Opening Day Lineup 2012/2013-A Comparison

[Bahama O's Fan]

2012/2013
C-Weiters/Weiters-Push
1B-Davis/Davis-Push
2B-Andino/Casilla-I think Push but not sure
(I'm putting Casilla there because I have no hope for Roberts)
SS-Hardy/Hardy-Push
3B-Reynolds/Machado-Machado
LF-Reimold/McClouth-McClouth, because Reimold didn't last
CF-Jones/Jones-Push
RF-Markakis/Markakis-Push
DH-Betemit/Reimold-Reimold, if he's healthy
SP-Arrieta/Hammel-Hammel
(I guess Hammel with start)
Overall, we look better this year on paper than last year, I think

[luismatos4prez]

I think the SP changes are more significant

2012 Orioles SP in order of appearance in games
1. Arrieta (AAA rotation)
2. Hunter (bullpen)
3. Hammel (promoted to ace, due to performance)
4. Matusz (bullpen or AAA rotation)
5. Chen (promoted to #2, due to performance)
6. Eveland (pitching in Japan)


Hammel, Chen, Tillman, Saunders, and Gonzalez are our 5 best SP. They combined to start just 89 of the 162 games last year with a 3.57 ERA. They've earned their spots in the rotation.

Hunter, Arrieta, Britton, Eveland and Matusz combined to start 67 games with a 5.72 ERA. They will trying to prove they can contribute to the team in other ways or trying to salvage their careers in the minor leagues/Japan.

[Bahama O's Fan]

You wanna do a full 25 man roster comparison?

[OFFNY]

.
OPENING DAY LINEUPS

2011 .................................................. ............... 2012

Brian Roberts - 2B .................................................. ... Nolan Reimold - LF
Nick Markakis - RF .................................................. ... J.J. Hardy - SS
Derrek Lee - 1B .................................................. ....... Nick Markakis - RF
Vladimir Guerrero - DH ................................................. Adam Jones - CF
Adam Jones - CF .................................................. ..... Matt Wieters - C
Luke Scott - LF .................................................. ...... Wilson Betemit - DH
Mark Reynolds - 3B .................................................. .. Mark Reynolds - 3B
Matt Wieters - C .................................................. ..... Chris Davis - 1B
J.J. Hardy - SS .................................................. ........ Robert Andino - 2B

Jeremy Guthrie - RHP ................................................ Jake Arrieta - RHP

2013 ???

[Dipper9]

.
OPENING DAY LINEUPS

2011 .................................................. ............... 2012

Brian Roberts - 2B .................................................. ... Nolan Reimold - LF
Nick Markakis - RF .................................................. ... J.J. Hardy - SS
Derrek Lee - 1B .................................................. ....... Nick Markakis - RF
Vladimir Guerrero - DH ................................................. Adam Jones - CF
Adam Jones - CF .................................................. ..... Matt Wieters - C
Luke Scott - LF .................................................. ...... Wilson Betemit - DH
Mark Reynolds - 3B .................................................. .. Mark Reynolds - 3B
Matt Wieters - C .................................................. ..... Chris Davis - 1B
J.J. Hardy - SS .................................................. ........ Robert Andino - 2B

Jeremy Guthrie - RHP ................................................ Jake Arrieta - RHP

2013 ???

2013:

LF: McLouth
RF: Markakis
1b: Davis
CF: Jones
C: Wieters
DH: Reimold
SS: Hardy
3B: Machado
2b: Roberts/Casilla

[luismatos4prez]

2013:

LF: McLouth
RF: Markakis
1b: Davis
CF: Jones
C: Wieters
DH: Reimold
SS: Hardy
3B: Machado
2b: Roberts/Casilla

I put my mortgage on Buck not starting the lineup with three lefties. He didn't hit lefties consecutively one time last year. Not even McLouth and Markakis.

[Dipper9]

I put my mortgage on Buck not starting the lineup with three lefties. He didn't hit lefties consecutively one time last year. Not even McLouth and Markakis.

Well Buck said he wants Hardy out of the 2 hole, so who else goes up? Nolan maybe?

Maybe go...

RF: Markakis
DH: Reimold
1B: Davis
CF: Jones
C: Wieters
3B: Machado
SS: Hardy
LF: McLouth
2B: Roberts

I think most of us agree BRob won't come back to win the leadoff spot.

[luismatos4prez]

Well Buck said he wants Hardy out of the 2 hole, so who else goes up? Nolan maybe?

Maybe go...

RF: Markakis
DH: Reimold
1B: Davis
CF: Jones
C: Wieters
3B: Machado
SS: Hardy
LF: McLouth
2B: Roberts

I think most of us agree BRob won't come back to win the leadoff spot.

My best guess at what Buck will do is something like this:

Roberts
Markakis
Jones
Davis
Wieters
Betemit
Machado
McLouth
Hardy

[Brendan25]

I really like our lineup this year, except for DH vs LHP. Love our rotation. I like our team a lot more then others.

[Moose Milligan]

I like the lineup alright, still not enough OBP...but still pretty good.

As usual, it revolves around the pitching.

[Frobby]

I think the SP changes are more significant

2012 Orioles SP in order of appearance in games
1. Arrieta (AAA rotation)
2. Hunter (bullpen)
3. Hammel (promoted to ace, due to performance)
4. Matusz (bullpen or AAA rotation)
5. Chen (promoted to #2, due to performance)
6. Eveland (pitching in Japan)


Hammel, Chen, Tillman, Saunders, and Gonzalez are our 5 best SP. They combined to start just 89 of the 162 games last year with a 3.57 ERA. They've earned their spots in the rotation.

Hunter, Arrieta, Britton, Eveland and Matusz combined to start 67 games with a 5.72 ERA. They will trying to prove they can contribute to the team in other ways or trying to salvage their careers in the minor leagues/Japan.

I would not assume all the good performers from last year will perform just as well this year, or that all the poor performers will be just as bad. We weren't expecting great things from Tillman and Gonzalez (who?) last year. We'll just see how things unfold.

[Orange]

I like to focus on which players are gone from the Opening Day roster in 2012 and which are likely to be added in 2013:

Position Players:
Andino became Casilla
Endy Chavez becomes McLouth
Nick Johnson becomes whomever emerges as a RH DH (Valencia, Jackson, Pearce,...)
Reynolds turns into Machado
Flaherty will be Roberts
And, technically, Paulino becomes a healthy Teagarden

For the most part I feel really great about that. I think it has to be considered a net gain on paper.

Pitchers:
Arrieta becomes Tillman
Gregg becomes Gonzalez (with Hunter sliding to the pen)
Lindstrom beomes #5 SP (Saunders or Britton... with Matusz to the pen)

I think that has to be considered a net gain as well.

Coaching Staff:
Basically intact, including Peterson in the minors... Dickerson replaces Hale at 3B, which could be a slight downgrade.

This team had the 2nd best record in MLB from the time McLouth and Machado were added. We've got the best manager in the world and now we've added stability. I mean, how many question marks are gone? How many high-quality players are ready to step in and contribute like Bundy, Hoes, Urriata, Arrieta, etc.? I know we didn't do an awful lot in the off-season, but think of all the bad moves we didn't make?

I'm pretty pumped about the coming season... The defense is strong, the bullpen is excellent, the starters ought to be solid if unspectacular, the coaching staff is fantastic, depth is good, bench is flexible and talented, chemistry and intangibles are off the chart. I do fear that the offense lacks a legit middle, but it isn't bad and the overall quality 1 through 9 should give us better than average run production. There aren't really any soft spots, with the possible exception of 2B. It would be nice to have a legit ace and a legit cleanup hitter, but I like the overall quality. We should compete no matter what people say about us getting lucky last year.

[El Gordo]

My best guess at what Buck will do is something like this:

Roberts
Markakis
Jones
Davis
Wieters
Betemit
Machado
McLouth
Hardy

I doubt Buck has the same lineup vs LHP as RHP. Basically the potential table setters are McLouth, Markakis, Roberts, Reimold and maybe Manny. So some combination of these would be the first three in the lineup. Davis and Jones will flip in the #4 spot depending on LHP/RHP. Roberts game is P/PA, OBP, and SB. If he is doing these things he could bat 1 or 2 because he is a SH. If he isn't he shouldn't be in the lineup. If he is getting on base at a .340 or better clip against both LHP/RHP, then Roberts should lead off IMO.
Roberts/McLouth/Markakis/Reimold
Markakis/Roberts/Machado/Reimold
Reimold/Betemit/Machado
Jones?Davis
Davis/Jones
Wieters
Hardy/Betemit/Reimold
Machado/Hardy.
McLouth/Casilla

[MikeAD]

I really like our lineup this year, except for DH vs LHP. Love our rotation. I like our team a lot more then others.

Reimold will be in the DH spot against Lefties and I actually like that better than what we will have against RHP.

[El Gordo]

Reimold will be in the DH spot against Lefties and I actually like that better than what we will have against RHP.

Really? I like Betemits career numbers vs RHP .824 OPS, better than Reimold's career numbers vs LHP .775 OPS.