Luke Scott has become a fan favorite in Baltimore since he came to the Orioles from the Houston Astros in 2008.
In 2010, Scott was one of Baltimore’s most consistent hitters and helped carry Baltimore late in the season after Buck Showalter came aboard.
5. Luke Scott, LF
Luke Scott, 32, enters the 2011 season penciled in fifth in Baltimore’s projected lineup. The Orioles’ designated hitter the past two years will be moving over to left field after Baltimore signed Vladimir Guerrero to a one-year deal.
He is no stranger to left field either; in 2008 he started 100 games in left field, though he is three years older though now.
Although Scott does not have the biggest arm, he has always been very reliable outfielder for the Orioles.
In 2008, he committed only two errors in over 840 innings in left field and a RF/9 of 2.17, which was third in the American League.
Not to mention he was one of Baltimore’s more reliable hitters in 2010, at the plate he hit .284/.368/.535 with 27 home runs.
Luke has also provided the Orioles with consistent power bats the past couple of years—Scott has hit 75 home runs in his three years with the O’s.
Even with his improved overall average, Scott is still far off from being an elite hitter in the American League East.
In 2010, the designated hitter hit .214/.307 /.375 with RISP, compared to 2009 when he hit a more manageable .271/.378/.523 with RISP.
He also struggled against power pitchers and according to baseballreference.com, Scott hit .178/.290/.267 against pitchers who ranked in the top third in strikeouts and walks.
Although having limited success with RISP and against power pitchers in 2010, Scott still managed to find consistency at the plate in other situations. In years past fans became familiar with the “Luke Scott” that would would go on a power surge for two or three weeks only to follow with a slump that would last upward to months.
Along with the rest of the team, Luke was able to fight off the dog days of August—Scott finished strong in the second half of 2010 hitting .295 with 15 home runs.
It should also be noted that with the addition of Derrek Lee, Vladimir Guerrero and Mark Reynolds, Scott will have a tremendous burden of being Baltimore’s lone power bat taken off his shoulders in 2011.
With the added protection, it is not unreasonable to expect him to see better pitches with RISP in 2011.
The upcoming season is setting up to be exciting years for the Baltimore Orioles with added depth in the Orioles lineup-Luke Scott should flourish offensively.
Prediction: .285 AVG, 33 HR, 90 RBI
On Deck: Mark Reynolds
In the Hole: Adam Jones
Previous predictions: Brian Roberts, Nick Markakis, Derrek Lee, Vladimir Guerrero
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