As expected, the St. Louis Cardinals signed outfielder Matt Holliday to a 7 year 120 million deal. The Orioles had been mentioned as “laying in the weeds on Holliday.” (Sorry for no links to articles. I’m having to re-learn WordPress since it’s changed in my absence. Bear with me.) But nothing came about. I’m not upset over losing out on Holliday. He’s a great player and it’d be great to have an outfield of Holliday, Adam Jones, and Nick Markakis. Nolan Reimold could move to DH. Felix Pie could remain 4th outfielder. Holliday could have DH’ed from time to time. Luke Scott could have been dealt (I suspect he will at some point none the less). I can live with the current status quo in the outfield. It’s a great young outfield. The outfield is one of the few strengths of this team. Holliday would have been gravy. Expensive gravy at that.
If Holliday played 1st base, 3rd base, or shortstop then I would have been quite a bit more passionate about the signing. Those are positions that need help and long term solutions. Giving away the farm for Matt Holliday certainly wasn’t the answer.
Filed under: Orioles
Here’s the lineup I’d like to see Opening Day, and 130-140 games a year:
2b- Roberts
lf – Pie
cf -Jones
lb-Wieters
rf- Markakis
lb-Reimold
dh-Scott
3b-Atkins
ss-Izturis
No back to back hitters hitting from the same side of the plate. Switch hitters can swich to their benefit obviously, but you wno’t have a left handed relieft pitcher pitching to two consecutive left handed batters.
Roberts, Pie, and Jones gives you three good baserunners in a row, 4 if you start from the #9 hitter, Izturis. There’s no obvious #4 hitter, and while I suggest that Wieters fill that spot, the role will be for every batter to make contact, not to hit it out of the park. A line up that relies on speed will be critical, creating situations where hitters will be hitting with runners on the go, etc.