any top of the order left feilders available?

[Redskins Rick]

Yup. Also if the Orioles lose their top homer and RBI guy, best pitcher and setup man and replace them with below average players they get worse. The rest of the league improves and the Orioles at best stay about the same or worse.

Can we not assume the worse, until "if" it happens?

[El Gordo]

Denard Span fits the bill, if healthy. He can play all three OF spots and almost always has a high OBP.

I'm with you on Span. I heard an interview with him the other day, and they were discussing the idea of holding a workout session to show he was healthy. I trust the O's docs, if they clear him he could be a big help. Probably wouldn't cost too much in years and $$$.

[abbott]

Buck likes plus defenders that is a given.

Given the number of OFers that came through the roster this season, I wonder why we didn't see Julio for a few games at least.

Becasue the organization did not feel he was major league ready.

[Creamsicle]

The last two years Revere has been a full-time 2.0 win, league-average player, and that's with almost a win worth of baserunning value and hitting .300. If Ben Revere hit .260 with 3 runs of baserunning value he'd be a well-below-average player. I think that's probably LJ Hoes.

Revere is intriguing, but ultimately he belongs in Boston. For the same reason that Jimmy Paredes lands in San Diego and Austin Jackson ends up with the Rangers.

[Creamsicle]

Okay, serious post: Does everyone agree that "top of the order" doesn't mean the same thing it did 20-30 years ago? Is there even an archetype that's applicable now?

[ChuckS]

Denard Span and Dexter Fowler would both by ideal top of the order hitters that can play LF. Fowler probably comes with a QO though. Zobrist could play left for us too and bat leadoff. Not going to steal many bases, but I'll take that .350 OBP.

[weams]

Denard Span and Dexter Fowler would both by ideal top of the order hitters that can play LF. Fowler probably comes with a QO though. Zobrist could play left for us too and bat leadoff. Not going to steal many bases, but I'll take that .350 OBP.

Is Span going to be healthy? Or will he be like Nick was when he came back from that surgery?

[weams]

Okay, serious post: Does everyone agree that "top of the order" doesn't mean the same thing it did 20-30 years ago? Is there even an archetype that's applicable now?

Yeah. Manny worked well.

[El Gordo]

Is Span going to be healthy? Or will he be like Nick was when he came back from that surgery?

Go to his work out and check with the doctors before you offer him anything. But at least kick his tires.

[Creamsicle]

Yeah. Manny worked well.

IKR? For me, that job just seems to boil down to the guy you'd most like to see having the highest average quantity of ABs, period. Buck even said it himself, something to the effect that the only time your #1 hitter is guaranteed to lead off an inning is in the first.

[25 Nuggets]

Is Span going to be healthy? Or will he be like Nick was when he came back from that surgery?

It comes down to health with so many players doesn't it?

[DrungoHazewood]

Becasue the organization did not feel he was major league ready.

I don't know that's the appropriate term for a player who has significant MLB playing time and is 29 years old. I think it's more along the lines of "wasn't good enough to merit playing time."

[DrungoHazewood]

Okay, serious post: Does everyone agree that "top of the order" doesn't mean the same thing it did 20-30 years ago? Is there even an archetype that's applicable now?

Job descriptions for leadoff hitter over time:

1960s-70s: Be fast. 50 steals is the same as 50 points of OBP (if you know what OBP is).

80s-90s: Steal bases and get on base a lot.

2000-today: Get on base a lot compared to peers. If you steal bases at an 80% rate that's good, too, but not a requirement.

[Creamsicle]

Job descriptions for leadoff hitter over time:

1960s-70s: Be fast. 50 steals is the same as 50 points of OBP (if you know what OBP is).

80s-90s: Steal bases and get on base a lot.

2000-today: Get on base a lot compared to peers. If you steal bases at an 80% rate that's good, too, but not a requirement.

Just to complete the list I'd add:

1870s-1950s: Hit It Where They Ain't.

or maybe that's the three-hole.

[Aristotelian]

I am going to throw out the name of Austin Jackson. Unfortunately he is right handed, but he hits RHP equally well. At .333 for his career, he does not quite have the OBP of Fowler but also won't cost as much. Less of a health risk than Span. Capable of backing up CF (a growing concern as AJ gets older), should fit nicely in LF. Much preferable to Parra in my opinion.