Say this for the Orioles......

[Hammer]

thats a pretty good lineup theyll put out there this season.

Roberts
Markakis
Lee
Guererro
Scott
Jones
Reynolds
Weiters
Hardy

[Piney Boy]

thats a pretty good lineup theyll put out there this season.

Roberts
Markakis
Lee
Guererro
Scott
Jones
Reynolds
Weiters
Hardy

Buddy of mine that sits across from me at work is a die hard Orioles fan. He agrees that the lineup is good, but the pitching is still suspect. Still no true power threat other than Mark Reynolds (over 30 hrs that is). Should be a fun team to watch at the plate.

[revo]

Buddy of mine that sits across from me at work is a die hard Orioles fan. He agrees that the lineup is good, but the pitching is still suspect. Still no true power threat other than Mark Reynolds (over 30 hrs that is). Should be a fun team to watch at the plate.

I'm not sure I'd say this. Vlad had 29 HRs last year & Scott had 27, and they have some guys who if things break right can hit 20+ HRs (Markakis, Lee, Hardy, Jones, Wieters).

Granted they have some question marks both large and small, but overall I think their lineup is pretty loaded.

[Hornsby]

The problem is that too many of the players in that lineup are on the wrong side of 30. I understand that they're in a unique position, having to compete with the Nats for fans, but to truly rebuild and become a contender, they need to stop patching hole and play their kids to see if they have a future. If I was an O's fan, I would be discouraged, looking at a potential mediocre team year after year. Too good to get the top draft picks they need, and too bad to make a run at a playoff spot.

[The Evil Empire]

The lineup is OK. Lee and Vlade are older. Markakis is a bit disapointing to me. Thought he would be better.

[revo]

The problem is that too many of the players in that lineup are on the wrong side of 30. I understand that they're in a unique position, having to compete with the Nats for fans, but to truly rebuild and become a contender, they need to stop patching hole and play their kids to see if they have a future. If I was an O's fan, I would be discouraged, looking at a potential mediocre team year after year. Too good to get the top draft picks they need, and too bad to make a run at a playoff spot.

Aren't they playing their kids? Wieters, Jones, Tillman, Arrieta, Matusz, etc. Granted, Pie, Reimold & Bell are "prospects", but none have impressed, so should they just throw them out there and unimpress (i.e. Brandon Wood), or finally try and win?

[Hornsby]

Aren't they playing their kids? Wieters, Jones, Tillman, Arrieta, Matusz, etc. Granted, Pie, Reimold & Bell are "prospects", but none have impressed, so should they just throw them out there and unimpress (i.e. Brandon Wood), or finally try and win?

Two position players sin't going to cut it, unless the O's can continually keep turing over the vets, and hope they have good years. Yeah, I think that they should do what the Angels did with Wood...they found out that he can't cut it and they moved on...the O's need to do the same. Play Bell at 3rd, move Reynolds to 1st, play Reimold and Pie...it's the only way they can improve. With the current situation, they're just treading water.

[Hammer]

The lineup is OK. Lee and Vlade are older. Markakis is a bit disapointing to me. Thought he would be better.

Vlad lost his skills in 6 months? He raked last year, albeit slowing down in the 2nd half.

[revo]

Two position players sin't going to cut it, unless the O's can continually keep turing over the vets, and hope they have good years. Yeah, I think that they should do what the Angels did with Wood...they found out that he can't cut it and they moved on...the O's need to do the same. Play Bell at 3rd, move Reynolds to 1st, play Reimold and Pie...it's the only way they can improve. With the current situation, they're just treading water.

I think this is a different situation than, for example, the Devil Rays propping up the carcasses of Wade Boggs, Fred McGriff, Greg Vaughn, Vinny Castilla and Jose Canseco on a nightly basis just to jog ticket sales. Vlad can still hit, Reynolds is just 27 (and is younger than Reimold!), Hardy is only 28, and Duchscherer is effective when healthy.

If they had top prospects being blocked, I could understand, but it's not like Pie and Reimold are in that category any longer.

[Hammer]

Who is being blocked? Bell looked like he wasnt ready last year. Avery is only 20 and of the guys they got, Lee, Hardy and Vlad are all 1 year deals and could be traded mid year.

If I am a Baltimore fan I am excited to possibly see meaningful games this summer. Theyre still a longshot but the product for this season is better and they didnt block any prospects. Riemold and Pie arent prospects in my eyes.

[Hornsby]

I think this is a different situation than, for example, the Devil Rays propping up the carcasses of Wade Boggs, Fred McGriff, Greg Vaughn, Vinny Castilla and Jose Canseco on a nightly basis just to jog ticket sales. Vlad can still hit, Reynolds is just 27 (and is younger than Reimold!), Hardy is only 28, and Duchscherer is effective when healthy.

If they had top prospects being blocked, I could understand, but it's not like Pie and Reimold are in that category any longer.

Not necessarily true...Pie has shown flashes sine he's been with the O's, and so has Reimold. What they haven't had is a consistent chance to get a full season of 550 AB's at the big league level in a single season. I'm fine with Reynolds, but at 1st, not 3rd...Bell should be there. Lee never should have been signed, same with Vlad, they just block the way of finding out just what Baltimore really needs. And Reynolds is about a month and a half younger than Reimold...

[chancellor]

Not necessarily true...Pie has shown flashes sine he's been with the O's, and so has Reimold. What they haven't had is a consistent chance to get a full season of 550 AB's at the big league level in a single season. I'm fine with Reynolds, but at 1st, not 3rd...Bell should be there. Lee never should have been signed, same with Vlad, they just block the way of finding out just what Baltimore really needs. And Reynolds is about a month and a half younger than Reimold...

I'm with you on Lee, not so much on Vlad. Lee's a nice defensive presence at 1B, but his bat looked slllloooowwww last year. Vlad showed that if healthy, he can still really hit. It would be intriguing to see what they have in Bell, but I think they know what they have in Pie and Reimold, and it's two AAAA players.

[onejayhawk]

Buddy of mine that sits across from me at work is a die hard Orioles fan. He agrees that the lineup is good, but the pitching is still suspect. Still no true power threat other than Mark Reynolds (over 30 hrs that is). Should be a fun team to watch at the plate.

I'll echo Revo. There is a 20 HR guy batting 9th and almost any regular can be expected to hit double digit bombs. The big question in my mind is how well they get on base, because about everyone can put one out, and either Markakis or Jones has the potential to bust out for 30+.

Adam Jones could make this whole thing sing. He is the one everyone has always expected to have the classic .300/30/100 HoF season, and he is only 26. OTOH, who but Scott and Markakis bat lefty? They should kill the Yankees though.

J

[chancellor]

I'll echo Revo. There is a 20 HR guy batting 9th and almost any regular can be expected to hit double digit bombs

Did they move Vlad to 9th?

Hardy hasn't been north of 20 HR for two full years, and given his awful trends and breaking down body, I'd be shocked to see him get even close to 20 this year.

[nicky40/40]

The O's should be much better off this year with a healthy Roberts, he is really what makes them go as evident by how bad they hit when he was injured last year in the 1st half. I am liking a healthy Roberts this year as a nice buy low opportunity especially with the improved hitting behind him.

DLee I am cold on cause of his age and switching leagues, imo Reynolds will be asked to spell him from time to time at 1st along with Scott & Snyder who the Orioles are high on. If the offense is ever really going to hit high gear its going to rest on Markakis's shoulders, he hits like he did last year and the Birds will be a mess once again cause he is entrenched in the early part of that lineup due to the money he is being paid.