Felix Pie is back and picking up right where he left off. In his first three games back Pie is batting .308 with an OPS of 1.049, a homer and three RBI. he has been playing a solid left field and, most importantly, is not showing any lingering effects of his back injury. A healthy and productive Felix Pie is one of the few things that Orioles fans have to look forward to this Summer.
I was never the biggest believer in Pie when he first got here. He fumbled and flailed his way through his first six weeks as an Oriole and was consequently benched by then manager Dave Trembley. Pie’s benching allowed for the promotion of Nolan Reimold who quickly took Pie’s starting spot in left field and went on to have a Rookie-of-the-Year caliber season. So Felix was on the bench how he reacted to it made me a believer. Did he sulk? Did he whine? No, he was always there on the bench with a smile rooting on his teammates he was always a great teammate. Behind the scenes Pie was working his butt off with hitting-coach Terry Crowley and when injuries gave him an oppoortunity to get back in the lineup he took it and he took off. Pie earned his spot in the lineup through determination and hard work and it feels good to see him seemingly hit the ground running.
Pie is the future of this team a future that needs to step up in the second half.
Yes, believe it or not O’s fans we have another HALF OF A SEASON left to go. I know that this year has already seemed like the longest in recent memory but there is a lot of ball left to play.
Looking at another player trying to get back: Nolan Reimold.
Reimold has to be easily one of the largest disappointments of a brutal Spring. Reimold was almost the ROTY last year but nagging injuries and off-the-field issues have seemed to derail the young man’s career for the time being. Nolan has spent most of this season in AAA trying to rediscover his game, while being converted to first base.
Reimold, Matt Wieters, Pie, Adam Jones: four prospects all of which were expected to take the next step this year that have either been sidelined, stagnated or stepped back this year. Combine that with key injuries, bad signings and a pinch of good ole’ fashion bad luck you see where the Orioles are right now. Jones still only has eight (EIGHT) walks on the year but he seems to be turning things around. We are all still waiting for Wieters to go on a tear…anytime now…soon? Please? That is what this Summer is about.
This second half is about these players. Throw in Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman and Jake Arrieta to round out the cavalry. These are the guys that we need to see real improvement and consistency out of. Arrieta had a solid start the other night, short-ciruited by a poor offensive showing. Tillman is dominating in AAA yet again, though will he be able to translate it to MLB success?
There are a lot of questions hovering around this team right now, and this Summer is vital. It is vital to the future of the team. When future historians look to the past will this Spring be seen as growing pains – or the point when it all came crashing down in Baltimore yet again?
