Orioles Opinion: Change The Offensive Philosophy

With free agency starting and many names set to receive astronomical deals (see: Chris Davis), the Orioles have started by re-signing Matt Wieters with a qualifying offer. However, Baltimore still has a few holes to fill. These holes need to be filled with players that get on base, play good defense, and have solid speed.

The Orioles had the MLB 24th-ranked OBP with .307 and the 20th-ranked BA with .250. To remedy this situation, the Orioles should sign the versatile Ben Zobrist and Alex Gordon.

Zobrist has played the outfield, shortstop, and second base in his career. His OBP was .364 and his BA was .276 last season. His defensive capabilities and strong bat give Buck Showalter another one of his “guys”.

According to MASN Sports’ Roch Kubatko in an October 23rd article, Zobrist makes a good deal offseason for the Orioles to sign:

"“Zobrist turns 35 in May. He made $7.5 million this season. He won’t break the bank. The Orioles should target him.Manager Buck Showalter has always liked Zobrist and there are people in the warehouse who consider him a good fit. The Orioles already have Jonathan Schoop at second base, but Zobrist could play the corner outfield spots and back up at other positions. He also would provide leadership in a clubhouse that may undergo another drastic makeover.Zobrist may not get back to 2009 form, when he batted .297/.405/.543 with 28 doubles, seven triples, 27 home runs and 91 RBIs in 152 games with the Rays and placed eighth in Most Valuable Player voting in the American League. The Orioles don’t really care. They’ll take the present version.”"

Gordon could also give the Orioles a jolt of energy next season. Gordon hit 13 HRs last year, but I can easily see his total going up in the hitter friendly Camden Yards. He batted .271 and had a stellar OBP of .377.

Nov 1, 2015; New York City, NY, USA; Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon (4) grounds out in the 12th inning against the New York Mets in game five of the World Series at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

The Orioles have shown interest in Gordon as referenced in a tweet from ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick:

I also believe that the Orioles should invest in speed. Ah-Seop Son of the KBO is due to be posted. He is an outfielder, he gets on base, and he’s a persistent baserunner. He is very affordable for the Orioles and they should get a chance to sign him. He batted .317, stole 11 bases, and had a .406 OBP.

Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun has questions of whether or not the Orioles should sign Son:

"“The 27-year-old profiles as a corner outfielder who can bat leadoff and has a good on-base percentage, both areas of need for the Orioles this offseason. He has been compared to Japanese free-agent outfielder Nori Aoki, who the Orioles have expressed interest in this offseason and last.The big question regarding Son, just like other players coming from South Korea, is whether his success abroad translates to the major leagues. More from Baltimore OriolesWhat other Baltimore Orioles Offseason Storylines will you be interested in seeing?Baltimore Orioles to Face Numerous Playoff Contenders Down the StretchBaltimore Orioles Showing Encouraging Signs During Recent WinsThe Baltimore Orioles and the Expanded September RosterOrioles Josh Rogers Expectations in his Major League DebutThis past season, Son hit .317/.406/.472 with 13 homers, 54 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Maybe more importantly, he doesn’t strike out often — which would be welcome in the Orioles’ feast-or-famine lineup — striking out in just 15.6 percent of his career plate appearances.Son, a left-handed batter who has hit to all fields during his career in South Korea, is a perennial All-Star in the KBO and led the league in hits in 2012 and 2013. His KBO numbers, which include a .323 batting average and .398 on-base percentage over nine seasons, compare to Aoki’s in his nine years in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league. However, the level of play in Japan is regarded as significantly better than that in Korea.”"

With this all being said, the Orioles have a long road ahead. A few moves in this direction will grant Showalter the versatility in his lineup that he likes as well as good defense. This was the blueprint for the Royals and what’s better than to sign some of their old players that are good clubhouse guys? We shall see.