Many Oriole fans are having a hard-enough time following what is going on with the team in Baltimore. Still, as you think about the O’s and their immediate future it is important to keep an eye on Norfolk and the results of the O’s top positional prospects Josh Bell, and Brandon Snyder.
With 3 homers in last 10 games, Bell has started to flash his pronounced power.
In his first 115 at-bats in the 2010 season, Bell has a .773 OPS, .261 batting avg, 6 homers, 6 doubles, 19 rbi, 6 bb’s, and 32 k’s. (.881 OPS in his past 40 at-bats.)
One thing that everyone was interested to see in Bell this year, was how he produced against LHP. In 2009 Bell had a .566 OPS vs lefties with Chattanooga, and a .737 OPS vs. Southpaws with Bowie. In 2010 he has not had much of an opportunity to show if he progressed, as he has only received 12 at-bats against lefties. I guess it is worth noting the 23 year-old is 0 for 12 in these limited opportunities.
Brandon Snyder homered yesterday, and you can only hope that gets him going. The first 97 at-bats for Snyder in 2010 have been miserable. A .586 OPS, .196 batting average, 2 homers, 3 doubles, 9 rbi, 11 bb’s, and 32 k’s. (4 walks, 12 k’s last 10 games).
Snyder has put up strong numbers in the Hawaiian, Carolina, Arizona Fall, and Eastern Leagues.
Like Bell, he is just 23 with plenty of time to address the remaining flaws in his game. What can not be ignored though is his total lack of production at Norfolk, during his first 359 at-bats at the level. If Snyder does not start to turn things around during the next-month, it is going to be very difficult to envision Snyder with the O’s in 2011.
What I am interested in seeing is what happens if Bell forces his way to the Majors during the next 6 weeks? Just the other-day in the comments section of this blog I suggested that if Bell was promoted in the near-term, maybe Tejada would be forced across the diamond to 1st.
That is probably very unlikely. I could see the O’s having enough respect for Tejada that they would not force him to change positions again, especially during the season. Still, if you wanted Bell at 3rd in 2011, it would make sense to have him play there as much as possible in 2010. If Bell is promoted, he has to play everyday. So if he was not going to play at 3rd, the logical spot for him becomes 1st. If the O’s bring up Bell to play 1st, you would have to wonder if the Oriole Front Office saw that as Bell’s long-term position?
If that is the case, we could be looking at Tejada (or Wigginton) coming back for a year at 3rd in 2011.
In my-mind, we would ideally see Pie return to the lineup for the last two-months of 2010 and force his way into the everyday 2011 lineup as the LF. The corresponding move being Reimold converted to 1st prior to next-year (assuming he starts to hit, which I believe he will).
This would have us looking at an everyday 2011 lineup of:
Roberts 2nd
Pie LF
Markakis RF
Wieters C
Reimold 1st
Jones CF
Bell 3rd
DH
SS
Snyder could still potentially fit in at DH if he produces over these next 3.5 months. Or maybe Tejada / Wigginton also fit in there. It is a little hard to picture the O’s being able to sell Tejada on a sole DH role for 1 year in the twilight is his career though.
If Bell is promoted to the Majors in the next 6 weeks or so and takes over 1st – the complexion of the roster starts to change. If Bell is at 1st, and makes that position his, Reimold is not going to be converted there. So if you wanted both Pie and Reimold in the everyday lineup, Reimold would have to go to DH. That would have you looking like:
Roberts 2nd
Pie LF
Markakis RF
Wieters C
Reimold DH
Jones CF
Bell 1st
3rd (again could be Tejada or Wigginton back for a year in 2011)
SS
If Snyder wants to be part of this team, he better be ready to go on a tear. At this point, he almost needs a 200 at-bat run like had for Bowie last year (1.018 OPS, .345 batting avg, 30 xbh’s) to really again gain the O’s attention.
Both players clearly have some room to improve with their plate discipline. It also bears watching to see what reports come of Bell’s defense. The Southern League Managers named him the league’s best defensive 3rd-baseman. He lost some weight coming into this year. Still you hear whispers he can not stay at that position.
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