Payton to get majority of starts in LF

[Hank Scorpio]

"It doesn't do you any good if you are a right-handed bat and you can't do anything but hit," Perlozzo said.

DuBois, Knott.... peace out, nice knowin' ya.

Oh yeah, what were we against lefties last year?

16-33?

Right.

[Leitch]

If the O's tab Huff as their regular first baseman, the real competition for playing time may erupt between Gibbons and Millar. The two may end up forming an unofficial platoon at DH, with Gibbons facing right-handers and Millar starting against southpaws. The exact specifics remain to be seen -- until Perlozzo spills them by accident.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070313&content_id=1841640&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal&partnered=rss_bal

PLATOON OF PENULTIMATE REDUNDANCY FOR THE WIN(loss)

[Pedro Cerrano]

The worst thing that could happen is somebody going down and Bynum parlaying a hot streak or a clutch homer off a really good pitcher, into 300-400 plate appearances a la Brandon Fahey, David Newhan, etc.

Yes that's another gripe I have. For whatever reason, our FO and management has this inane habit of failing to recognize that even awful players go on hot streaks every once in a while. Instead, they think, "Wow, we've found the next Willie Mays and nobody can stop us!" Then they play like David Newhan again and we are screwed.

Newhan essentially turned an inside-the-park HR off Pedro (he did other things too but you see my point) into a spot on the 25-man roster for over a year!! And if he didn't break his leg in April we're talking about TWO YEARS of playing VERY BAD baseball all because of a hot streak over the course of two weeks in 2004. Just insane.

[Leitch]

Yes that's another gripe I have. For whatever reason, our FO and management has this inane habit of failing to recognize that even awful players go on hot streaks every once in a while. Instead, they think, "Wow, we've found the next Willie Mays and nobody can stop us!" Then they play like David Newhan again and we are screwed.

Newhan essentially turned an inside-the-park HR off Pedro (he did other things too but you see my point) into a spot on the 25-man roster for over a year!! And if he didn't break his leg in April we're talking about TWO YEARS of playing VERY BAD baseball all because of a hot streak over the course of two weeks in 2004. Just insane.

The thing is, if the Orioles had an actual, real live good team on the field when scrubs like Newhan and Fahey and Todd Williams go on their hot runs, this could have been a plus for the Orioles.

[vab]

Payton in left most of the time is the way to go. It gives the Orioles the best defensive outfield they've had in some time (yes, you have to catch the ball, too) and he might be able to fill that number 2 hole better than Mora with his ability to get the bat on the ball. And Payton's numbers will improve with the move to a much better hitter's park (especially for RHBs). This pretty much settles the lineup with Gibbons/Millar, Gomez and Bako on the bench. What they need now is a left handed bat off the bench, preferably somebody who can handle all the outfield spots, steal a base late and pinch hit. Bynum probably comes the closest of those in camp now but they probably need to do better.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Someone tell me why, with all this flexibility, that the O's are still trying to fit square pegs in round holes? Millar (square peg), meet LF (round hole).

Umm, Flanagan, Duquette and Perlozzo never went to Kindergarten?

[Leitch]

Millar (square peg), meet LF (round hole).

It's coming to the point where I'd like to introduce Perlozzo with the unemployment line.

[Art Wing]

It has been said before that some in the O's organization read this board. I sincerely wonder what they think of our opinions. Are they reading this stuff and just dismissing the consensus of opinions and relevant stats/projections as misinformed or just plain wrong? I really wonder about this.

Can't we just give the young guys a chance?!:SuN015:

[Ovechkin]

You're making it too complicated.

VS RHP

2B Roberts

3B Mora

RF Markakis

SS Tejada

1B Huff

C Hernandez

LF Gibbons

DH Millar

CF Patterson

VS LHP

2B Roberts & Gomez rotate 50%

3B Mora

RF Markakis

SS Mora

1B Huff

C Hernandez

LF Knott

DH Millar

CF Payton

Payton is the odd man out. Only starts in CF vs. LHP. Millar starts everday. Lucky guy. Gibbons & Knott platoon in LF.

If you want to go defensive. Gibbons DH's vs. RHP with Payton in LF. Against LHP, Payton in CF, Knott in LF, Millar at DH.

Completely disagree. Payton should get to play every day not Millar. Perlozzo is right on this one. Now the Bynum>Knott preference!?

[DrungoHazewood]

You're making it too complicated.

VS RHP

2B Roberts

3B Mora

RF Markakis

SS Tejada

1B Huff

C Hernandez

LF Gibbons

DH Millar

CF Patterson

VS LHP

2B Roberts & Gomez rotate 50%

3B Mora

RF Markakis

SS Mora

1B Huff

C Hernandez

LF Knott

DH Millar

CF Payton

Payton is the odd man out. Only starts in CF vs. LHP. Millar starts everday. Lucky guy. Gibbons & Knott platoon in LF.

If you want to go defensive. Gibbons DH's vs. RHP with Payton in LF. Against LHP, Payton in CF, Knott in LF, Millar at DH.

You're both making things way too complicated.

Vs. everyone, all the time:

2B Roberts

3B Mora

RF Markakis

SS Tejada

LF Payton

1B Huff

C Hernandez

DH Gibbons

CF Patterson

When someone gets hurt or is flat-out exhausted Millar will play in their place, every day. Against Johan Santana or Randy Johnson Payton might slide over to center, Huff to left, and Millar will play first. Bako will catch once every two weeks, and Bynum will pinch run three times a month. Gomez will fetch water and sunflower seeds.

[Ovechkin]

You're both making things way too complicated.

Vs. everyone, all the time:

2B Roberts

3B Mora

RF Markakis

SS Tejada

LF Payton

1B Huff

C Hernandez

DH Gibbons

CF Patterson

When someone gets hurt or is flat-out exhausted Millar will play in their place, every day. Against Johan Santana or Randy Johnson Payton might slide over to center, Huff to left, and Millar will play first. Bako will catch once every two weeks, and Bynum will pinch run three times a month. Gomez will fetch water and sunflower seeds.

You're protecting Tejada with Payton?!

This should be the lineup

2B Roberts

LF Payton

RF Markakis

SS Tejada

1B Huff

3B Mora

DH Gibbons

C Hernandez

CF Patterson

[Pedro Cerrano]

You're both making things way too complicated.

Vs. everyone, all the time:

2B Roberts

3B Mora

RF Markakis

SS Tejada

LF Payton

1B Huff

C Hernandez

DH Gibbons

CF Patterson

When someone gets hurt or is flat-out exhausted Millar will play in their place, every day. Against Johan Santana or Randy Johnson Payton might slide over to center, Huff to left, and Millar will play first. Bako will catch once every two weeks, and Bynum will pinch run three times a month. Gomez will fetch water and sunflower seeds.

As bad as those two are against lefties in general (not just Santana) there has to be better options (and Huff ain't that great either). In this case I think you have to play Payton. I don't even want Gomez fetching anything -- if Sammy sees him he might be inclined to put him in the game. He should be the Assistant to the Traveling Secretary.

[Pedro Cerrano]

I feel safe in assuming that Drungo was being facetious.

Yes, about 5 seconds after I posted that I realized that he was being facetious. Blast.

[Art Wing]

You're both making things way too complicated.

Vs. everyone, all the time:

2B Roberts

3B Mora

RF Markakis

SS Tejada

LF Payton

1B Huff

C Hernandez

DH Gibbons

CF Patterson

When someone gets hurt or is flat-out exhausted Millar will play in their place, every day. Against Johan Santana or Randy Johnson Payton might slide over to center, Huff to left, and Millar will play first. Bako will catch once every two weeks, and Bynum will pinch run three times a month. Gomez will fetch water and sunflower seeds.

This pretty much sums up how I'm feeling right now. Ha!

My bold 2007 prediction: Art Wing's tears of frustration will work in concert with the mass amounts of alcohol he will consume at Camden Yards in order to stomach the lunacy of it all. Well, I guess it is just a game.:002_scry:

[Leitch]

Payton in left most of the time is the way to go. It gives the Orioles the best defensive outfield they've had in some time (yes, you have to catch the ball, too) and he might be able to fill that number 2 hole better than Mora with his ability to get the bat on the ball. And Payton's numbers will improve with the move to a much better hitter's park (especially for RHBs). This pretty much settles the lineup with Gibbons/Millar, Gomez and Bako on the bench. What they need now is a left handed bat off the bench, preferably somebody who can handle all the outfield spots, steal a base late and pinch hit. Bynum probably comes the closest of those in camp now but they probably need to do better.

Yes, having flychasers is nice except that most of our rotation consists of groundball/strikeout pitchers, the last time Payton's bat even looked like it played in LF was his age 30 season in Coors, another left-handed outfielder could possibly be the most redundant thing ever for this team...