Have KNOTT, Want KNOTT

[Dr. FLK]

My dream: Knott starts in LF 3/4 of the time; House DH's 3/4 of the time and for the next 7 years. Bye bye to either Gibbons or Millar. Let's get on with it.

Your dream is pretty reachable. All you have to do is watch the Tides' games. A dream come true...

[Baroquen131]

Not to rain on any parades but Fiorentino started his big league career off something like 7-7.

Some others might remember certain rookie catcher named Dan Graham who made quite a splash to.

That being said, Knott is still better than Bynum. Not sure he is the second coming though.

Fiorentino still does not have the AAA success that Knott has. That being said, your point is a good one... "small sample size" and all. Still no reason why we should keep Bynum over him.

[DrungoHazewood]

The Royals have very good offensive talent and have a guy in Billy Butler, who is probably a DH, coming up in the minors and he is probably better than Gibbons right now.

Probably? Ok, I suppose there's an argument this year, when Butler is playing as a 21-year-old. But going forward? Much, much better.

Gibbons is a below-average major league player. He's a poor fielder, he's 30, he doesn't hit lefties (a handful of at bats this year notwithstanding) and his career OPS is 22 points below average for a DH. Don't get me wrong - as a platoon DH getting 400 PA, making $1M a year on a one-year deal he's a useful piece, even on a good team. He and a guy like Knott could make for a wonderful, cheap platoon in another organization. But if there's any perfect example of what's wrong with the Orioles it's Jay Gibbons' contract and the Orioles' expectations for him.

[Witchy_Chick]

First of all who is Jack?

I understand what they said but i just cannot see how they send him down. Its beyond moronic. If we want to be a winning team we have to learn to put the best lineup out there everyday like other teams do.

No offense, but have you actually been following the Orioles for the past nine years? Moronic move or Knott (hahahahhaha), I can sooooooo see them sending Jon Knott back to Norfolk. I guess we'll see, but I strongly suspect what the ensuing roster move will be when Payton comes off the DL. If it ends up being Bynum down to Norfolk and keeping Knott, well then you can color me amazed and astounded. Until then, I'll expect the worst (as it has been conditioned into me for the past 9 years).

Witchy

[tennOsfan]

When Payton comes back, it seems obvious to me that Bynum should be sent down, leaving Knott with the club. If that doesn't happen, I'll scream bloody murder.

Knott looks like a fine hitter -- no slouch at all. You don't knock in 113 runs at AAA without being able to scortch the ball.

If he could fetch anything of value, I'd deal Jay right now and give Knott full-time duty in left. Unfortunately, we'd have to eat part of Jay's contract. In retrospect, we shouldn't have extended Jay. In the future, the Orioles should only extend those players who are better than what you can find off the scrap heap.

[oriole_way]

I don't see why there aren't enough ABs to go around if Knott is kept on the team.

Payton and Patterson complement each other.

Knott and Millar complement Gibbons and Huff.

(I realize that Millar doesn't have the typical splits against RH and LH pitching but you still get my point.)

Imagine the following scenarios:

Against RH pitching (65% of time), Patterson plays CF, Huff plays 1b, Gibbons dh and Payton/Knott split LF duties. They should help make for a pretty good lineup against RHers.

Against LH pitching (35% of time), Payton plays CF, Knott LF, Huff 1b and Millar dh. Still not the greatest lineup against LHers, but at least Patterson and Gibbons aren't in the lineup.

Under this scenario, Patterson plays 2/3 of the time, Huff plays almost every day, Gibbons plays 2/3 of the time, Payton plays 2/3 of the time and Knott plays 2/3 of the time.

Millar does get the shaft here, playing only against LF pitching, or 1/3 of the time. However, that can be rectified by playing Huff at 3b against some RH pithers (for Mora). In these games, Millar could play 1B. If Perlozzo played Huff for Mora just 1 out of every 8 games, that would bump Millar's PT up to almost 50%.

Lest you think that I've forgotten about Gomez, he could still sub for Huff (who is playing almost everyday in this scenario) at 1b sometimes against LH pitching, and he should also sub for Roberts against some LH pitchers as well.

This scenarios are not set in stone, but you get the general principle.

Also, remember that this is with everybody healthy. Injuries inevitably occur and create additional opportunities for playing time.

This would also provide an opportunity to usually have a good bat or two on the bench. For example, when the opposing team brings in a lefty to face Gibbons in a late game situation, Knott or Millar should be available.

So where does this leave Bynum? Bynum currently is the designated defensive replacement and pinch runner. But if Patterson or Payton is on the bench, then they could fill that role on those days. On the days that both Payton and Patterson are playing, you don't need a defensive replacement. So you wouldn't have a pinch runner on these days. Is that a big enough reason to keep Bynum over Knott?

Am I missing something?

[Leitch]

Not to rain on any parades but Fiorentino started his big league career off something like 7-7.

Any similarities between Fiorentino and Knott end at a hot start in an MLB callup.

Jon Knott is a golden god.

[Leitch]

Over the course of 5 plate appearances, Jon Knott has raised his career line from .176/.222/.294 to .286/.348/.524

[oriole_way]

Yes. The manager and the FO.

LOL!

I do realize that. I frequently bash Perlozzo for his questionable decisions.

But my post was also in response to some posters who say that there aren't enough ABs to go around, Gibbons should be traded to create more ABs for Knott, etc.

For example, I don't think Gibons should be traded to make room for Knott. There is enough AB and roles for both of them.

[rolliefingers]

Jon Knott is a golden god.

The words. They were once in my mouth, and now they are on your post.

[Frobby]

Over the course of 5 plate appearances, Jon Knott has raised his career line from .176/.222/.294 to .286/.348/.524

Brilliant! So now he has an .872 career OPS to go along with his career minor league .901 OPS. The guy can flat out hit -- KEEP HIM!

[geschinger]

However, Gibbons is a special case in a few ways. For one, we picked him off the Rule 5 scrap pile. He is one of the longest tenured Orioles. He has been the player rep for several years so he is obviously quite well liked and respected. He does provide value. I can see why the Orioles would "overpay" for his services. Like Mora, part of his money is definitely public and player relations.

If that was some of the thought process w/Gibbons as we know it was w/Mora then things need to change. Those should not be factors when allocating payroll dollars in a division where the O's payroll maxes out at a fraction of a division mate such as the NYY.

[Frobby]

If that was some of the thought process w/Gibbons as we know it was w/Mora then things need to change. Those should not be factors when allocating payroll dollars in a division where the O's payroll maxes out at a fraction of a division mate such as the NYY.

At the time Gibbons was signed he was 28 years old and coming off a career-best .833 OPS season. He also had worked himself into a serviceable defensive RF. In that context, I have no problem with giving the guy a 4-year, $21.1 mm deal. The "citizenship" stuff is an additional reason but not the motivating reason.

Jay's value to this team has declined a bit because of the emergence of Markakis as a superior defensive RF and the addition of Huff who has similar but slightly better offensive skills. That does not make Gibbons' contract a bad one. I feel if Jay stays healthy this year he will approach that .833 OPS from 2005.

[LookitsPuck]

Of course he won't read this. But man, I have this aching feeling that we're stuck with Bynum. Knott's going back down tomorrow despite going 3 for 4 with a home run and 4 RBI's. Bynum is most likely going to stick around because he's oh so "versatile", and my general disdain and distaste for Perlozzo will continue.

Payton will be activated tomorrow. Bynum will stick around, and Knott will be sent down. Nothing is right in this world. Nothing. End emo rant.

If by some chance Knott stays up, I'll give Perlozzo an e-pat on the back.

Blah.

[RavensNTerps]

if it does happen, and I agree, I think it might (or we might be surprised and see Burress sent back, who knows)...then why will you all be blaming Perlozzo? Does Duquette/Flannigan have no say in that?