Reimold Bench Tracker

For the past seven games, the Orioles have not started Nolan Reimold in a single game.  I was able to let this benching slide by for a few games, but I will no longer stand by quietly as this stupidity continues.  The "Reimold Bench Tracker" on my twitter account (@guidosgripes) is currently set to 7.  This is representative of the number of games the Orioles have played since Reimold's last start*.

*Pinch-Hitting and late game Defensive Substitutions will NOT reset the counter. 

According to Roch Kutatko, Showalter isn't likely to use Reimold until this weekend's series with the Atlanta Braves.  The Orioles would have you believe that Reimold should only start when the opposing team starts a left-handed pitcher - they could not be more wrong.  See this post by Krem's Sports for further statistical proof that Reimold doesn't just hit well against lefties.  I will continue this tracker each day until Reimold is written into a starting lineup.  I project that Reimold will "play" in the Atlanta Braves series (since they are in the ATL and must use NL-rules), but the Braves are sending out three right-handed starters, so by Oriole/Buck logic, Reimold will not be in the starting lineup for the entire series.

The Orioles are not scheduled to face a left-handed starting pitcher until July 5th.  As O's fans, we can only hope that Buck will wake-up and start Reimold before Independence Day, but if he doesn't, the tracker will have reached a ridiculous 12 games.

Wizards' Draft Opinions with 2011 Projected Lineups

After the NBA Lottery punished the Wizards with the 6th pick, my expectations for a successful draft were lowered significantly.  Being able to select Enes Kanter was my dream scenario for the Wizards pre-lottery.  After witnessing the lottery, I figured that they would end up having to select the worst of my 2nd tier since they had the 6th pick.  My 1st tier was Irving and Williams and my 2nd tier consisted of Kanter, Knight, Vesely, and Valanciunas.  In essence, they did end up selecting the worst of my 2nd tier, but after some careful analysis, I'm not as bummed about the pick as I thought I would be initially.

First off, I thought a Wizards trade up to the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th by way of their 6th/18th pick was a major possibility based what the "sources" were saying leading up to the draft.  These rumors were raising my expectations for the Wizards to draft elite talent.  Come to find out, the teams with the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th pick not only wanted the Wizards' 6th/18th picks but a 1st Round pick in next year's draft as well.  Insanity, quality organizations building for championships ignore this trade and give eye-rolls to the offering team's front office.  Based on that knowledge, my expectations for the Wizards draft was lowered, but ultimately, I was pleased with the overall outcome.

I do tire of Ernie Grunfield's love for tall European players, but it's pretty obvious that Jan Vesely, the Wizards' 1st Round pick (6th Overall), is not your stereotypical, "soft" European player.  He's not afraid of contact, battles constantly on the defense end, and has superior athleticism.  Every player that the Wizards surround John Wall with should have those attributes.  Because of his high basketball IQ and diligent work ethic, Jan Vesely should be a valuable addition to the Wizards' rotation for the foreseeable future (unlike past euro players like Pecherov and Veremeenko).

As for their 2nd pick in the 1st round (18th overall), it was pretty much a no-brainer.  Chris Singleton was the best player left on the board and Wizards really needed a quality wing player.  He plays exceptional defense and much to my surprise, is faster than John Wall in the 3/4 sprint.  No complaints about that pick.  As for their 2nd round pick, Shelvin Mack is a fundamental sound player that also has a high basketball IQ along with a knack for winning games and playing in crunch time.  His minutes will probably be pretty small until later in the season or he may not even play for the Wizards until 2012. 

The Wizards have built a team of defenders that can run with any team in the NBA.  They will be exciting and fun to watch.  I have my doubts about their effectiveness in the half-court game, but I'm going to assume this is why they still have Blatche on the roster.  I'm not the biggest Blatche fan, but he does provide a consistent semi-low post game in the half-court.  Wizards didn't have much else going for them in the half-court in 2010/11 beyond Blatche, some Wall pick-and-rolls, and screens for Nick Young.  Besides resigning Nick Young during free agency, I don't see the Wizards too many other changes to this roster - a few roster fill-ins and another free agent at the most.  With all that being said, here are my projected 1st and 2nd team lineups (post-draft, pre-free agency) for the Wizards come opening night:

1st Team

PG - John Wall
SG - Nick Young
SF - Rashard Lewis
PF - Andray Blatche
C - Javale McGee

2nd Team (in order off the bench)

1.  Jordan Crawford (combo-guard)
2.  Chris Singleton (wing defender)
3.  Trevor Booker (SF/PF banger)
4.  Jan Vesely (energy guy/versatile defender)
5.  Kevin Seraphin (backup big man)
6.  Othyus Jeffers (spot minutes)

Only a little bit of griping today (lack of half-court offense for 2011).  I withheld bashing the Wizards today because I'm genuinely pleased with the decisions made by the front office during the draft - this doesn't happen often.  I would call this draft a success for the Wizards right now, but let's wait until these guys play together before we heap too much praise onto the front office.

2011 O's and 2012 O's: Lineup Differences and Possibilities

Current (Typical) 2011 Orioles Lineup:

1.  Hardy (SS)
2.  Markakis (RF)
3.  Jones (CF)
4.  Guerrero (DH)
5.  Wieters (C)
6.  Lee (1B)
7.  Scott (LF)
8.  Reynolds (3B)
9.  Andino (2B)

As you can probably see, this is not a terrible lineup on paper if you use their 2010 individual statistics.  The problem is a very simple one - the Orioles current lineup is league average in every shape and form.  The proof is in the numbers.  See below for a comparison of the 2011 Orioles lineup to the 2011 American League "League Averages" as of June 23rd, 2011:

As of June 23rd, 2011	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
2011 AL "League Average"	0.254	0.321	0.395	0.717
2011 Orioles	0.259	0.321	0.393	0.714

It's pretty apparent by looking at those numbers that the 2011 Baltimore Orioles lineup is ordinary and league average.  I do not foresee these numbers changing dramatically over the rest of the season either.  The Orioles will probably end 2011 as a league average offensive team.  This would not be frowned upon as much if the Orioles were in the NL West Weak, but the AL bEAST will be their home for the immediate and near future, so league average is not acceptable. 

The Orioles Front Office has a prime opportunity this off-season to create a formidable AL East-type lineup by signing one player: Prince Fielder.  To start, a lot of the expensive dead weight in this lineup (Lee, Vlad, maybe Scott) will no longer be under contract by the start of 2012.  My hope and belief is that Andy McPhail Peter Angelos will use the money from those expiring contracts to make a serious contract offer to Fielder.  I know the idea of the Orioles signing Prince Fielder is not a new one (see articles 1, 2, and 3), but it's the most direct and easy way, in my opinion for the Orioles to compete in 2012.  Here is the possible 2012 lineup with Fielder being the only off-season acquisition:

1.  Hardy (SS) - I know it's going to be difficult for the O's to keep him (going to command 8-12 MM).
2.  Markakis (RF) - His diminished power keeps him in the 2nd spot.  Still a .300 hitter in my opinion.
3.  Jones (CF) - He would see lots of strikes with Fielder behind him.
4.  Fielder (1B) - No comment is really necessary, pure power-hitter that produces runs consistently (1.033 OPS in 2011 - no other Oriole is in his ballpark).
5.  Wieters (C) - Awesome with RISP (frequent opportunities with Fielders' average of 20 IBBs a year in front of him)
6.  Reimold (DH) - High OBP + High SLG = Offensive Production
7.  Reynolds (3B) - Must keep him lower in lineup due to strikeouts (rally-killer).  See Reimold Comment.
8.  Pie (LF) - This could be Luke Scott, but either way, it's a weak position where a Free Agent could help.
9.  Roberts (2B) - I still have faith that he can be productive again (needs to take the rest of 2011 off).

I know this lineup is far from perfect (signing a productive 2B or LFer would push it closer to elite status).  From my perspective, the top of the lineup cannot get much better unless they decide to start spending like the Yanks/Soxs.  But I have serious concerns about the 6-9 spots... 

I'm a major Reimold apologist/supporter, so I'm probably being too generous with his potential as a quality DH/LF.  Any lineup with Reynolds in the 7 spot is okay by me.  Problem is, Reynolds defense (16 errors as of June 23rd) is so atrocious that it cancels out all of the valuable stuff he accomplishes at the plate (.350 OBP and .462 SLG for 2011).  Pie would be servicable as a #8 hitter, but he lacks the power (.302 SLG for 2011) and patience (.252 OBP for 2011) of even an average major league player.  Roberts (or Adams/Andino) is perfectly suited for the 9 spot with plus on-base skills (.353 career OBP) and speed. 

This mock 2012 lineup is not perfect, but it's a far cry from the past and the addition of an impact bat is something the Orioles have not had in at least a decade.  This projected 2012 lineup coupled with a healthy, progressing starting rotation could lead to an exciting 2012 season.  I'm going out on a limb, but I think the Orioles will win 88-90 games next year, but only IF (big IF) they sign Prince Fielder.

Go O's!! Bring back The Orioles Way!!

2009 O's and 2011 O's: Pitching Rotation Difference

Orioles 2009 Pitching Rotation: Top 5 (Games Started) Starting Pitchers
1. J. Guthrie (32)
2. J. Berken (23)
3. B. Bergesen (19)
4. D. Hernandez (19)
5. R. Hill (13), C. Tillman (12), Uehara (12), Henderickson (10)

One Word Analysis:  Horrific
Gripe:  How did I survive an entire year watching this pitching staff?  I think I stopped watching during the month of June and some of July for my own sanity.
Comment:  The only good thing that came out of this season, from a pitching perspective, was the sight of Bergesen, Matusz, and Tillman pitching decently in the last two months of the season. 

Orioles 2011 Pitching Rotation: Top 5 (Games Started) Starting Pitchers
1. J. Arrieta (15)
2. J. Guthrie (14)
3. Z. Britton (13)
4. C. Tillman (10)
5. B. Bergesen (9), Matusz (3)

One Word Analysis: Talent
Gripe: There is still lots of growing to be done by the young pitchers, but at least they have talent.  Can they put it all together and stay consistent for more than 2 or 3 starts at a time?
Comment:  There is a lot of promise here and hope for the future.  I actually look forward to watching every Orioles game, because I see the potential in these pitchers.  It's a far cry from 2009 where there was little talent in the rotation and no prospects of ace pitchers in the rotation.


Despite the ups and downs of the 2011 season thus far, I still believe that the Orioles will be competitive in 2013.  It's refreshing to see an Orioles team with talented pitchers who want to compete and win every day.  In my opinion, this off-season will determine whether the Orioles will be just a winning team or a true championship contender for 2013 and beyond.  I have faith that Britton, Arrieta, Matusz, Tillman, and Bergesen will allow the Orioles to compete on a daily basis (unlike 2009) for the next few years, but will the Orioles Front Office ever sign the pure impact bat that could push the Orioles into contention for the AL bEAST crown?

Up Next: 2011 O's and 2012 O's: Lineup Differences and Possibilities

Quick Observation of the O's Lineup: 6-16-11

As a point of reference, listed below are the current OPS numbers for the O's position players:

Hardy 0.880 Reimold 0.861 Scott 0.780 Jones 0.778 Tatum 0.777 Reynolds 0.763 Wieters 0.741 Vlad 0.717 Andino 0.649 Markakis 0.639 Lee 0.597 Pie 0.556 Adams 0.519

In 2010, the standard for an above-average hitter was an OPS around .800.  It's probably closer to .775 this year. You have to throw out the Reimold, Tatum, and Adams OPS numbers due to small sample.  But for everybody else, we are a third of the way through the season, so small sample/slumps/etc are no longer a valid excuse.  After today's 4-3 win over the Blue Jays in which the O's only scored 2 runs off a AA pitcher in 7 innings, I can no longer hold my tongue on how terrible the lineup is that Buck assembles for each game.

Listed below are some ideas for improving the O's lineup while looking towards the future:

1.  J.J. Hardy should be the leadoff hitter every night (unless he is getting a day off).  Buck seems to have adopted this idea, but I'm not so sure he will stick with it.  If it is a Hardy rest day, put Markakis leadoff.  It's time to accept the fact that Markakis is not an elite run producer (at least not for this year).  Maximize his ability to get on base with slap hits, walks, and the occasional double by removing the pressure to hit HRs.

2.  Stop batting Vlad cleanup!!  Based on OPS, he is the 6th best hitter among the regulars.  Scott or Wieters needs to bat cleanup.  I only need one stat to support this claim: Wieters bats .500 with RISP.  Enough said.

3.  Teach Wieters to play 1B.  This isn't happening this year, but it should be a point of emphasis for next year.  I would like to see him catch 4 days a week, play first once, and DH/Rest on the other.  We need to extend his career (see Mauer's injury problems = Wieters in 4 years).

4.  Find out what you have in Pie, Adams, and Reimold by playing them every game.  Giving them consistent at-bats will allow them to relax and not worry that an 0 for 4 or error will put them on the bench for a week.

My Proposed Lineups based on current OPS numbers:

 Against RHP:

1. Hardy SS
2. Markakis RF
3. Jones CF
4. Wieters C
5. Scott DH
6. Reynolds 3B
7. Lee 1B
8. Pie LF
9. Adams 2B

Against LHP:

1. Hardy SS
2. Markakis RF
3. Jones CF
4. Wieters C
5. Lee 1B
6. Reynolds 3B
7. Vlad DH
8. Andino 2B
9. Reimold LF

I don't think any of this will ever happen, but I can dream and state my opinions.  It's time for change.  Find a way to get rid of Vlad and Lee (and maybe Scott).  Take pennies on the dollar for Lee and Vlad, but you should get something decent back for Scott.  If we unload two of them, maybe we'll get the chance to see whether Pie and/or Reimold are everyday players.

Go O's!!

Reformat of Guido's Gripes

It's time for a reformat of Guido's Gripes.  In the past, I would gripe about anything that annoyed me.  Well, it seems as though this type thinking is not kosher.  Word of mouth led me to believe that I was offending certain, high-ranking, people with my "work gripes".  I quickly learned that my initial concept for Guido's Gripes was not going to prosper as a public blog since I was not endearing myself to various subgroups of the population.

In response, I decided to only allow my friends to view the blog.  It was fun for a time, but without a consistent and/or increasing fan base, the viewership of my blog posts was down to nearly zero.  I stopped blogging for over a year due to a lack of fan interest.

I feel re-energized and motivated, so I've decided to start blogging again with a new emphasis that is unlikely to anger the public.  This new inspiration/reformat will focus on my gripes of local sports teams.

I will always be a die-hard of my DMV teams and since they continually frustrate me with their losing ways, why not focus all of my passion into griping about how they disappoint me and their fans on a continual basis.  I don't doubt there will be some random gripes about non-sports annoyances every now and then, but writing about the disappointments I endure from being fan of the following DMV professional sports teams will always be priority #1:

Baltimore Orioles
Washington Wizards
Washington Redskins
Maryland Terps
Washington Capitals