The Offense

[Herman]

You keep bloviating about lead off hitters, but you wont even define your standards for one. If I don't know what the minimum is how will I know how big the hole is? IMO a platoon that provides a .378 OBP is pretty good. Last year it was .336, better than the League Average of .326. What's you measure?

For starters, my measure is someone who strikes out less than De Aza but has better speed than Markakis. Brian Roberts pre 2010 would have been an ideal leadoff hitter for this team. He could play small ball, work the count, foul off tough pitches and steal while still being capable of hitting a lot of doubles. De Aza does some of those things as did Markakis.

My contention is that this team is in the position to win right now. The leadoff hitter was an obvious spot that needed improvement and it doesn't look like they addressed it. Are you honestly comfortable with the current leadoff situation and how it will likely project for the entire season?

[Redskins Rick]

Mid-career Tim Raines. Or Sliding Billy Hamilton (1894 version).

Personally, I am fond of Brady circa 1996 version.

[DrungoHazewood]

I joke, but it's amazing how few players there are in all of baseball history who fit the stereotypical leadoff hitter mold without having enough power/average/etc to want to bat them in the middle of the lineup. You start making a list of leadoff hitters with killer OBPs, speed, low-to-moderate power, and high SB% and you get Rickey, Raines, Sliding Billy... and... ummm... Max Bishop... Eddie Collins (except I think he batted 2nd or 3rd usually)... McGraw... I guess Joe Morgan batted leadoff. There just aren't that many guys who had close to a .400 OBP with 40 steals and 5 homers, ever.

[DrungoHazewood]

For starters, my measure is someone who strikes out less than De Aza but has better speed than Markakis. Brian Roberts pre 2010 would have been an ideal leadoff hitter for this team. He could play small ball, work the count, foul off tough pitches and steal while still being capable of hitting a lot of doubles. De Aza does some of those things as did Markakis.

My contention is that this team is in the position to win right now. The leadoff hitter was an obvious spot that needed improvement and it doesn't look like they addressed it. Are you honestly comfortable with the current leadoff situation and how it will likely project for the entire season?

We'll try this again. Without using your Tardis to go back to 2009 to fetch Roberts, who would you have acquired to lead off for the 2015 Orioles?

[mdbdotcom]

For starters, my measure is someone who strikes out less than De Aza but has better speed than Markakis. Brian Roberts pre 2010 would have been an ideal leadoff hitter for this team. He could play small ball, work the count, foul off tough pitches and steal while still being capable of hitting a lot of doubles. De Aza does some of those things as did Markakis.

My contention is that this team is in the position to win right now. The leadoff hitter was an obvious spot that needed improvement and it doesn't look like they addressed it. Are you honestly comfortable with the current leadoff situation and how it will likely project for the entire season?

Which current major league leadoff hitters would fit your criteria?

[backwardsk]

For starters, my measure is someone who strikes out less than De Aza but has better speed than Markakis. Brian Roberts pre 2010 would have been an ideal leadoff hitter for this team. He could play small ball, work the count, foul off tough pitches and steal while still being capable of hitting a lot of doubles. De Aza does some of those things as did Markakis.

My contention is that this team is in the position to win right now. The leadoff hitter was an obvious spot that needed improvement and it doesn't look like they addressed it. Are you honestly comfortable with the current leadoff situation and how it will likely project for the entire season?

I am, yes. De Aza, Cabrera, Machado, Pearce. Any of those guys. I am comfortable to say we will score more runs than 2014.

Again, who would be your lead off guy?

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[Herman]

We'll try this again. Without using your Tardis to go back to 2009 to fetch Roberts, who would you have acquired to lead off for the 2015 Orioles?

We will try this again - they have had 6 seasons to fill the void and you are asking me to hypothetically fill the void in this past offseason. I don't know who was available via trade etc so that's an impossible question to answer.

I get it, the Orioles have been successful so you (and others) don't like hearing them get criticized. Just b/c they have been successful the past few seasons doesn't mean they shouldn't try to improve.

[weams]

Are you honestly comfortable with the current leadoff situation and how it will likely project for the entire season?

Leadoff hitters are no longer a species. Sadly, they too are like the Black Rhino.

[Redskins Rick]

We'll try this again. Without using your Tardis to go back to 2009 to fetch Roberts, who would you have acquired to lead off for the 2015 Orioles?

You are just spinning wheels, you wont get a response with an answer to your question.

[weams]

We will try this again - they have had 6 seasons to fill the void and you are asking me to hypothetically fill the void in this past offseason. I don't know who was available via trade etc so that's an impossible question to answer.

I get it, the Orioles have been successful so you (and others) don't like hearing them get criticized. Just b/c they have been successful the past few seasons doesn't mean they shouldn't try to improve.

But the team does not need one. The offense is fine.

[DrungoHazewood]

We will try this again - they have had 6 seasons to fill the void and you are asking me to hypothetically fill the void in this past offseason. I don't know who was available via trade etc so that's an impossible question to answer.

I get it, the Orioles have been successful so you (and others) don't like hearing them get criticized. Just b/c they have been successful the past few seasons doesn't mean they shouldn't try to improve.

No, I'm more than fine with rational and well-thought-out criticism. But complaining without solutions, or even a list of suggestions, shows me that you don't know if there was a plausible solution, much less if it was achievable. You've shown me nothing that indicates DeAza wasn't the best solution for the Orioles.

[Herman]

I am, yes. De Aza, Cabrera, Machado, Pearce. Any of those guys. I am comfortable to say we will score more runs than 2014.

Again, who would be your lead off guy?

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De Aza has 13 strike outs and 1 walk through 9 games. Pearce normally bats in the middle of the order and now you want him to bat 1st? Come on. Machado would be a reasonable option but I think he is better served batting where he has been.

That's my point, the O's don't have a leadoff guy on their roster now. Having a guy hit out of position like they did with Markakis is an option but it isn't necessarily the solution.

[Redskins Rick]

But the team does not need one. The offense is fine.

De Aza going deep twice, leading off, is something that I can get quit used to seeing move of.

[weams]

We will try this again - they have had 6 seasons to fill the void and you are asking me to hypothetically fill the void in this past offseason. I don't know who was available via trade etc so that's an impossible question to answer.

I get it, the Orioles have been successful so you (and others) don't like hearing them get criticized. Just b/c they have been successful the past few seasons doesn't mean they shouldn't try to improve.

Assume no one is available for trade of the assets you wish to dispose of.

[weams]

De Aza has 13 strike outs and 1 walk through 9 games. Pearce normally bats in the middle of the order and now you want him to bat 1st? Come on. Machado would be a reasonable option but I think he is better served batting where he has been.

That's my point, the O's don't have a leadoff guy on their roster now. Having a guy hit out of position like they did with Markakis is an option but it isn't necessarily the solution.

So what, roles change. You are living in the age that no longer exists. Besides, Brian needed PEDs to be what you want. Delmon can lead off and it makes one run difference per season.