After a poor 67 at-bats to start the 2010 season, there is growing sentiment within Baltimore that Nolan Reimold needs to return to the Minors.
I understand that rationale, but that is the exact opposite of what I would do. I would continue to pencil Reimold’s name in the everyday lineup on a daily-basis. Through-out his professional career, Reimold has always been capable of horrific slumps, and the other extreme of sizzling production. With his .581 OPS, and .179 batting average we have seen the horrific slump. I’m pretty convinced we will soon see a corresponding hot-streak from him.
What I will not do, is give Reimold a pass for his start based on his Achilles’s. He told the O’s he was healthy, and ready to go. As such, he has to be held responsible for his play. In Spring Training Reimold again showed his ability to go from frigid to on fire. He still runs hard, and well down the 1st-base line. While there is no cutting there, he showed an ability to get a good jump on a recent catch in the Left-field alley.
While better players than Reimold have had to go back to the Minors, I see no benefit for Reimold to do the same. You have to factor where the O’s are right now, and where they want to be in the near-immediate (2011) term. With the loss in NY tonight, Baltimore is now 7 and 20 overall. Reimold is clearly part of the core of players you want to build around. As such he needs to play everyday, and gain another 500+ at-bats in the Majors. There is a bigger book on him at this point, and the league has adjusted. It is important for Reimold to go through these struggles, and show an ability to adjust himself. That is far more important than Reimold returning to AAA and dominating a league he is too talented for.
Here is a reminder of Reimold’s recent-numbers:
2009 MLB: .831 OPS, .279 batting avg, 358 at-bats, 15 homers, 18 doubles, 45 rbi, 47 walks, 77 k’s
2009 AAA: 1.228 OPS, .394 batting avg, 109 at-bats, 9 homers, 11 doubles, 27 rbi, 18 walks, 25 k’s
2008 AA: .868 OPS, .284 batting avg, 507 at-bats, 25 homers, 29 doubles, 84 rbi, 63 walks, 82 k’s
Like Jones, I believe a real strength of Reimold’s game is his ability to go to all fields with legitimate power. Reimold has to get back to showing good plate-discipline, and a willingness to go to RF.
Owner
Chris Stoner founded Baltimore Sports and Life in 2009. He has appeared as a radio guest with 1090 WBAL, 105.7 The Fan, CBS 1300, Q1370, WOYK 1350, WKAV 1400, and WNST 1570. He has also been interviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal, and PressBox (TV). As Owner, his responsibilities include serving as the Managing Editor, Publicist, & Sales Director.