Orioles manager Dave Trembley met with Nolan Reimold before tonight's game to clear up confusion the young outfielder may have had about his role with the club.
Reimold, who established himself as the Orioles' regular left fielder last season but isn't close to 100 percent after having surgery on his left Achilles in September, didn't play in the season opener and started in the outfield on Wednesday only because Felix Pie aggravated a shoulder injury. He is in the lineup in tonight's series finale at designated hitter with Luke Scott getting the start in left field.
"I think he was confused when I told him that Pie would start the first two games in left field," Trembley said. "I think he thought he was the everyday left fielder based on the season he had last year and he lost it based on his performance in spring training. I said, "Nolan, it didn't matter if you went 20-for-20 or 0-for-20 this spring. That had nothing to do with it.'
"He's a great kid and he wants to play, but I hope he understands a little bit clearer that it's more related to him coming back from surgery than anything else. It has more to do with the injury. It has very little to do with how well he performed in spring training. This guy is in the early stages of just starting to get back to where he was. You still see him limping, you still see him dragging a little bit."
Trembley acknowledged that at least early in the season, he'd prefer not using Reimold at all in left field, but he knows that it's impossible with Scott entrenched as the team's DH. In Wednesday's 4-3 loss, Reimold just missed making two catches that he probably would have made if he was 100 percent healthy.
"I told him, 'I want your bat in the lineup. You help us win.' But I also don't want to cause problems where we set him back," Trembley said. "We had a very nice conversation. He's a young guy that's very important for our future, but at the start of the season, I don't think it's realistic for him to expect to play six or seven days a week. Plus I have Pie, whose shown significant improvement and deserves a chance to play. I only have nine spots. Even if [Reimold] was 100 percent, what do you do with Pie? You have to find a way to get them both in."
Update: That pep talk paid immediate dividends. Reimold just hammered an Andy Sonnanstine pitch about halfway up the left-field seats for a solo homer. There might be some questions about Reimold's ability to run, but there shouldn't be any about his power.
- Jeff Zrebiec