Melewski: Keep Reimold in LF

[TonySoprano]

Right now, Pie has to be in LF...First of all, he is better defensively(and we have a flyball staff) and isn't coming off the achilles injury.

Instead he's coming off a slow-healing quad injury that kept him out of winter ball.

[Three Run Homer]

Both Reimold and Pie can probably play better LF with experience than they showed in 2009. But Melewski is nuts if he thinks that Reimold is potentially a better defensive LF than Felix Pie. Pie can run rings around even a fully healthy Reimold. He has the tools to play CF, which Reimold cannot. In general, someone who can play CF is very likely to have more potential to play an outstanding LF than someone who is limited to corner outfield. RF is different, because of the need for a strong arm, but you don't need a great arm to play CF or LF well.

He is just plain wrong to view Pie as a fourth outfielder. Pie had a better minor league career than Reimold. He was always a more highly touted prospect by scouts than Reimold. I don't think that Pie necessarily is or will be a better major league player than Reimold, but it would be absurd to rule that out as a possibility.

What does Melewski have against Pie? All I can think of is that Pie has had some false starts as a major leaguer (while Reimold, who came up at a more advanced age, was a good player right away); and that Pie didn't come up through our organization. Or maybe there's some other bias going on below the surface.

It's nice that Pie provides some depth in case Adam Jones or Reimold gets hurt, but the plan for Felix Pie can't be to just assume that he'll get playing time because someone will invariably get hurt. Both Pie and Reimold are terrific young players with loads of potential, and AM needs to configure the team in a way that guarantees that both of them will get regular playing time from opening day onwards.

That means trading Luke Scott and not signing any other big name who is likely to be limited to DH (e.g. Carlos Delgado, if the scouting reports continue to show that he's not likely to be able to play 1B).

[Eddie_Ripken]

This jumps out at me....

"It didn't affect my swing at all, I didn't feel it then. Running it impacted me. I think I'll be a better defensive player now in the outfield, I can now be more athletic. It probably affected me more on defense. A lot of times I was running on the side of my foot."

I want to comment on something else besides the LF discussion, since the quote is part of this post. This quote from Reimold confirms how I feel about him no matter where he is on the field. Down the stretch there was nothing I enjoyed more than watching every one of his at bats and just waiting for him to try and beat out even the most routine of grounballs. And he got himself several legit hits (infield hits) doing it. He hustled more than anyone. He cares even in the losing culture. He is part of what we all wanted 5 years ago when Markakis first came up. Youth and excitement. Guys that would hussle.

I don't care where he is on the field....he NEEDS to be on this team and in the line up. He is old school..hard nose...baseball player...and a gamer.

[TGO]

If you are saying you already know that Pie is a better defensive player than why must you see him play LF every day?

What they need to see from him is, can he get on base. He can do this from the DH spot. Put Reimold in LF because his defensive is the question mark.

Seems to me you have this backwards.

If this were a science experiment, sure, you'd be right. You'd want to test Pie's offense and Reimold's defense. But this isn't an experiment, it's a baseball team trying to win games. You play your better defender at the position when they're both in the lineup at the same time.

Pie should not get any significant number of PAs at DH. If he's playing he belongs in the OF playing LF or spelling Jones or Markakis. Reimold will still play enough LF in any event to see what he can do.

[Mackus]

Pie should not get any significant number of PAs at DH. If he's playing he belongs in the OF playing LF or spelling Jones or Markakis. Reimold will still play enough LF in any event to see what he can do.

I agree with this. Pie's at bats come in the OF. Save DH for the lesser defenders and for getting rest for the guys he displaces. I would use the DH spot to get extra rest, at least from the field, for Markakis and Jones than we've seen in the past, with Pie spelling them.

[Dipper9]

He can have his opinion...He is just wrong.

This quote right here is why I disagree so often with you. You are such a smart guy and know your baseball, but why do you need to make comments like this? Your post was excellent except for this one line. It states very clearly that your opinion is the only one that is right.

[byrdz]

They should at least let Reimold get some time in at first base as this will give us more flexibility in the future.

[RShack]

This is not an either-or thing. They can both play in LF lots, we have 162 games where somebody needs to be out there.

People get mad at DT for being too stuck on rigid roles when it comes to other matters, yet on this one people are acting like he has to pick one or the other to play in LF. He doesn't, they can take turns out there, and they can each DH some too.

Plus, who thinks AJ is gonna play 162 games in CF? Not me...

[TyCobb]

They should at least let Reimold get some time in at first base as this will give us more flexibility in the future.

Reimold's speed and arm strength makes him more valuable as a OFer.

I am hoping that Reimold gets a significant majority of the playing time in LF. IMO the best team the O's put out will be Scott at DH and Reimold at LF.

[byrdz]

Reimold's speed and arm strength makes him more valuable as a OFer.

I am hoping that Reimold gets a significant majority of the playing time in LF. IMO the best team the O's put out will be Scott at DH and Reimold at LF.

Maybe, though for the team, is that the best configuration to win games going forward? If putting Reimold at first base gets a good hitting/great fielding Pie in LF, we're a better team. We don't know if Pie will be that guy with the bat at this point... But if he is, he's of more value in LF, than Reimold. Starting off the season Reimold should be out there but if Pie picks up where he left off that changes IMO.

I'm not a big fan of dedicated DHers, it should be used more as a revolving door to facilitate matchups and such, as it gives you more flexibility. I think AM has alluded to using the DH in this way recently anyway.

[Sports Guy]

I like Reimold but I think some on here overrate him somewhat.

Remember, we heard the scouting reports from Tony in the past about Nolan having poor instincts as a defender...Doesn't get good jumps, etc...Now, much like Pie, I think he can improve on these things with more experience but unlike Pie, he isn't exactly very young either...Not that he is old by any means but at his age, you would figure he pretty much is what he is.

Again, play Pie vs righties...Let him get about 25-30% of his at bats vs lefties and spell Jones some.

Reimold plays LF against more lefties and when Pie is in CF...Also, it would be smart to give Markakis more rest, either at DH or a real day off and if that happens, Reimold can play RF...Reimold Dhs the rest of the time.

I would think that ends up getting him 200ish at bats in the OF and the rest at DH and that assumes health.

This is such a simple scenario, I have no idea why people are making this so much more difficult than it needs to be.

[clapdiddy]

I like Reimold but I think some on here overrate him somewhat.

Remember, we heard the scouting reports from Tony in the past about Nolan having poor instincts as a defender...Doesn't get good jumps, etc...Now, much like Pie, I think he can improve on these things with more experience but unlike Pie, he isn't exactly very young either...Not that he is old by any means but at his age, you would figure he pretty much is what he is.

Again, play Pie vs righties...Let him get about 25-30% of his at bats vs lefties and spell Jones some.

Reimold plays LF against more lefties and when Pie is in CF...Also, it would be smart to give Markakis more rest, either at DH or a real day off and if that happens, Reimold can play RF...Reimold Dhs the rest of the time.

I would think that ends up getting him 200ish at bats in the OF and the rest at DH and that assumes health.

This is such a simple scenario, I have no idea why people are making this so much more difficult than it needs to be.

Agree with you wholeheartedly, but you are leaving Scott out of the equation. He will more than likely be here, and he will be the DH. O's management seems convinced that he can't be a first baseman.

[Mackus]

I like Reimold but I think some on here overrate him somewhat.

Remember, we heard the scouting reports from Tony in the past about Nolan having poor instincts as a defender...Doesn't get good jumps, etc...Now, much like Pie, I think he can improve on these things with more experience but unlike Pie, he isn't exactly very young either...Not that he is old by any means but at his age, you would figure he pretty much is what he is.

Again, play Pie vs righties...Let him get about 25-30% of his at bats vs lefties and spell Jones some.

Reimold plays LF against more lefties and when Pie is in CF...Also, it would be smart to give Markakis more rest, either at DH or a real day off and if that happens, Reimold can play RF...Reimold Dhs the rest of the time.

I would think that ends up getting him 200ish at bats in the OF and the rest at DH and that assumes health.

This is such a simple scenario, I have no idea why people are making this so much more difficult than it needs to be.

I'd start out with this type of scenario, with maybe Pie playing just a bit less, being on the bench a time or two a week.

If things go as most of us hope (Pie hits well enough to hold down a lineup spot, Jones' defense in CF is good) then that's the alignment going forward. If Pie struggles a bit, then his PT gets reduced and Reimold takes more of the time in LF.

I think its important to find out what we have in both Pie and Reimold, because we aren't sure. The big questions obviously are can Pie hit well enough and can Reimold field well enough? I'd do what I can to find enough at bats for Pie to figure that part out while also finding enough innings defensively for Reimold to get a better indication of that part.

[Sports Guy]

Agree with you wholeheartedly, but you are leaving Scott out of the equation. He will more than likely be here, and he will be the DH. O's management seems convinced that he can't be a first baseman.

He plays first.

[Frobby]

Plus, who thinks AJ is gonna play 162 games in CF? Not me...

I haven't drawn any grand conclusions merely because AJ has had a couple of injuries early on in his career. I hope, though, that his training this winter has included some stretching and flexibility work so he won't have a nagging hamstring issue like he did last season.