Will Mora Be This Season's OH Tejada?

[Boy Howdy]

He sure got on Bedard's case last year about not talking to the press...

Not to mention his "dog ate my homework" comment about Cabrera following the Pedroia incident

[Hank Scorpio]

One thing about you I must admire. Your never ending desire to finda way for Hernandez not to play SS. You would over turn any rock, run any race, fly a million miles to find someone other than Luis.

I think most people who want this team to be successful do, too. For now, on a rebuilding team, Hernandez is a necessary evil. Hopefully his 7 spring training errors were just a fluke, but he has looked horrendus in the field and we all know he'll be lucky to break .240 at the plate with a .600 OPS on the high end.

Really, in today's game, there is no excuse for having a player in your starting lineup who is as futile offensively as Hernandez.

[Moose Milligan]

I dont think so.

At least Hernandez will be very good defensively. Mora would be the worst defensive SS in baseball (much like Hernandez is the worst offensive SS, if not player). Mora would probably outhit Hernandez by 150 OPS points or so (~.725 to ~.575), but I'm honestly not sure he'd even field well enough to justify that level of dominance offensively.

Both are pathetic options, but Hernandez is at least a SS despite being barely a pitcher with the bat. Putting Mora at SS would make about as much sense as putting Huff there. Or another similar suggestion of putting Moore there. Or like the suggestion of switching Rowell to SS. It just doesn't make an ounce of sense.

Yeah, c'mon SG...Mora at SS? It must be some good stuff you're smoking...

Mora could get balls hit right at him and a step or two to the left and right...but his range would be abominable.

[Sports Guy]

Yeah, c'mon SG...Mora at SS? It must be some good stuff you're smoking...

Mora could get balls hit right at him and a step or two to the left and right...but his range would be abominable.

I am not even saying I disagree with this BUT it is still an experiment I would rather see over Hernandez.

End of the day, neither should be an option of course.

Besides, this is more about getting Moore 500 at bats than anything else.

[Moose Milligan]

I am not even saying I disagree with this BUT it is still an experiment I would rather see over Hernandez.

End of the day, neither should be an option of course.

Besides, this is more about getting Moore 500 at bats than anything else.

I agree about getting Moore 500 at bats.

[El Gordo]

I agree about getting Moore 500 at bats.

If you buy into the notion that the best way to compete in the AL East is rebuilding around pitching and defense, then your main priority short term should be defense at SS. Can you name a better defensive option at SS that won't cost us valuable young pitching? If you don't buy into this, then buy all means offer any combination of Loewen, Albers, Penn, Olson, Liz, Arietta etc. for Hanley Rameriz.

[Sports Guy]

If you buy into the notion that the best way to compete in the AL East is rebuilding around pitching and defense, then your main priority short term should be defense at SS. Can you name a better defensive option at SS that won't cost us valuable young pitching? If you don't buy into this, then buy all means offer any combination of Loewen, Albers, Penn, Olson, Liz, Arietta etc. for Hanley Rameriz.

If we aren't going to compete, why not go with the best potential long term option...ie Scott Moore?

[Pushmonkey]

If we aren't going to compete, why not go with the best potential long term option...ie Scott Moore?

That would be the third basemen at Fredrick. Any third basemen ultimately is a stopgap till he gets up to the big leagues.

[Moose Milligan]

If you buy into the notion that the best way to compete in the AL East is rebuilding around pitching and defense, then your main priority short term should be defense at SS. Can you name a better defensive option at SS that won't cost us valuable young pitching? If you don't buy into this, then buy all means offer any combination of Loewen, Albers, Penn, Olson, Liz, Arietta etc. for Hanley Rameriz.

I don't buy into that notion.

I think you need to be great at all facets of the game...simply put there are going to be games where your starter is knocked out of the game after 4 innings in Boston and you're already down 6. 6 runs in Fenway isn't an insurmountable lead and you need the hitters that can get you back into that game.

On a similar note, you need to be able to win the 2-1 games and have your middle infield make a good play when it counts.

You need to win the slugfests and the tight games.

Hanley Ramirez is a bad defender, but would I want him on the O's for what he brings to the table in the lineup? Would Hanley Ramirez make the present O's a better team? Would I like the O's chances of getting back into that ballgame at Fenway with Ramirez on our team? Absolutely. And if his defense at SS is that atrocious, I'm looking for a spot that I can try to make him work.

To compete in the AL East we need offensive output from every position. We can't expect to win with awesome pitching and defense at the sacrifice of good offense.

[Lucky Jim]

I am not even saying I disagree with this BUT it is still an experiment I would rather see over Hernandez.

End of the day, neither should be an option of course.

Besides, this is more about getting Moore 500 at bats than anything else.

That this is an experiment you'd prefer to LH just shows how irrational you are about LH.

[bsebllfan4life]

Lets not forget who was running on the play. It was going to be a close play with Crawford running even if he did field it cleanly.

Thank you... It was not only craford running but mora was looking to attempt a play at first or second. I thought as soon as the ball was hit so slow that craford would beat it out ala patterson with us last year.

[El Gordo]

If we aren't going to compete, why not go with the best potential long term option...ie Scott Moore?

Are you trying to tell me that you think Scott Moore is a better defensive option at SS than LH? Do you seriously believe that Scott Moore is even an adequate SS at the ML level? Scott Moore is a valuable potential role player on a contending team. He is no long term option as a starter at any position.

[bsebllfan4life]

As we all know, Tejada was very much a subject of friction on this site last year because of his sloppy defense (to put it mildly). Now after watching Mora blunder yet again another play at third where he needs to charge the ball, (a play that 99% of all even average defensive ML third baseman make with ease) I have to wonder. I personally am getting tired of watching him blow those type plays. He does fine on hard hit balls, maybe even above average but he is pitiful at making those slow roller type plays. I recall watching Brooks Robinson scoop up those slow rollers with one hand and all in one motion firing to first. It was like he had a magnet in his hand and the ball was iron he was so reliable. Same with Decinces, and Cal when they played third. Even Ray Knight when he was here made that play with ease, but Mora makes me cringe on those type of plays.

I truly think this should be his last year at third. If his shoddy play continues Trembley/McPhail should consider taking action during the season. He (like Tejada) either needs to be traded or moved back to leftfield. I would move Moore to third and Scott to DH or first base. I know this may seem like I am jumping the gun but I watched Melvin have this problem most of last season as well. It certainly is not a new phenomenon with him.

On a positive note did anyone see LH out there diving for balls? That is something we have not seen from our shortstop since he was named Mike Bordick. A very welcome sight IMO.

Wow that was a deep sleep I must habe had. I woke up and people were complaining about mora playing third and not being productive in the lineup. It couldn't have been opeing day yesterday... I know that people were holding back durring spring and just waiting for something to yell about once the season starts. You were probably one of those people booing Huff on opening day (after not even hearing the radio show), then cheering when he got a hit, and stood up hoping that the ball he CRUSHED was fair for a home run.......

I dont beleive I could put into words how ridiculious this is after ONE GAME. But I'll try......................."This is RIDICULIOUS!!!" (sorry for the sp)

[El Gordo]

I don't buy into that notion.

I think you need to be great at all facets of the game...simply put there are going to be games where your starter is knocked out of the game after 4 innings in Boston and you're already down 6. 6 runs in Fenway isn't an insurmountable lead and you need the hitters that can get you back into that game.

On a similar note, you need to be able to win the 2-1 games and have your middle infield make a good play when it counts.

You need to win the slugfests and the tight games.

Hanley Ramirez is a bad defender, but would I want him on the O's for what he brings to the table in the lineup? Would Hanley Ramirez make the present O's a better team? Would I like the O's chances of getting back into that ballgame at Fenway with Ramirez on our team? Absolutely. And if his defense at SS is that atrocious, I'm looking for a spot that I can try to make him work.

To compete in the AL East we need offensive output from every position. We can't expect to win with awesome pitching and defense at the sacrifice of good offense.

Well I am sorry for you you are in for a lot of disappointment, because the powers that be on the O's disagree with you. They believe that good pitching trumps good hitting and when you don't have a $200 mil budget pitching is the way to go.

[bsebllfan4life]

Well I am sorry for you you are in for a lot of disappointment, because the powers that be on the O's disagree with you. They believe that good pitching trumps good hitting and when you don't have a $200 mil budget pitching is the way to go.

Wow, the Orioles Higher up's agree with almost everyone who knows baseball and believes that good pitching beats good hitting......