Trembley sets the record straight on Reimold
He's the Oriole that has probably been the most talked about by the fans this winter.
Some suggest Nolan Reimold should be the DH or tried at first base this year. Some feel he should be part of a left-field platoon with Felix Pie.
Some have questioned his defensive skills.
But this became clear this week: Reimold will be the Orioles' starter in left field this year, and he'll head into spring training set in that spot without having to win the job.
He also shouldn't need a first baseman's mitt this year or anytime soon.
That's according to manager Dave Trembley, who saw enough of Reimold during his rookie year to select him as the O's starting left fielder for the 2010 season.
"Our outfield is Reimold, Jones and Markakis and Pie gives us some flexibility being able to play center and left. Reimold could DH some versus left-handed pitching. I don't see it as a competitive thing coming into spring training. Both guys (Reimold and Pie) are on the club, my job is to get them at bats and keep them fresh.
"We were impressed with Pie last year. But there is not a competition for the left field spot. Pie will find his way into the lineup quite a bit."
The 26-year-old Reimold hit .279-15-45 in 358 at bats last season. At the time he went on the DL in September with an Achilles tendon injury, he was leading all AL rookies in homers, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and walks and was second in hits, average, RBI and outfield assists.
Trembley realizes Reimold could improve as a left fielder, but says the organization has no plans anytime in the near future to try Reimold at first base.
"We have never gone into this offseason with the thought that we would put Reimold at first base. It's a stretch, with all due respect, to think you can bring a guy into Major League camp in five weeks and put him at first.
"Why would we want to do that? The guy is a very good left fielder and that's where his future is going to be with the Orioles for a long time. Right now that's not something that is going to happen."
Last season, Reimold averaged one homer every 23.8 at bats while Matt Holliday, who got a $120 million contract from St. Louis, averaged a homer every 24.2 at bats. When he managed Reimold in Aberdeen, Andy Etchebarren predicted Reimold could one day hit 40 Major League homers.
"I've gone on record as saying he's a 20 to 25 home run guy, maybe more," Trembley said. "This will be a year where he won't be the new guy on the block though. The pitchers will try to do something to figure him out."
For more Dave - If you missed it on the Orioles section of MASNsports.com, check out this interview with Trembley about spring training at the O's new home in Sarasota.
Coming later today - More with the skipper as he talks about Reimold's defense, his Achilles surgery and finding at bats this season for Pie.
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Categories (click for archive)Orioles News | Steve Melewski |
VERY glad to get that clarification on Reimold.
See Yahoo sports, and Jeff Passan column today on the O's, as part of his assessment of all teams. Very positive about the young talent being harnessed, along with the new vets added for some mentoring and presence.
I'm seeing 85 wins this season, and more the next.
Hurray! Fan Fest this Saturday. . .!
Thank goodness we can put Reimold at first to rest. I can at least agree with the skipper on this one.
Amen, and freaking Amen. The most sense when it comes to Reimold anyone has made in a while. Every one was calling for the release of Pie the first half of the season, but then the last two months came around. Which is fine, but with Reimold the sky's the limit, and I don't know why people haven't taken to him. I know I have, he ranks up there with b-rob and nicky for me, one of those franchise people that you hope the O's hold onto for years. I'm glad you posed this.
The Reimold to first or DH stuff never made any sense to me. Think about it this way. If Felix Pie was a free agent with the exact same offensive skills he has now, but was a first baseman, NOBODY would want the Orioles to bring him in at either of those positions, because he's not a big enough bat to fit the production you need from those positions. Sliding Reimold and putting Pie in left would be doing basically the same thing.
Steve, do you think DT meant Reimold could DH against RIGHT-handed pitching instead of left-handed pitching? That way, Pie could get into the lineup in the outfield against right handers and Reimold could DH. That part confused me a little.
Thanks!
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I was pretty sure he meant vs. some lefties. Maybe that would mean Luke would sit vs. some lefites. Either way the point is Reimold will be in LF most nights with an occasional night as the DH........Steve
So Trembley is just giving jobs out? Why even have spring training?? In pro sports there should be a competition for each position every year. The Ravens follow this model, the O's do not. Hmmm
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No, his opinion is Reimold has earned the job. Agree or don't agree, but at least try to understand the story...........Steve
PS Does Markakis have to win his job, does Roberts, does Wieters. Please try to at least make some sense with the criticism.
"DH some against LH pitching." That's a typo or DT mispoke, right? Because that doesn't make sense.
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I don't understand why some fans are thrown by this. I guess there is a chance he mis spoke, but what I got out of the interview was Reimold is the every day LFer and may some days serve as the DH. Maybe he meant Scott would sit vs. certain lefties.......Steve
PS I did listen back to my tape of the interview and Dave did say Reimold could DH some vs. left handed pitching.
So where does Lou fit in?
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Lou would have to compete for at best the 5th spot in the OF behind the starters and Pie.......Steve
Steve, I think some fans are thrown by the DH vs. LHP thing because it would mean that Pie would play LF against LHP, and it seems to make more sense to play him vs. RHP. In fact, DT has said that he would like to bat Pie 2nd against some RHP, so it just seems to contradict that thought, that's all. Not trying to be overly critical, it just seemed curious. I love Trembley, for the record, and I agree that Reimold needs to be the every day LFer. Hopefully they can find more at bats for Pie, but let's be honest, Reimold is the better hitter right now and Pie still has to prove he can be consistent.
Love the blog Steve, you do great work!
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Thanks. I understand the questions. It seems some are taking it literally, Reimold will play in LF vs righties and DH vs. lefties. He said he could DH vs. SOME lefties. He may have mis spoke, the bottom line remains that Reimold is the starter in left field. It seems in attempting to clear that up, this just caused some more confusion. It really shouldn't have. No big deal......Steve
Steve,
You catch the posted excerpts a contest winner/writer posted from a conversation he had with Trembley? He basically told the guy that Roberts admitted to lollygagging last year, that Jones didn't deserve the gold glove and that he's mouthy, that Kam Mickolio refused to pitch on back-to-back days, that he views Pie as only a defensive replacement with no real future on the team, and that Daniel Cabrera was a PED user.
This stuff is really out there on the web and very credible Orioles bloggers are vouching for it.
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I did see that at O's Hangout. I know this, that lunch was for contest winners on our web site and Trembley flew back from Florida that day just to meet with the winners. It was in no way an interview period (Roch and I were not even allowed to be there) and was to be an informal meeting with Dave and fans.
I don't know anything about the gentleman who posted such comments, but I would question them greatly. This lunch was weeks ago and again, it was not an interview or a conversation with this guy as you say, but a lunch with several people.
I've never heard Trembley talk in those terms on or off the record about players and seriously question the validity of this. If someone posted quotes from that lunch, no matter the quotes, they were irresponsible to say the least.
Steve
Cereal Blogger,
Do you honestly believe Joe Flacco had to beat Troy Smith or John Beck to be the starting QB this year? Did Ray Lewis have to win his spot in the middle? What about Ngata, Reed, Suggs, Mason, or Heap?
Competition exists insofar as a player has made it clear to the organization that he's no longer the clear-cut best option, such as in Willis McGahee's case. But to say that the Ravens, or any other team, selects it's starters with complete competition at every position is absurdly misguided.
And what is it with the constant Ravens-Orioles comparisons, anyway? It happens to be the case that the two will never face off in a fist fight, and that they play in two different leagues with different competitive balances. It's like comparing a Toyota Camry with a Townhouse. The two have almost nothing in common.
Good interview with Matusz on the Bowie site:
http://www.baysox.com/news/?id=15496
I'm thrown by this because I remember reading a quote from Trembley that
he'd like to have Pie hitting 2nd in the order against RHP. I assumed he would have Pie starting in left field against the majority of righties, and that Reimold would DH.
If you get a chance to do a follow up interview, can you ask how he'd construct his lineups against RHP and against LHP, and how it would impact who the starters would be?
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You have to take any lineup talk right now for just that, talk. I had a conversation in December with Dave where he referenced the fact that Reimold looked good batting second last year and he would consider it for this year. He's just considering things right now, nothing is set. He also probably meant, WHEN he is in the lineup, maybe second would be the spot for him......Steve
PS One issue with internet posted interviews. Every word can be taken so literally by fans. Some of us who have talked often with Dave might have a better understanding of the context of some of these comments.
Whether the tactic is a confidence builder or fire ignitor, I think it was a bit pre-mature to lay out plans on guys who have not even qualified for Super 2 status. In your opinion, did Felix Pie do enough in the second half and during Reimold's absence to allow for an at least a competition?
Over the long haul, it is a moot point. Markakis is the only outfielder to show any signs of consistancy and duribility in the Orioles outfield to this point.
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I'll repeat my opinion for about the 100th time. I think the OF of Reimold-Jones-Markakis is the best one. I see that group possibly playing together for years. I see Pie as the 4th OFer, albeit one with tools and promise. I think Reimold is the better all around player. It's just my opinion, Felix fans, I like him too. What does Super 2 status have to do with anything. Should the O's not have started Markakis his second year. should the Ravens not started Flacco??? Steve
I guess the question would be if Reimold is the DH against LH pitching sometimes, WHO would play LF, Pie against LH pitching? Or does that mean that Lou has a spot on the roster as a 5th OF who would play LF against LH pitching when Reimold is the DH?
If Lou does make the team, could he be looked at as a 6th OF since Scott also plays LF? Or is Scott a DH only?
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Now you guys are making me feel like I never should have posted those quotes. Just kidding, mostly. Don't have the answer to all those other questions. All I know is Trembley said Nolan and Felix are on the team, that probably means he is not set yet on who his 5th OFer is.....Steve
Steve
Steve,
Thanks for the response. I wasn't putting much stock into the comments from Trembley...didn't sound like something he would say, even if he really believed it. Just a bit alarmed because it was being vouched for by a reputable source.
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Dave just doesn't talk that way, I have no idea how someone actually posted him saying that and did it weeks after the lunch occured. Color me amazingly skeptical about this. Sadly, in this internet age, some people will believe every word and pass it on to others.......Steve
Dave just doesn't talk that way, I have no idea how someone actually posted him saying that and did it weeks after the lunch occured. Color me amazingly skeptical about this. Sadly, in this internet age, some people will believe every word and pass it on to others.......Steve
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To be fair, Steve, I believe it was a post at Bill James's site by one of his contributing writers. It's not like this was "Bob's Baseball Blog". I would understand the dismissal out-of-hand by a reader if it weren't a reputable place, but I'd say James is one of the more respected baseall writers/statisticians around, no? I understand you and Kate are throwing the BS-flag, and I certainly take your opinion of credibility based on how Trembely speaks, etc. at face value. But I think it's unfair to say readers should openly dismiss appearingly credible sources simply because there is BS floating around there on the web.
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I don't know anything about that site. I know Bill James the person has worked in baseball. I would be suprised if he or his site knowingly posted this, but that's their business. I don't consider the quotes I read reputable at all, others can have their opinion......Steve
I mean, Roch flipped out over people reacting to an ESPN piece about the Dominican Prospect League, and the author of that piece was one of the most well known journalists covering that part of baseball. I guess I'm just asking for you and others to recognize that if readers don't have the inside knowledge of the Orioles organization, or access to the organization, it's tough to simply say "You shouldn't believe everything you read", particularly when the source is seamingly reputable.
To be clear, the Trembley piece is dubious on its face, considering the summary format, rather than quotes, and the fact that it generally doesn't pass the smell test. Still, I don't see why it's inappropriate to ask you/Kate/Roch about it.
Thanks for your time.
This is January and not mid-march in the heart of spring traning. I just have a funny smerk to think any player with less than a year expierence should be set in stone, unless his nunber is "32" and is a catcher.
I think Reimmy is a better player than Pie, but I find it hard to understand any manager saying "they have the job" or "there is no competition for this spot" without showing more than a 1/2 season of work at the major league level.
This was a team that tried to sign Matt Holliday. How in the world can the position be set in stone when they tried to bring in a high priced replacement on a long term deal?
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I don't know if the O's tried to sign Matt Holliday, in fact, I don't think they did. If he were on the team, Trembley might have a different answer about left field, but he is not. Accept the manager's comments or not, its my opinion Reimold showed more than enough to earn the spot. Did you read where he ranked in the rookie stat categories before he got hurt? Steve
So you are saying Reimold is going to bat left handed?
Just kidding Steve. Here is my question leading up to ST. from your post above and previous posts, we know the following people are on the team:
weiters, roberts, izzy, atkins, pie, reimold, jones, markakis, scott (9)
Breaking camp that leaves 4 positions up for grabs.
10. 1st base/3rd base
aubrey, bell, hughes, snyder, wigginton)
11. backup IF
(andino, turner, wigginton)
12. back up catcher
(tatum, moeller)
13. a flex position... could be a pitcher
(andino, aubrey, bell, florimon, hughes, snyder, tatum, turner, wigginton,
montanez)
Which of these spring training "compeitions" do you think will be the most interesting?
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I think the battle for bullpen spots will be interesting. I don't think some incumbents if you will like Albers and Sarfate are guaranteed anything. Someone like Lebron or Josh Perrault could suprise and make a run for things. Will Hernandez and Berken be in the pen mix if not contending for a rotation spot?
If they don't add a player (appears unlikely) would Atkins go to third and they have a competition at first?
Could Justin Turner push Andino for the utility position?
Most other spots are set. The rotation is not set in stone but I still expect it to be Millwood, Guthrie, Bergesen, Matusz and Tillman barring an injury......Steve
Steve, It's amazing what gets posted on the internet sometimes (actually, quite a bit of the time, but that's another issue). Having watched Trembley interact in such a guarded way with the media, carefully choosing his words in particular regarding any matter that might be sensitive or controversial, the alleged comments are totally out of character.
If he wouldn't volunteer them to you or Roch, there's no way he's going to blab them out to a fan.
As for Montanez, you say he'd need "would have to compete for at best the 5th spot in the OF behind the starters and Pie." I think you'll agree that that isn't very likely. Scott is considered a DH-OF, so that could possibly even push Lou down to the 6th spot.
Unless Scott is traded, I don't see there being any room for Montanez, especially if the Orioles sign another corner infielder. He's just too good a hitter to rot in the minors, so maybe they'll trade him to a team where he could find a roster spot.
I just don't think there's a way to squeeze him onto the roster, except if they sign Tejada and let go of Andino. Any ideas?
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Even if he doesn't make the opening day roster, you need quality OFers at AAA in case of injury. Somebody always seems to get hurt and a guy like Lou, who might seem destined to be at Norfolk all year, could be in the bigs in April or May. He just needs to hang in there and keep playing well, which I am sure he will.
Steve
Steve, I'm getting annoyed and that means you HAVE to be getting annoyed!
Waaah - We didn't sign a Power Hitter
Waaah - We didn't get a Real #1 Starter
Waaah - Andy isn't buying the Big Bats
Waaah - We didnt' sign Tex (still? seriously?)
Waaah - Who is going to play the 2 Corners?
Let me break it down Real Conveniently for you with a question.
Would you rather be a Pirates Fan?
Because if you follow baseball you realize that,
1. They Suck
2. They traded all of their talent for who?
3. How is their future looking right now?
4. They Suck(and so do the Steelers, (haha sorry!)
5. How is their pitching stacking up?
6. How about that stellar hitting?
7. Who is their best player?
8. Who is their best pitcher?
A quote from ESPN - COME ON MAAAN!!!
Trust me, I understand the 12 years of losing, been a fan the entire time BUT you have to see the improvement and understand the thought process. I mean the haters are whining about our lack of a stop-gap?? Let me define what a stop-gap is....a stop-gap is a player who is signed to fill a position until your preferred player is ready to take over the reigns, it's a plug.
Since we haven't signed our preferred stop-gap your logic is a player we want to rent for just one year is CRITICAL to our success? and if we don't get him it's the end of the world? Maybe they don't fit, maybe they don't want to come here, maybe they read all your ASSanine comments and decided this isn't the place for them?
My personal opinion, I think we will be better than last year and the 2011 off-season will bring Triple the excitement that this off-season did with the anticipation of all those young stars having a full year to get even better. Ask Matusz how huge it was to get his feet wet last year, Tillman, Bergeson which is why I hope that WE DON'T sign anyone else from the SCRAPHEAP and allow the Bell's & Snyder's to get some exposure. 2011 will be rocking and that has been the PLAN the whole time!
Hey, I have an idea, How about everyone brings their Major League ideas/opinions and not Rookie Ball. (Pun Intended)
Sorry Steve, I felt the need to vent for you since what you are thinking probably can't be "aired!" :-D
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Vent away, David. It can get tiresome responding to some but I am glad in one respect that there are so many O's fans out there and they have found our site and become fans. There is plenty of passion for O's baseball, despite some of the constant critics. Sure there are things to criticize, the club has lost for 12 yrs in a row, but some good things are happening.
I think there are a lot of fans looking forward to this season. Sometimes the ones that write it and call talk shows are the complainers mostly......Steve
Can anyone paste the link to this article everyone's rambling about please???
"Why would we want to do that (put Reimold at first)? The guy is a very good left fielder and that's where his future is going to be with the Orioles for a long time. Right now that's not something that is going to happen."
Well, to answer his question: To put Pie in left, and thus get at-bats for a potentially tremendous group of four players. Why wouldn't you want to do that? Give him some looks at first base, create some day-to-day roster flexibility, and all the while guarantee Reimold his slot in left.
Thanks for the news Steve.
You know where my opinion lies.. Reimold still makes sense at 1B to me, it's really not that hard to play especially with a monster talent like Nolan has and his size. 4/4 with injury plagued years.. but after playing with his marbles he's going to be just fine. Dimitrios, It really wouldn't hurt to play him a game or two there in Sarasota & I agree with that reasoning, but that's not in the plans. Reimold should have won Rookie of the Year but he'll be after bigger & better awards very soon.
Steve, you did a nice job hosting the Hot Stove show last Friday. Are you going to consider the Buck Martinez TV position? I'd really encourage you to do so if it's available. You have a great announcer voice and always have good points.
Nolan made a statement of what type of player he will be by hitting his 1st home run (420ft) off Mariano Rivera into Monument Park(Dead Center) at Yankee Stadium. A guy that gave up only 38 HR's this past decade. Nolan will hit 30+ HR's this year. I'd just like to see him stay healthy all year.
Here's the video:
https://secure.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200905204652569&c_id=bal
Anybody going to be in Sarasota March 3rd-7th? I'll see ya there.
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Thanks, need to hook you up as my agent. Will it be 5 or 10 percent? Steve
Steve,
Great interview with DT. In addition, tremendous patience with the responders to your blog.
Just curious: Do you view yourself as a journalist that covers the O's or an O's fan who happens to cover the team as a journalist? Thanks.
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A reporter first and fan second. I have been rooting for the team since the 60's as a kid and can't wait to see more wins like any fan.
I try to be a reporter only while I am there doing my job. But the next morning I'm probably talking like any fan might with a friend on the phone about the team.
Believe me, the thrill doesn't wear off getting to cover my boyhood team, despite sometimes dealing with long hours and few off days. I love doing this and hopefully that comes through somewhat.
Good question, thanks for asking.....Steve
Steve,
Thanks for addressing the moronic rantings of a fan from one of the worst O's sites around. The guy who runs the site is good with good info but the people who post there are wanna be scouts, sportswriters etc. I can never see Dave Trembley throwing A. Jones or Mickolio under the bus like that. Unless this guy roofied him, which is totally possible with the psycho's that post there.
Finally a question off topic. If you had to guess Matusz, bergy, and tilman how many wins for each pitcher?
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Josh, it's your right to criticize, but I hope you are not down on the O's hangout site. It is probably one of the best places for O's fans and there is a lot of passion there and some good people running things behind the scenes.
It is so hard to predict a pitchers wins, since that is something they almost least control. Some pitch well every year and get little run support, others have a 5.50 ERA and win 14 games. I'll say all three should reasonably be able to win 10 to 15 games if healthy.......Steve