67 replies to this topic

[LanceRinker]

http://baltimorespor...-garrett-jones/

[Icterus galbula]

I would prefer that a potential acquisition could hit lefties better than either of these two do, but Morales would get my nod over Jones.

[BSLMikeLowe]

C) None of the above.

[BobPhelan]

Morales by a mile.

[RichardZ]

Depends what you have to give up to get either of them. I prefer to stay with what we have and go with Davis at 1B and Reimold at DH.

[Russ]

If the price is equal, I want Morales. Reimold in LF, Davis at 1st and Morales DH seems a decent third of a lineup to me. I like McLouth but I don't want him playing every day. Injuries have a way of forcing your hand though.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Morales is only 29 and put up a .924 OPS a few years ago -- I'd take him over Garrett Jones or any of our in-house options.

I wonder how much LAA would be asking? It seems to me that they can't keep both Trumbo and Morales on the team as a full-time player following the Hamilton signing.

[Mackus]

Morales is only 29 and put up a .924 OPS a few years ago -- I'd take him over Garrett Jones or any of our in-house options.

I wonder how much LAA would be asking? It seems to me that they can't keep both Trumbo and Morales on the team as a full-time player following the Hamilton signing.

Agree completely. Morales over Jones in a landslide. I also think he'd be cheaper to acquire. Shouldn't be much more than a MR or so for him, maybe someone like Patton?

He's my top DH/1B target, right now. I'd prefer him to any of the guys we've mentioned as possibilities when factoring likelihood of producing, cost to acquire, salary, and contract status (him only having a year left of control is the only knock on him).

[Pedro Cerrano]

Sign me up for Patton for Morales every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

[SportsGuy]

Garrett Jones shouldnt even be on the radar IMO.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Sign me up for Patton for Morales every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Yeah, I'd be pleased with that. I mistakenly had in my head that Morales was a LH bat, and not a Switch hitter.
Morales has a .701 career OPS vs. LHP (368 ab's), .858 OPS vs RHP (1,252 ab's).

You could put him at DH, keep Davis at 1st, and have Betemit on the bench. Would add further depth to the lineup.

[RichardZ]

Yeah, I'd be pleased with that. I mistakenly had in my head that Morales was a LH bat, and not a Switch hitter.
Morales has a .701 career OPS vs. LHP (368 ab's), .858 OPS vs RHP (1,252 ab's).

You could put him at DH, keep Davis at 1st, and have Betemit on the bench. Would add further depth to the lineup.

Again, you relegate Betemit and Reimold to smal roles. Morales is pretty much restricted to DH. He still wasn't moving around well last year. He'll probably never be 100% again and he wasn't known for defense before the injury. I'd much rather take my chances with Reimold at DH or Betemit at DH with a platoon partner.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Interesting you write off Morales as an injury risk yet are fine with Reimold there, who is just as big a risk, or Betemit who doesn't have nearly Morales' upside.

[RichardZ]

Interesting you write off Morales as an injury risk yet are fine with Reimold there, who is just as big a risk, or Betemit who doesn't have nearly Morales' upside.

I didn't write off Morales as an inury risk. I said he still wasn't 100% back from his injury even after 2 years of recovery and might never be the same.


I'm ok with Reimold there if he is healthy and hits like he did last April. If not, you have Betemeit as a capable LH bat with someone to platoon with him.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Who platoons with Betemit if/when Reimold gets hurt? Morales is less of an injury risk than Reimold IMO and, if both have full seasons (big "if") I'd expect Morales to post better numbers.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Again, you relegate Betemit and Reimold to smal roles. Morales is pretty much restricted to DH. He still wasn't moving around well last year. He'll probably never be 100% again and he wasn't known for defense before the injury. I'd much rather take my chances with Reimold at DH or Betemit at DH with a platoon partner.

Certainly true on both accounts. I don't think it is a necessity that the O's add another bat right now. I agree that a FT DH would restrict the lineup.

That said, if I can get a bat the caliber of Morales for Patton, I think it is worth it.

Pedro, if/when Reimold gets hurt, Pearce or Valencia would be the other existing platoon options as the RH DH.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Yea, gimme full time Morales over Reimold/Pearce/Valencia with Betemit.

[RichardZ]

What caliber bat is Morales? He had a great season in 2009. He had a .833 OPS before he got hurt in 2010, missed the rest of the season, and all of the 2011 season. He played a full season last year and put up a .783 OPS. He might put up a .900 OPS again. Not a bad gamble for some team that needs a DH. The Orioles don't need a DH. I think Reimold is just as good a risk and we already have him. Betemit is a proven mid 800's bat from the left side. Who platoons with Betemit? It could be Reimold. It could be Valencia. Morales could put up a .850 or better OPS. I don't think he's a good bet to do it though.

[SportsGuy]

What caliber bat is Morales? He had a great season in 2009. He had a .833 OPS before he got hurt in 2010, missed the rest of the season, and all of the 2011 season. He played a full season last year and put up a .783 OPS. He might put up a .900 OPS again. Not a bad gamble for some team that needs a DH. The Orioles don't need a DH. I think Reimold is just as good a risk and we already have him. Betemit is a proven mid 800's bat from the left side. Who platoons with Betemit? It could be Reimold. It could be Valencia. Morales could put up a .850 or better OPS. I don't think he's a good bet to do it though.

Morales is clearly more of a sure thing than Reimold.

HOWEVER, I would agree that if both played the same amount of time, that I would expect Reimold to put up the same or better offensive stats.

[Mackus]

What caliber bat is Morales? He had a great season in 2009. He had a .833 OPS before he got hurt in 2010, missed the rest of the season, and all of the 2011 season. He played a full season last year and put up a .783 OPS. He might put up a .900 OPS again. Not a bad gamble for some team that needs a DH. The Orioles don't need a DH. I think Reimold is just as good a risk and we already have him. Betemit is a proven mid 800's bat from the left side. Who platoons with Betemit? It could be Reimold. It could be Valencia. Morales could put up a .850 or better OPS. I don't think he's a good bet to do it though.

Reimold platoons with McLouth in LF. If you go with Betemit as plan A at DH, then it's gonna be Valencia, as Pearce is redundant with Reimold and wouldn't get the spot.

I like Morales and think his upside is high. He finished the year strong in August and September after being just so-so up until that point. I'm hopeful that another year removed from the injury that perhaps he can hit more like he finished for a good portion of the year. He's also been very highly regarded defensively at 1B in his career, both by scouts and stats, so if he can handle it physically, he could be your 1B and Davis your DH, if you think Davis may struggle there like we've seen from him previously.

If you don't like Morales, that's fine, but I just think it's a bad idea to go into the year with Betemit and a weaker platoon partner on the roster as Plan A for DH. Having platoons at both LF and DH could limit the roster flexibility a bit and eliminates any form of depth in case something doesn't work out. I think one of 1B, DH, or LF will end up being a real weakness if we only go into the season with McLouth, Davis, Betemit, Reimold, and Valencia available for those positions.