Has he no idea how this change could affect his delicate SCHLORP and THUNDERCORK numbers!?
Mark Reynolds, who spent the past two seasons as a starting corner infielder with the Orioles, has agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth $6 million plus incentives with the Cleveland Indians, according to an industry source.
Reynolds, 29, hit .221 with 23 homers and 69 RBIs in 135 games last year after a 2011 season in which he hit a team-leading 37 homers in 155 games.
The Orioles held an $11 million option on Reynolds for 2013 that the club declined this offseason, preferring instead to buy it out for $500,000. They also could have taken him to arbitration this winter—where he likely would have made roughly $9 million after earning $7.5 million last season—but instead did not offer him a contract, allowing him to become a free agent. At the time, club executive vice president Dan Duquette said the team was not opposed to bringing him back, but would first allow him to test his value on the open market.
It became pretty clear that the Orioles were moving on when they didn’t attempt to make Reynolds an offer before non-tendering him a contract and when they did not meet with his representatives during baseball’s winter meetings in Nashville.
Repoz
Posted: December 09, 2012 at 10:03 PM |
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1. Walt Davis Posted: December 09, 2012 at 10:37 PM (#4320537)It was quite the down year for him. Didn't even lead the league in strikeouts!
"Swing away Merrell"
Player Rfield OPS+ SLG SO PA HR SB PosSammy Sosa 107 107 .469 1027 4374 207 199 *98/7D
Alex Gordon 36 112 .439 641 3053 82 56 *75/3D96
Austin Kearns 32 106 .435 631 3127 102 26 *9/87
Travis Fryman 29 106 .444 931 4792 149 58 *56/D
Jose Cruz -6 104 .467 680 3099 134 86 *87/9D
Derrek Lee -15 115 .474 886 4002 162 63 *3
Pete Incaviglia -15 107 .445 979 3474 146 29 *79D/83
Nick Swisher -18 114 .460 665 3119 133 7 9387/D1
Preston Wilson -41 110 .486 750 3033 140 102 *8/79
Rickie Weeks -52 108 .435 755 3338 109 100 *4/D
Dean Palmer -53 107 .471 807 3282 163 29 *5/7D6
Mark Reynolds -65 109 .475 1122 3443 181 49 *53/D49
Ben Grieve -79 113 .443 777 3718 118 24 97D
I think the one thing I really learn from this list is how absolutely immobile Nick Swisher is on the bases. Even now he has barely more SB per game in the majors than his father did.
I like Reynolds, but the handwringing over this decision by some orioles fans is bizarre. Reynolds didn't provide much value last year, and while bringing him back for a year at $6M wouldn't have been a bad move, it's hardly going to make or break this team. If anything, this decision shows that Duquette isn't just assuming that the orioles are going to repeat what they did last year and that no moves are necessary (although it would be nice if they picked up another hitter...I'd love to get Youkilis for a year).
Which is funny, b/c he doesn't appear slow in the OF. Maybe he just has no instincts for reading a pitcher's move, a la Bernie Williams.
I don't think it's major handwringing, but an undercurrent of concern. This does really put a hurt on team depth, and I'm not sure where DD is going to find this 'other hitter' that the club really needs. Mark seemed like a good one-more-year pickup to me.
I'd target Scott Hairston. Right-handed bat, and it would be useful to not have to stick Chris Davis in the outfield if someone goes down.
Laroche isn't a bad option.
But he's going to cost a lot more, take multi years, and 'need' to play every day.
I saw Mark as a useful insurance policy. He's become quite the first sacker, and if he hits a bit better (which I think he will), he gives you a solid option. at 6M these days, that's a chance worth taking.
As a free agent who rejected a qualifying offer, Laroche will also cost his new team a draft pick.
Cleveland puts a lot of guys on, and doesn't hit any home runs. This makes sense as a cheap one year option. There's a strong sense of 'what's the point'?, but you need to put forth a token effort to win games.
Speaking of which, I took a look at their 2012 numbers at baseball reference earlier today, because "what's the point" was my first thought, too, so I wanted to see what their roster looked like. Holy god was their starting rotation awful last year. The ERA+ for their top 6 (by innings) pitchers:
79
72
92
71
61
65
I just went to look and saw that Roberto Hernandez made a few starts for them. He needs to at least use a middle initial.
Your first statement negates your second. Reynolds is not a third baseman and anyone who thinks of him as one is kidding themselves. However, he's passable at first base and, as an Orioles fan, I wouldn't have minded bringing him back for another year.
Now the Orioles very much need to sign another bat (if not two)- either someone who can play first base like the aforementioned Laroche or the oft-suggested Youkilis, or they have to pick up a full-time DH and hope that Davis gets better defensively by playing everyday.
By authority of BBTF, I hereby confer upon him the name of Fausto Carmona, as well as his past, present, future, and mother. And I further decree that everything will be just like it was before all this happened! And no one will ever mention it again... under penalty of torture.
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