Rickard?

[El Gordo]

Yep how can you sit this kid he plays DEFENSE too.

I'm guessing he plays late inning defense for Trumbo, plays RF when Trumbo DH's initially. Then we'll see how Kim fares. He could be seeing time in LF if Kim struggles.

[BohKnowsBmore]

Could he be the best O's Rule 5 pick since Jay Gibbons?

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[Frobby]

Could he be the best O's Rule 5 pick since Jay Gibbons?

It would be fun if Rickard turned out to be an impact player who we truly stole out from under the Rays' noses. But a good spring training doesn't necessarily tell us that. It certainly tells us that the O's made a worthy pick.

[OFFNY]

(vs. PIRATES, 3/23)

A lead-off single to start the game.

An RBI-double in his 2nd plate appearance to get the Orioles on the board.

Rickard is having a 1980 Drungo Hazewood-like Spring Training.

(vs. PIRATES, 3/24)

In his very next game against the same team, Rickard hit a walk-off single to win the game, 6-5.

[Machado13]

Joey Freakin' Rickard!!

[Bahama O's Fan]

Joey Freakin' Rickard!!

Needed him to win the game.

[wildcard]

Need a run in the ninth? Who you gotta call? Rickard

Add pinch hitter to his resume.

[Frobby]

It's refreshing to see a Rule 5 guy visibly earn his spot on the 25-man roster by having a great spring training.

2012: Flaherty .232/.283/.393

2013: McFarland 4.70 ERA, 1.37 WHIP

2014: Almanzar .200/.275/.371

2015: Garcia 0.87 ERA, 1.26 WHIP

2016: Rickard .388/.444/.571

I was surprised to be reminded that Garcia's numbers were that good last spring. All I recalled was that his velocity was way down, and that he walked a lot of guys (7 BB in 10.1 innings).

[JLee2027]

The kid's incredible. I think we really stole one from Tampa. I don't believe this is a Jake Fox situation because he's doing basically everything, and doing it late in ST against good pitchers. Hitting to all fields, hitting for extra bases, slapping a single when the situation calls for it, taking walks.

I think we have a good one. To hell with your small ST sample.

Let me be the first to say, thank GOD we didn't sign Fowler.

[Can_of_corn]

Let me be the first to say, thank GOD we didn't sign Fowler.

How does that relate to Rickard?

[Yardball85]

How does that relate to Rickard?

Yeah - we just wouldn't have signed Alvarez, and I think most on this board would have preferred Fowler to Alvarez. Rickard's competition will remain with Kim, and I think the only Fowler-related repercussion is that Rickard will now have to replace Trumbo in RF at the end of games.

[ChuckS]

How does that relate to Rickard?

He and many others are assuming Rickard is going to be a productive everyday LFer for us this year, based on a SSS of Spring Training numbers.

An ill-advised assumption IMO.

[OFFNY]

Let me be the first to say, thank GOD we didn't sign Fowler.

How does that relate to Rickard?

I suspect that he is inferring/presuming that Rickard will not only be a staring corner outfielder for the Orioles, but that he will at least equal if not better Dexter Fowler's 2016 season on offense and defense ...... thereby, perhaps saving the Orioles a good chunk of change by paying Rickard $500,000 for this season instead of paying Fowler $11 Million for this season, plus an additional $24 Million over the next 2 seasons.

Also, the signing of Pedro Alvarez probably makes less room for an additional corner outfielder, since Alvarez will probably play a lot of games at DH, Trumbo will probably play a lot of games in rightfield, and Davis (as far as I know) is penciled back in at 1st base.

Of course, Spring Training performances are not necessarily indicative of how good or how bad a player will be when the real games start ...... so perhaps we should hold off on "Thanking God" until at least 2 or 3 months into the season.

[Frobby]

Fowler has a .989 OPS this spring. Should have signed him and let Davis (.506) walk.

[Can_of_corn]

I suspect that he is inferring/presuming that Rickard will not only be a staring corner outfielder for the Orioles, but that he will at least equal if not better Dexter Fowler's 2016 season on offense and defense ...... thereby, perhaps saving the Orioles a good chunk of change by paying Rickard $500,000 for this season instead of paying Fowler $11 Million for this season, plus an additional $24 Million over the next 2 seasons.

Also, the signing of Pedro Alvarez probably makes less room for an additional corner outfielder, since Alvarez will probably play a lot of games at DH, Trumbo will probably play a lot of games in rightfield, and Davis (as far as I know) is penciled back in at 1st base.

Of course, Spring Training performances are not necessarily indicative of how good or how bad a player will be when the real games start ...... so perhaps we should hold off on "Thanking God" until at least 2 or 3 months into the season.

Does anyone think the O's would have still signed Pedro Alvarez if they had Fowler?