Crowley:: Pie's not going to play regularly

[Crazysilver03]

Because it's "old era" thinking that is (partially) behind the treatment of Pie. Another player is doing well in the minor leagues, and in a momentary flash of brilliance, someone (or a group of someones) has decided to bench a player with fabulous potential for a hot hand. That's not to say Mr. Reimold doesn't have similar or greater potential, but why shelve one such player for another when there's no actual urgency to do so? This drive for more immediate and palatable results led, in part, to the mistakes of the old regimes.

Why do you keep contradicting yourself?

Reimold isn't just having a momentary flash of brilliance. He is our 2nd best hitting prospect behind Wieters.

Just because Pie has "fabulous potential" doesn't mean that keeps him going for a while. He needs to put numbers up, both defensively and offensively, and he isnt doing so hot in either category.

I can't believe people are getting so upset over a former prospect being benched so we could call up another prospect who is hitting well right now. Our minor league system is finally producing and people are getting upset.

[notfast]

Isn't this what we've wanted for awhile? A prospect forcing his way into the majors?

Pretty sure we expected it with our pitchers, but this is a good substitute.

[McNulty]

I think it's interesting that --for all the Cubs apparent misgivings about Pie and reluctance to stick with him-- they did put him on their post-season roster in both 2007 & 2008. He doesn't have to start to help a team. All this DFA speculation is cuckoo talk in my opinion.

Trembley's comments indicate a re-opening of the left field competition since the early favorite (Pie) has been unable to put a stranglehold on the job. If Reimold was hitting .268 with a trio of dingers in AAA, I doubt this would even be an issue. Certainly not if Pie were hitting Calvin Pickering's weight.

When the Orioles contend/make the playoffs in the hopefully near future, it wouldn't shock me at all if both Nolan & Felix were contributors.

Dude, don't go injecting reason into this. Its forbidden.

[threedaysrest]

Why do you keep contradicting yourself?.

Pardon? Where have I said anything other than it's wrongheaded to bench Pie? I'm not privy to the thinking behind the move, but it seems like a move to achieve short-term, palatable results from LF, and that just doesn't matter this year. Again, that type of move is old regime thinking.

Reimold isn't just having a momentary flash of brilliance. He is our 2nd best hitting prospect behind Wieters.

Wonderful. That's great. Why not let Messrs. Reimold and Wieters spend 2009 (or, in Wieters' case, part of it) at AAA and have sustained success?

Just because Pie has "fabulous potential" doesn't mean that keeps him going for a while. He needs to put numbers up, both defensively and offensively, and he isnt doing so hot in either category.

True. Pie hasn't played well thus far. However, what harm has his less-than-stellar play caused? None, other than (supposedly) keeping Nolan Reimold at AAA longer than some would like. To that I say, so what? Why not let Reimold rake at AAA and see where he and Pie stand at the end of 2009?

I can't believe people are getting so upset over a former prospect being benched so we could call up another prospect who is hitting well right now. Our minor league system is finally producing and people are getting upset.

I'm not at all upset about (potential) depth in the minor league system. It's great and a way to ensure the future success of the Orioles. However, in a developmental season, as this one has been termed, why push aside Pie for anyone else, especially after one month of the season? Reimold may hit .550 in AAA, but as we all know, AAA (and spring) numbers don't always translate to the major leagues.

I'd love Pie, Reimold, and Montanez to all find a place with the ML club or bring back other useful parts. I don't really care who does which of these things. What I care about is the hasty delegation of those players who can indeed be useful, and that seems like what's happening with Pie.

[JTrea81]

I don't see where you draw the idea that JTrea doesn't think he will be claimed. All he said is that no one will use him as a starter. I believe he would be claimed but would be served as a 4th OF.

And he's not much of a loss as a 4th OFer. For the record though, I don't think he'll be claimed. I just don't see anybody stashing him on their 25 man. He's worse than a lot of 4th OFers on teams already.

[Dipper9]

Today, as I awake on this Sunday morning before heading to church, I don't have time to read through all of the posts in these threads, but the overlying tone seems to be that Reimold is on his way up, and the pie is being stashed in the leftover section of the refrigerator. Ah, its a good day.

I guess JTrea, Sean, myself, and others aren't as dumb as we were told we are.

[NewMarketSean]

Handing Pie the LF job out of ST was a mistake from the start as he should have had to earn it. Reimold outplayed him in ST and is destroying Norfolk.

Glad to see the Orioles seem to be finally correcting this mistake. It should have been a competition to begin with as the job should have been Reimold's all along.

Make no mistake about it though, Pie needs playing time to fix his errors, so keeping him as a 4th OFer would also be a mistake. The Orioles should DFA him and give him the LF job in Norfolk to see if he can handle it there. He can get his confidence back and then challenge Reimold in ST next year in a competition as it should have been this year. Nobody is going to want to put him on their 25 man roster the way he is playing now.

Pie has little else to prove at AAA. He's had 1,241 AB's in AAA and an OPS of .855. He needs time in the majors to get back on track, but unfortunately for him, Reimold deserves the shot more. Pie will stick as a 4th OF... that is what I see his ceiling as anyway. He needs to keep working with Crowley. But for now I see him as a late-inning defensive replacement/pinch runner.

[Satyr3206]

I've been saying since ST Pie didn't deserve the LF job. I don't care how they get rid of him as long as it's done. Tools don't always translate into good baseball player and this is an obvious case of that. Good riddance. We have more than capable replacements.

[hoosiers]

I don't get the whole sideshow. Top scouts and MacPhail have to see it for themselves? The feedback from the coaches at Norfolk isn't enough. Who knows, maybe they are waiting to call-up Wieters until Angelos has time on his calendar to see him in person.

Seems like a stall for time, IMO. We have the best geography in the majors - they could be watching him as soon as they want, but AM could drag this out until mid-month - at which point we might as well wait three more weeks to stop the super 2 status and also not treat Wieters poorly by twice bringing up lesser rookies before him.

[rolliefingers]

Today, as I awake on this Sunday morning before heading to church, I don't have time to read through all of the posts in these threads, but the overlying tone seems to be that Reimold is on his way up, and the pie is being stashed in the leftover section of the refrigerator. Ah, its a good day.

I guess JTrea, Sean, myself, and others aren't as dumb as we were told we are.

Don't hurt yourself while slapping yourself on the back.

Perhaps the Orioles are as dumb as you are?

(j/k, just doing that to prove a point. I do think you all are incredibly short-sighted, not dumb.)

[Fan4Life]

Don't hurt yourself while slapping yourself on the back.

Perhaps the Orioles are as dumb as you are?

(j/k, just doing that to prove a point. I do think you all are incredibly short-sighted, not dumb.)

Ditto me.....

[Satyr3206]

Don't hurt yourself while slapping yourself on the back.

Perhaps the Orioles are as dumb as you are?

(j/k, just doing that to prove a point. I do think you all are incredibly short-sighted, not dumb.)

If Pie had shown at least a glimmer of the supposed talent he has, I would be all for continuing the experiment. But he hasn't done that and I don't think he ever will. As I've mentioned before, he has a poor grasp of the strike zone, a swing that is much too long, and a deer in the headlights look when he's out in LF. It's time for a change. It could be short-sighted, but something has to be done about LF and the bottom third of the order.

[Fan4Life]

If Pie had shown at least a glimmer of the supposed talent he has, I would be all for continuing the experiment. But he hasn't done that and I don't think he ever will. As I've mentioned before, he has a poor grasp of the strike zone, a swing that is much too long, and a deer in the headlights look when he's out in LF. It's time for a change. It could be short-sighted, but something has to be done about LF and the bottom third of the order.

You could be right. But when the FO / Coaches decided to trade away Olson for him and made a commitment to see if he can become a MLB player, do you think they should be bailing out on that commitment after 25-26 games? I think that's foolish. In a season where we aren't going anywhere, their lack of patience here is disturbing. Again, unless Pie is creating problems for himself we aren't aware of.

[dslats715]

So Pie in LF today. Does this change anything for you guys? And if he hits a HR, and 2 singles how far will your head explode?

[Agent0]

You could be right. But when the FO / Coaches decided to trade away Olson for him and made a commitment to see if he can become a MLB player, do you think they should be bailing out on that commitment after 25-26 games? I think that's foolish. In a season where we aren't going anywhere, their lack of patience here is disturbing. Again, unless Pie is creating problems for himself we aren't aware of.

This says it all.

Now, what do we do about it? The easy thing would be to option Lou even though he needs a look at some point too. However, that just the way the system works. Lou did well at NOR but you could make the case that Nolan gives you a little more defensively.

Maybe Lou (a former SS though not a good one) can be moved to a corner IF spot next spring training.