Potential Free Agent 2B

[SilentJames]

Last year, I was posting on the Baltimore Sun where a lot of posters were concerned and anxious about the back being a career-ender, so my bad on that if you guys weren't as worried.

Regarding the concussion, I know full well about the seriousness about them, but IMRAOAO, B-Rob has 2 things going for him ...... A. He took the entire year off, and played it very conservatively (unlike Luke Scott, who had to be dragged off of the field before his arm fell off). and B. Baseball is not nearly as physical and brutal as sports such as football and boxing (where concussions and brain damage are much more prevalent), so the risks are there, but not nearly as high. That's why I'm going out on a limb and betting my 75 cents that B-Rob will be back in 2012.

The Sun board is full of..well..its the sun board.

And it was discussed here but it never struck me as a career-ender. Would it affect him? Certainly, but I never thought he was DONE. But this, duder is still having trouble sleeping through the night and it has been almost five months? And that is five months with very little activity. That is simply not good.

[CA-ORIOLE]

No he's not, .301 OBP, sub 700 OPS? no thank you.

Here is a theory. If the Brewers go into rebuild after this season (losing Fielder, going out early in the playoffs etc.) Do you think Weeks would be on the market? Do you think we could get him?

Just a passing thought.

Yeah, I agree. Adams at second (and Andino at third) the rest of the year would be what I'd like to see. I'd rather have Andino (or Adams) over Barmes next year. Andino would be cheaper and likely better imo.

[SilentJames]

Oh wow, didn't realize he had slumped so much. I picked him up for my fantasy team (deep league) and he was hitting very well. I dropped him a while back, and didn't realized how much he dropped off.

I doubt the Brewers go full rebuild. They still have some very good players in Braun, Greinke, Marcum etc.

Yeah but he is singed through 14 with a club option for 15. He seems like a guy that might get made available as they try to reload for the long haul to build around those guys in their longterm plans. The contract is back-loaded (12: $10m, then 10.5, 11, 11) and Milwaukee might want to try and free up some cash.

[SilentJames]

Yeah, I agree. Adams at second (and Andino at third) the rest of the year would be what I'd like to see. I'd rather have Andino (or Adams) over Barmes next year. Andino would be cheaper and likely better imo.

Andino doesn't solve the gaping OBP hole in the lineup right now. I hate to go all Billy Beane but we need some solid guys out there that know how to get on base consistently. That was one of the things that Roberts really brought to this team, solid AVG, great OBP. The steals and doubles were gravy but the meat of his game was right there - that is what we are missing.

[TakebackOPACY]

Michael Cuddyer is the obvious answer. He's started 17 games at 2B this year.

Cord Phelps - prossibly a reasonably cheap trade target - possibly a solid player - no problem with utility role if Roberts is actually healthy.

There have to be some other guys that fit Phelps description... maybe someone who's more of a threat on the basepaths than he is.

[CanadianOriole]

Any 2b's blocked with their current team that we could look at as possible trade targets? Or cases of teams having multiple upper level 2b prospects? Example - with Weeks emerging in Oakland - Adrian Cardenas seems to be effectively blocked. .299/.368/.407 this year at a 23 yr old in AAA. No idea what his defensive rep is.

I'd still rather try Adams - but Adams has to prove his defense can play at the MLB level. If we're going to develop young pitchers - we can't put butchers at the key infield spots behind them and expect them to succeed.

[SilentJames]

Michael Cuddyer is the obvious answer. He's started 17 games at 2B this year.

Cord Phelps - prossibly a reasonably cheap trade target - possibly a solid player - no problem with utility role if Roberts is actually healthy.

There have to be some other guys that fit Phelps description... maybe someone who's more of a threat on the basepaths than he is.

You know, that isn't actually a bad idea. Cuddyer has played second before, and recently. He has about .530+ innings at second and the stats say he has done alright. He certainly has the OBP, but at 32+ I doubt he will be able to hold the position for long.

[SilentJames]

Any 2b's blocked with their current team that we could look at as possible trade targets? Or cases of teams having multiple upper level 2b prospects? Example - with Weeks emerging in Oakland - Adrian Cardenas seems to be effectively blocked. .299/.368/.407 this year at a 23 yr old in AAA. No idea what his defensive rep is.

I'd still rather try Adams - but Adams has to prove his defense can play at the MLB level. If we're going to develop young pitchers - we can't put butchers at the key infield spots behind them and expect them to succeed.

This right here is key, absolutely key.

This morning, in my piece over at MASN I decided to have some fun. I got tired of writing about this Orioles team so I decided to write about the 1997 Orioles, sort of a "lets all hop in the TARDIS and go back to this day 1997" post. Ah nostalgia.

Funny think about 97, the offense was league average, Hell it was below league average. But the pitching was second in the league and the defense was ELITE. That is how you got wire to wire.

[CanadianOriole]

I'm wary of Cuddyer - he's going to be very expensive and if he was a legit option as a full time 2b I think the Twins would have used him there. Perhaps I'm just scarred by the butchery of Wigginton trying to be play 2b last year - but I feel we should go out of our way to avoid a repeat of that fiasco.

Phelps on the other hand looks very attractive. Blocked by Kipnis, .390 OBP in AAA. If his D is sound I'd be all for it.

[crawjo]

Not a lot to choose from among second basemen. If Roberts retires, though, I'd be very leery of getting Rollins and moving Hardy to second. He'll be 33 by Opening Day next year and won't come cheaply, I imagine. He's an alright defender right now but as he ages that is sure to go down, and who knows how long his speed will hold up.

Don't get me wrong, he'd be a good addition for the 2012 Orioles, but he'll be looking for a multiyear deal and there's no way I'd go over three years on him, under any circumstance. A two year deal would be preferable but I have to imagine he'll get more than three years from somebody.

[SilentJames]

I'm wary of Cuddyer - he's going to be very expensive and if he was a legit option as a full time 2b I think the Twins would have used him there. Perhaps I'm just scarred by the butchery of Wigginton trying to be play 2b last year - but I feel we should go out of our way to avoid a repeat of that fiasco.

Phelps on the other hand looks very attractive. Blocked by Kipnis, .390 OBP in AAA. If his D is sound I'd be all for it.

Agreed on all accounts. It was just an interesting-sounding idea to me.

The Phelps kid looks very interesting.

[Justinlstn]

I would prefer a healthy Roberts, but why is Miclat such a bad idea? Has great speed that Orioles obviously need. i believe we are the 4th worst in SB. Besides his terrible 2009 numbers he has been productive offensively and worked his way up in the system earning each promotion. Personally i dont want another fill in veteran who doesn't have a future improving this team and steals a spot on this roster from a prospect. And the Orioles will not spend big money on solid player for that position. Miclat would be a great future lead off hitter for this team. He should be given a shot to see if he can stick it up here. Roberts was given a shot back in 2001 when Hariston got hurt. Besides this team won't be any worse given him a shot.

[SilentJames]

I would prefer a healthy Roberts, but why is Miclat such a bad idea? Has great speed that Orioles obviously need. i believe we are the 4th worst in SB. Besides his terrible 2009 numbers he has been productive offensively and worked his way up in the system earning each promotion. Personally i dont want another fill in veteran who doesn't have a future improving this team and steals a spot on this roster from a prospect. And the Orioles will not spend big money on solid player for that position. Miclat would be a great future lead off hitter for this team. He should be given a shot to see if he can stick it up here. Roberts was given a shot back in 2001 when Hariston got hurt. Besides this team won't be any worse given him a shot.

SBs don't mean a thing if you aren't getting on base consistently. Miclat is doing fine in AA right now, but a .360+ OBP is Bowie does not necessarily mean a .360+ OBP in Baltimore. Miclat has a lot to prove before he will be looked at by the big-team. Future option, perhaps, but not in 2012. At least not Opening Day 2012.

[CanadianOriole]

Miclat is essentially repeating AA and has only managed a .701 OPS. What's worse is that he has no power at all - his OBP is higher than his SLG and thus his OBP is driving his OPS. It's very unlikely that his walk rate would translate to MLB - big league pitchers just are not going to walk a guy who can not hurt them by hitting an extra base hit. They especially are not going to walk a guy who definitely can not get an extra base hit, but definitely will raise hell if he gets on base. So... it's very likely Miclat's OBP dives significantly in transitioning to the majors, and coupled with no power - he'd be a prime candidate to post a sub .600 OPS as a big league regular.

Miclat either needs to develop some power, or raise his batting average significantly to compensate for a probable deterioration of his walk rate to stick as an MLB starter.

[TakebackOPACY]

I would prefer a healthy Roberts, but why is Miclat such a bad idea? Has great speed that Orioles obviously need. i believe we are the 4th worst in SB. Besides his terrible 2009 numbers he has been productive offensively and worked his way up in the system earning each promotion. Personally i dont want another fill in veteran who doesn't have a future improving this team and steals a spot on this roster from a prospect. And the Orioles will not spend big money on solid player for that position. Miclat would be a great future lead off hitter for this team. He should be given a shot to see if he can stick it up here. Roberts was given a shot back in 2001 when Hariston got hurt. Besides this team won't be any worse given him a shot.

Even if they pick someone up, Miclat could still eventually get his chance. He's not a quick riser. That obp was below .300 just a couple years ago. Let him give the International League (AAA) a shot.

To me, though, Miclat looks like a luxury on a 25-man roster. He hasn't hit righties (.257/.341/.304/.645 at AA this year; .215/.285/.264 last year in AA) so it looks to me like, if he can play in the majors, he'd start against lefties and be a seldom used pinch runner/defensive replacement against righty starters. Now that's not a done deal. He can still keep improving. Let him do that at 'AAA'.