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Baltimore Orioles: Where does Orioles’ Kim rank among left fielders in AL East?

By Nate Wardle

Mar 1, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim (25) at bat during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim (25) at bat during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Baltimore Orioles roster may be looking at a platoon in both left field and right field this year, but the left field position overall in the division is not as strong as the infield.

Last year, the players who started the most in left field were Baltimore Orioles Hyun Soo Kim, Corey Dickerson for Tampa Bay, Michael Saunders for Toronto, Brock Holt for Boston and Brett Gardner for New York. Of those, only Kim and Gardner are expected to lead their teams this year in left field, and Saunders is no longer for the Blue Jays.

The Red Sox will feature Andrew Benintendi in left, another one of their young, talented players. However, Benintendi has not played in the majors as much as some of his young Sox’ counterparts, so he doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt.

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Colby Rasmus is back in the AL East, this time for Tampa Bay, while Melvin Upton and Ezequiel Carrera battle for the left field spot in Toronto.

Before we get to the left field rankings, don’t forget to check out our rankings at catcher, first base, second base, third base, and shortstop!

To recap, the left fielders in the American League East positional rankings at the end of 2016 season were:

5. Tampa Bay Rays

4. Baltimore Orioles

3. Toronto Blue Jays

2. Boston Red Sox

1. New York Yankees

Remember to comment with your thoughts on the rankings and let us know what you think about the Baltimore Orioles positional ranking!

5. Tampa Bay Rays

Rays’ LFs – Colby Rasmus, Mallex Smith, Corey Dickerson (DH)

I was torn here. Andrew Benintendi has played in 34 games in his MLB career. Hyun Soo Kim hit over .300 last year but had a WAR of 0.6. Melvin Upton hit under .200 in Toronto. Colby Rasmus hit .206 for the entire year in Houston.

So, I went with Rasmus. Rasmus hit .206/.286/.355 with 15 HR, 10 2B, 54 RBIs and 38 runs in 107 games for Houston in 2016. That’s not ideal.  In Toronto for four years, Rasmus was a .234 hitter. Also not good.

Somehow, Rasmus was a 1.8 dWAR in 2016, his highest number ever. His above average total fielding runs were superb, in fact, it was the best at left field in the American League. His range was not good in left field.

Rasmus has always been a bit of an enigma, but he continues to strike out a lot and not hit for a high average.

Behind Rasmus will be young Mallex Smith, acquired in a trade by the Rays, and Corey Dickerson. Dickerson started the most games in left field last year but is better suited for a DH role for the team. Smith is likely going to be the reserve outfielder for the Rays.

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