Save Mark Reynolds

[Save-reynolds]

What do you guys feel about the O's not tendering Reynolds? I like him I think he brings a lot to the table. Although he struggles with strikeouts and his batting avg suffers, he does walk a lot and has power. He did hit 23 homers and had 69 RBIs in just 135 games in 2012. Not to mention his play at first... Only 5 errors in 108 games over at first... And I don't think it was a fluke either...


Dont for get to visit http://www.facebook.com/savemarkreynoldsto show your support for Mark.... Feel free to post reasons why us O's fans want Mark Reynolds and don't forget to like the page and spread the love.

[RZNJ]

If any other team thinks Reynolds is any good, I would think the O's would be able to do a J.J. Hardy (from Twins perspective) and deal him for a C prospect or two and let them go to arbitration with him. I'm 50/50 on whether the O's should tender Reynolds a contract. If McLouth is signed then that leaves Betemit, Davis, and Reimold looking for time to play. Dumping Reynolds saves 9M and opens a spot for Davis at 1B and the other two guys at DH. I don't feel strongly either way.

[luismatos4prez]

If any other team thinks Reynolds is any good, I would think the O's would be able to do a J.J. Hardy (from Twins perspective) and deal him for a C prospect or two and let them go to arbitration with him. I'm 50/50 on whether the O's should tender Reynolds a contract. If McLouth is signed then that leaves Betemit, Davis, and Reimold looking for time to play. Dumping Reynolds saves 9M and opens a spot for Davis at 1B and the other two guys at DH. I don't feel strongly either way.

I agree with this assessment.

Just speculating, but I bet Houston would like him. They have plenty of budget room, and they need a 1B. Plus, they have a deep farm system right now. I don't want him to hit FA, because I don't want the Red Sox to snatch him up. He's always been great at hitting over the Green Monster.

[HoustonOrioleFan]

I really like Mark...seems like a great teammate and he was very good at first...But as the "buzz" from the magical season has lessened somewhat, I think we really need to focus on an offensive upgrade (however it plays out - LF or 1B)...If Davis is "okay" at 1B, and we upgrade offensively somewhere else, then that may squeeze Reynolds out....no matter what, I'll wish him well...

[duffaphonic]

I like mark. He struggles and then goes crazy. He's frustrating and exhilarating. You can love him and hate him during the same game. He'll look at a third strike and then jack one out or make a wild toetouch play at first. I agree with RZNJ but I feel strongly both ways. If he goes I'll miss him, and if he stays I'll be moderately satisfied.

[Fla_O'sfan]

I for one, would like to see the Orioles upgrade at 1st base. Reynolds averages less than 1 HR a week and in his other at bats, strikes out way too often and gets way too few hits. He makes some good plays at first (though many are rather unorthodox), but it's not a position where you can afford to sacrafice offense for defense. There has to be a better option at firstbase.

[duffaphonic]

Who would you have replacing Reynolds?

[OFFNY]

I like mark. He struggles and then goes crazy. He's frustrating and exhilarating. You can love him and hate him during the same game. He'll look at a third strike and then jack one out or make a wild toetouch play at first. I agree with RZNJ but I feel strongly both ways. If he goes I'll miss him, and if he stays I'll be moderately satisfied.

I agree with all of this on the offensive end for Reynolds. On the defensive end, he is very solid at first base, and for me, that is what makes his erratic offense more tolerable ....... particularly when I think back to the early part of the 2012 season, when we had 2 huge holes at the corners of our infield which were made stable by Reynolds at 1st base (from late May on), and with Machado at 3rd base (from early August on.)

[notyourbuddy]

He has value to the team considering his defensive rebirth at 1B, but frankly I'm ready for the Reynolds era to end. I've been ready for two years now. I just simply do not enjoy watching him play.

Yeah that's not logical from a W/L standpoint. Wisdom says he has more value to the 2013 Orioles than any other Free Agent we can sensibly sign, but i don't care. Gimme Davis and his inferior defense at 1B and sign whoever else to DH.

[russ snyder]

If any other team thinks Reynolds is any good, I would think the O's would be able to do a J.J. Hardy (from Twins perspective) and deal him for a C prospect or two and let them go to arbitration with him. I'm 50/50 on whether the O's should tender Reynolds a contract. If McLouth is signed then that leaves Betemit, Davis, and Reimold looking for time to play. Dumping Reynolds saves 9M and opens a spot for Davis at 1B and the other two guys at DH. I don't feel strongly either way.

This is pretty similar to my perspective as well. He has some value, but He's not worth much more than the 6 million or so that he made last season IMO. If he goes to arbitration he'll probably make the 9 million. Like RZNJ I think that these reources can be better spent. I'm really not that worried about him signing with a rival like Boston, no one knows the holes in his swing better than the Orioles.

[Frobby]

Very simply, if the O's non-tender Reynolds they need to fill his spot with someone better. "Not as good, but cheaper" won't cut it with me. Nor will "may be as good". I like the Sherriff and I'm not interested in replacing him unless it's a clear improvement.

[Moose Milligan]

He'll go somewhere else and hit 35 homers and we'll be complaining that the Orioles don't have enough power.

[theobird]

This is gona be very interesting to me. I do not see a replacement available that is anywhere near as good as Reynolds. I remember going a long, long time without having a decent first baseman until Mark moved to first. I think playing Davis at first is wasting his best tool, his arm. Davis showed me that he should be an outfielder
I want Reynolds back. Period. I just don't see a better option available to us, and I value what he brings defensively. I just have a hard time seeing why we would want a superior defensive first baseman with legit 40 HR power to go away. I just don't see it.

[Enjoy Terror]

Orioles fans were ready to burn Mark at the stake by mid July. Funny how perception changes.

[Annie]

I don't know if this has been posted around here or not...but there is an article by Melewski on Reynolds:
One vote for O's to offer Reynolds arb

He talks a lot with some on the comments section:

I just don't get the angst I sometimes hear over strikeouts. I can see why you don't want a team full of strikeout guys and the O's have a few we know, but he's a big, free swinger who hits a lot of homers. With that comes strikeouts. It's not that big a deal.

Reynolds is not there to hit behind runners and manufacture runs, he is there to bash the ball. He swings and misses a lot and to me that is perfectly acceptable. I wish he were the perfect player who could strike out less, advance runners AND hit homers, but he is not. I just think there is too much made over strikeouts. It's okay if we disagree on that.

this one from today's article from Melewski:

Strikeouts are overrated: This discussion came up in the comments on yesterday's blog about Mark Reynolds. He strikes out a lot and that drives some fans crazy. I don't know why, but most home run hitters do strikeout often. It comes with the territory and the big swing.
We know that Reynolds will probably make at least 75 outs out of every 100 at-bats. How he makes those outs doesn't bother me. Yes, I know you can make productive outs that help the team. But hitting 35 homers helps the team, too, and so does playing Gold Glove-caliber defense at first base. Reynolds will strike out a lot. It's one of the worst-kept secrets in the game. Don't let it bother you.

just his opinion, but something to think about

I see the value in Reynolds in his defense (which I would only hope would get better with a full season of starting at 1b and not being moved around) and in his power ability. I would not be opposed to moving him along later....but for 2013 specifically? I don't see a better replacement for him in the FA market right now that would fit.
Whatever happens, it will be interesting to see what they do (or don't) with him.
I just know that I would rather be with him than without him. I have this fear that he will play for the BoSox and hit a billion homers against us when we play. keep him for now.