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Vlad Press Conference 2PM Friday

weams

By weams
in Orioles Talk

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Vladdy11 A-Ball

Vladdy11

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Except that Sosa was a prima donna and bad in the clubhouse. I've never heard a teammate say a bad word about Vlad.

Exactly, as soon as Sammy Sosa started to get famous he got full of himself and like you said he was a true prima donna. He let the attention and fame go to his head and don't get me started with his performance at the 2005 steroid hearings lol. Vlad is still the same humble quiet guy he was when he first came to the major leagues. Former teammates have talked about how Vlad is fun to be around, how good a cook his mom is, and how focused he is.

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Say O! Major Leaguer

Say O!

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Perhaps a better comp for Vlad would be Jim Rice.

BB-ref has Rice as Vlad's #3 most similar comp through age 35. The two players more similar have PED links (Sheffield, Palmeiro).

Essentially, Rice was done at age 36, playing in only 56 games putting up an OPS+ of 70.

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Vladdy11 A-Ball

Vladdy11

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Sosa was run out of town. On a team that was approaching it's 100th anniversary of their last world series win. He wasn't coming off an excellent season either.

Vlad gives this lineup it's legitimacy.

While he hit 35 homeruns in 2004, he didn't hit for a good average and you could slowly see him decline.

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NewMarketSean Hangout Grand Counsel

NewMarketSean

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Did Sosa cause problems in the clubhouse in 2005? I know he was sent home early, but I don't really remember what caused it.

Bottom line, both guys were aging sluggers brought in for one year. I thought Sosa was a decent move at the time and still do, and obviously I like the Vlad signing.

But I wouldn't be shocked at all to see Vlad's time in Baltimore very similar to Sosa's.

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statman Major Leaguer Cup of Coffee

statman

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I think the Sosa/Vlad thing is very similar, actually, with the same amount of risk/reward.

Okay, I've said this before...but, who here believes that Sosa used steroids? I would assume that a lot of people do, not just here, but everywhere.

Keeping that in mind, we acquired Sammy Sosa for the 2005 Major League season, THE VERY SEASON after this was passed:

Jan. 13, 2005 – Players and Owners Agree to New Drug Program, Names to be Made Public

During a quarterly owners' meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz., the owners vote unanimously to accept recently concluded negotiations between MLB and the union strengthening the drug program. The new punitive measures for Major Leaguers are a 10-day suspension for the first positive test, 30 days for the second, 60 days for the third, and one year for the fourth. All without pay. On the first positive, the players name is released to the public. The program is separated from the Basic Agreement, which expires on Dec. 19, 2006, and is extended until 2008.

I don't know the science, or how long these things stay in your system. But, for a guy who denied steroid use in front of Congress, that seems like a legitimate reason to STOP TAKING THEM. So he stops taking steroids realizing the legal and personal ramifications of being caught under the new policy (which will release his name)...Is it reasonable to assume that because of this, his Home Run total from 2004 (35) dipped to 14 in 2005, and he retired after the season at age 37? Who retires at 37, one year removed from hitting 35 home runs??

In any case, this Vlad scenario is nothing like the Sammy Sosa stint in Baltimore, in my mind. Vlad will perform a lot better than some of you skeptics care to dream of.

Edit: Sosa was 36 at the very end of the 2005 season, and turned 37 that November...so he was a new 37.

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TheBee Major Leaguer

TheBee

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Okay, I've said this before...but, who here believes that Sosa used steroids? I would assume that a lot of people do, not just here, but everywhere.

Keeping that in mind, we acquired Sammy Sosa for the 2005 Major League season, THE VERY SEASON after this was passed:

I don't know the science, or how long these things stay in your system. But, for a guy who denied steroid use in front of Congress, that seems like a legitimate reason to STOP TAKING THEM. So he stops taking steroids realizing the legal and personal ramifications of being caught under the new policy (which will release his name)...Is it reasonable to assume that because of this, his Home Run total from 2004 (35) dipped to 14 in 2005, and he retired after the season at age 37? Who retires at 37, one year removed from hitting 35 home runs??

In any case, this Vlad scenario is nothing like the Sammy Sosa stint in Baltimore, in my mind. Vlad will perform a lot better than some of you skeptics care to dream of.

Edit: Sosa was 36 at the very end of the 2005 season, and turned 37 that November...so he was a new 37.

Don't forget the corked bat situation, too. I've never used steroids, but I've been close friends with professional athletes who did and weekend warriors who did. Anecdotally, once they start to use, they can't ever feel strong without them. It's a crutch they become dependent on. The corking of the bat was exactly what a guy who was trying to go off roids would do from my experience. The fragile psyche at work.

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Wilshade AA

Wilshade

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Vlad can help the lineup on reputation alone for at least the first run through the league. He will provide protection for the other guys for at least that long. And, if he does start hitting, look out.

Plus, he embodies the level of professionalism that these guys need to learn from. He is definitely an important part of the building process . . . and . . . it is still a process.

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Birds of B'more Hangout Grand Counsel

Birds of B'more

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I think the Sosa/Vlad thing is very similar, actually, with the same amount of risk/reward.

Except for the part about Sosa being a cheater. Any objective person could see that once he stopped using steroids and corking his bat, he was going to fall off a cliff. There's never been a hint of allegations like that surrounding Vlad. Yes, his body has some heavy mileage on it, so steep drop from last year is certainly possible. But the fact that Vlad was a great player up through last season without having to cheat makes him less risky than Sosa was.

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jtschrei Major Leaguer Cup of Coffee

jtschrei

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I expect Vlad to have a pretty good year. I don't think anyone is expecting him to put up 30 bomb and 120 Rbis... but he will provide a presence and knock in some runs. The key is health. Buck is going to have to really massage this team to get them through 160 games... seems like a bunch of key guys are going to need a bunch of games off throughout the season...

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