After Two Weeks of Pie...

[Scrat1]

In reading your posts, it's pretty clear that you're not stupid, so I think you're just being close-minded here. You've decided for one reason or another that you don't like Pie, and you're viewing reality though that lens. And it's making you blind.

Look, everybody agrees with you that overall Pie hasn't looked great at the plate, and he's been shaky in the field at times. I'm not sure you realize this, because you feel the need to keep pointing it out at every opportunity, but we're all basically in agreement about his play so far.

But, really, I don't see how you can deny that you've seen flashes of brilliance from Pie. You have, you know it, and that's after only 10 games. So, for me, that's enough to be patient for another couple of months. And, seriously, don't you think that the entire point of 2009 is to find out whether guys like Pie can play?

Pie may very well fail; I realize there's another side to my argument. Which is another way that we seem to differ.

Phenomenal post.

[section18]

Do not give up on him. I would wait until at least the All-Star break before making a decision on him. I think he will improve as the weather warms up. He didn't play that great in Cold, windy Chicago and so far the weather has been cool for most of our games. Let's see what he can do when its above 70 degrees. Dave Johnson on the postgame show said he looks terrible defensively and looks like he is runnning on wet grass when he goes after the ball. It's easy to see the same thing. He appears to go after balls in the air to his left a lot better than those to his right. Just an observation. He also looks bad chasing after balls hit into the corner and seems to have trouble reaching down to pick up the ball and catching balls that bounce off the wall. Can Shelby help him?

I still want to stick with him. Yes! I wanted Montanez on the team and like Reimold a lot. If the team doesn't like Pie after a few months just package him with Freel for a pitcher. I still think Pie and Freel with us adding in some cash might get us Niemann from the Rays. Niemann has gotten off to a rough start but he better than what he has show so far in 2009.

[JTrea81]

But, really, I don't see how you can deny that you've seen flashes of brilliance from Pie. You have, you know it, and that's after only 10 games.

Flashes of brilliance would be fine, if Pie was 22, but he's 24 and Nolan Reimold is showing not just flashes, but sustained brilliance in AAA thus far and showed the same in ST.

I expected to see much more of a finished product for the hype he's recieved on here. We've basically got a 24 year old with a 21-22 year old's skills...

He's an AAA player that's overmatched IMO. Jones lit up ST as did Markakis before their rookie seasons, Pie did not. Pie has shown me nothing other than his stats from the PCL in 2007 when he was 22.

People keep comparing Jones and Pie at the plate, but there is no comparison defensively. Jonesy's minor league stats show he's the superior fielder. And I don't recall anybody ever saying he lacked baseball instincts.

A 24 year old lacking baseball instincts? I'd expect to hear that about Xavier Avery, but not the touted Felix Pie.

SG and MacPhail have obviously sold most of the posters on here about Pie, so I realize I'm wasting my keystrokes, but I think many will soon realize around the end of May what posters like myself realize now, that Pie is not a LT solution for LF.

[ADZ23]

Flashes of brilliance would be fine, if Pie was 22, but he's 24 and Nolan Reimold is showing not just flashes, but sustained brilliance in AAA thus far and showed the same in ST.

I expected to see much more of a finished product for the hype he's recieved on here. We've basically got a 24 year old with a 21-22 year old's skills...

He's an AAA player that's overmatched IMO. Jones lit up ST as did Markakis before their rookie seasons, Pie did not. Pie has shown me nothing other than his stats from the PCL in 2007 when he was 22.

People keep comparing Jones and Pie at the plate, but there is no comparison defensively. Jonesy's minor league stats show he's the superior fielder. And I don't recall anybody ever saying he lacked baseball instincts.

A 24 year old lacking baseball instincts? I'd expect to hear that about Xavier Avery, but not the touted Felix Pie.

SG and MacPhail have obviously sold most of the posters on here about Pie, so I realize I'm wasting my keystrokes, but I think many will soon realize around the end of May what posters like myself realize now, that Pie is not a LT solution for LF.

This is a good post and I think more people than you realize agree with some or most of your points. It's just that it'd be beyond silly to give up on him just a few games into the year after trading for him. I say if he's still a huge black hole by the AS break then yeah, trash this experiment.

[Lucky Jim]

This is a good post and I think more people than you realize agree with some or most of your points. It's just that it'd be beyond silly to give up on him just a few games into the year after trading for him. I say if he's still a huge black hole by the AS break then yeah, trash this experiment.

And a rational, articulate bunch they appear to be...

[JTrea81]

This is a good post and I think more people than you realize agree with some or most of your points. It's just that it'd be beyond silly to give up on him just a few games into the year after trading for him. I say if he's still a huge black hole by the AS break then yeah, trash this experiment.

I wouldn't give him that long. Olson isn't exactly a loss for us as he's continuing to have control issues in AAA. At this point anything Pie gives us is a bonus. The trade looks to be a wash.

We would not miss a beat without Pie and would actually be a better team with Nolan Reimold in LF and in the lineup right now IMO...

I think by the end of May most fans will be wanting Pie to be DFA'd and Reimold brought up to replace him.

[OnlyO'sFanInLV]

You also have to realize that Montanez never came close to doing what he did last year before in the minors. You're basing all of this on one year of Montanez crushing the ball in AA at the age of 25. Pie has been great at AA and AAA for 5 seasons at a much younger age.

Reimold is the guy I think has a chance to become a solid starter for us in LF... but Pie is here now and has as much talent as Reimold if not more when you take defense into consideration, so why not be patient? Chances are Freel will be released or traded soon and Scott could be traded as well. Reimold and to a lesser extent, Montanez, will get their chances this year.

ya agree to disagree being fast doesn't make you a good outfielder sure it may give you more range but learning how to judge a ball is the hardest thing to do. So If pie is more talented it's not because of his defense from what i have seen so far. All this rave about Pie's defensive skills i am yet too really see it. And ive never seen Reimold play but i highly doubt the angles he takes on balls are that much worse then what i have seen out of pie.

[ironmike26]

As bad as Pie has looked with the glove, BRob hasn't looked much better, sorry Cindy.

[Frobby]

He lacks the instincts but he has the tools. It should come naturally to him, but it doesn't.

Maybe it never will.

I'm not sure why everybody expects the light to click on for this guy...

Most of us don't know if the light will click on or not -- we just know it takes more than 2 weeks to find out.

[Sports Guy]

Most of us don't know if the light will click on or not -- we just know it takes more than 2 weeks to find out.

Right...A point that constantly goes over the head of Jtrea..he must be 3 feet tall or something.

[Mark Carver]

Markakis had a stellar ST. Pie did not.

Crowley didn't have to take apart and rebuild Markakis like he has to Pie.

Pie needs to be sent back to the minors to be taken apart and rebuilt again. He is not a ML player right now and he's taking up a roster spot that we need. DFA him and send him to Norfolk if he clears.

A differering of oppinion? Feel free to get the rest of the Washingto Post article dated February 27, 2007 - For O's Markakis, Struggles Lead to Success

In the middle of June last year, Baltimore Orioles executives Jim Duquette and Mike Flanagan met with Manager Sam Perlozzo to discuss the puzzling case of Nick Markakis, the prized outfielder who was slumping badly.

Markakis had punished the ball in spring training, but could barely make solid contact during the season. Scouts around the league pegged Markakis as a young hitter who could not hit an inside fastball, and pitchers heeded that analysis, dropping Markakis's batting average to .219.

Though Markakis's confidence never wavered, he grew anxious at the plate. Hitting coach Terry Crowley noticed that Markakis rushed through at-bats, yet was slow to react to certain pitches. ...

[css0285]

This is just my opinion, but when I think back to the beginning of last season I remember that Adam Jones looked absolutely horrible at the plate. His pitch recognition was terrible and he was flailing all over the place. I had a lot of doubts that he would ever improve enough to be a big league player. Look at where he is now and how much he has improved. From the little I have seen from Pie, he seems to have a much better idea what he is doing up at the plate and his pitch recognition seems to be better as well. I think the defense will work itself out, but I am pretty encouraged by what I have seen at the plate. Give him at least another 200 AB's and I think we have a ball player.

[RustyMcNail]

Right...A point that constantly goes over the head of Jtrea..he must be 3 feet tall or something.

When you collect your most outstanding posts into a "Best of Sports Guy" book, this definitely needs to be included! ROTFLMAO!

[rolliefingers]

Just getting to this thread. I'm glad to see the consensus is around giving him the season to figure things out, because that's exactly what we need to do.

He's made more than his share of boneheaded plays in LF, which I assume is just growing pains due to transitioning from CF.

I agree that his pitch recognition is considerably better than I expected from a guy with such a low BB rate.

I see a lot of Soriano in him as well, although I doubt he'll hit with that kind of power. But I would be ecstatic if he turned into Soriano with less power and better defense. He needs to shorten his swing and improve his defense, but I think both adjustments are within reach. I'm cautiously optimistic.

[Gofannon]

We would not miss a beat without Pie and would actually be a better team with Nolan Reimold in LF and in the lineup right now IMO...

I think by the end of May most fans will be wanting Pie to be DFA'd and Reimold brought up to replace him.

I can't imagine a scenario where I'd want to have Pie DFA'd by the end of May

At best he grows into the role, gets more comfortable in left and shows he's our starting everyday left fielder.

If he shows that he can't hit lefties but is solid against righties and brings speed and defense to the table, then you can platoon him with Reimold.

If that doesn't work, he's still an above average defensive outfielder and a pinch running option, which would make him a solid 4th outfielder on a rebuilding team.

Short of him batting .150 with no hustle or him launching an attack on the Oriole Bird, I can't fathom DFA'ing him. And I'd like to think that a team with a current rotation of Guthrie/Koji/Bergesen's debut/Eaton/Hendrickson realizes it's not going to win this year and gives Pie more time than the Cubs did.