How Would You Rate The Orioles’ Off Season So Far?

[A_K]

Davis' bat will play very nicely at DH. I don't want him at 1B unless he can play an above average defense. I would give him about 80 games to show what he can do, but if he's consistently costing us runs there then we will need to rethink the lineup.

There's very close to a 0% chance that he can be above average on defense. Even average is an extreme long shot. He's bad at defense. People who are bad at defense don't suddenly become good just by playing more.

[Seafordeagles]

Translated:

"Based on the most irrelevant statistic in all of baseball, Chris Davis is slightly better than one of the worst defensive infielders in all of baseball."

Fielding percentage is irrelevant? Man you got a lot of hate for Davis. He's the Orioles 1st baseman. Buck said so. I think I'll listen to Buck.

[Seafordeagles]

New Orioles infield coach Bobby Dickerson confident Chris Davis can flourish at first base

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orio ... 0512.story

[A_K]

Fielding percentage is irrelevant?

Yep, completely.

Man you got a lot of hate for Davis.

Nope, I like him actually.

He's the Orioles 1st baseman.

I know. He's just not good at it.

Buck said so.

I know.

I think I'll listen to Buck.

Me too.

[A_K]

New Orioles infield coach Bobby Dickerson confident Chris Davis can flourish at first base

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orio ... 0512.story

News: Man Bites Dog
Not news: Dog Bites Man

Alert me when a new infield coach comes in and starts trashing the defensive ability of starters he inherited and can't replace.

Davis is obviously the O's starting first baseman. And the coaching staff is obviously saying all the right things (just like they did with Reynolds at 3B last year). And Chris Davis has obviously proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that he isn't physically capable of being even an average defensive player in Major League Baseball. Believing otherwise is blind faith.

[Seafordeagles]

And Chris Davis has obviously proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that he isn't physically capable of being even an average defensive player in Major League Baseball. Believing otherwise is blind faith.

And you will be proved to be wrong and I will be the first to tell you so. By the way Blind Faith was a great musical group, Stevie Winwood, Eric Clapton, etc.

[Old Sneakers]

We are starting to derail the thread, but I wanted to toss in one little tidbit. 1B is the least demanding position to play in the field. I do not think Davis will end up on the receiving end of Jim Palmer comments like "He catches the ball like he's being handed the check at a restaurant" the way Garret Atkins was in 2010.

He may indeed only be ordinary. However, ordinary may not be a step backwards if at the plate he's solid. I like others, hope he gets ample repetition at 1B in the spring. Then slowly allowed to earn game starts at the position as the season goes on as he is more comfortable and the manager sees fit to do so.

[Seafordeagles]

We are starting to derail the thread, but I wanted to toss in one little tidbit. 1B is the least demanding position to play in the field. I do not think Davis will end up on the receiving end of Jim Palmer comments like "He catches the ball like he's being handed the check at a restaurant" the way Garret Atkins was in 2010.

He may indeed only be ordinary. However, ordinary may not be a step backwards if at the plate he's solid. I like others, hope he gets ample repetition at 1B in the spring. Then slowly allowed to earn game starts at the position as the season goes on as he is more comfortable and the manager sees fit to do so.

I'm sorry, he's going to be there from day 1 of spring training. There is not going to be any "slowly earned game starts as the season goes on." He is the Orioles 1st baseman. There is no one else right now.

[Old Sneakers]

Wilson Betemit and Danny Valencia could see a few games at first base. I don't look for Davis to be a gold glove at the position but I won't discount the possibility of him being a decent fit just yet either.

[LA Detective]

Due to the fact that we did almost nothing to get a 1b or keep Reynolds, I have to believe that Buck has seen enough of Davis in the past and last year that he believes Davis can iron out some things and be a good 1b. I think they are also using the scouting reports that they originally had when Davis came to us in the trade that apparently labled him as an above average 1b. I know he botched some easy plays last year but I got to believe they beleive they will be more than fine with Davis at 1b. Adding to this is how much emphasis DD/Buck are putting into having a top notch fielding team.

I think CD being able to be solid at 1b is one of the biggest keys and most looked at things going into ST and the year. It puts som many things in place. Meaning that if we still need a bat that finding one that will mostly DH will be so much easier and there will be a bigger pool to draw from, either inside the organization or not.

[Old Sneakers]

It was time to part company with Mark Reynolds. Just as it was time to part with Aubrey Huff. We need consistent play in the field and at the plate. I will settle for ordinary or league average in both areas. I won't compare Davis to Atkins though. That would just be completely unfair. Davis actually belongs in professional baseball.

[Seafordeagles]

Due to the fact that we did almost nothing to get a 1b or keep Reynolds, I have to believe that Buck has seen enough of Davis in the past and last year that he believes Davis can iron out some things and be a good 1b. I think they are also using the scouting reports that they originally had when Davis came to us in the trade that apparently labled him as an above average 1b. I know he botched some easy plays last year but I got to believe they beleive they will be more than fine with Davis at 1b. Adding to this is how much emphasis DD/Buck are putting into having a top notch fielding team.

I think CD being able to be solid at 1b is one of the biggest keys and most looked at things going into ST and the year. It puts som many things in place. Meaning that if we still need a bat that finding one that will mostly DH will be so much easier and there will be a bigger pool to draw from, either inside the organization or not.

Nice post, kudos and reps to you, and I agree.

[osforlife]

Joe Saunders, Dan Haren, and Shaun Marcum all signed one year deals. We signed Jair Jurrjens to a one year deal and can't even get his physical done. I'am relieved we didn't go after Hamilton, Greinke, Swisher, etc. But cmon, these are one year deals Dan. I'd take any one of those starting pitchers over Jurrjens. We had to have had a little money to spend. Of course, don't spend money just to spend money, but there is no reason why we chose to go after McLouth over Melky Cabrera or Jurrjens over Saunders/Haren/Marcum. We'd be a much better team IMO.

[thezeroes]

If you were Joe Saunders and unable to get a multi-year deal which ballpark would you believe may help you enhance your numbers to possibly get your final three year deal in a career??? Would you pick Safeco or Opacy??

To me this was more about the next winter for him than this winter. Unless Dan Duquette is willing to talk out of school we will probably never know what was offered and turned down.

[Old Sneakers]

If you were Joe Saunders and unable to get a multi-year deal which ballpark would you believe may help you enhance your numbers to possibly get your final three year deal in a career??? Would you pick Safeco or Opacy??

To me this was more about the next winter for him than this winter. Unless Dan Duquette is willing to talk out of school we will probably never know what was offered and turned down.

Sad to see Saunders sign elsewhere. I must admit though that is a pretty astute observation on your part. Playing in Seattle could well prove a smart move for him in nine months.