Signing Vlad was big mistake

[flashjordnk]

So it is Vlad's fault we are not hitting? I bet you he goes on a tear once it gets warm out.

It would be nice for Nick/Reynolds/Lee to do this. These guys are all flailing under low BABIP. Maybe some heat can help there numbers regress to the mean. In this case in a very good way.

[atlantaoriole]

Vlad>Reimold.

I don't understand why this is so hard for O's fans to comprehend. Reimold was awful last year. Vlad was pretty darn good. Vlad will get hot in May and people will soon forget about how this was a "BAD" signing.

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[El Gordo]

So what does a .743 OPS at Norfolk translate to at ML levels, and would that really be abig boost to the team over Vlad?

[oriole]

Vlad kind of fell in the Orioles laps (with the same 8 million price tag of course). It doesn't really make sense...it never did. But they had a chance to sign a "big" free agent finally and they took that opportunity. I can't blame them for that. Look at Vlads career numbers...at the beginning of the season no one could have guessed he'd be doing this poorly. We all expected decline, we just didn't know how much.

[Can_of_corn]

Just in time for a trade... That is where the real value will come from Vlad; stock the minors. If he is here all year, then its a mistake signing. Until then you just hope he hits enough to get you a solid B prospect back in return.

And if he is here all year there is no way the O's offer him arbitration.

[JERSEYORIOLE]

I have been steadfastly against the signing since before he signed and even I don't think it qualifies as a "big mistake". Its a one year deal that will only minimally effect the O's finances beyond this season.

Not financially, but in the make up of the team it was. This team is slow and has no plate discipline. Reimold brought both of those things to the team. If Reimold gets his act together, which he appears to be doing, I say we have to find a way to get him up here. Give Scott, Vlade, Lee, a day off a week. Vlade and Lee are older and could use some rest and Scott has never had more then 475 at bats in his career. Maybe it will energize the team a little.

[Fan4Life]

Wasn't a great signing for $8M... but the signing itself doesn't bother me...

[flashjordnk]

So what does a .743 OPS at Norfolk translate to at ML levels, and would that really be abig boost to the team over Vlad?

It's just as much about plate approach as it is outcomes right now. If Reimold is helping extend innings and working counts I'd rather he be here and not down there. I'm not saying he's doing that down there. 8 BB's and 2 HBP's to 20 K's. That's 10 more opportunities for him to get on base, and work those counts. Sometimes I feel Vlad just suck the life out of rallies with his aggressiveness. Granted if he was mashing, I'd apologize to him personally. But frankly, he's not mashing, he's not walking, he's not hitting for power. And if you pay a DH $8 million for one season. He better darn well give you more than a 13/0 K/BB ratio and a 398 slugging percentage. I'm fine with Nolan being terrible because we're not paying $8 mill...

[Crazysilver03]

The more I watch the O's, the more out of balance they look, and the more I think the Vlad signing is killing them.

I really would have liked a team with Reimold/Pie in LF, Scott at DH, and D. Lee at 1B. I still think Lee will have an okay season.

Adding Vlad is a big hit to the defense and to the team speed (or the O's total lack of it). Reimold is now up to a .352 OBP at Norfolk, which would lead the O's, and he in fact led the O's in 2009. Having Reimold/Pie on the base paths and in LF would be a huge upgrade over Vlad/Scott.

Vlad just doesn't hit well enough (with enough power) to make up for all of his shortcomings.

The argument for Reimold is weak. Just because he has a .352 OBP at Norfolk, doesn't mean he would be at that clip up here. If anything, Reimold is also in a slump.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Vlad>Reimold.

I don't understand why this is so hard for O's fans to comprehend. Reimold was awful last year. Vlad was pretty darn good.

You're right, since last years' numbers are the absolute only way to judge whether Guerrero was a better fit for this team than Reimold. Not age, or cost, or their particular skills, or their ability to be on the team long-term.

[El Gordo]

It's just as much about plate approach as it is outcomes right now. If Reimold is helping extend innings and working counts I'd rather he be here and not down there. I'm not saying he's doing that down there. 8 BB's and 2 HBP's to 20 K's. That's 10 more opportunities for him to get on base, and work those counts. Sometimes I feel Vlad just suck the life out of rallies with his aggressiveness. Granted if he was mashing, I'd apologize to him personally. But frankly, he's not mashing, he's not walking, he's not hitting for power. And if you pay a DH $8 million for one season. He better darn well give you more than a 13/0 K/BB ratio and a 398 slugging percentage. I'm fine with Nolan being terrible because we're not paying $8 mill...

Everyone knew or should have thet Vlad was a hacker. I don't see why he is singled out as someone who is hurting the club any more than Markakis, Reynolds, Scott, DLee or Jones. Jones gets a pass because he has 4 HR but his numbers stiil suck. If Vlad hits 2 HR today everyone will love him. The fact is, the team as a whole has a poor and uncharacteristic approach right now, except for Vlad who is doing what he always does. And BTW if you're unhappy with his numbers after 20 games, just compare them to Dunn's, who cost considerably more than $8M.:rolleyestf:

[wildcard]

Its way toooo early to say anything conclusively about Vlad. The way the ball flies out of Camden in the summer Vlad could hit 30 HR and drive in 100 runs before the end of the year. If he does, only his hardest critics will talk badly about him not walking or being slow.

[tuOsfan]

NOBODY. NOBODY is hitting on this damn team and you're going to attack Vlad of all people? One of the greatest pure hitters of this generation! Why don't you attack Markakis? Reynolds? Lee? Jones? It seems the only way this team scores any runs is if the lineup turns over and Brob knocks them. God forbid they try to do anything with less than 2 outs.

[Sports Guy]

Vlad>Reimold.

I don't understand why this is so hard for O's fans to comprehend. Reimold was awful last year. Vlad was pretty darn good. Vlad will get hot in May and people will soon forget about how this was a "BAD" signing.

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Aren't you the same guy that said Yunel Escobar wasn't good? I am not sure you can really speak to others abilities to judge talent.

We have beaten the Reimold issues of 2010 to death. If you want to say they weren't legit, that's on you...you would be wrong but you can still feel that way if you want.

There is plenty of reason to think Reimold would have been close to Vlad...on top of that, it would have given us more speed, better defense and more flexibility.

The hope with the Vlad signing is that he hits enough to where he can be dealt and Scott shows enough in LF that he can be dealt as an OFer and not a DH, thus opening him up to the NL as well.

[DrungoHazewood]

Jones gets a pass because he has 4 HR but his numbers stiil suck.

Oh, no, you make darn sure Jones never gets a pass on anything, no matter how trivial.