Really...how much more time is Atkins going to get???

[NewMarketSean]

He's probably waiting to see if/when Roberts is ready. If he is, then Wiggi goes to 1B and Atkins is released. Maybe they pick up a LH 1B bat to platoon occasionally with Wigg, if Hughes or Aubrey won't doi. Or if BRob is not ready then they go out and pick up a more long term 1B bat. Like maybe Kila, Alonso, or even Konerko or Berkman. Teams probably aren't ready yet to move those kind of players.

Hughes and Aubrey are available now...they can be called up any time.

[DrungoHazewood]

Hughes and Aubrey are available now...they can be called up any time.

You mean the same Hughes who, after his first little 3-game hitting streak, went 5-for-34 with a .393 OPS? As bad as Atkins is, Hughes (incredibly) was hitting worse.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Another 0-4.

What is Andy doing?

He actually hit a couple of balls hard, though, and just missed a HR that had plenty of distance but was foul by a couple of feet. It's probably just wishful thinking, but maybe he's coming around.

[markdublya]

Aubrey smells blood in the water, OPS up to .835 in a pitcher's park half the time.

[El Gordo]

Hughes and Aubrey are available now...they can be called up any time.

I don't consider either to be much of an upgrade on their own. I was thinking Aubrey to platoon with Wiggi when Roberts comes back. I'm pretty sure we'll see Abrey in DC this weekend.

[LA2]

You mean the same Hughes who, after his first little 3-game hitting streak, went 5-for-34 with a .393 OPS? As bad as Atkins is, Hughes (incredibly) was hitting worse.

I agree that Hughes had to be sent back down, but please note that he had only one less walk and two less RBIs than Atkins in 63 less ABs! I say give him Garrett about 200-250 total ABs max.--and be preparing a decent substitute in the meantime.

[bluedog]

The problem with that is you don't have anyone who can play shortstop. I don't know about you, but this is already a team that's fielding a few sub-par defenders like Wigginton and Atkins. I'm not ready to give Izturis 9 innings a day every day at short because there's no backup.

Not only that, but your only second basemen would also both be poor defensively.

It's been nearly two months and I haven't seen anything from Atkins that makes me think he'll ever be a major league player again. He's literally hitting like Luis Hernandez - his 2010 OPS is .020 points higher than the career mark of our gold standard for offensive futility. And in the field and on the bases he's been completely unremarkable.

I would actually like to see some video of Atkins in 2006, but I can't even imagine him as an offensive force.

I'm not thrilled by the other options, but there's just no excuse for having a sub-replacement first baseman who does nothing well. Aubrey can field - that by itself is an improvement. A Dan Johnson type could at least put up a .250/.310/.425 line, which would be a massive improvement.

Move Izturis to the bench, Wiggy to 3b, Tejada to SS and bring up Aubrey for 1b when Roberts comes back. When the O's get a late lead, put in Izzy at short to provide late inning defense. That's what I'd like to see as it improves the offense, provides a base stealer off the bench and allows us to jettison Lugo who's dead weight except for his ability to play SS.

I realize Miggy at SS is a major downgrade defensively, but in an imperfect world, you get imperfect solutions. Right now we need more offense than Izturis provides and his glove isn't worth a near automatic out given how much the O's are struggling to score runs.

[El Gordo]

Move Izturis to the bench, Wiggy to 3b, Tejada to SS and bring up Aubrey for 1b when Roberts comes back. When the O's get a late lead, put in Izzy at short to provide late inning defense. That's what I'd like to see as it improves the offense, provides a base stealer off the bench and allows us to jettison Lugo who's dead weight except for his ability to play SS.

I realize Miggy at SS is a major downgrade defensively, but in an imperfect world, you get imperfect solutions. Right now we need more offense than Izturis provides and his glove isn't worth a near automatic out given how much the O's are struggling to score runs.

Not only is Miggi at SS a major downgrade. Wiggi at 3B is too. He is much worse at 3B than he is at 2B, and Miggi is currently among the best defenders at 3B according to the FB. If you want more offense go get a bat at 1B. Or find a better bat than Lugo' for 2B.

[NewMarketSean]

You mean the same Hughes who, after his first little 3-game hitting streak, went 5-for-34 with a .393 OPS? As bad as Atkins is, Hughes (incredibly) was hitting worse.

Small sample size.

If Hughes was given 115 AB's at the rate Atkins has, I would bet anything that he'd have a higher OPS than Atkins.

[Mackus]

Are people more concerned about simply upgrading over what we have right now or with upgrading to something that is borderline respectable?

A Wigginton/Tejada/Lugo/Scott infield from left to right would be an overall upgrade over Tejada/Izturis/Wigginton/Atkins, IMO. However, its not really respectable, as it would possibly be the single worst defensive infield ever assembled.

Similarly, Aubrey or maybe even Hughes over Atkins at 1B right now would be an upgrade over what we're getting, but still not really acceptable.

I think in the short term, and that means a matter of weeks to a month tops, going with short term upgrades but still unacceptable long term answers is fine. But that still doesn't really get us anywhere. It will satisfy an immediate thirst for some blood, and then a month from now, we'll be in almost exactly the same spot. I'm not trying to say that we shouldn't make some of those short term upgrades, just that we need to be looking for more realistic improvements we can make as well, as opposed to just scotch taping some used band-aids on.

[Roll Tide]

They need to dump Atkins & put Wiggington at 1B. Then put Lugo at 2B & if they play him everyday I think he will hit. Add either of the guys (Aubrey/Hughes) to alternate with Scott when he cools off.

[ChaosLex]

I'd like to see Aubrey, if only because I'd like an Orioles 1B to hit one HR this season.

[Mackus]

I'd like to see Aubrey, if only because I'd like an Orioles 1B to hit one HR this season.

Yeah, I think if he was given the remainder of the season that Aubrey could muscle out that one HR at some point.

[NewMarketSean]

Are people more concerned about simply upgrading over what we have right now or with upgrading to something that is borderline respectable?

No reason whatsoever we can't make the quick upgrade now (Aubrey) until Wiggy moves to 1B, and then still try to upgrade more and for the long term by trading for Kila or some other blocked 1B prospect.

Basically, anything is better than allowing Atkins to go out there every night and flail away horribly at the plate and not even be that good defensively.

[ChaosLex]

Yeah, I think if he was given the remainder of the season that Aubrey could muscle out that one HR at some point.

He hit one the other day.