O's minor leaguers in '08 -- Right fielders
Orioles fans hope that Nick Markakis will be playing right field at Camden Yards for at least the next 15 years. It remains to be seen if that will happen, but I’ll take a look at the right fielders in the Orioles’ minor league system in case the team needs a replacement for him in the near future.
The most important statistics, in my opinion, for the right fielders in the organization are their offensive numbers because they’ll likely be switching positions as long as Markakis is wearing an Orioles uniform.
The 24-year-old outfielder played well enough defensively that he should win a Gold Glove in the American League. Markakis led the major leagues in outfield assists (17) and he only committed three errors. Whether he actually wins the award is a completely different story, but this is my forum to petition for it to happen. I’m sure that a lot of Orioles fans share that sentiment, so it will be interesting to see if he’s honored.
Anyway, let’s get back to minor league baseball. There were several right fielders in the organization who performed well this season. Nolan Reimold of the Bowie Baysox is my choice for the top right fielder in 2008.
I think a lot of people will agree with that pick, but let me know if you would choose someone else. A lot of fans have shown their support for Delmarva Shorebirds right fielder Joe Nowicki in the comments section of previous entries. Does anyone think he should be ranked ahead of Reimold?
Reimold hit .284 with 25 home runs and 84 RBIs in 139 games for the Baysox. He finished tied for second in the Eastern League in home runs and fifth in RBIs. He ended the season with 29 doubles and 87 runs scored, which was second in the league behind teammate Lou Montanez.
Nowicki hit .276 with 19 home runs and 78 RBIs in 130 games for the Shorebirds. He finished third in the South Atlantic League with 36 doubles and tied for fifth in the league with 241 total bases. Nowicki also had six triples and 14 stolen bases this season.
If I had to rank the right fielders in the Orioles’ minor league system based on this season’s statistics, I’d list them in the following order:
1. Nolan Reimold
2. Joe Nowicki
3. Ronnie Welty
4. Brandon Tripp
5. Chris Roberson
My biggest concern with Reimold is that he’s getting to the point where he needs to be given the opportunity to perform in the major leagues or he’ll never have a successful career. He’s a month older than Markakis, so the window is slowly closing. I’m not sure what the Orioles’ plans are for the outfielder, but I’d like to see them give him a chance to make the team in spring training.
There are two things that are working against Nowicki – his age and his strikeout numbers in 2008. The 25-year-old outfielder – he’ll turn 26 on Nov. 12 – was old for his league, but that can be overlooked because he performed well in his third professional season. He needs to cut down on the strikeouts, however, if he wants to receive a considerable look from the Orioles. Nowicki struck out 142 times in 492 at-bats this season.
Welty, who the Orioles selected in the 20th round of this year’s MLB draft, led the Bluefield Orioles with a .314 batting average this season. The 20-year-old right fielder had 13 doubles, 26 runs scored and 34 RBIs in 55 games.
Tripp has shown a lot of power in the past two seasons, but he struck out more often than Nowicki in 2008. The Orioles’ 12th-round pick in the 2006 draft led the Carolina League with 145 strikeouts in 428 at-bats. The 23-year-old right fielder hit .236 with 17 home runs and 69 RBIs for the Frederick Keys this season.
Roberson isn’t going to help the Orioles, but he had a solid season for the Norfolk Tides. The 29-year-old outfielder hit .279 with 57 RBIs and 52 runs scored in 123 games for the Tides. He had 14 doubles and 20 stolen bases.
Categories: O's minor leaguers in '08
Comments
first you don't say a word on how these guys play defensively. 2nd reimold has had one good yr in the minors. i would give him an opportunity in spring training to make the team but otherwise let him start the season in triple a. jones is set in cf markakis is set in lf and right scott in lf with montanez as a 4th of. if they don't sign texeria they could use scott, montanez or huff at 1b, one of the remaining 2 could dh and that could open a spot on the roster for reimold.
Posted by: fkterp | October 1, 2008 6:01 AM
I agree with the previous poster, you need to do analysis on more than just the at-plate statistics. Defense skills, versatility, arm strength, speed, etc... We keep hearing over and over from O's execs and MASN talking heads that beyond pitching the O's need to focus on improving defense. Place more balance on your analysis- I enjoy the minor league reports but would appreciate them more if they were more detailed- even if that means just focusing on a position a week.
Thanks
Posted by: Jeff | October 1, 2008 1:06 PM
You don't have to worry about Reinmold's defense. He covers a lot of ground with ease. His arm is one of, if not the, strongest in the organization. His first season in Bowie, which was on the way to being the same as this past season, was short-circuited by his first oblique strain. The organization returned him from the DL too soon and in the first game back, the oblique strained again. Given a good look and performance in spring training, he could help the Os next season, or be used to obtain some needed pitching.
Posted by: Jeff Hertz | October 1, 2008 1:17 PM
Hey guys,
Perhaps I wasn't clear enough in the original entry.
In this paragraph, "The most important statistics, in my opinion, for the right fielders in the organization are their offensive numbers because they’ll likely be switching positions as long as [Nick] Markakis is wearing an Orioles uniform." By this, I meant that I wasn't going to be focusing on defense for right fielders because these players likely won't be playing right field for the Orioles, so I didn't think they were relevant.
For the other positions, I have been including defensive statistics that I can scoop up.
Thanks again for reading the blog and taking the time to comment.
Dean
Posted by: Dean Jones Jr. | October 1, 2008 1:18 PM
Jeff,
I think it's important to point out that Reimold probably has the worst defensive instincts out of all the players compiled on this list. He doesn't read the ball off the bat very well, nor does he cover much ground. His arm is a cannon but he can't seem to harness it's strength. Without a doubt, he's a prospect. There's no arguing that. But he has a lot of "ground" to cover in becoming the type of player that could help the Orioles - or any team - in the big leagues.
Posted by: Dan | October 1, 2008 3:05 PM
Reimold can,and did at Bowie, play more than one position in the outfield. His offensive credentials are unquestioned. He doesn't try to pull everything. He goes with the way it's pitched and with power. His shots are lasers.
Posted by: Jeff Hertz | October 1, 2008 3:27 PM
Gotta have Reimold start at AAA, it's not like he hit .320 in AA. Plus what do we do, bench the guy that came over from Houston that performed pretty darn well? In 2010, if Reimold can perform the same at the next level, then we can open up a good old competition in the OF.
Posted by: Keith B | October 1, 2008 6:19 PM
Dean, I don't envy you trying to rank the players. With RF, you could have stopped at 2. It is sad that # 2 was not drafted and Welty was a 20 rounder and played at Bluefield. Thought Tripp would have a better year. I hope Reimold has another good fall and gets a more than fair chance in spring training. I expect he will start at AAA and wait and see. I thought his biggest problem was injuries which he seems to have overcome.
Posted by: Steve H | October 1, 2008 7:58 PM