee can play a decent first base.
The Baseball America writers (link above) also commented on Davis's defense: "He has improved defensively at third base and can play either infield corner but is better suited defensively to first, despite good arm strength. Scouting reports on him at third base regularly include the word 'adequate.'" An adequate defender would be leaps and bounds above what Reynolds has done at third base this season. But again, with Guerrero on the roster, either Davis or Reynolds will play third.
It's been clear for weeks/months that the O's are terrible and need to start freeing up positions and playing time for some of their younger players (even though there don't appear to be many talented ones). Lee was one of the players that needed to be moved, and that has been taken care of. Vlad needs to be the next.
As far as Uehara's departure goes, he'll clearly be missed by O's fans. For a team that both struggles to sign free agents and doesn't do a good job scouting and signing international talent, the O's did a fantastic job in both when they signed Uehara, the O's first Japanese player, in 2009 to a two-year, $10 million deal. Uehara was originally a starter, but he had trouble staying healthy and pitching late into games. He was still pretty effective as a starter, but he'd get tired by the fifth inning and have to be replaced.
The O's eventually moved Uehara to the bullpen, where he quickly thrived and became one of the team's best options. He was re-signed in the 2011 offseason and was having another fantastic season this year before being shipped to Texas.
As long as he can deal with the Texas heat, Uehara should be just as effective for the Rangers as he was in Baltimore. There's not a whole lot to get excited about as an O's fan, but watching Uehara work quickly and pound the strike zone was certainly a refreshing sight.
The Lee deal was made to free up playing time for the newly acquired Davis. The O's possibly saved some money on the rest of Lee's deal, but it also hasn't been reported how much cash they're sending to the Pirates. Still, it's a minor move that was a no-brainer.
The Uehara trade, though, is more important. Here's what others are saying about it:
- "Both Hunter and Davis are under team control for a long time. Uehara has a vesting option for 2012, worth $4 million with additional bonuses. This looks like a good longer-term gamble for the Orioles, while the Rangers land immediate help in exchange for two guys who probably weren't in their future plans." Jeff Sullivan, Baseball Nation
- "Davis has more upside, but is less likely to reach it. Really, he should spell his name with a ‘K,’ because his career strikeout rate (31.7%) would rank among the league leaders every year if he qualified for the batting title. He’s been trying to cut down that number with limited success, but really he should be focusing on his walk rate. Players like Russell Branyan have shown us that a bad strikeout rate, paired with a strong walk rate and gobs of power, can make for a useful (if winding) major league career. At this point, he’s a flier taken by a team looking to acquire young talent." Eno Sarris, FanGraphs
- "Moving to the Orioles, Davis might have another shot of realizing those big league dreams. Derrek Lee(notes) has been traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. And manager Buck Showalter probably has some familiarity with Davis, having been the Rangers' skipper when Davis was drafted in 2006.
The Orioles also get some help for their starting rotation in Hunter. While he didn't start any games this year for the Rangers, largely due to a groin injury he suffered in the spring, Hunter did make 41 starts over the previous two seasons. Baltimore may also like a groundball pitcher who relies on control working in a hitters' park like Camden Yards." Ian Casselberry, Big League Stew
- "Edged out for playing time in Texas by the more consistent Mitch Moreland, Davis has mashed this season in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, batting .368/.405/.824 with 24 home runs in just 193 at-bats. (He hit .327 in the PCL last year to finish second in the batting race.) Still, Davis lacks plate discipline and figures to remain a streaky hitter prone to slumps and short bursts where he's a force—in other words, a lefthanded-hitting Mark Reynolds. . . . The Rangers used Davis' third and final minor league option to send him to Round Rock this season, so the Orioles will have to keep him in the big leagues in 2012 or risk losing him on waivers." John Manuel and Matt Eddy, Baseball America
However, leave it to Keith Law to provide the snarky take on the O's haul:
Playing with Tinkertoys? RT @drtomfowler: @keithlaw If MacPhail calls Davis & Hunter building blocks, what is he building?
keithlaw
keithlaw
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Most people seem to think the deal was a win-win for both teams. I rather would have had Andy MacPhail target some actual prospects, but it's hard to argue his logic in making this trade. As long as the O's play Davis consistently, they should be able to figure out whether he's competent enough to stick in the majors or if he's, in fact, a 4-A player. Hunter should have no problem sticking in the O's rotation, especially considering how awful the O's young pitchers look. Also, both players are 25 and have several years of team control left between them.
It's not clear whether or not Mark Reynolds will stay at third or move across the diamond to first. Honestly, I'd like to see them put Davis at first and let Josh Bell (no superior defender either) man third, while letting Reynolds serve as the designated hitter. But with Vladimir Guerrero on the roster, there's basically no chance of that. Bell will likely be sent back to Triple-A Norfolk, which is a shame. Considering Lee's little trade value, Guerrero probably has even less since he's exclusively a DH at this point. At least Lee can play a decent first base.
The Baseball America writers (link above) also commented on Davis's defense: "He has improved defensively at third base and can play either infield corner but is better suited defensively to first, despite good arm strength. Scouting reports on him at third base regularly include the word 'adequate.'" An adequate defender would be leaps and bounds above what Reynolds has done at third base this season. But again, with Guerrero on the roster, either Davis or Reynolds will play third.
It's been clear for weeks/months that the O's are terrible and need to start freeing up positions and playing time for some of their younger players (even though there don't appear to be many talented ones). Lee was one of the players that needed to be moved, and that has been taken care of. Vlad needs to be the next.
As far as Uehara's departure goes, he'll clearly be missed by O's fans. For a team that both struggles to sign free agents and doesn't do a good job scouting and signing international talent, the O's did a fantastic job in both when they signed Uehara, the O's first Japanese player, in 2009 to a two-year, $10 million deal. Uehara was originally a starter, but he had trouble staying healthy and pitching late into games. He was still pretty effective as a starter, but he'd get tired by the fifth inning and have to be replaced.
The O's eventually moved Uehara to the bullpen, where he quickly thrived and became one of the team's best options. He was re-signed in the 2011 offseason and was having another fantastic season this year before being shipped to Texas.
As long as he can deal with the Texas heat, Uehara should be just as effective for the Rangers as he was in Baltimore. There's not a whole lot to get excited about as an O's fan, but watching Uehara work quickly and pound the strike zone was certainly a refreshing sight.
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