Power numbers from O's "slugging" positions are shockingly bad

[The_Man]

ESPN has a page where you can get the splits on each team's stats by position:
http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/stats/ba...timore-orioles

My sense has been that the Orioles have been winning despite poor production from the traditional "slugging" positions in a line-up - 1B, DH, 3B, RF - but I was shocked to see just how bad they've been. Here are the stats so far this season from those positions:

DH: .206 (13 for 63), 0 HR, 1 RBI
3B: .155 (9 for 58), 1 HR, 8 RBI
1B: .238 (15 for 63), 1 HR, 4 RBI
RF: .234 (15 for 64), 2 HR, 9 RBI (0 HRs and 5 RBI since the 2nd game of the season)

Total: .210, 4 HR, 22 RBI

It is amazing that the Orioles have gotten to 10-7 with such terrible production from their power positions. What's even more frustrating is that 1B/DH are ostensibly the easiest positions to find an adequate hitter. The Orioles have actually built a good team at some of the hardest positions to fill - C, SS/2B, CF - but haven't done enough to support those pieces.

And don't get me started at 3B - either you get a slugger who can't field, or you get a slick glove that can't hit. Somehow the Orioles have ended up with a tandem of guys that can't field AND can't hit.

I've been enjoying the early season wins very much. But I can't help feeling that it's completely unsustainable unless the "power" guys start supplying some power very soon.

[dandrews]

RF is not a slugging position in the same way 1st and 3rd are. Just ask Ichiro. Hell, I'd consider LF to be more of a slugging position than RF.

[Far from home]

That's because they've gotten superior production from 2b, LF, C, and SS. It doesn't matter where the production comes from, it matters that there is production coming from somewhere.
For instance, look at the Phillies. Utley and Rollins allowed them to sign Polanco to play 3rd.

The real issue for the O's here is that they don't have a guy to man 3b in the field.