Brooks Conrad summoned from AAA

[TooLiveBrew]

His mediocre AAA numbers last year were in just 211 plate appearances. That was after spending all of 2010 as a bench player for a championship team. I'd give him a little slack for adjusting to going from World Series (even as a sub he got in to 10 postseason games) to playing in AAA a few months later. A bit of a letdown is common. In his previous time in AAA (again over a rather small sample) he had an OPS of 1.107. That was at age 24 in 2008. Are you telling me at 28, he's not that good any more?

 

Nobody's expecting him to be Prince Fielder. But if he hits .265 and slugs .400 (possible in the Central division), it's not far off what was expected of Gamel.

Oh, sorry -- I totally forgot. Sample size is super-relevant for every player so long as it fits your narrative.

[Oldcity]

I highly doubt that Doug Melvin moves Ramirez to 1B. Doug Melvin has always been one to give into veteran players demands or to play them only at their career positions. It doesn't make any sense to me..

Yep. This is the move to make, but they'll never make it.

[3and2Fastball]

Just a guess in terms of the platoon thing, but I think it comes from Roenicke's connections to the old Earl Weaver Orioles through his brother Gary and also the Narron brothers. Earl Weaver was big on platoons and Gary Roenicke was a big part of a platoon in the outfield on the 1983 World Champion Orioles

[brettac1]

That LaRussa guy did alright with platoons, I guess.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I don't have a problem with platoons if done right. Like the Gomez/Morgan platoon was absolutely perfect last year. A platoon of Ishikawa and Conrad is pretty horrible. That's a situation where we're better off just going with Hart most days, with Ishikawa maybe getting a few starts. Or go with Green if that doesn't work out.

[thebruce44]

Are you telling me at 28, he's not that good any more?

 

Nobody is saying "any more."

[monty57]

I liked seeing Green starting at 1B right away yesterday, and I hope he gets the "everyday" job, letting Conrad get the occasional start against LHP. With Gomez out, the thought of using Hart as the 1B vs LHP is probably out, as that would mean Morgan would have to face LHP. Once Gomez is back, Hart could get some starts at 1B vs LHP as well. But, basically, just let Green play 1B to see what he can do.

 

Since this thread's about Conrad, I'd use him to give Weeks, Ramirez and Green an occasional day off, and I'd use him as the right-handed bat off the bench. I know he's a switch-hitter, but he's hit better vs LHP, and we don't have other right-handed options. As long as he plays passable defense, I actually think Conrad's a decent option as a utility player / pinch hitter.