Jay Payton alone won?t be the difference between winning and losing for the Orioles in 2007, but he?ll go a long way toward bringing a degree of offensive respectability back to the outfield. Having already more than $40 million on improving middle relief, it was time to address the other side of the club?s shortfall.
Offensively, the 2006 Orioles weren?t horrible, nor were they anything to write home about. As a team, they batted .277, seventh overall in the American League, but they only scored 768 runs, 10th overall and only 12 runs better than 13th-place Seattle.
Most inside baseball people agree that, over the course of a season, a successful team needs to get about 50-60 home runs and 250-300 RBI out of its principal three to four outfielders. The Orioles used 11 different players in the outfield last year, including infielders Brandon Fahey, Fernando Tatis and Ed Rogers, minor league prospect Jeff Fiorentino and big league never-was Luis Terrero.
Totaling all 11 player?s stats for the year (which also reflect numbers put up while playing the infield or at DH) you come up with 65 home runs and 277 runs batted in. For 11 players. As in one player shy of roughly half a roster.
Based on the premise that Baltimore?s outfield, on most days, will consist of Payton in left, Corey Patterson in center and Nick Markakis in right, it?seasy to assume that the Orioles will come much closer to the aforementioned desired outfield production. Payton has hit as many as 28 homers in a season and has driven in as many as 89. His 162-game average is 17 and 70, which, added to what Patterson and Markakis put up last year, makes for a fairly potent everyday trio. Inasmuch as management continues to look for another bat ? and it?s reasonable to assume that Jay Gibbons will likely put in some time in the outfield ? suddenly the offensive picture is brighter. Adam Stern, who was acquired from Boston in the Javy Lopez deal, can catch the ball but, frankly, isn?t much of a hitter.
Payton is a journeyman, having already performed for the Mets, Rockies, Padres, Red Sox and Athletics. If you guessed he put up his best numbers in Denver, you?d be right, but his output at normal altitude has been respectable, if unspectacular.
He?s an above average outfielder, something the Orioles really couldn?t say about anyone who played as many as 50 games in left last year. A two-year deal at what?s seen as reasonable money these days looks like a prudent investment.
No one expects a contender following a 70-win season. An 11-game swing could win Sam Perlozzo manager of the year. If the club?s recent signings do what they?re expected to, the Orioles will play a far more interesting brand of baseball.
After nine straight sub-.500 finishes, I suspect “interesting” will be far more acceptable to the fans.
Phil Wood has covered baseball in the Washington/Baltimore market for more than 30 years. You can reach him at [email protected].
