Worst-Case Orioles Scenarios
Two bits of troubling news came across the wire today. First, the revelation that Brian Roberts is headed back to Baltimore for another look at his wonky back. Then, Britt Ghiroli’s report that Nolan Reimold‘s running doesn’t look good (coupled, naturally, with word from the team that it’s no big deal).
I wouldn’t say I’m worried. Getting there with Roberts maybe, but the sky’s not falling. I’m likewise not too concerned about the woeful spring training record or the fact that some guys (Millwood in particular) haven’t rounded into form yet.
I’ll cop to this much, though: the prospect of opening the season without Reimold and/or Roberts available is scary.
Among position players there’s probably no single man less expendable than Roberts. He’s the anchor in more than one way. Reimold is a critical part of the “take the next step” plan, and even those of you on Team Pie must grant that we need his bat.
The O’s open the season with nine straight games against division opponents (Tampa Bay and Toronto) and follow it up with a long road trip to Oakland, Seattle, and Boston. When they finally get back home, the Yankees await. Then Boston again. Then another road trip…to New York.
It’s a brutal first month. The margin for error is roughly zero, and I shudder to think of how it’ll play out if two of the players we’re counting on miss all or most of it. That, my friends, could be ugly.
No need to freak out just yet, but for the first time I’m starting to wonder.
Sure, the losses of Roberts and Reimold are bad news, but 1) it’s temporary and 2) we have depth. I really feel strongly that Pie and Scott can fill the hole left by Reimold, and I don’t feel that even the internal options at 2nd (Turner, Wiggy) are the end of the world. It’s not like those guys don’t know how to play baseball, they just don’t do it as well. We’ll be fine, whatever happens. In MacPhail I trust.
@Greg – You’re probably right that Scott and Pie could fill the hole if Reimold misses time. I think Nolan’s the best of the three, but we could survive. I can’t, though, sign on to the idea that Turner and Wigginton could adequately replace Roberts. Those guys aren’t even close to capable of doing what Roberts does, particularly at the leadoff spot.
Like I said, though, I’m not freaking out. My gut tells me that both Roberts and Reimold will be available. Maybe they get more days off early, but I think they’ll be there. I’m only trying to be realistic in acknowledging the possibility that they miss time. If that happens, it could be bad.
It’s funny because I was just telling my Yankee-loving girlfriend that I was glad that if someone HAD to get hurt, that it was Roberts.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m terribly worried that our leadoff hitter, in the first year of an iffy contract extension, suddenly has a bad back (a notoriously chronic injury which completely derailed Joe Crede’s once-promising career). But everyone keeps insisting that it isn’t too big of a deal and he should recover just fine, and I’m cautiously optimistic that that will happen.
What I do mean though is that this is still a rebuilding and development year, and Roberts is one of our few players either in his prime or just past it, so him losing time doesn’t hurt his – or the team’s – development. I’d be A LOT more upset if we were talking about: Jones, Markakis, Pie, Reimold, Wieters, Matusz, Tillman, or even Josh Bell.
Of course, though, we ARE talking about Nolan Reimold who is sounding more and more like either an early season DL trip or extended DH duties. Which raises the obvious question (because, yes, I’m the co-captain of Team Pie and I’m totally against a scenario where Reimold’s bat isn’t in the lineup – especially if Roberts’ isn’t in there), of what do you do if Reimold HAS to DH?
It seems obvious that you put Pie in left, but then what do you do with Scott, who had the most total offensive contribution last year? First base? Rotating into left on a cycle with Pie and Jones? Do you just sit him?
As bad as the Orioles’ on-field results have been in Grapefruit play, the Nats are still worse: 0-10. God bless ‘em.
Opportunity for Lou Montanez perhaps if Reimold misses time? Probably not though. I’m not even sure how is doing this spring.
I’d say you start with LUUUUUUUUUUUKE at DH. It’s called “designated hitter” for a reason. Scott was streaky with the bat but his fielding isn’t that good and he’s not that fast. I may be wrong but Pie wasn’t that great with his bat last year.
Who do you think gets the 2B job if Roberts is out? Justin Turner? Robert Andino?
What with MacPhail endorsing Wigginton, I’d say it’s Wigginton. But Turner is playing his ass off and I don’t see why he can’t win the utility job over Andino. Andino is out of options and plays SS, so he’s got that going for him, but it looks like Turner might be a nice little baseball player.
Steve Johnson is back, yay.