How much leeway will we give Atkins?

[Sports Guy]

Looks like Atkins is the whipping boy this year.

And all this before one ST at-bat.:laughlol:

Its really not fair to atkins...He just signed the deal...AM is the one at fault here.

[Sports Guy]

I actually won't mind that much if he's just "below average". I'm very worried that he'll be equally as bad as Huff ended up being last year, which obviously goes way past "below average" and into the "worst 1B in the sport" territory.

But below average keeps his bat in the lineup...Which in turn helps keep Pie's bat out of the lineup.

[Dr. FLK]

Honestly, I don't think it matters one bit. He's "the guy" until Bell is ready. They took a risk hoping he would bounce back, and we'll just have to hope he does. But, they (better) not rush Bell if Atkins struggles. Bell will be here when he's ready regardless of Atkins's performance.

[NCRaven]

He has had far more than just ONE bad year.

RZNJ explained, but you really need to reconsider how you look at statistics if you think that he has been just a fine player for a 1B away from Coors field for all but last year.

I think that the points about Atkins steady decline over the last four seasons have merit and are worrisome. But, on his home-away splits, I seem to remember MacPhail saying that the FO had done a lot of research on the Coors Field affect on player performance on the road. In effect, while it enhanced their performance at home, most Rockies players suffered a negative effect on the road, not just Atkins. Reminds me of the Kansas City Royals of the 70's. They were built for speed and their home Astroturf field and excelled at home. But, they were a lesser team on the road.

Having said all of that, while expect a bit of a bounce from Atkins, I don't think it will make anyone think, "hey, maybe this guy has a future here."

[NCRaven]

Honestly, I don't think it matters one bit. He's "the guy" until Bell is ready. They took a risk hoping he would bounce back, and we'll just have to hope he does. But, they (better) not rush Bell if Atkins struggles. Bell will be here when he's ready regardless of Atkins's performance.

Do you mean Bell (3B) or Snyder (1B)?

[TyCobb]

I believe Drungo showed Atkins park neutral stats and even in atkins big years in the NL, he still would have been a below average first baseman when taking him out of Coors.

AM has stated that his people believe that Coors gives an inflated HOME split and a deflated AWAY split (I agree with AM). Neutral stats only take away the inflation. It will still keep the deflation in the away numbers.

It should be noted that the Atkins only had 1 great year and 1 good year as a hitter.

Year..wRC

2005 - 73.8

2006 - 133.9

2007 - 105.6

2008 - 84.9

Lance Berkman ranked 15th in wRC for 1B with 94.2 last season. So it takes quiet a lot for a 1B to be an average hitter compared to their Peers.

I am very interested in how Atkins looks at the plate.

[RHall31]

I think they keep Atkins at first until there is a significant upgrade available.

No way we see Snyder before the all star break, even if he is tearing it up.

Trembley has already said you can't just move an outfielder to first base and

expect it to work. So that shoots down the Scott/Reimold theories. If they thought Wigginton could play first full time, they wouldn't have made the Atkins/Miggy move to begin with.

The question I have is what if both Atkins and Snyder are just having "meh"

years? Will they look to trade?

[TyCobb]

But below average keeps his bat in the lineup...Which in turn helps keep Pie's bat out of the lineup.

That's wrong because Scott isn't going to be a 1B for the O's. AM said himself if he couldn't sign Atkins he would look for another FA 1B to sign.

[Dr. FLK]

Do you mean Bell (3B) or Snyder (1B)?

Oops. I meant Snyder. I didn't mean to move Miggy (or Bell) to 1B. My mistake.

[larrytt]

People are making this more complicated than it is, and putting way too much into the idea of how long we let Aktins go on if he doesn't hit, etc. It's actually very simple. He's a stopgap getting a chance to rejuvenate his career. It's his position until one of our minor leaguers (Snyder or Bell, maybe Aubrey?) is ready to claim it, at which point he's out unless he's won the position with his performance. (In which case the O's are in the uncomfortable but good situation of having two good first basemen, and have to decide what to do with that.) The only variable is if he does poorly and the minor leaguers aren't ready, then it's possible Wigginton might take over, but that's unlikely. There's also the small chance the O's might sign or trade someone else for first base, but that's unlikely unless the O's are in a pennant race, with Atkins doing poorly and the minor leaguers not ready.

-Larrytt

[Sports Guy]

That's wrong because Scott isn't going to be a 1B for the O's. AM said himself if he couldn't sign Atkins he would look for another FA 1B to sign.

Well, I find it hard to believe that AM and DT are dumb enough to put guys like Wiggy and Aubrey at first everyday if Atkins is hurt or struggles to the point where they bench him.

[byrdz]

Thing is, aside from last season, Atkins is a quick starter. He tears it up in ST and usually starts off the season hot. If he does that this coming season I see the Orioles giving him tons of slack.

[Old#5fan]

Well, I find it hard to believe that AM and DT are dumb enough to put guys like Wiggy and Aubrey at first everyday if Atkins is hurt or struggles to the point where they bench him.

I could see giving Aubrey a shot if Atkins gets hurt. He's better defensively by a mile than Wigginton and probably would hit for a higher average. If they use Wigginton regularly they are just conceding any hopes of improving much this season (IMO).

[Sports Guy]

I could see giving Aubrey a shot if Atkins gets hurt. He's better defensively by a mile than Wigginton and probably would hit for a higher average. If they use Wigginton regularly they are just conceding any hopes of improving much this season (IMO).

Wigginton is a much better hitter than Aubrey...But i would agree that if Wiggy was starting and Aubrey was on the bench, that he would come in for a defensive replacement.

[Dipper9]

That's how long I'm giving him. I want Pie in the lineup. All along, I preferred Pie in LF, Reimold at DH, and Scott at 1B. If Atkins doesn't show much in the spring and doesn't look good in April, I would be platooning him right off the bat. Of course, this won't happen. The O's will waste 2 or 3 months on him. Worst move of the winter by far.

Will you be willing to eat these words if he posts an .800 OPS with power?