Fahey up, Knott down (!)

[TGO]

I have no problem replacing Bynum with Fahey. I see your point as Fahey can do everything Bynum can do and also is a much better shortstop. I believe though (could be wrong on this) that Bynum is out of options and if they send him down they could lose him? (someone please correct me if I am wrong here, but I seem to have heard or read that somewhere along the line).

You're right, Bynum would have to be DFA'd and pass through waivers to be sent down.

Are we that worried about him being claimed, though?

[Eli Eon]

You're right, Bynum would have to be DFA'd and pass through waivers to be sent down.

Are we that worried about him being claimed, though?

Thanks for confirming what I thought. I certainly would not think they should be worried about Bynum being claimed. It's not like he's another Gary Matthews Jr talent wise.

[Miller192]

Why do we have to go through a ridiculous argument evey summer with the front office apologists who think that a bench is something you use only in case of emergency? And the same argument with people who think anyone who hasn't been anointed a Major League Star™ is a useless waste of space.

My God! Can't you see how having Gibbons, Patterson, and Huff playing 162 games against left-handed pitching has a tremendous negative impact on the outcome of games? Do you think the '82 or '83 Orioles would have been just as good if Earl or Altobelli had just said "Screw it, who needs platoons? We'll just play Benny Ayala 150 games a year. Sure, he'll hit .175 with no power against righties, but that won't have an impact on the outcome of games, will it?"

We have a Terrero lovefest every summer because every single freakin' year the Orioles leave a guy like Terrero to rot in the minors while they screw around playing 3rd-rate players in awful situations they can't handle in the majors, and every single freakin' year they win 75 games!!!!!

Me an apologist? Maybe you should click on my previous posts in my profile and do some research.

Drungo, all I'm saying is Jon Knott is not going to make us win 90 games and pull us out of last place in the division. I know, I am taking the macro look on this thing. You are right on with you're 3rd rate players. The problem isnt Knott vs Bynum, its having these guys on the roster in the first place. If our FO lived up their yearly promises, we wouldn't be discussing what average minor leaguer should be on our roster next.

[Dr. FLK]

Me an apologist? Maybe you should click on my previous posts in my profile and do some research.

Drungo, all I'm saying is Jon Knott is not going to make us win 90 games and pull us out of last place in the division. I know, I am taking the macro look on this thing. You are right on with you're 3rd rate players. The problem isnt Knott vs Bynum, its having these guys on the roster in the first place. If our FO lived up their yearly promises, we wouldn't be discussing what average minor leaguer should be on our roster next.

Not really. Having Knott and using him correctly is valuable. Having Bynum and misusing him isn't. Players like Knott and House give us platoon options. It gives you the ability to make a good corner outfielder out of 2 "decent" ones. If you have one who mashes LHP, and one who hits RHP, you platoon them. You have guys who may have weaknesses, but you play them to exploit their strengths. There are only 2 types of teams who don't need a player like Knott. 1) Teams who already have a very good LFer who can hit RHP and LHP. 2) Teams who have no idea how to use him. Guess which we are?

The Knott/Bynum debate isn't only about the players individually, it's about strategy. If you bring up Knott/House, you can change the strategy of the offense and potentially make an offense where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. You can use House as the backup C, play him at DH/1B, whatever it takes to get him in the lineup against LHP. You put Knott in LF against every LHP. You play Payton in CF against LHP. This is so much more than just who's better, Bynum or Knott. And, it illustrates why this offense has been so anemic all season long.

[Miller192]

Not really. Having Knott and using him correctly is valuable. Having Bynum and misusing him isn't. Players like Knott and House give us platoon options. It gives you the ability to make a good corner outfielder out of 2 "decent" ones. If you have one who mashes LHP, and one who hits RHP, you platoon them. You have guys who may have weaknesses, but you play them to exploit their strengths. There are only 2 types of teams who don't need a player like Knott. 1) Teams who already have a very good LFer who can hit RHP and LHP. 2) Teams who have no idea how to use him. Guess which we are?

The Knott/Bynum debate isn't only about the players individually, it's about strategy. If you bring up Knott/House, you can change the strategy of the offense and potentially make an offense where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. You can use House as the backup C, play him at DH/1B, whatever it takes to get him in the lineup against LHP. You put Knott in LF against every LHP. You play Payton in CF against LHP. This is so much more than just who's better, Bynum or Knott. And, it illustrates why this offense has been so anemic all season long.

My response to Drungo was vague, I was referring to having the 3rd rate players like Gibbons and not a guy like Bynum or Knott. I see their purpose, I just dont see them making a huge impact either way for a last place ballclub

[osfan83]

My response to Drungo was vague, I was referring to having the 3rd rate players like Gibbons and not a guy like Bynum or Knott. I see their purpose, I just dont see them making a huge impact either way for a last place ballclub

Part of the reason we are a last place ball club (excuse me, 4th now by .5 game) is because we don't use our tool properly. Sure using Knott, house and Payton against LHP won't put us in the playoffs, but using them properly might allow us finish a few games above .500 with this roster. I'll take that over another 74 win season any day!

[DrungoHazewood]

My response to Drungo was vague, I was referring to having the 3rd rate players like Gibbons and not a guy like Bynum or Knott. I see their purpose, I just dont see them making a huge impact either way for a last place ballclub

It's like cracking down on graffiti and bums "washing" your car windows in New York. Sure, there were more important things to go after. But sometimes fixing the little things, and doing them right, shows everyone you know how to run an organization. Other things tend to fall into place. People tend to take more responsibility when the guys in charge make an effort to do the right thing.

People do better in situations where there's a strong foundation. Players see that they're being put into good situations, and won't be asked to do things they can't do.

Don't forget - good teams tend to do everything well, down to the smallest details. If you say "screw the little things, they don't really matter" you're already five games back on opening day.

[Cokeman]

We now have THREE light hitting utility fielders...That means we will have three extremely light hitting left handed hitters on the bench most nights...

The O's seem to have a fetish with three...along with the three's you've cited, we suffered through the three-catcher thing for a while...and basically we now have three GM's. And I haven't mentioned yet that we have three current or former closers in the bullpen. How many DH's do we have?

[osfan83]

It's like cracking down on graffiti and bums "washing" your car windows in New York. Sure, there were more important things to go after. But sometimes fixing the little things, and doing them right, shows everyone you know how to run an organization. Other things tend to fall into place. People tend to take more responsibility when the guys in charge make an effort to do the right thing.

People do better in situations where there's a strong foundation. Players see that they're being put into good situations, and won't be asked to do things they can't do.

Don't forget - good teams tend to do everything well, down to the smallest details. If you say "screw the little things, they don't really matter" you're already five games back on opening day.

Let me add to this. In baseball the little things matter moreso than in any other sport. The whole damn game is little things. Holding runners on base, stealing signs to get an edge, going from first to third on a single, the Left fielder playing two steps to the right because of the hitters tendencies and what pitch is being thrown, Who's covering second the SS or Second Baseman, Protecting the line in late innings, scuffing the ball so it breaks better, wiping out the back line of the batters box so you can get a fraction of a second longer look at a pitch, pitching up and in to set up the low and away pitch, changing speeds, pinch running, ect. ect. ect....

If you are going to care about the above stuff, why not care about getting an edge against a LHP, or having a good bat off the bench when you are down by a run in the 8th with a man on second to hit for Gomez?