303 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

MASN / Melewski: http://www.masnsport...left-field.html

I agree with Melewski that those comments from Showalter are a pretty good indication of what the O's are currently thinking about Reimold. You have to think either at LF or DH, Reimold has the chance to play everyday next year.

Reimold is a personal favorite. He plays the game correctly. He runs out every ball, I love his combination of power and plate discipline. He has good athleticism. He’s had 741 Major League at-bats, and has had 33 doubles, 31 homers, 87 bb’s, 160 k’s, with a .779 OPS in that time frame. His career splits against LHP and RHP are similar.

We know that as promising as his ’09 season was, his ’10 season was a wash. I’ve written previously that even though he doesn’t have good instincts in LF, that the defensive metrics showing him to be an absolute butcher were not telling the full-story. He was playing with a torn Achilles in ’09, and unable to cut after the surgery in ’10. In ’11, his UZR/150 was positive. Showalter was quoted towards the end of the season as saying he thought Reimold was playing as well defensively as Pie in LF.

Still, no matter how much I like the positives about Reimold’s game – the opposing argument is still there. Reimold turned 28 in October, and as mentioned above, has had just those 741 Major League ab’s. What the O’s have remains a bit of mystery. If the O’s want to definitively improve in ’12, they need to limit how many mysteries they enter the season with.

I'm comfortable with him getting a chance to play everyday. In fact I am excited to see what he can do over an entire season. Are you?

[mweb08]

I'm also good with him getting consistent playing time. I never saw the point in adding someone like Willingham or Cuddyer to take his AB's. Sure guys like that are proven, but they're proven to be nothing special and not above Reimold's talent level, so why not go with the cheap guy and see what you have in a year where they won't be making the playoffs?

[hank scorpio]

You're all nuts

Everyone knows I'm driving the Reimold bandwagon, so I'll kinda just leave it at that.

[ESHJjaksClayton]

Is it just me or is there a weird phenomena regarding Nolan Reimold and how he is perceived by O's fans? Is this the same as the backup QB situation in struggling NFL cities? Just curious as to where everyone else stands on the issue.

I'll admit, I have my favorites and they are not based on performance in any way. Robert Andino for instance I love based on a totally irrational and made up persona I have created for him that is not only not correlated to his on field performance but is completely fictional in every way (for insight to this ridiculous fact see my latest blog "post" http://wp.me/pxAPp-AT )

Is this the same as seemingly everyone else's love affair with Reimold or am I overlooking something that took place in the battle of Reimold v Luke Scott that should have swayed my rational opinion in the direction or Nolan?

[Luke Jackson]

Fans who love Nolan Reimold, like me, think he's a good hitter -- certainly a good enough hitter to be a serviceable corner outfielder, maybe even more than serviceable. We think he got a raw break in 2010 because a brutal Achilles injury and (apparently) some personal issues that the Orioles seem to have done a good job keeping in-house. However, the real problem was the terribly misguided Vlad Guerrero signing which meant that Reimold -- a younger, cheaper, better hitter than Vlad -- was criminally under-utilized. It's more of a commentary of the Orioles' mismanagement of Reimold than Reimold himself, I think. And I think fans fear that a younger player will get the shaft in the future similar to how Reimold has.

Oh and Reimold can actually take a walk too

[ESHJjaksClayton]

There is no arguing the disaster of signing Vlad, which I was against from the start (as were most here I am assuming) but NR love is more associated with Luke Scott hate in my opinion than that of Vlad. Which makes no sense because any positives you could say about Nolan are the poor mans version of the same attributes of Luke Scott.

[Can_of_corn]

I think there are a number of factors
1-He came up through the system.
2-He is an underdog to some fans since they think he has not gotten a fair shake from the O's (Pie and Vlad for example).
3-Boy he sure looks like a ballplayer should look.
4-The stat guys love his patient approach


5- He hustles

It is so much easier to root for a guy that is tearing it down the first base line every time.

I don't think it has anything to do with Scott at all. Scott has never been the one keeping Reimold off the MLB roster.

[BSLChrisStoner]

I certainly have a bit of a blind spot for Reimold. Can of Corn did a good job hitting my main thoughts.

[BSLChrisStoner]

PressBox: Showalter Rooting for Reimold in LF
http://www.pressboxo...log.cfm?id=4397

[Can_of_corn]

PressBox: Showalter Rooting for Reimold in LF
http://www.pressboxo...log.cfm?id=4397

And if the O's somehow luck into Cepedes Boom! There goes Nolan's left field gig.

I can't give any credence to offseason comments of that sort.

[BSLChrisStoner]

PressBox: Showalter Rooting for Reimold in LF
http://www.pressboxo...log.cfm?id=4397

And if the O's somehow luck into Cepedes Boom! There goes Nolan's left field gig.

I can't give any credence to offseason comments of that sort.

True, but everyday ab's would still be available at DH. If Jones was later traded, Cespedes could wind-up in CF, with LF again being available for Reimold.

[Can_of_corn]

I was more making a statement about the meaninglessness of the offseason chatter. Of course Buck is going to say that about Nolan with the current roster, of course Jones is going to say he is willing to entertain signing an extension. Of course DD is going to say .500 baseball is the goal.

[NCRaven]

I think that Cespedes will be paid far more, on pure speculation, than he is likely to earn and would prefer Reimold get his shot if it comes to that. My preference would be to sign Soler and plant him in DelMarva or Frederick. All of our outfield prospects are huge question marks, in my opinion and adding high ceiling player would be big for our system.

I think Can of Corn hits the nail on the head with his reasons Reimold remains popular despite limited productivity. I really hope he gets a legitimate shot this year. At least then, we'll know. He could be another late bloomer ala Luke Scott.

[BSLChrisStoner]

If Reimold gets a full-season of ab's this year, do you go over/under on a .750 OPS, and 20 homers?

[Slappy]

If Reimold gets a full-season of ab's this year, do you go over/under on a .750 OPS, and 20 homers?

Over. A full season should equal about 600 PA. At his career ML ratios, that works out to a .776 with 22 HR. That includes his horrific 2010. Some reason to think that, at 28 with regular playing time, he might do even better. His upside is probably .800-ish with 25-30 HR.

[BSLChrisStoner]

If Reimold gets a full-season of ab's this year, do you go over/under on a .750 OPS, and 20 homers?

Over. A full season should equal about 600 PA. At his career ML ratios, that works out to a .776 with 22 HR. That includes his horrific 2010. Some reason to think that, at 28 with regular playing time, he might do even better. His upside is probably .800-ish with 25-30 HR.

I would take the over as well. If Reimold and Davis are not black-holes, and provide the offense they seem capable of; the offense as a whole should be pretty solid.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Baltimore Sun: http://www.baltimore...0,5071505.story

Obviously Reimold is the projected starter in LF. I find it slightly odd that Showalter does not want to officially say that. "I've got a pretty good idea of what I'm doing with him," Showalter said, "but I don't want to go there yet, and even with him yet. I think at some point that he would benefit by knowing, but I just don't think we're there yet. He seems to be functioning very well with the mindset he's got. He seems comfortable. There's a different look to him this spring, too."

If there is a different look to Reimold this Spring, it is because he knows he has an everyday job lined-up. Reimold knows he will have to produce to continue those everyday ab's, but it is a charade at best to pretend Miller or Chavez or going to compete with Reimold for the job in left.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Camden Crazies:http://www.camdencra...lli-chavez.html

Nolan Reimold (LF):

500 PA, .253/.340/.431, -4 fielding, 1.4 Wins Above Replacement

"It'll be interesting to see what Reimold can do if he gets a full healthy season to play. At 28 years old already, there isn't a lot of time left in what should be his prime years to establish himself as a starter in the big leagues. I'm assuming he'll be the team's primary left-fielder, though Chavez will steal some starts."

[FlavaDave10]

Reimold was actually about as productive as he was in 2009 in 2011. The only huge difference was a very low BABIP (.264) in 2011. Hopefully Chavez doesn't steal starts from him because:

A.) If you look at Reimold's splits in 2009 and in the minors, he's not terrible against lefties. He's just better against righties. Sometimes people read too much into stats and just have to look at a player's past. Yes, Reimold was horrible against lefties in 2011. However, before 2011, he was very respectable against lefties. You have to assume that Reimold, given more at bats against lefties, will go back to something resembling those previous numbers.

B.) Chavez isn't going to scare any lefties either, and he has no power to speak of against them. Reimold did do one thing well against lefties in 2011 (and in years before) and that's hit for power against them.

If the Orioles didn't sign Vlad last year, the Orioles could have a better idea of whether or not Reimold is a keeper. I think he is, but the Orioles need to give him consistent playing time (i.e. full season) and see what happens. Hopefully Reimold stays healthy.

[BSLChrisStoner]

MLB.com / Ghiroli: http://baltimore.ori...ws_bal&c_id=bal

Update on Reimold.