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Baltimore Orioles and a Look at the Outfield

By Nate Wardle

Apr 21, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Joey Rickard (23) scores the go-ahead run in the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 21, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Joey Rickard (23) scores the go-ahead run in the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /
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Before the season began, the Baltimore Orioles were in the market for several outfielders.

In the end, they traded for Mark Trumbo, signed Hyun-Soo Kim, and acquired Joey Rickard in the Rule 5 draft. Rickard and Trumbo have been very, very good for the Orioles in their separate roles.

Now, let’s look at several other candidates the team looked at:

Player 1 – 14/65, 1 HR, 3 2Bs, 2 RBIs, 7 R, 3 BB, 25 SO (leads majors), .226 BA, .262 OBP, .323 SLG, 0 Rfield, -0.1 dWAR, -1. oWAR

Player 2 – 16/62, 5 HR, 2 2Bs, 13 RBIs, 11 R, 6 BB, 20 SO, .281 BA, .371 OBP, .636 SLG, 0 Rfield, 0.0 dWAR, 0.7 oWAR

Player 3 – 21/64, 1 HR, 5 2Bs, 4 RBIs, 7 R, 2 BB, 13 SO, .350 BA, .359 OBP, .483 SLG, -4 Rfield, -0.5 dWAR, 0.5 oWAR

Player 4 – 12/52, 1 HR, 2 2Bs, 4 RBIs, 7 R, 8 BB, 22 SO, .231 BA, .333 OBP, .327 SLG, 3 Rfield, 0.3 dWAR, 0.1 oWAR

Player 5 – 22/71, 3 HR, 6 2Bs, 11 RBIs, 14 R (leads majors), 13 BB, 15 SO, .393 BA, .521 OBP (leads majors), .696 SLG, 4 Rfield, 0.5 dWAR, 1.3 oWAR

Which player would you rather have?

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Player 1 is having an abysmal season offensively, despite playing on one of the highest scoring teams in their league.

Player 2 is having a good season, and would always be looked at as a power hitter. Not exactly what the Orioles needed.  But, his power bat would have only added to the O’s ferocious lineup.

Player 3 is having a great season so far.  His batting eye leaves a bit to be desired, with only two walks on the season.  His defensive metrics also do not rate very well, but in watching some of his games, I don’t believe he has been inadequate in the outfield.

Player 4 has struggled to get on base so far this year, but has continued to show his defensive prowess. He also has a lot of strikeouts for a guy who is not a power hitter.

Player 5 is playing for arguably the best offensive in baseball. His offense and defense have both been fantastic so far this year, and he would probably be considered an MVP candidate, if not for Bryce Harper.

Who are these five players?

Player 1 – Justin Upton, 2 – Yoenis Cespedes, 3 – Joey Rickard, 4 – Alex Gordon, 5 – Dexter Fowler

Now that you know the players, would you rather have someone else? The Orioles desperately needed a number one hitter. A guy who could get on-base and set the table for guys like Manny Machado, Adam Jones, Chris Davis, and Mark Trumbo. So far, so good.

No, Rickard is not Alex Gordon or Fowler in the outfield, although metrics don’t count for everything. By the way, if you haven’t seen it, Gordon’s catch Thursday against Justin Upton and Detroit was fabulous.

Rickard has been a great acquisition for the Birds, and while he likely won’t hit .350 all year, he also is by far the youngest of the five players on this list.

Next: Monkeys Running Down Eutaw Street

Another shrewd, and so far successful move by Dan Duquette.

Speaking of Gordon and the Kansas City Royals, the Orioles are taking on the World Series Champs starting Friday night.

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