Would you: cut Lough to bring up Quentin Berry

[DrungoHazewood]

It jibes with what he is doing. Someone with his speed should be hitting more GB. Instead he is swinging under the ball and hitting lazy FB. He obviously was able to hit more GB and LD last season. So far this season he isn't.

But we don't know that this is a matter of approach. It's likely he just isn't getting the same results over a handful of at bats.

[DrungoHazewood]

Lough hit .286 with a OBP last year over .300. He is young and under control. I think someone would definitely take a chance on him.

A month ago we were discussing whether he'd repeat his nearly 3-win 2013 season. It's kind of ridiculous to think a one-month slump slashes that (admittedly optimistic) forecast to "nobody in MLB would put him on the 25 man".

[Redskins Rick]

A month ago we were discussing whether he'd repeat his nearly 3-win 2013 season. It's kind of ridiculous to think a one-month slump slashes that (admittedly optimistic) forecast to "nobody in MLB would put him on the 25 man".

Spot on, but thats the way OH rolls at times.

[wildcard]

Lough hit .286 with a OBP last year over .300. He is young and under control. I think someone would definitely take a chance on him.

Young? Lough is 28. He should be in his prime.

[Corolla35]

I thought this was some interesting analysis on Lough's glove.

http://www.masnsports.com/orioles-buzz/2014/05/jon-shepherd-what-to-make-of-the-morales-chatter.html

[weams]

I thought this was some interesting analysis on Lough's glove.

http://www.masnsports.com/orioles-buzz/2014/05/jon-shepherd-what-to-make-of-the-morales-chatter.html

The difference between Cruz and Lough in left field comes to a projected 64 to 92 runs. In other words, when only considering the glove, Cruz will lose you about six to 10 games.

All things said, Lough's glove appears to outweigh Morales' bat by 14 to 42 runs. The take home message is that Lough's glove is worth more to the Orioles than Morales' bat. Morales' presence really only makes sense Davis suffers a setback. Steve Pearce may be a fine fill-in, but his troubles against right-handers will be exploited if his is exposed too long as the starting first baseman. Only then does it make sense to sign Morales.

Jon Shepherd

[Can_of_corn]

And if it outweighs Morales' bat, then it sure as heck outweighs Young's bat.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I thought this was some interesting analysis on Lough's glove.

http://www.masnsports.com/orioles-buzz/2014/05/jon-shepherd-what-to-make-of-the-morales-chatter.html

The difference between Lough and Cruz in LF is not going to be 64-92 runs. That's insane. That may the projections based on the current rates, but the current rates aren't likley going to hold and using the full rates isn't necessarily relevant anyways. It would more likely be around 30-35 runs imo and I'm not sure it would be that bad, especially if you used Lough as a defensive replacement.

[Can_of_corn]

The difference between Lough and Cruz in LF is not going to be 64-92 runs. That's insane. That may the projections based on the current rates, but the current rates aren't likley going to hold and using the full rates isn't necessarily relevant anyways. It would more likely be around 30-35 runs imo and I'm not sure it would be that bad, especially if you used Lough as a defensive replacement.

I can see the cumulative effect as being rather high. Lough in left allows Jones to shade further into right field. Theoretically Jones and Markakis should both get to balls with Lough in left that they wouldn't get to with Cruz.

[DrungoHazewood]

The difference between Lough and Cruz in LF is not going to be 64-92 runs. That's insane. That may the projections based on the current rates, but the current rates aren't likley going to hold and using the full rates isn't necessarily relevant anyways. It would more likely be around 30-35 runs imo and I'm not sure it would be that bad, especially if you used Lough as a defensive replacement.

92 runs would be something like the difference between peak Mark Belanger and 35-year-old Ty Wigginton trying to play short.

[mdbdotcom]

But we don't know that this is a matter of approach. It's likely he just isn't getting the same results over a handful of at bats.

The results he's getting are similar to those he got last August.

In spring training, one of the main O's bloggers from MASN or the Sun mentioned that while David Lough was taking batting practice, Presley was standing nearby and shaking his head, telling him to "hit the ball on the ground."

Lough was acquired to be a starter in left. He then was downgraded to starting only against RHP. He played in only one game vs. the Twins. If he doesn't start hitting the ball on the ground, he's not going to play except as a defensive replacement.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I can see the cumulative effect as being rather high. Lough in left allows Jones to shade further into right field. Theoretically Jones and Markakis should both get to balls with Lough in left that they wouldn't get to with Cruz.

Ehh, I doubt it very seriously. I'm sure teams can use positioning and speed for positive effect, but Lough isn't superman that is going to make Jones and Markakis more efficient fielders. The outcome of a batted ball to the outfield is much harder to project than a batted ball to the infield.

[El Gordo]

But we don't know that this is a matter of approach. It's likely he just isn't getting the same results over a handful of at bats.

I do have a good idea because I actually watch his AB and I actually see him swinging under the ball. So I am not surprised when I see him hit lazy FB. I actually see him chasing OZ pitches with 2-0 counts. The numbers though SSS reinforce what I am seeing.

[Can_of_corn]

Ehh, I doubt it very seriously. I'm sure teams can use positioning and speed for positive effect, but Lough isn't superman that is going to make Jones and Markakis more efficient fielders. The outcome of a batted ball to the outfield is much harder to project than a batted ball to the infield.

He isn't superman but when the alternative is Solomon Grundy in left then I can see where it would make more of a difference. We are not talking choosing a positive over a neutral, we are talking about a positive over a negative.

[CA-ORIOLE]

He isn't superman but when the alternative is Solomon Grundy in left then I can see where it would make more of a difference. We are not talking choosing a positive over a neutral, we are talking about a positive over a negative.

The difference is between Lough and Cruz is big (we can debate how big), I just doubt the positioning and range of Lough is going to have any sort of additional synergetic carryover to the other fielders. If Jones played deeper he'd being saving us some runs. He can do that with any fielder.

While Cruz has looked very bad in LF, I'm not sure he's Adam Dunn yet either. He may just need some time to adjust there. His numbers in RF just aren't that horrible. I've seen decent CF's struggle in LF when they haven't played there much.