I Have No Idea Why My Other Vlad Thread Was Closed But Here HE IS AGAIN!

[Old#5fan]

Anyone who says he has lost bat speed and cannot get around on an outside fastball is flat out wrong. He just crushed a homer off Matusz and his bat speed is still amazing. If AM had signed him and he was planted in the middle of our order it is mind boggling how much better our younger hitters like Jones and Wieters or even Markakis might be without all the pressure on their shoulders. I was a huge proponent of getting him as were a few others here, and what do we get? Garrett Outkins - no homer man.

[Roll Tide]

Anyone who says he has lost bat speed and cannot get around on an outside fastball is flat out wrong. He just crushed a homer off Matusz and his bat speed is still amazing. If AM had signed him and he was planted in the middle of our order it is mind boggling how much better our younger hitters like Jones and Wieters or even Markakis might be without all the pressure on their shoulders. I was a huge proponent of getting him as were a few others here, and what do we get? Garrett Outkins - no homer man.

The Orioles should have added a Holiday/ Tex type guy (maybe 2) if for no other reason than to take the pressure off the young guys.

[Boy Howdy]

I love Vladdy (except when he plays against the Orioles), and wanted him to come here badly in 2004. He wasn't interested, and though I was confident he'd rebound this year, he wasn't a fit for the Orioles.

If it's possible for an 8-time All-Star and former MVP to be underrated, he's your guy. Magnificent, unorthodox hitter that I've enjoyed watching since the days of Les Expos.

Love his most similar by age comps on Baseball Reference. From 23-34:

Willie Mays (948) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Manny Ramirez (945) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Willie Mays (939) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Willie Mays (939) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Willie Mays (942) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Manny Ramirez (937) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Willie Mays (928) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Manny Ramirez (920) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Manny Ramirez (914) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Duke Snider (902) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Duke Snider (882) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Duke Snider (879) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

[Old#5fan]

I love Vladdy (except when he plays against the Orioles), and wanted him to come here badly in 2004. He wasn't interested, and though I was confident he'd rebound this year, he wasn't a fit for the Orioles.

If it's possible for an 8-time All-Star and former MVP to be underrated, he's your guy. Magnificent, unorthodox hitter that I've enjoyed watching since the days of Les Expos.

Love his most similar by age comps on Baseball Reference. From 23-34:

Willie Mays (948) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Manny Ramirez (945) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Willie Mays (939) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Willie Mays (939) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Willie Mays (942) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Manny Ramirez (937) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Willie Mays (928) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Manny Ramirez (920) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Manny Ramirez (914) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Duke Snider (902) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Duke Snider (882) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Duke Snider (879) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C

Unlike the over-the-hill Sammy Sosa he would have brought the big bat needed to this team at least for a year or two. Instead we throw good money at Garrett Outkins.

[Crazysilver03]

Unlike the over-the-hill Sammy Sosa he would have brought the big bat needed to this team at least for a year or two. Instead we throw good money at Garrett Outkins.

You do realize that Sosa was in 2005 and Atkins is in 2010.

Also, where would you have had Vlad play in 2010? Our OF was set with Pie/Reimold, Jones, and Markakis, and DH with Scott.

[Old#5fan]

You do realize that Sosa was in 2005 and Atkins is in 2010.

Also, where would you have had Vlad play in 2010? Our OF was set with Pie/Reimold, Jones, and Markakis, and DH with Scott.

You find room for a HOF stick like Vlad, plopped down in the cleanup spot. Scott could play LF or First like he does now sometimes (like tonight).

[Crazysilver03]

You find room for a HOF stick like Vlad, plopped down in the cleanup spot. Scott could play LF or First like he does now sometimes (like tonight).

So you would bring in an aging vet, even though he is still good, to take at-bats away from a young player that will be a core of a winning Orioles team, if that does indeed ever happen again.

[Sports Guy]

So you would bring in an aging vet, even though he is still good, to take at-bats away from a young player that will be a core of a winning Orioles team, if that does indeed ever happen again.

You mean like AM did with Atkins?

[Crazysilver03]

You mean like AM did with Atkins?

Who did Atkins block at 1B?

[Old#5fan]

So you would bring in an aging vet, even though he is still good, to take at-bats away from a young player that will be a core of a winning Orioles team, if that does indeed ever happen again.

I guess that is one way to see it but I see it as bringing in an aging HOF slugger who still strikes fear in the heart of any opposing pitcher who might give some confidence to some of our young struggling hitters like Jones, Wieters, Reimold, etc., and even take a lot of pressure off of, and reduce the pitching around Markakis and Tejada.

BTW he has hit SEVEN homers this month!

[Sports Guy]

Who did Atkins block at 1B?

Who would Scott have blocked at first?

[Crazysilver03]

I guess that is one way to see it but I see it as bringing in an aging HOF slugger who still strikes fear in the heart of any opposing pitcher who might give some confidence to some of our young struggling hitters like Jones, Wieters, Reimold, etc., and even take a lot of pressure off of, and reduce the pitching around Markakis and Tejada.

BTW he has hit SEVEN homers this month!

So has Scott.

BTW...Wigginton is at 6 HR.

[Boy Howdy]

Guerrero rookie card

[Crazysilver03]

Who would Scott have blocked at first?

True. Yet another reason why Atkins was a bad signing.

[Sports Guy]

True. Yet another reason why Atkins was a bad signing.

It really can't be said enough, can it?

I mean, I know we are beating a horse that has been dead so long that it is a skeleton at this point but that Atkins signing was a terrible signing in basically every way imaginable.

Now, I do not think Vlad would have signed here and oldfan needs to take that into consideration but signing him for DH and putting Scott at first was still a much better option.