O's Trim Roster by 8; Reimold among the casualties

[Nick The Stick]

I think everyone agrees with you here, but I don't understand how it supports your argument. Reimold can't play CF effectively so he's not an option in that role. Quite simply Reimold never really was in competition with Pie. The only chance Reimold had of sticking was if Lee, Scott, Markakis, or Vlad got hurt.

You do not think that if Reimold had CF in his resume, that he would not have made the club over Pie? Nolan has far more consistency at the plate and pushes himself to be a better player. Felix is a slap hitter that gets lucky from time to time. It's like he never pushes himself to reach his potential. For his speed, you think that he'd work even harder to be a base-stealer as well. Something that Nolan also has hovering over Felix.

So yes. I am totally in thought that if Nolan could cover CF, Felix would have been cut from the team. No doubt.

[Tank]

Uhhh yeah bud. But he can't play center field, so its a moot point.

[xKHx]

You mean it's a moo point, nobody cares about a cows opinion

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[El Gordo]

You do not think that if Reimold had CF in his resume, that he would not have made the club over Pie? Nolan has far more consistency at the plate and pushes himself to be a better player. Felix is a slap hitter that gets lucky from time to time. It's like he never pushes himself to reach his potential. For his speed, you think that he'd work even harder to be a base-stealer as well. Something that Nolan also has hovering over Felix.

So yes. I am totally in thought that if Nolan could cover CF, Felix would have been cut from the team. No doubt.

If Nolan could play 2B he'd definitely be on the bench over Izzi.:rolleyestf:

[DrungoHazewood]

You do not think that if Reimold had CF in his resume, that he would not have made the club over Pie? Nolan has far more consistency at the plate and pushes himself to be a better player. Felix is a slap hitter that gets lucky from time to time. It's like he never pushes himself to reach his potential. For his speed, you think that he'd work even harder to be a base-stealer as well. Something that Nolan also has hovering over Felix.

So yes. I am totally in thought that if Nolan could cover CF, Felix would have been cut from the team. No doubt.

Exactly like if Pie could hit .325 he'd be an all star. Or if I had six more arms I'd be an octopus.

[Can_of_corn]

Exactly like if Pie could hit .325 he'd be an all star. Or if I had six more arms I'd be an octopus.

Considering that you are not aquatic and have vertebrae wouldn't that more likely make you a Hindu god?

[El Gordo]

Considering that you are not aquatic and have vertebrae wouldn't that more likely make you a Hindu god?

How do you know? Have you ever met Drungo?:mwahaha:

[CharmCityCrab]

Unless the Orioles bust out of the gate, and somehow remain in the hunt for a playoff slot, I think MacPhail will definitely be looking to trade some veteran assets for young talent.

Vlad is a hired gun at this point in his career, and if he is producing like he did in the first half of last year, he is definite trade bait for a contending team.

I think Scott is the most likely trade candidate.

Well, if they want to go that route, I hope they enjoy empty seats and low television ratings. It's been 14 years since we've had a winning team, and I'm frustrated. I don't care if we're twenty games out at the break, don't trade away the core of our lineup and expect me to keep watching. If our GM and ownership give up, I give up, not forever, but for the rest of the year at least. I'm sick and tired of it. This isn't a team that's had some winning years and might have to dismantle to rebuild and reload, it's a perennial loser, and I don't think we need to be trading away a single player who might help us win games now.

The good news is -- right now there has finally been some money put into the team, we've got a solid manager, and I'm excited for opening day. The goodwill of the fans isn't unlimited, though -- if McPhail thinks he can dismantle this team and start yet another rebuilding cycle, he's mistaken. Well, he can do it, but I won't watch it. Enough is enough.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Well, if they want to go that route, I hope they enjoy empty seats and low television ratings. It's been 14 years since we've had a winning team, and I'm frustrated. I don't care if we're twenty games out at the break, don't trade away the core of our lineup and expect me to keep watching. If our GM and ownership give up, I give up, not forever, but for the rest of the year at least. I'm sick and tired of it. This isn't a team that's had some winning years and might have to dismantle to rebuild and reload, it's a perennial loser, and I don't think we need to be trading away a single player who might help us win games now.

The good news is -- right now there has finally been some money put into the team, we've got a solid manager, and I'm excited for opening day. The goodwill of the fans isn't unlimited, though -- if McPhail thinks he can dismantle this team and start yet another rebuilding cycle, he's mistaken. Well, he can do it, but I won't watch it. Enough is enough.

You know what?

If we have a choice between getting additional pieces that can help win next year, or you watching games the rest of the way, I'll take my chances with the former.

If this turns out to be a poor team, the best plan isn't to keep players who won't return in place to allow a couple more fans to watch a poor team. That's the kind of plan the Orioles would have had in the first half of the last decade.

[JayThomas]

All of the rest of this talk about injustice is nonsense. Nolan is my favorite player, and even I can say that the way the team is constructed (With Vlad and Scott) there is no spot for him right now, regardless of how well hes playing this Spring.

And Vlad put up a .841 OPS last year and .960 OPS this spring. Reimold will get his shot this year at some point. Unfortunately the season he had last year cost him an opportunity this year because the team couldn't just assume a comeback. We now have depth at AAA in not only pitching, but also with some power in Reimold.

My sentiments exactly. My favorite player is Nolan. I'm sorry to see him being sent down when he should be playing every day for the O's. (But) enough of the wailing and gnashing of teeth. He can hang with Britton down there knowing that they ought to be in B'more. Both of them can crush AAA competition and both of them will be back.

I'm glad that Buck kept him back to talk a little bit one-on-one after the demotion. Per Roch:

"Nolan and I, we talked a little bit after everybody in the room had left," Showalter said. "I didn't get to see the guy (last season) that I saw this spring, and I can see why he's so well thought of. He's probably in the best physical shape that he's been in in a while, running probably better than he ever has. And I thought other than early on, getting used to spring training, he showed that he could play defense. Right-handed power. I'm glad that he's ours. Not only for depth this year, but I think the future bodes well for him. I like where he is right now.

"He had a really good off-season. He put a lot of the challenges he had last year behind him and put himself in a good spot to get back to the 2009 form that I had heard about. I know it's frustrating for him, but it was frustrating for us also to see all the struggles he went through last year. If he hadn't had the challenges he had last year, he'd probably be in a different...but he's put the tough part behind him and I think he's got the best ahead of him. He'll be back."

[jiminnj]

A bunch of thoughts:

Part of Nolan's getting pushed to AAA was the fabulous spring that Fox had. Buck is likely to give Fox some playing time in LF and when Lee rests, rather than moving Scott to 1B and playing Pie or Reimold (if he was on the team), Fox will play 1B. Also it looks like Tatum will be on the team for awhile, and this will free up Fox to pinch hit. If Fox was the back up catcher with no third catcher, they would not use him for a one at bat pinch hitter except for in the last of the ninth, because of the worry of the regular catcher (Weiters) getting nicked in a game and then having no catcher. Some plate appearances that could have been given to Nolan will now be going to Fox.

I found Buck's comments on Nolan very gracious and they must have helped smooth this over for Nolan. I was particularly struck by the comment that "he showed he could play defense". Nolan was a very poor defense player last year. I have wondered with his apparent full recovery now from his surgery whether the defense would improve. This comment from Showalter suggests that it has. Nolan was noticeably slower last year than in 2009, and Brady Anderson made comments about how he was unable to cut and move sideways. Playing defense when you are slower than your usual and having trouble cutting and moving sideways had to have impacted his defense play last year. When Nolan gets up this year and we get a chance to watch him, I think a lot of us may have to make positive reassessments of Nolan's defensive abilities.

I have no doubt that Nolan will go to AAA and play with the determination to make the case that he should be in Baltimore now and that the team should plan on him being the starting LF for the Os in 2012. We shouldn't trade Nolan or Pie this year unless the return is truly outstanding. Lee and Vlad are one year stop gaps and Scott is getting up there in baseball years. We will need both Pie and Reimold for next year and beyond. If there is an injury to Lee, Vlad, Scott, or Markakis, Reimold should be the first choice to fill the hole this year.

I think Tony's comment really sums Nolan's situation this spring.

Unfortunately the season he had last year cost him an opportunity this year because the team couldn't just assume a comeback.

Nolan was in a no-win situation this spring as a result of the offseason moves the Os made and the Os made those moves because they couldn't assume a comeback by Nolan.

I think right now (this April) that the Os would be a better team with Nolan on the roster rather than Pie or Izturis or Tatum (with Andino and Fox on the bench). But in the long run, because he will be getting regular ABs, for Nolan's continuing development he is probably better off in AAA.

[UpstateNYfan]

A bunch of thoughts:

Part of Nolan's getting pushed to AAA was the fabulous spring that Fox had. Buck is likely to give Fox some playing time in LF and when Lee rests, rather than moving Scott to 1B and playing Pie or Reimold (if he was on the team), Fox will play 1B. Also it looks like Tatum will be on the team for awhile, and this will free up Fox to pinch hit. If Fox was the back up catcher with no third catcher, they would not use him for a one at bat pinch hitter except for in the last of the ninth, because of the worry of the regular catcher (Weiters) getting nicked in a game and then having no catcher. Some plate appearances that could have been given to Nolan will now be going to Fox.

I found Buck's comments on Nolan very gracious and they must have helped smooth this over for Nolan. I was particularly struck by the comment that "he showed he could play defense". Nolan was a very poor defense player last year. I have wondered with his apparent full recovery now from his surgery whether the defense would improve. This comment from Showalter suggests that it has. Nolan was noticeably slower last year than in 2009, and Brady Anderson made comments about how he was unable to cut and move sideways. Playing defense when you are slower than your usual and having trouble cutting and moving sideways had to have impacted his defense play last year. When Nolan gets up this year and we get a chance to watch him, I think a lot of us may have to make positive reassessments of Nolan's defensive abilities.

I have no doubt that Nolan will go to AAA and play with the determination to make the case that he should be in Baltimore now and that the team should plan on him being the starting LF for the Os in 2012. We shouldn't trade Nolan or Pie this year unless the return is truly outstanding. Lee and Vlad are one year stop gaps and Scott is getting up there in baseball years. We will need both Pie and Reimold for next year and beyond. If there is an injury to Lee, Vlad, Scott, or Markakis, Reimold should be the first choice to fill the hole this year.

I think Tony's comment really sums Nolan's situation this spring.

Nolan was in a no-win situation this spring as a result of the offseason moves the Os made and the Os made those moves because they couldn't assume a comeback by Nolan.

I think right now (this April) that the Os would be a better team with Nolan on the roster rather than Pie or Izturis or Tatum (with Andino and Fox on the bench). But in the long run, because he will be getting regular ABs, for Nolan's continuing development he is probably better off in AAA.

This is somewhat comical..he is 28, most here think players hit their peak a little before that. he is not going to develop any more at the AAA level..he needs to develop at the ML level and he did already in 2009, despite having an achilles problem. I wish him well, but don't expect it, more likely a repeat of 2010.

[Nick The Stick]

You do not think that if Reimold had CF in his resume, that he would not have made the club over Pie? Nolan has far more consistency at the plate and pushes himself to be a better player. Felix is a slap hitter that gets lucky from time to time. It's like he never pushes himself to reach his potential. For his speed, you think that he'd work even harder to be a base-stealer as well. Something that Nolan also has hovering over Felix.

So yes. I am totally in thought that if Nolan could cover CF, Felix would have been cut from the team. No doubt.

Sorry, Tony and others...

I am just a big Nolan fan. With his effort that he gave in the off-season and during ST, I know a lot of fans were rooting for him to make the team. At his age, I was worried that the further he is kept away from the team, the more it hurts his chance to really make a long-term impact... which I feel he can make. Not a big fan of Pie's. So yes, it is a moot point that I was going for here with the CF bit.

Just wish Pie would step up his game. His game and effort is nowhere near Nolan's, in my eyes.

[Dipper9]

Exactly like if Pie could hit .325 he'd be an all star. Or if I had six more arms I'd be an octopus.

And if my Aunt had balls she'd be my Uncle!

[adamjabber]

Its a shame about Reimold considering he outplayed Pie in virtually every category this spring. Did signing Vlad jam him before spring started or did the option clause seal the deal. Seems to me like he did a great job. Went to two games and saw him homer at one. Heel seems healthy. Also saw the former fiance and baby after the game one day and at the game the next. Perhaps things on and off the field improved for him and a trade would be best for his career.