Impressions from the B Team - Red Sox game

[El Gordo]

Vlad and Luke are both far better hitters than Pie. Would you want either as your fourth OF? That's the position that's available, and Pie fits it better than Reimold. If we needed a DH I'd much rather have Nolan the Pie, and next year we'll need one, if not sooner.

[JERSEYORIOLE]

you're going to hate this but based on his eqbrr pie is our best baserunner.:mwahaha:http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/sortable/index.php?cid=143757

oh god.

[Singleton]

So does Angle though. People love Pie so much (he does go well with Ice Cream) but seriously do we think his upside is that much greater than Angle's at this point?

Can we find someone who might think that is? Definitely...This is my issue with Pie.

If at this point, you want to tell me why you think he'll be a lot better than he's showing us, maybe I'll listen. But if we can get someone else to wait around for him to get better and we can get a prospect to boost our minors. I'm down.

Again though, i don't have to argue that Pie will be better then a 4th outfielder because that's his role on this team. He's actually a pretty perfect fit (far from a perfect player). He can play all 3 outfield positions. He can run and play D and he has moments where he hits a little.

I doubt he becomes much more than that -- though it is far from out of the question -- but on this team -- he's our 4th guy.

Angle might be a 4th outfielder some day but it is shocking that anyone would argue he's ready now. He's had less than 100 AB's above A ball!!!

Even if you trade Pie and promote Angle, how does that create ABs for Reimold who still has to wait until Vlad or Scott sit -- which isn't likely to be often.

[Singleton]

Vlad and Luke are both far better hitters than Pie. Would you want either as your fourth OF? That's the position that's available, and Pie fits it better than Reimold. If we needed a DH I'd much rather have Nolan the Pie, and next year we'll need one, if not sooner.[/quote

Amen!!!

[wildcard]

I'm not really following your first point. I'm not focused on whether Vlad was a good signing or not and I'm not saying Reimold is our cleanup hitter. I'm saying Vlad takes a spot in the lineup. Every day. Reimold can only play LF and DH which means you are either sitting Scott or Vlad. You said yourself that Vlad is our cleanup hitter. Scott led the team in HRs and was the "most valuable orioles", FWIW. I think Reimold needs to play every day and now there's no spot for him.

Gary Roenicke was in a pretty strict platoon with John Lowenstein. Are you platooning Reimold with Scott?

If the team believes in Reimold -- after 25 spring training ABs, it should have traded Scott over the winter. The team didn't trade Scott over the winter which tells me a) the team thinks Reimold needs to show them something in AAA or b) they don't really have a plan.

Take your pick.

I don't think that anyone is right or wrong here. It's a judgement call.

I don't agree that Reimold needs to play everyday to be valuable to the O's. If he plays enough to keep his timing down then he could still be very valuable.

Scott doesn't have to sit for Reimold to play. If Scott plays first or DHs then Reimold can play left. Both Vlad and Lee are 35 or older. Both have had injury problems in recent years. Lee is not going to be playing many day games after night games. Scott is not going to get at bats against tough lefties if unless he isn't red hot. Buck knows how to use a bench. I think there is room for Reimold to valuable on the roster.

The object here is to have the best 25 man roster that the O's can have. Whether Reimold plays everyday to secondary.

Reimold's trial period is not over. He will have to hit well and play decent defense until opening day to win a spot.

The team did know when it signed Vlad what to expect from Reimold. What he has shown so far is that he is playing more like he did in 2009, which can be valuable to the team. It is better for the team over a long season to have both Reimold and Vlad. And that is the goal. To have the best major league team possible.

[Sports Guy]

I don't get why people want Reimold to be up here to ride the bench.

Just a horrible way of doing things.

[flashjordnk]

I don't get why people want Reimold to be up here to ride the bench.

Just a horrible way of doing things.

You think he's gonna learn a lot in AAA?

[Tony-OH]

I have the opposite site, if you keep Pie and Reimold, where does Pie get his at bats?

Well, there's a simple answer to that. When Pie has to fill in for Jones in center field or as a pinch hitter late in games against a good right-hander if guys like Fox/Tatum or Hardy is at bat.

Reimold would only get at bats when Scott is sat and considering he hits lefties pretty good, how often would that be.

[Tony-OH]

I don't get why people want Reimold to be up here to ride the bench.

Just a horrible way of doing things.

I gotta agree. I want Reimold to get 450-500 at bats this year and he can't do it playing once a week for the Orioles as long as everyone stays healthy. If he goes down to Norfolk and tears it up, then we have a good problem on our hands and if someone goes down, he's ready to step in.

Most players struggle in limited exposure which is why it takes a special guy who can be a good bench player. It's not always about taking the 25 best players up if it means you might degrade a guy who may need to be starter later in the season.

If Nolan is back to his pre-injury form, he'll put up big numbers in Norfolk and he'll be ready to go if Lee (Scott to first), Markakis, Jones (Pie goes to center and Nolan becomes the 4th OFer), Scott or Vlad goes down.

[JERSEYORIOLE]

I don't get why people want Reimold to be up here to ride the bench.

Just a horrible way of doing things.[/quote

I don't I want him playing three to four days a week while rest is given to Vlad, Nick, Scott and Lee. If he is going to sit I agree send him down and let him play. I just see him as more valuable then Pie. I know it is a moot point because Pie does not have options. However, lets assume he did OR Nolan didnt have an option. If you are not going to keep them both on the team then the O's would have to make a choice. IMO I think it's a slam dunk that it's Nolan. Having said that. Dont we want our best players playing. How do I think this turns out? Fox beats out Tatum as the back up catcher and they both make the team. Reimold gets most of the starts when Scott or Vlad rest. Pie is the 5th outfielder, defensive replacement.

[jiminnj]

Well, there's a simple answer to that. When Pie has to fill in for Jones in center field or as a pinch hitter late in games against a good right-hander if guys like Fox/Tatum or Hardy is at bat.

Reimold would only get at bats when Scott is sat and considering he hits lefties pretty good, how often would that be.

Reimold also gets ABs when Lee sits and Scott plays 1B, and when Vlad sits too. Both of those things are likely to happen with some regularity as both are over 35 years old.

[AgentOrange]

You think he's gonna learn a lot in AAA?

I don't think learning is why people would rather have him in AAA. Its more about constant playing time. He had a terrible year last year. If he is in the ML plans for 300+ PAs, then great. If not, more playing time at AAA might be the better answer for him.

[Sports Guy]

You think he's gonna learn a lot in AAA?

No I don't..but that's meaningless right now.

[jiminnj]

Since running of Reimold and Pie has come up here are their SB career numbers.

................ML SB........ML CSB......ML %.......MiL SB.....MiL CSB......%

Pie...............17...............6..........74.............119........72..........62

Reimold.........8.................2..........80..............43........17..........72

Pie was 11 for 12 in SBs as a Chicago Cub, he is 6 for 11 as a BO.

Pie has 7 full or part seasons in the minors and 4 part or full season in the ML (9 total seasons).

Reimold has 6 full or part seasons in the minors and 2 part time seasons in the ML (6 total seasons).

[Frobby]

Everything that you just sighted is based on last year. I can think of two things that have happened that chance the evaluation.

1) The O's most influential talent evaluator (Buck) has said publicly that Mahoney is "what they look like". That is a endorsement based on Buck's first hand evaluation this spring. That bumps him up a bit.

2) He is hitting major and minor league pitchers with spring. That kind of nullifies any problem he has with AA pitching late last year. I can agree that he has to keep doing it longer but if he is still doing it late into ST then that tells us something.

Meh. Last spring, Jonathan Tucker, Miguel Abreu, Justin Turner, Brandon Snyder, Lou Montanez and Rhyne Hughes all hit .300+ in spring training. It is not that meaningful. And I expect Buck to say complimentary things when a young player has a good day.

Again, I'm not denigrating Mahoney. As I said in my OP, I like what I saw yesterday. Let's see how Mahoney does in 2011 and maybe he will warrant your enthusiasm.