Why Pie now?

[wildcard]

Yes, Pie deserves an extended look in the OF. But why now? He is not adjusted to LF and he is not hitting. Whether he will hit or not is a question but with practice he should be able to play a good if not great leftfield.

So put Scott in LF, Wiggy at DH/1B and Pie on the bench for two months. Hit him a million balls over that period and work on his fielding. Then when he is ready put Pie in LF. Then the O's have a great fielding LFer who is trying to prove he can hit. Right now Pie is struggle at the plate and in the field.

[Dipper9]

Yes, Pie deserves an extended look in the OF. But why now? He is not adjusted to LF and he is not hitting. Whether he will hit or not is a question but with practice he should be able to play a good if not great leftfield.

So put Scott in LF, Wiggy at DH/1B and Pie on the bench for two months. Hit him a million balls over that period and work on his fielding. Then when he is ready put Pie in LF. Then the O's have a great fielding LFer who is trying to prove he can hit. Right now Pie is struggle at the plate and in the field.

Excellent point.

[Mackus]

Pie doesn't need to work on his fielding, he's going to be excellent defensively in LF and already plays well enough to earn a starting spot. His bat is the question, not his glove.

Don't put any stock into anything negative about Pie coming from ST regarding his fielding. I'd be a lot that any problems he's having are due to the wind and sun down there much moreso than any adjustment period to LF. Pie's defense is the absolute least of our concerns.

Sitting Pie would be a horrible, horrible decision. We have to see if he can handle MLB pitching.

[Dipper9]

Pie doesn't need to work on his fielding, he's going to be excellent defensively in LF and already plays well enough to earn a starting spot. His bat is the question, not his glove.

Don't put any stock into anything negative about Pie coming from ST regarding his fielding. I'd be a lot that any problems he's having are due to the wind and sun down there much moreso than any adjustment period to LF. Pie's defense is the absolute least of our concerns.

Sitting Pie would be a horrible, horrible decision. We have to see if he can handle MLB pitching.

I think we already know the answer to this question, but I have no problem wasting a year to find out for sure.

[wildcard]

Pie doesn't need to work on his fielding, he's going to be excellent defensively in LF and already plays well enough to earn a starting spot. His bat is the question, not his glove.

Don't put any stock into anything negative about Pie coming from ST regarding his fielding. I'd be a lot that any problems he's having are due to the wind and sun down there much moreso than any adjustment period to LF. Pie's defense is the absolute least of our concerns.

Sitting Pie would be a horrible, horrible decision. We have to see if he can handle MLB pitching.

You must be listening to a difference radio station then I am when the games are on. Pie is struggling big time to adjust to LF.

Camden is no picnic in April. Wet fields, cold, wind gusts, an occasion snow storm during the game. Basically, Pie will be deal with a difference set of conditions, but April is harder to play through the June. That's just baseball in the northeast.

[Orioles18]

I think we already know the answer to this question

I dont mean to sound rude but, what are you basing this on? His whole 260 ML at bats? That is a RIDICULOUSLY (sp?) small sample size to formulate an opinion on. I say let him start every game in LF is season and see what his stats are at the end. If he sucks, then let Reimold be the everyday LF'er next season. We NEED to see what Pie can do as an everyday player, plus if he fails it's not like we gave up much to get him... or did we :scratchchinhmm:... :laughlol::laughlol::laughlol:

[DrungoHazewood]

I think we already know the answer to this question, but I have no problem wasting a year to find out for sure.

If Trembley and MacPhail had the same attitude they'd have already released him.

They clearly think he has the ability to be a major league left fielder. There is no reason at all to not give him 300 PAs by the All Star break. If he's lost, hitting .190 or something by then you reevaluate.

He has the highest ceiling of any LF candidate. He's young, he's talented, he has a good MiL track record, and he's good enough on the basepaths and in the field to be a decent major league player even if he hits poorly. We can debate this all day long, but he's getting the starting job until he proves beyond any reasonable doubt that he can't play. That's just the facts. So you need to realize that every "I think Pie is going to fail" thread is pointless for at least a couple of months.

[DrungoHazewood]

You must be listening to a difference radio station then I am when the games are on. Pie is struggling big time to adjust to LF.

Camden is no picnic in April. Wet fields, cold, wind gusts, an occasion snow storm during the game. Basically, Pie will be deal with a difference set of conditions, but April is harder to play through the June. That's just baseball in the northeast.

And the very best way for him to adjust to playing major league baseball in Camden Yards is to sit the bench, watching someone else play his position and hit in his spot in the order.

By that method I should be Babe Ruth. I've watched thousands of major league games.

[Ruzious]

His great range is going to make up for any problems he's going to have adjusting to LF. Sitting him on the bench makes absolutely no sense. You might as well just release him, because he needs to play every day to develop - and they can't send him to the minors. You have 2 choices - play him or release him.

[wildcard]

And the very best way for him to adjust to playing major league baseball in Camden Yards is to sit the bench, watching someone else play his position and hit in his spot in the order.

By that method I should be Babe Ruth. I've watched thousands of major league games.

By this logic Hill should be in the starting rotation right now. He has more talent then an of the other 3-5 candidates. With your logic, who cares if he is not ready, the major league mound is the best place to play.

Hill and Pie are alike in the fact that neither is ready to be full time major league players at this point. Hill needs to work on his control and stretch out. Pie will benefit from practice time in the field and extra hitting instruction from Crowley. Crowley will help Pie in time if he has the talent.

Just throwing either of these players out there when they are not ready to succeed is not a very good solution. Work with them, get them ready mentally and physical to perform at their peak, then give them extended chances to succeed.

Right now all either player will do is dig a deep hole that they have to overcome to succeed. I say give them the time they need to improve before you throw them out there.

[wildcard]

His great range is going to make up for any problems he's going to have adjusting to LF. Sitting him on the bench makes absolutely no sense. You might as well just release him, because he needs to play every day to develop - and they can't send him to the minors. You have 2 choices - play him or release him.

Great range is not stopping him from doing 360s try to track the ball, or his late breaks, or his wrong angles. He needs practice to overcome these problems.

[Mark Carver]

Pie doesn't need to work on his fielding, he's going to be excellent defensively in LF and already plays well enough to earn a starting spot. His bat is the question, not his glove.

Don't put any stock into anything negative about Pie coming from ST regarding his fielding. I'd be a lot that any problems he's having are due to the wind and sun down there much moreso than any adjustment period to LF. Pie's defense is the absolute least of our concerns.

Sitting Pie would be a horrible, horrible decision. We have to see if he can handle MLB pitching.

I think we already know the answer to this question, but I have no problem wasting a year to find out for sure.

I'm sorry, but having 260 ML AB spread out over 2 years during 4 separate call-ups, does not tell you whether Pie can hit ML pitching.

[SilentJames]

The problem with Pie is he never got a real shot

205 ABs spread out over two seasons and only 83 last year.

In 2007 the Cubs gave up on Pie in June

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/gl.cgi?n1=piefe01&t=b&year=2007

He did not get regular ABs in the second half of the year and he only got 93 PA in 2008 with being sent back down to the minors for June, July and August.

We need to give Pie a real shot, Luke can DH on a regular rotation because if he turns it on we a LF solution for years, if not we have Riemold in the wings.

[Orioles18]

Great range is not stopping him from doing 360s try to track the ball, or his late break, or his wrong angles. He needs practice to overcome these problems.

And what better practice than actual game situations with a team thats not going to even sniff competing this year?

Why is everyone acting like Pie is going to stop us from competing this year, that was NEVER going to happen in the first place. IMHO just shut up, let Pie play and see what happens. Sorry for the little rant, just getting frustrated with all the Pie hate.

[SilentJames]

By this logic Hill should be in the starting rotation right now. He has more talent then an of the other 3-5 candidates. With your logic, who cares if he is not ready, the major league mound is the best place to play.

Hill and Pie are alike in the fact that neither is ready to be full time major league players at this point. Hill needs to work on his control and stretch out. Pie will benefit from practice time in the field and extra hitting instruction from Crowley. Crowley will help Pie in time if he has the talent.

Just throwing either of these players out there when they are not ready to succeed is not a very good solution. Work with them, get them ready mentally and physical to perform at their peak, then give them extended chances to succeed.

Right now all either player will do is dig a deep hole that they have to overcome to succeed. I say give them the time they need to improve before you throw them out there.

Those are two entirely different situations.

Hill is "ready" but was sidelined by an injury. The guy can pitch.

Pie took his lumps in LF this Spring, but the winds of Ft Lauderdale can make a lot of OF'ers look silly - especially if you have never played in them before.

Something tells me the LF in Camden Yards is a lot easier than the LF in Lauderdale.