Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
January 13, 2006
Youngster Gone

This is really poor. Not only did the Orioles sign Millar when they already have Conine, they're getting rid of the young lefty slugger who might compliment either player.

To make room for newly signed first baseman-outfielder Kevin Millar on the 40-man roster, the Orioles designated first baseman Walter Young for assignment Friday, a club spokesman said.

Young, 25, played in 14 September games for the Orioles after spending most of the year at Triple-A Ottawa, where he hit .288 with 13 homers and 81 RBIs.

...

Young was selected off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2003, primarily because of his tremendous power potential. The left-hander has hit 116 minor league homers, including 33 for Double-A Bowie in 2004.

Tampa Bay should pick him up cheap and use him as a DH. I bet he'd hit a ton in that ballpark.


Posted by David Pinto at 07:07 PM | Transactions | TrackBack (0)
Comments

Does Cal Ripken hold any association with the O's anymore? It seems like they should give him some sort of executive post to help return credibility to this franchise.

Posted by: Jabes at January 13, 2006 07:30 PM

Is there any website with the current MLB waiver wire? Would the Royals be able to pick up this guy? We can always use young sluggers here.

Posted by: Garth at January 13, 2006 10:42 PM

man the orioles are dumb

Posted by: colin at January 14, 2006 02:46 AM

can the padres get him and dump klesko on the yanks.?

Posted by: colin at January 14, 2006 02:50 AM

Jeeze, Young weighs 400 pounds, hit all of 13 hr in a full season at AAA, Ks three times as much as he walks, can't play D or run the bases to save his life, and the manager doesn't like him (Perlozzo preferred Chris Gomez at 1b last year after the Raffy debacle, when Sam's job was on the line).

Clearly, Walt's the next Ortiz...

Posted by: Some Guy at January 14, 2006 07:04 AM

I guess he steps into them with all his gerth. maybe should play left tackle or pulling guard

Posted by: Colin at January 14, 2006 12:21 PM

"Jeeze, Young ... hit all of 13 hr in a full season at AAA, Ks three times as much as he walks, can't play D or run the bases to save his life,"

Replace "Young" with "Millar" and "AAA" with "ML". And then tell me who's cheaper...and explain to me the basics of platooning (I'll give you a hint...two right handed hitters at the same position ain't a platoon.)

Posted by: david at January 14, 2006 07:29 PM

and explain to me the basics of platooning

Err, would that be when they put Conine in against lefties and Patterson against righties in LF? All of this while giving Markakis et al another year to develop?

Also, thinking back to a year or two ago and Jack Cust--the Orioles managed to outright that fellar straight to AAA, with no team putting in a claim. And at least Cust had strike zone judgement, some signs of power, and a weight below 250, though Baltimore fans will never forgive him for baserunning that cost the team a game 'gainst the Yanks.

I ain't saying Flanny et al represent an elite front office, but they've not done too bad this offseason.

Posted by: Some Guy at January 14, 2006 11:47 PM

Yeah, what happened to Jack Cust? Wasn't he supposed to be the hot prospect back in 2004?

Posted by: Adam Villani at January 15, 2006 01:34 AM

Cust was picked up by Oakland as a minor league free agent, and played for AAA Sacramento last year.

250 with a 438 slugging, and 19 HRs--certainly better than Young, and maybe the replacement for Hattieberg this year, but then again, at least Cust walks (402 OBP).

Posted by: Some Guy at January 15, 2006 02:33 AM

"would that be when they put Conine in against lefties and Patterson against righties in LF? "

The Orioles, as talent-deficient as they are, are going to use their best defensive outfielder in left field? Come on, now...even you don't believe that. The O's aren't winning anything this year, anyway, so why not see if the youngsters, especially Patterson, can play. It makes no sense whatsoever for a losing team to waste 300 at bats on Conine and 300 more on Millar. It would be like the Royals signing Reggie Sanders or something..oh, wait a minute...

Anyway, my point wasn't to defend Young or advocate for him as a starter - minor leaguers like him are a dime a dozen - but Kevin Millar, as nice a guy and as good a teammate as he is, is really not a major-league caliber player anymore.

Posted by: david at January 15, 2006 10:25 PM
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