Seth Smith trade impact on Trumbo

[ChuckS]

I was in the camp before that I was okay with Trumbo coming back if he was only out in RF versus LHP and was primarily playing DH.  I don't want him in RF full time and I don't want him blocking Mancini from being the DH against LHP.  Now with the Seth Smith trade it makes even less sense to bring Trumbo back.  

We arguably have three DH's on the 25 man now:  Kim and Smith, who are poor defensively plus Mancini who cannot play the OF.  We don't want to add a fourth with Trumbo.  We can only hope that the front office was being truthful when they said they intended to improve the OF defense.  

Rasmus, Pagan, or another trade for a defensively capable RF should be the last move of the offseason.  

[jamalshw]

If the Orioles bring back Trumbo, he is the DH, Mancini starts in Norfolk and Kim and Smith are on the corners versus LHP. I'm honestly okay with that as I don't just want to hand Mancini a full time gig and think he'll develop better when playing everyday in Triple-A instead of just against LHP and the occasional righty. That said, I'd be fine with a Smith/Mancini or Kim/Mancini platoon at DH if we didn't bring back Trumbo. Either way, we still need another OF whether to play RF everyday if we don't resign Trumbo or to platoon if we do. 

[Rene88]

Is Brandon Moss LH or RH?

[Rene88]

1 minute ago, jamalshw said:

If the Orioles bring back Trumbo, he is the DH, Mancini starts in Norfolk and Kim and Smith are on the corners versus LHP. I'm honestly okay with that as I don't just want to hand Mancini a full time gig and think he'll develop better when playing everyday in Triple-A instead of just against LHP and the occasional righty. That said, I'd be fine with a Smith/Mancini or Kim/Mancini platoon at DH if we didn't bring back Trumbo. Either way, we still need another OF whether to play RF everyday if we don't resign Trumbo or to platoon if we do. 

Correct. I doubt they go with Rickard as a full time player, I bet he plays in AAA next year, but we will see.

[Aristotelian]

Smith is still an upgrade from Trumbo on defense. This makes it much easier to go without Trumbo and perhaps bring back Pedro as a much cheaper DH, or roll with Mancini and the Rule 5 guys. 

[Babypowder]

Smith shouldn't play the OF either, so I don't know what the plan is now, unless their plan is to just have bad outfield defense again.

[Rene88]

Just now, Babypowder said:

Smith shouldn't play the OF either, so I don't know what the plan is now, unless their plan is to just have bad outfield defense again.

Smith has a career .984 fielding percentage. Is there something I am missing? Range?

[ChuckS]

6 minutes ago, Rene88 said:

Is Brandon Moss LH or RH?

He's a lefty.  The Smith trade pretty much eliminates him from contention unless they seem him as an everyday outfielder and he has a similar defensive profile to Smith. 

IMO if we add another RH bat he needs to be able to play RF everyday.  I like adding another lefty right fielder given that Rickard is the third/fourth outfielder right now.  

[Babypowder]

Just now, Rene88 said:

Smith has a career .984 fielding percentage. Is there something I am missing? Range?

Fielding percentage is completely worthless, especially so when talking about outfielders.

He's -16 DRS for his career in the outfield, and although average at 0.1 UZR/150 for his career, he was at -16.6 last season and is 34 years old...

[Aristotelian]

Just now, Babypowder said:

Smith shouldn't play the OF either, so I don't know what the plan is now.

He is much better than Trumbo. Fangraphs has him +0.6 and -13.0 runs the last two years vs Trumbo -9.7 and -18.3. Bbref has him -.6 and -1.2 dWAR vs Trumbo -1.0 and -2.1. So Smith is only about half as bad as Trumbo and better than Kim (-10.9 runs and -1.6 dWAR). It looks like Smith will be playing some outfield whether that is with Kim in LF or at DH.

[Babypowder]

Just now, Aristotelian said:

He is much better than Trumbo. Fangraphs has him +0.6 and -13.0 runs the last two years vs Trumbo -9.7 and -18.3. Bbref has him -.6 and -1.2 dWAR vs Trumbo -1.0 and -2.1. So Smith is only about half as bad as Trumbo and better than Kim (-10.9 runs and -1.6 dWAR). It looks like Smith will be playing some outfield whether that is with Kim in LF or at DH.

Yes, better than Trumbo is not exactly what I'm hoping for. I'm a better outfielder than Trumbo.

[Redskins Rick]

1 minute ago, Babypowder said:

Yes, better than Trumbo is not exactly what I'm hoping for. I'm a better outfielder than Trumbo.

But can you hit the curve ball 475 feet?

[Babypowder]

Just now, Redskins Rick said:

But can you hit the curve ball 475 feet?

Hard no, I'm only 5'7" so that's a tall order... but I can poke a softball 350 in slow pitch if I get it all That's pretty much the same thing.

[weams]

23 minutes ago, Rene88 said:

Is Brandon Moss LH or RH?

LH. Batter. Throws right. 

[weams]

11 minutes ago, Babypowder said:

Yes, better than Trumbo is not exactly what I'm hoping for. I'm a better outfielder than Trumbo.

Do you have Trumbo's cannon arm?