Baltimore Orioles: Nolan Reimold In, Steve Lombardozzi Out
Feb 28, 2014; Port Charlotte, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Nolan Reimold (14) bats in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in a spring training exhibition game at Charlotte Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports
The Baltimore Orioles had a busy day on Tuesday with a number of moves being made. Two players were moved out for cash considerations: Steve Lombardozzi to the Pirates and Michael Ohlman to the Cardinals. Nolan Reimold is returning to the organization with the same deal as Delmon Young had a year ago – a minor league contract with invite to spring training. And Miguel Gonzalez and the Orioles agreed to a contract, thus avoiding arbitration.
It is all about consistency; one of these players involved in Tuesday’s dealing has it, while the other three are continuing in their search to find it.
Miguel Gonzalez
If he is anything, Gonzalez is consistent. He competes in each and every start. He was only truly blown out of a game in one of his 26 starts in 2014 – the first game of the year in Detroit where he gave up seven runs in 3.1 innings. If you take that start out of his statistics, his seasonal ERA drops from 3.23 to 2.89!
Since breaking in with the Orioles in the middle of 2012, Gonzalez is 30-21 with a 3.45 ERA. Never spectacular or overpowering, his consistency is seen even in his demeanor. There is no difference when things are going poorly or going well. The goal is simply to get the next guy out.
As an additional illustration of his consistency, when tracking his pitches in appearances, opponents bat .250 on pitches 1-25, .259 on 56-50, .250 on 51-75, and .256 on 76-100.
Having bounced around a bit in his earlier career and ending up in the Mexican League where he was rescued by Dan Duquette, Gonzalez is a late-blooming success. He will turn age 31 in May.
This was Gonzalez’ first trip through the arbitration-eligible category, and the settlement was for $3.275 million. I cannot imagine there is an Orioles fan anywhere who is anything but fully pleased for this day to come for Miguel.
Nolan Reimold
What would spring training for the Orioles be like without a signing of Reimold and wondering if he is finally healthy enough to contribute? It is just another indication that the winter is melting away and baseballs will soon be flying through the Florida air.
i may end up as the lone survivor and bus driver of the nolan reimold fan club
Having said that about Reimold, don’t read into that a snarky opinion about the leftfielder. I am really pleased to see this total non-risk development get executed. I am now not only one of the few surviving members from his bus, I am a veteran Reimold believer and backup bus driver.
When Reimold was healthy, he was a beast of an athlete with unusual pop in his bat and speed to first base among the elite in MLB. Though maybe at this point a return to that is less than likely, few players ever got there or could get there. It costs the Orioles next to nothing to see if somehow it might someday be retrieved.
Steve Lombardozzi
This local product from Atholton has always been a sort of head-scratcher, as his numbers are not that bad. He hit .288 for the Orioles early last season in 74 plate appearances. But – and this is rather amazing – he never once took a base on balls and only once was hit by a pitch. Even Adam Jones gets more free passes than that.
Lombardozzi hit .270 at Norfolk for the rest of the year and has a career minor league average of .295. This would lead you to expect that perhaps he could be a better infield backup than the oft weak-hitting Ryan Flaherty, while acknowledging there is far less power potential.
But the issue is defense, and we all know how important that is to the Orioles organization. Even there, it is not that he fumbles the ball, but the issues have to do with range and arm strength – particularly not being a viable defensive backup at shortstop.
The Orioles just weren’t into Lombardozzi, and now he is with the Pirates.
Michael Ohlman
Here is a fellow who has the look that he needs a new start in a new place. After leading the Carolina League in batting in 2013, to drop off into the .220s and .230s the next year at AA was not encouraging for the catcher. And again, the defensive issue arises. Put it all together, and there was not a future for Ohlman in Baltimore. Maybe he can find one in St. Louis.
These players and their stories illustrate how incredibly difficult it is to make it to the big leagues and then stick for a career of substance. Far more fail than succeed. Apart from those with truly unusual skills, the road to MLB is most often long and circuitous. And this is why a Miguel Gonzalez story is so compelling, and why I have a soft spot for guys like Nolan Reimold.