House released! (Headed To Boston?)

[rolliefingers]

Am I missing something here? Ladies and Gentleman, JR House was a 27 year old minor leaguer. If he was the next coming of Albert Pujols, I can assure you... he would've been on a team. Let's take a look at the team he was at prior to the Orioles, wasn't it the Pirates. He wasn't retained by the Pirates for god sakes. Why is being made out to be the second coming of Jesus here. He's terrible defensively, he's great against minor league pitching. We're talking about situational hitters and an occasional DH here. If we're asking ourselves who we'd rather see, Huff or House, I'd take Huff in a second. Let him go to Boston, nothing is going to happen with him. Perhaps we've forgotten that at age 27 he's played in 10 major league games (or something small like that). If he's really gold, why wasn't he up? There is something more to JR House than meets the eye...

Ladies and gentlemen, post of the year!

A sabermetrician's job is never done. *sigh*

[DrungoHazewood]

Am I missing something here? Ladies and Gentleman, JR House was a 27 year old minor leaguer. If he was the next coming of Albert Pujols, I can assure you... he would've been on a team. Let's take a look at the team he was at prior to the Orioles, wasn't it the Pirates. He wasn't retained by the Pirates for god sakes. Why is being made out to be the second coming of Jesus here. He's terrible defensively, he's great against minor league pitching. We're talking about situational hitters and an occasional DH here. If we're asking ourselves who we'd rather see, Huff or House, I'd take Huff in a second. Let him go to Boston, nothing is going to happen with him. Perhaps we've forgotten that at age 27 he's played in 10 major league games (or something small like that). If he's really gold, why wasn't he up? There is something more to JR House than meets the eye...

Have you applied for a job in the front office? Because you understand the Oriole Way as well as anyone I've encountered lately:

- You understand that anyone who isn't a star is a scrub.

- You understand that other teams' opinions are worth more than your own

- You understand that other teams' needs define who the Orioles should play

- You know that all players the O's release will end up doing nothing (like Terrero and Cust)

- You understand that all players in the majors are better than all players in the minors

- You understand that players with flaws are not players the Baltimore Orioles want or need. Well, unless that flaw is the inability to hit.

- You understand that big contracts and major league performance from 3-4 years ago proves you're a major leaguer today

That's 100% the company line, all in one paragraph.

You may well be in line for GM when Flanny retires.

[now]

Have you applied for a job in the front office? Because you understand the Oriole Way as well as anyone I've encountered lately:

- You understand that anyone who isn't a star is a scrub.

- You understand that other teams' opinions are worth more than your own

- You understand that other teams' needs define who the Orioles should play

- You know that all players the O's release will end up doing nothing (like Terrero and Cust)

- You understand that all players in the majors are better than all players in the minors

- You understand that players with flaws are not players the Baltimore Orioles want or need. Well, unless that flaw is the inability to hit.

- You understand that big contracts and major league performance from 3-4 years ago proves you're a major leaguer today

That's 100% the company line, all in one paragraph.

You may well be in line for GM when Flanny retires.

Wow, Post of the Year - again - two in the same thread! Actually this one could be Post of the Decade. Jon, maybe the BOFO could subcontract you to compose their mission statement.

[nadecir]

Am I missing something here? Ladies and Gentleman, JR House was a 27 year old minor leaguer. If he was the next coming of Albert Pujols, I can assure you... he would've been on a team. Let's take a look at the team he was at prior to the Orioles, wasn't it the Pirates. He wasn't retained by the Pirates for god sakes. Why is being made out to be the second coming of Jesus here. He's terrible defensively, he's great against minor league pitching. We're talking about situational hitters and an occasional DH here. If we're asking ourselves who we'd rather see, Huff or House, I'd take Huff in a second. Let him go to Boston, nothing is going to happen with him. Perhaps we've forgotten that at age 27 he's played in 10 major league games (or something small like that). If he's really gold, why wasn't he up? There is something more to JR House than meets the eye...

You can substitute Jack Cust for JR House, Colorado for Pittsburgh, and changed the age to 25 and somebody who have posted this exact post about Jack Cust a couple of years ago.

Some people just don't get it that the Orioles have made mistakes with these types of guys. For some reason, the Orioles just have tunnel vision.

It's time that we make a complete overhaul in the front office and management and get rid of anyone involved in the decision-making that says we should give Fahey a chance, but JR House doesn't deserve one.

[NoVaO]

You must know something that Trembley doesn't. With Mora out, Huff has not played 3rd. Trembley obviously thinks Gomez is much better at third than Huff.

That means Huff is the full time DH and Millar is the 1B. Gibbons is backing up DH and leftfield.

It comes down to Bynum as a pinch runner and utility guy versus House as a PH and backup DH. Bynum has actually proved to be a major leaguer. House appears to have had little chance on the O's roster because the O's have too many DH's already.

I don't doubt Gomez at 3b is better than Huff at third. What I do know is that perhaps the Orioles just might value defense a little too much. They seem to give equal weight to the ability to play defense and the ability to actually hit the ball. Defense is an important part of the game, but small in comparison to pitching and offense.

So it comes down to Bynum the pinch runner and utility guy and House? No it doesn't. It comes down to having three utility guys on the roster, or two utility guys and House. You only need one utility guy. We have two guys who already can play all there OF positions (3 if you count Markakis) and then Gibbons as well. Millar and Huff can play OF if they have to. This team has been struggling to score runs all year and they leave a perfectly serviceable player who would improve the offense rotting down in AAA so the likes of players equivalent to pitchers can get ABs.

It doesn't make sense. And I love how you say Bynum is a proven major league player. He doesn't even have 200 ABs yet and considering he is doing pretty well for a guy with a .709 OPS in the minors, I wonder what House could do.

We don't have too many DH types. Guess what? Huff, Millar, and Gibbons rotate at 1b and DH, and LF (split along with Payton). That is three DH types. We have just as many 1b/DH types as utility players. So I really don't think that argument should be given an weight.

[Goop]

I thought MacPhail was supposed to stop this crap from happening?

[clapdiddy]

This whole House situation really makes me wonder what in the world this team is thinking...not that I didn't before...but this move (or non-move) made absolutely no sense.

I could almost understand it if Bako's catching and game-calling skills were the second coming of Johnny Bench. The guy just isn't very good defensively or offensively. Also, I could understand it if we were in the thick of the wild card race and the team was just clicking along.

The point is that this team is not going to the playoffs this season. It would've been the perfect time to give a guy like House half the season to get acclimated with the pitching staff and see what he could do offensively. Even if he wasn't a fit as a catcher, we could've seen what he could do with the stick and see if he could be a contributor NEXT season.

Releasing this guy will probably not be too big a deal in the grand scheme of things. Its just the fact that this team puts too much value on the Brandon Faheys and Freddie Bynums of baseball. Utility infielders with historically bad batting statisitcs seem to be a pre-requisite to be on this team. I have no doubt that having House on this team would've helped us win a few games this year. Even if he would've come up and been a dud, though, it was the right thing to do.

[CrimsonTribe]

You know, I envy JR House. When the Orioles crap on him, he can ask for his release. Now that it's been granted he can go elsewhere and find an organization who appreciates his talents and skills, and his life is better.

As fans we're stuck. We can't get let out of our deals - we were born Oriole fans and most of us will die Oriole fans. We can no more change teams than we could change religions or families. So while House will probably be off to bigger and (much) better places, we're all forced to live Groundhog Day over and over and over, stuck forever in the scene where Bill Murray throws himself off clock towers, jumps into the bathtub with the toaster, and on and on.

You know there's a problem when you despise your favorite team more than the ones you're supposed to hate. I root for them every day, but I can't stand this organization. This love/hate relationship makes me sick.

[DrungoHazewood]

The point is that this team is not going to the playoffs this season. It would've been the perfect time to give a guy like House half the season to get acclimated with the pitching staff and see what he could do offensively. Even if he wasn't a fit as a catcher, we could've seen what he could do with the stick and see if he could be a contributor NEXT season.

Bravo! What team is better able to attempt a "crazy" scheme like playing House at catcher than one as desperate as the Orioles? What's the worst that could happen? They finish 33 games out instead of 29?

But instead of a low risk/high reward chance, the O's take on low risk/low reward players who always give them the tiny rewards they're asking for.

[wildcard]

I don't doubt Gomez at 3b is better than Huff at third. What I do know is that perhaps the Orioles just might value defense a little too much. They seem to give equal weight to the ability to play defense and the ability to actually hit the ball. Defense is an important part of the game, but small in comparison to pitching and offense.

So it comes down to Bynum the pinch runner and utility guy and House? No it doesn't. It comes down to having three utility guys on the roster, or two utility guys and House. You only need one utility guy. We have two guys who already can play all there OF positions (3 if you count Markakis) and then Gibbons as well. Millar and Huff can play OF if they have to. This team has been struggling to score runs all year and they leave a perfectly serviceable player who would improve the offense rotting down in AAA so the likes of players equivalent to pitchers can get ABs.

It doesn't make sense. And I love how you say Bynum is a proven major league player. He doesn't even have 200 ABs yet and considering he is doing pretty well for a guy with a .709 OPS in the minors, I wonder what House could do.

We don't have too many DH types. Guess what? Huff, Millar, and Gibbons rotate at 1b and DH, and LF (split along with Payton). That is three DH types. We have just as many 1b/DH types as utility players. So I really don't think that argument should be given an weight.

I'll let you and Trembley slug it out over who is the better 3rd baseman Gomez or Huff. Fact is Trembley has a huge edge on you. He writes out the lineup card and has been using Gomez there.

Millar (838 OPS) and Huff ($7M 2nd half player) are going to play nearly everyday. Patterson has pick it up in center which limits Paytons time there and pushes Payton to LF. So Payton gets most of the starts at LF and Gibbon fills in at LF and DH. Where are the at bats for House. Maybe a few against lefties but they are in the outfield. Putting Millar or Huff in the outfield is a poor answer to the problem. Knott playing against lefties in leftfield is a better solution than having House at DH and Millar/Huff in left.

[Dipper9]

I feel really bad for some of the players on our team who try hard day in and day out, but overall speaking, after what I continue to see our front office (no matter who's in charge) do time and time again, I have only one thing left to say about this organization.....**** 'em!

[olehippi]

It's obvious the Orioles have a had a variety of options, and injuries have opened even more. The bottom line is that, for whatever reason, they have chosen the "safe" route with guys like Bynum, Fahey, Bako, Castillo, Shuey, etc. Dumping bad contracts and/or bad players...Baez, Wright, Trachsel, Gibbons, and maybe Payton would force the FO to admit their mistake. And giving guys like House, Knott, Dubois, Cervenak, Hoey, Doyne, etc. a chance to prove whether or not they can play at the ML level seems to be beyond the FO's comprehension. They continue to play out the season like they believe we are actually going to be a contender !!! This whole situation long ago passed the realm of sanity.

[NoVaO]

I'll let you and Trembley slug it out over who is the better 3rd baseman Gomez or Huff. Fact is Trembley has a huge edge on you. He writes out the lineup card and has been using Gomez there.

Millar (838 OPS) and Huff ($7M 2nd half player) are going to play nearly everyday. Patterson has pick it up in center which limits Paytons time there and pushes Payton to LF. So Payton gets most of the starts at LF and Gibbon fills in at LF and DH. Where are the at bats for House. Maybe a few against lefties but they are in the outfield. Putting Millar or Huff in the outfield is a poor answer to the problem. Knott playing against lefties in leftfield is a better solution than having House at DH and Millar/Huff in left.

I never questioned who the better third baseman was. I answered how I would get House in the line-up (or Knott if you prefer). I would rather have House at DH and Huff at 3b instead of Huff at DH and Gomez at 3b. I value the advantages we'll have on offense over what we gain on defense.

You have Millar and Huff as mostly everyday players. Fine. And you can't find a way to get House in the line-up 2 or 3 times a week? Huff and Millar can't take 1 or 2 days off a week? Gibbons and Payton can't platoon in LF? Payton can't platoon with Patterson in CF?

I mean, I'm not even sure what you're arguing. Are you arguing for Knott over House? If so, thats fine. But to tell me Bynum or Fahey have more value over Knott is ridiculous. You wonder how House would get into the game, well there is an obvious need on this team and he (or Knott) could fill it pretty well. Fahey has no real purpose on this team (though he might now that Bynum is injured).

[NewMarketSean]

Good for House. If I were him I would have demanded out of this POS organization too especially when players like Fahey, Bako and Bynum are getting playing time over him.

[mweb]

Mora can play SS in your dreams, as can Huff play 3B.

They can play there in reality, especially in the short term. Huff played 90 games at third last year! And he was decent according to BP. He's played there a couple times this year as well.

And even with only one utility IF, we would need two guys to get hurt before having Mora move to SS and Huff move to 3B.