Orioles Lineup with Derrek Lee

[LookinUp]

A better analysis is to bring to the O's to "respectability" (as you admit we've done), and THEN we can sign these top players for 2012.

...

There very likely will be a time to break the bank. Check the free agent listing for 2012, including a certain first baseman you covet.

I think you're jumping to conclusions. It makes sense that the O's would (hopefully) get to respectability this year and follow it up with a big signing to put us over the top, but we don't have a ton of reasons to expect our FO will go all out for that big signing.

I guess time will tell.

[crawjo]

You do not comprehend that in going from last place to playoffs, a team has to go through a number of steps, and the O's have done far more of these steps than expected. You just don't see that improving is a process, not an instant jump, no matter how much you want instant gratification. You expect the O's to sign players who don't want to come here and to outbid teams with more money. A better analysis is to bring to the O's to "respectability" (as you admit we've done), and THEN we can sign these top players for 2012.

If all a team has to do to make the playoffs year after year is follow your policy of signing the needed players, all 30 teams would be in the playoffs. But guess what? It doesn't work that way. It's easy to tell them to break the bank for one player, but then we're stuck with that contract, and less money for other contracts and player development. It's easy to ridicule the O's for not signing players when the players do not want to sign with us. But are these attitudes logical?

I too hope the O's can sign another big bat. But I have the common sense to realize that it's up to the big bat to agree to sign with the O's, and they have huge incentive to NOT sign with us. You are angry at the O's management because they are, essentially, in a hundred yard dash with other teams where we spot the other teams ten yards, and of course keep losing. Is it smarter to keep running that hundred yard dash with a handicap and keep losing, or to work to remove the handicap, i.e. make the O's "respectable" so we have an even field?

I'm guessing your answer to remove the handicap is to sign a top player - which is circular reasoning. It's the handicap that keeps us from signing most top players, unless we do indeed break the bank. I think the O's have a better answer - they are rapidly removing that handicap, and soon will have a more level field when it comes to going after free agents.

There very likely will be a time to break the bank. Check the free agent listing for 2012, including a certain first baseman you covet. The moves the O's have made this off season have sweetened the pot for when the time comes to talk to him.

So I'm sorry you are annoyed that you believe people are jumping up and down "like we won the WS." Actually, they are jumping up and down because we just greatly improved the team for 2011, and increased our chances for even more improvement for 2012. Suddenly there is light at the end of this 13-year losing tunnel. Given this improvement, how can any real Orioles fan be annoyed right now?

Take the rest of the year off from your pessimistic postings. (C'mon, it's only a little over six hours!) And if you are still annoyed, seriously consider taking the next year off as well.

More to the point, I'm not at all convinced that the kind of top tier, impact bat that he craves has really been available to the Orioles in the last two years. Teixeira was the last one out there that fit that description. Since then I don't see anybody who has been available and who fills a long-term need. So instead he finds other players (Thome now, somebody else in a week) and pretends they fit the bill when they clearly don't.

[Dagger420]

Here's my projected 2011 Orioles Lineup:

1. Roberts 2nd S

2. Markakis RF L

3. Lee 1st R

4. Scott DH L

5. Reynolds 3rd R

6. Jones CF R

7. Pie LF L

8. Wieters C S

9. Hardy SS R

I would do the same, but Pie last, as he would bring the lineup around almost like a second lead-off guy and Hardy 8 with Wieters 7th.

[Hoo Bird]

I think we open with this:

S Roberts

L Markakis

R Lee

L Scott

R Jones

R Reynolds

S Wieters

L Pie

R Hardy

I think Jones and Reynolds can flip based on who is hitting better at the time.

I like Hardy batting 9th as a righty leading up into Roberts (S) and Markakis (L).

Overall I like th balance of R/L in this lineup. Hopefully the addition of Reynolds, Hardy, and Lee can significantly improve our success against LHP.

[Shopay]

Being able to shift Nick to the 2 spot is huge.

[isestrex]

You are completely delusional if you think the Orioles are now one 40-year-old bat away from being a contender. Thome is almost to the point now of being a part-time player. Last year he was good for all of 340 PA. He's highly unlikely to repeat that 178 OPS+, 3.5 WAR season he put up for the Twins in 2010.

The only way this team competes for a pennant next season is if Wieters and Jones both take major steps forward (and by major I mean All Star level, 900 OPS type seasons), and the pitching rotation stays healthy and outperforms its peripherals, or there is sudden and significant improvement from guys like Arrieta and Tillman.

Yes, thank you. Most people on this board seem to think that we'll be getting the Thome of 2005. He really wasn't very consistent last season.

[theobird]

Being able to shift Nick to the 2 spot is huge.

Exactly right. That is what makes this Lee signing so good for me. He fits into our lineup in the 3 hole perfectly. Markakis is made to hit #2, and he has shown that he is most comfortable hitting there.:beerchug1:

[Orioles Magic]

Let's go ahead and jump the gun, and work out the new O's lineup, assuming we sign Derrek Lee. Assume we have no other major acquisitions. Most of the lineup is pretty much set, though you could choose Reimold over Pie if you want, or put Scott in LF with Reimold at DH, or possibly other variations.

Here's my projected 2011 Orioles Lineup:

1. Roberts 2nd S

2. Markakis RF L

3. Lee 1st R

4. Scott DH L

5. Reynolds 3rd R

6. Jones CF R

7. Pie LF L

8. Wieters C S

9. Hardy SS R

That is a nice, solid line-up. However let's take it up an notch and sign Vlad to DH and shift Luke to LF. If that happens then the O's will be swinging lumber with the best of them this season.

1. Roberts 2nd

2. Markakis RF

3. Lee 1st

4. Vlad DH

5. Scott LF

6. Reynolds 3rd

7. Jones CF

8. Wieters C

9. Hardy SS

= sic line up if healthy

[crowmst3k!]

No anagrams in the OP. Disappointing.

[scOtt]

No anagrams in the OP. Disappointing.

Derrek Lee WITH Orioles Lineup

[scOtt]

And just to post one...

Roberts

Markakis

Lee

Reynolds/Scott platoon

Scott/Reynolds platoon

Jones

Wieters (hoping to perform himself higher)

Reimold (platooned with Pie) or Hardy

Hardy or Pie (platooned with Reimold)

EDIT: To explain... Pie-Reimold platoon. If Pie plays, 8-9 is Hardy, Pie. If Reimold plays it Reimold, Hardy.

And Reimold gets the majority. Plays against plenty of rightys. Pie's ABs come from spelling Jones and the occasional DH starts. Pie doesn't face a leftie pitcher once.

[larrytt]

No anagrams in the OP. Disappointing.

You mean like Derrek Leon Lee (yes, his middle name is Leon) being just an anagram for "Keen Elder Role"?

[BRobinsonfan]

To his credit, Trea doesn't have many people over there.

Fixed that for ya'

[cindyluvsbrady]

I just heard about the Derek Lee signing:):clap3:

Go My Beloved Os!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:2yay-thumb:

BELIEVE

[Mad Mark]

I love how Sly has a bunch of posts in this thread and only one has to do with the topic.

Runs his own website and still has time to derail stuff here. Where does he find the time?

It's cold in his mom's basement. More movement = more heat...but, sadly, no light.