This article originally appeared at the Baltimore Sports Report.
When the Orioles first acquired Felix Pie from the Chicago Cubs this past offseason, I remember saying to myself, “Hmm…..the experiment begins.”
That's what the Cubs former top outfield prospect was when the O’s added him. The idea was simple: Take a guy with plenty of potential and see if he works out in a new home. If he succeeds, then we have an outfielder for years to come, and if he fails, we can turn to either Lou Montanez or Nolan Reimold, two prospects known for tearing up minor league pitching.
Now 17 games into the season, we as fans look on as the process unfolds. We see Pie stride out into left field and attempt to do his best to prove to Orioles’ management that he is “the guy” for the future. But instead of impressing us, he just appears to fail miserably.
Over the past few weeks, Pie has looked lost in left field, taking horrific angles on fly balls and simply watching as line drives soar by. And at the plate, he seems only as advertised by Cubs fans at the time of the trade: a minor league dominator, but a Bigs bust.
Felix has had his moments, though. His first homer as an Oriole (against the Rangers), a couple of two-hit nights, and a few leaping grabs as he raced towards the left field line. But it's clear throughout the organization and can be seen through both the fans' disgust and the lack of performance: Felix Pie’s time is slowly but surely coming to a close.
The real question is when he'll be dropped. When will the team decide that the future is currently raking at Triple-A Norfolk instead of inside Camden Yards’ walls?
The true destiny of the Orioles’ left field situation lies within Nolan Reimold, someone who has done all he can to deserve a Major League call up. Many are asking why he didn't begin the season on the Bigs roster.
The answer is simple: Reimold has options, Pie did not. Thus, the experiment was born, and now, it is slowly dying away. What was once potential now looks to be one of the worst disappointments as of late.
As O’s fans, though, we must always look at the bright side. Reimold is waiting in the wings, and it’s about time he got his chance to succeed.
So how long do I believe it will take for the change to occur? I say two weeks; just a fortnight more and this entire debate can be put to rest.
Of course, for all we know, it could be sooner than this. Pie is currently hitting for a .163 average while Reimold is hitting .423 at the highest level of the farm system.
We just have to wait this out a bit longer.
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Lawrence Barreca is a writer for Baltimoresportsreport.com. For more Baltimore Sports information, be sure to visit BSR.
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