Snyder looks to be our LT 1B solution

[DrungoHazewood]

The point is the Orioles are going up against teams with three of the best first baseman in the world, so they are going to have to find a fourth if they want to surpass those teams. Snyder is not going to do that...

Only if this is some kind of goofy video game where you win baseball games by way of duels between players who play the same position.

In baseball played by human beings you win by having a mix of decent, average, above-average, and great players at a variety of positions. If your first baseman hits .280/.330/.450 you can make up for it with a catcher who hits .300/.400/.550. Really. They allow that.

[JTrea81]

At 21 Justin Morneau's career high in homers was 16, and his career high in walks was 53.

At 21 LaRoche had seven homers and 30 walks on his way to a .251/.295/.361 line in A ball. Last time I checked the Pirates were still a major league team, and LaRoche's 123 OPS+ was pretty darn productive.

Lee did have big power in his teens and early 20s, but he's the exception, not the rule.

You seem to believe, for the purposes of this argument, that players are static. That Snyder can't develop power, patience, or defensive ability. That's flatly ridiculous.

He's going to have to develop all three to have a chance at being a successful ML 1st baseman. What are the chances he can do that? Those guys I mentioned already had one or more of those pieces in the minors, Snyder has yet to show that he has any...

Bowie is going to be the big test. We'll see how he does.

[Mackus]

The point is the Orioles are going up against teams with three of the best first baseman in the world, so they are going to have to find a fourth if they want to surpass those teams. Snyder is not going to do that...

This is a damn lie. That's all it is. Its not you misinterpreting something for the millionth time. Its just something that is patently false and you know it.

We do not have to have a 1B exactly as good as TB, NY, and Boston if we are going to be as good as them. You realize that there are 9 positions on the field and about 12 pitchers on each team. Being slightly behind at one position is not a death knell.

[Mackus]

He's not going to turn into an above average defender IMO. He can improve to average maybe, but he'll have a hard time increasing his range...

Being above average at 1B isn't any better than being average at 1B. Unless you are one of the very, very best or very, very worst defensively at 1B, it doesn't make much of a difference how you play.

If Snyder is one of the very, very worst, then we might have some problems. As long as he's better than that, his defense will be a complete non-issue.

Anymore absurd claims you want to have refuted?

[JTrea81]

Only if this is some kind of goofy video game where you win baseball games by way of duels between players who play the same position.

In baseball played by human beings you win by having a mix of decent, average, above-average, and great players at a variety of positions. If your first baseman hits .280/.330/.450 you can make up for it with a catcher who hits .300/.400/.550. Really. They allow that.

We are going to need all the offense we can get to top those teams based on the rotations they are going to field. We are basically going to have to have a potential AS at just about every position. First base is the easiest place to find power, yet the Orioles haven't been able to put a true slugger there since Palmeiro left the first time...

[Frobby]

He'll have to hit close to 20 HR and close to 90 RBI and put up an .850+ OPS. 1B is a power position in the majors, so he's got to start showing more power and patience.

Mat Gamel's 2008 would be a good target to shoot for...

I would almost guarantee the .850 OPS, and if he doesn't get there, I'd agree it's time to be concerned he's not the answer. I'm forecasting .875 - .900. I'm not too worried about the HRs but I'll predict mid-high teens, coupled with 40+ doubles. How close he gets to 90 RBI is a function of how his teammates do, but I'll wager he tops 80.

Look at the production of the top 3 AL East teams first basemen. Tell me Snyder is even close to that talent...

We need the most talent we can have at every position if we are going to top those three teams and 1B is where you need a power slugger.

Sure we need the most talent we can have at every position, but let's be realistic. No team has an all star in every spot. The key is to have a couple of superstars, a couple of stars, and then have the rest of the guys be solid. And, good pitching. No reason at all Snyder can't fit in that picture considering the talent already here in the OF and at C.

[El Gordo]

The point is the Orioles are going up against teams with three of the best first baseman in the world, so they are going to have to find a fourth if they want to surpass those teams. Snyder is not going to do that...

This is silly. I'll take our C and our OF over those three teams any day. No one position is that important.

[RShack]

It's not just the HRs, it's the defense and patience and Snyder doesn't have those either.

JTrea, when it comes to defense and patience, you have way less than he does. Your approach to D appears to be to adopt the Ostrich Strategy when folks try to reason with you. As for patience, your needle is on Empty: you're not only dooming a prospect who you don't know much about but, judging from other posts, it appears that you willfully mischaracterize what both the stats and the scouting reports say about him. Evidently, his K-rate is better than Wieters', and I don't see you saying Wieters has a big patience problem.

No team is great at every position. None of them. The idea that we must have the 1B-man of your choice or else we're doomed is evidence that you don't understand how baseball actually works.

[ScottieBaseball]

We are basically going to have to have a potential AS at just about every position.

Uh...pretty sure that's the mission statement of every Major League franchise.

[DrungoHazewood]

He's going to have to develop all three to have a chance at being a successful ML 1st baseman. What are the chances he can do that? Those guys I mentioned already had one or more of those pieces in the minors, Snyder has yet to show that he has any...

Bowie is going to be the big test. We'll see how he does.

I'd say that he doesn't have to develop all three to become a good major league first baseman. In fact, if he just keeps pushing his batting average up he could do it without developing any of them.

But I'd say the odds of a guy with contact skills, a relatively quick bat, and good line drive power at the age of 21 developing more power as he enters his 20s is pretty good. And as he gets power he'll likely walk more and develop patience. The glove is iffy, but lots of people with sub-par skills at other positions have developed into more than adequate first basemen.

When a publication like BP says the O's have a good farm system and Snyder is one of the top 10 prospects they're not doing it on a lark. They think he has the fundamental skills to develop into a major league caliber first baseman.

[jerios55]

What?!?! To follow your logic...he'll have a better time fielding balls coming off the bat between 85-100 MPH than he does THROWN balls between 60-80 MPH? Did I get that right? Fielding baseballs at 3B is EASIER than fielding baseballs DELIBERATELY THROWN to you at 1B?!?!

Personally, (which means nothing since I never played a high level) I always liked 3B and felt more comfortable playing there because I wasn't good at getting to the bag to accept the thrown balls. The ground balls are hit to you at 1st or 3rd, so really the 85-100MPH is true either way. There's more righties though, so I guess on average it's a more involved corner.

[DrungoHazewood]

We are going to need all the offense we can get to top those teams based on the rotations they are going to field. We are basically going to have to have a potential AS at just about every position. First base is the easiest place to find power, yet the Orioles haven't been able to put a true slugger there since Palmeiro left the first time...

So you admit that a mammoth slugger isn't a prerequisite to winning? Good, we may be making some incremental progress here.

[jerios55]

This is silly. I'll take our C and our OF over those three teams any day. No one position is that important.

I was thinking the same about the OF. I'll add C after his first homer

[DrungoHazewood]

Personally, (which means nothing since I never played a high level) I always liked 3B and felt more comfortable playing there because I wasn't good at getting to the bag to accept the thrown balls. The ground balls are hit to you at 1st or 3rd, so really the 85-100MPH is true either way. There's more righties though, so I guess on average it's a more involved corner.

The difference is that after you knock down that 100 mph shot at third you have to quickly get up and make a very long, accurate throw to first base.

At first you can take your time and underhand the ball to the pitcher covering first. First base simply isn't as challenging. There's a reason that 38-year-old right fielders end up at first all the time, but almost never third.

[RShack]

We are basically going to have to have a potential AS at just about every position.

Now, that's just a dumb thing to say. Nobody has that. Nobody.

(Why am I doing this?)