Signing Vlad was big mistake

[flashjordnk]

You may be the last guy in the world who is still wondering what we have in Pie. We have a fourth outfielder, no more, no less. Vlad is yet to really get into a hot streak and it's too early to see he's finished in my opinion. His swing rate is pretty atrocious, but it's never been good and I think it will even itself a bit as the season wears on. Vlad has yet to really hit a hot spell yet and when that humid air arrives, I'm going to bet the homers will start to show up (along with Reynolds). He's not the guy he used to be, no doubt, but I think it's too early to say he's a bust. I've seen him turn on some good fastballs so the bat speed issue that some have brought up really doesn't hold a ton of weight for me.

As for his base running, Vlad is not fast, but he's not the slowest guy on the team either. He's a pretty heads up runner on top of it all and I've yet to see him do something on the base paths that have cost the O's.

I definitely see your points. I'm hoping he's not a bust yet. I really do hope he helps this team win some games. And maybe we don't have a guy on this roster or in AAA that can help this team win more than Vlad can. I WANT to be impressed, I'll wait it out another 20 games or so and see where we are. I just hope everyone is adequately prepared if we reach the end of May and his OPS isn't 820 or higher.

And I guess if there isn't someone else to clamor for, it doesn't make much sense to complain. Especially since we're not getting much from the guys down in AAA. I guess I just see more value in trying to get MLB at bats for guys we have if Vlad isn't going to be the guy we expected.

[alaniee]

Vladimir has been an excellent offensive player for us so far. He's hitting well. Wait till the rest of the guys start to hitting, his RBIs will climb rapidly.

He might even be our Offensive MVP at the end of the year, you wait and see

[Nigel Tufnel]

Did we sign Vlad for his walks? He has never been a patient hitter and the fact that he isn't taking any walks is irrelevant. If you are going to replace a player with his track record, with a AAA player who isn't hitting any better, after 87 PA, then you need to worry about every other player on the team not named Wieters or Roberts.

Vladimir has been an excellent offensive player for us so far. He's hitting well. Wait till the rest of the guys start to hitting, his RBIs will climb rapidly.

He might even be our Offensive MVP at the end of the year, you wait and see

I don't know. I mean, I guess Vlad hasn't been terrible so far, and he's showing signs of improving, but you simply cannot be a productive ML hitter with a .287 OBP, especially not in the middle of the order, and not with a .701 OPS. I know the O's didn't sign Vlad for his walks, but he still has to walk occasionally. If he can't get his OBP 40 or 50 points higher, minimum, then he's just going to kill the Orioles at the cleanup spot.

I expect him to start walking, though. Last year he had a 19 game walkless streak, and still ended up walking about 5% of the time.

[byrdz]

Only thing I'm concern with is his RBI total, which isn't where it needs to be, but I feel he will heat up soon. He's just so much fun to watch hit and still has the power to drive in runs so I'm not worried.

[El Gordo]

Only thing I'm concern with is his RBI total, which isn't where it needs to be, but I feel he will heat up soon. He's just so much fun to watch hit and still has the power to drive in runs so I'm not worried.

His RBI total will be where it needs to be when Roberts, Markakis, and DLee, get their OBP where it needs to be.

[Wilshade]

Vlad kind of reminds me of Lee May when he was with the O's. May would have hot and cold streaks and also some "warm" streaks. His cold streaks were ice cold, but he was in the line-up everyday and opposing pitching could never take him for granted. When he was hot, you would watch him in the box and almost "feel" a home run was coming. His "warm" streaks were a bunch of worm-burner, bloop, or flare singles.

[DrungoHazewood]

Vlad kind of reminds me of Lee May when he was with the O's. May would have hot and cold streaks and also some "warm" streaks. His cold streaks were ice cold, but he was in the line-up everyday and opposing pitching could never take him for granted. When he was hot, you would watch him in the box and almost "feel" a home run was coming. His "warm" streaks were a bunch of worm-burner, bloop, or flare singles.

I hope not... I loved Lee May with the uncritical eye of a 9-year-old, but looking back I see a guy who got over 3000 PAs for the O's as a DH/1B, with a .299 OBP.

[Gurgi]

I hope not... I loved Lee May with the uncritical eye of a 9-year-old, but looking back I see a guy who got over 3000 PAs for the O's as a DH/1B, with a .299 OBP.

Funny I never liked Lee May. I think his herky jerky movements in the batters box kind of weirded me out too much. The guy was frantic in his waving the bat.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Why don't we trade him right now for Fielder?

Cecil?

[BaltimoreTerp]

Vladimir has been an excellent offensive player for us so far. He's hitting well. Wait till the rest of the guys start to hitting, his RBIs will climb rapidly.

He might even be our Offensive MVP at the end of the year, you wait and see

I really hope to all that is good in the Baseball Universe that I'm missing the sarcasm here

[Babypowder]

Only thing I'm concern with is his RBI total, which isn't where it needs to be, but I feel he will heat up soon. He's just so much fun to watch hit and still has the power to drive in runs so I'm not worried.

People are enjoying watching him hit? That surprises me, his at bats usually disgust me. I could never enjoy watching someone who flails at garbage so often and who makes so many quick outs.

[flashjordnk]

I really hope to all that is good in the Baseball Universe that I'm missing the sarcasm here

Hahahaha. Amen.

[olehippi]

I posted this about Vlad earlier in this thread......perhaps lost in a long paragraph.

April 26, 2010 .371 BA 2 HR's 11 RBI's .930 OPS

April 26, 2011 .287 BA 2 HR's 9 RBI's .701 OPS

In May of last year he hit 10 HR's with 31 RBI's.

While I think its definitely too early to pass judgment, I do think there is some reason to be concerned.

[BaltimoreTerp]

I posted this about Vlad earlier in this thread......perhaps lost in a long paragraph.

April 26, 2010 .371 BA 2 HR's 11 RBI's .930 OPS

April 26, 2011 .287 BA 2 HR's 9 RBI's .701 OPS

In May of last year he hit 10 HR's with 31 RBI's.

While I think its definitely too early to pass judgment, I do think there is some reason to be concerned.

And four walks last season at this time.

[byrdz]

I posted this about Vlad earlier in this thread......perhaps lost in a long paragraph.

April 26, 2010 .371 BA 2 HR's 11 RBI's .930 OPS

April 26, 2011 .287 BA 2 HR's 9 RBI's .701 OPS

In May of last year he hit 10 HR's with 31 RBI's.

While I think its definitely too early to pass judgment, I do think there is some reason to be concerned.

He had slow starts in 2008 and 2009 where he managed a solid slash lines on the season. Definitely not the Vlad of old but I hope no one was expecting that.