Fio Gone

by birdman on Jan 2, 2008 2:55 PM EST

The Orioles have added another candidate for center field, buying the contract of outfielder Chris Roberson from the Philadelphia Phillies today.

Roberson, 28, is a speedy switch-hitter with little power who spent most of 2007 with the Phillies' Triple-A team in Ottawa, where he hit .266 with four homers and 19 stolen bases in 113 games.

Roberson batted .286 (eight hits in 28 at-bats) in two major-league callups spanning 28 games with the Phillies last season and is a career .232 hitter in 69 big-league at-bats. The Phillies designated him for assignment last month.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-os0102,0,5008246.story

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I would rather keep Fio but whatever, both players suck. Not sure what this new dude brings that Tike doesn't. I guess the O's wanted some extra options for CF.

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well...

tike is not very good at outfield.

So, I said, uh, lama: how about a little something for the effort?

by jq higgins on Jan 2, 2008 3:41 PM EST 0 recs

also...

fio could very easily just end up back at aaa, though i don't really see the point. he looked like ass in arizona.

So, I said, uh, lama: how about a little something for the effort?

by jq higgins on Jan 2, 2008 3:47 PM EST 0 recs

so

The O's lost Corey Patterson, so they bring in Corey-lite. Isn't it sad that the organization doesn't have anyone better than Robertson/Payton/Redman?

by UMterp08 on Jan 2, 2008 3:56 PM EST 0 recs

corey costs $2 million+, this guy costs league...

...minimum. So this is actually smart. Replacement level players for minimum salary are OK. For 6th year arb. salaries? not so much.

by pipkin on Jan 5, 2008 2:16 AM EST up 0 recs

basically

if he's a good CF. If he's not, fuck him.

apparently the org hates fio, though (see blow).

by pipkin on Jan 5, 2008 2:18 AM EST up 0 recs

i think that's right...

the idea of tike redman playing center is a joke. first: it is highly unlikely that his offensive performance from last season will be replicated this season, second: he looked awful in the field.

payton was awful offensively, and while not as embarassing as redman in the field, seemed awfully prone to making some pretty egregious howlers.

so, yeah...if this guy is at or near patterson's level defensively, he could be useful and the maxim about paying for mediocrity is spot on.

So, I said, uh, lama: how about a little something for the effort?

by jq higgins on Jan 5, 2008 7:47 AM EST up 0 recs

I do not understand this move...

...at all. Fio probably clears waivers, but his numbers in the minors are simply better than this Roberson dude, AND he is 4 years younger. A definite WTF move.

by KenDixonFanClub on Jan 2, 2008 7:22 PM EST 0 recs

Fio in center

Roberson is more likely to be a good defensive center fielder than Fio, perhaps? I'm guessing, but I always though Fiorentino was a fourth or fifth outfielder kind of guy...same with Roberson...I have no point here. Maybe they're just looking for another option in center to compete with Payton and Redman?

by Dr Orpheus on Jan 3, 2008 9:03 AM EST up 0 recs

The only thing

this guy might have over Corey is that he would be a whole lot less expensive. Otherwise he ought to suck just as much.

by KenDixonFanClub on Jan 3, 2008 11:14 AM EST up 0 recs

re:

Markakis could play center. He really could. But they've got it stuck in their heads that he's The Right Fielder. He's not gonna be Mike Cameron or Andruw Jones out there, but he'd be perfectly fine. Then again, who plays right field? Gibbons?

We still suck. And Roberson is another turd on the shit fire.

Thanks for the time that you've given me...

by SC on Jan 3, 2008 3:39 PM EST up 0 recs

one of many

"who cares?" moves typical of Oriole Baseball 1998-2008.

by dfleis on Jan 2, 2008 9:12 PM EST 0 recs

They have done it!

Twice as many strikeouts as walks...they have found another, cheaper, Corey Patterson. But can he run the ball down? Roberson is 28 and still at AAA? That fills me with much confidence.

"Beauty is in the eye of the bill-folder." - Buck O'Neill

by Born Under a Bad Moon on Jan 3, 2008 11:13 AM EST 0 recs

Robertson had 34 stolen bases last year

Thats a good thing. The one thing I appreciated about Patterson was when he occasionally got on base. Dude was fast.

"Baltimore? That's like being hit in the head with a crowbar once a day."

by spike2131 on Jan 3, 2008 2:19 PM EST 0 recs

re:

As best I can tell, Roberson stole 19/28 bases in AAA last year. Whoopty fuckin' doo.

It's a stupid move. Roberson is not a major league baseball player. He had a .663 OPS in Ottawa last year.

Thanks for the time that you've given me...

by SC on Jan 3, 2008 3:37 PM EST up 0 recs

Yeah, it is a lame move

I don't know where I saw the 34 mark. But I'm grasping at straws here. I want there to be some good reason for this move, but I'm not seeing it.

Not that Fio was going anywhere, although I did like him from his days as Screech.

"Baltimore? That's like being hit in the head with a crowbar once a day."

by spike2131 on Jan 4, 2008 12:19 PM EST up 0 recs

The Reds...

...picked him up.

Oh well.

by Dr Orpheus on Jan 4, 2008 4:40 PM EST 0 recs

D'oh

We should have at least been able to throw him in as extra junk on the side of a trade....

"Baltimore? That's like being hit in the head with a crowbar once a day."

by spike2131 on Jan 4, 2008 4:44 PM EST up 0 recs

Roch on the radio

Heard Roch on the radio tonight saying that Roberson is an organizational guy with an upside of 4th or 5th outfielder at best. He also said that Fio developed some bad habits in the minors, so perhaps he'll benefit from a change of scenery in the Reds organization.

by RobG on Jan 4, 2008 10:42 PM EST 0 recs

re:

roch developed some bad habits in the minors as well. mightn't he also benefit from a change of scenery?

It's just a question of arrogant self-entitlement against drunken limp-dicked self-loathing--DaBB

by zknower on Jan 5, 2008 2:10 AM EST up 0 recs

post of the month

by pipkin on Jan 5, 2008 2:18 AM EST up 0 recs

Losing Fio

I wasn't terribly excited about Fio, but since we just lost him to the Reds, imagine if we made this trade.

We send a 24 year old OF with a career minor league line of .286/.360/.478 for a 28 year old OF with a career minor league line of .278/.347/.386. Both players have minimal major league experience, though the young guy did slightly better in the bigs.

If I'm rebuilding a team, I keep the young guy who hasn't reached his peak.

by silverstadium on Jan 5, 2008 4:11 PM EST 0 recs