Slipped away

[GotNitro]

What recent Oriole slipped away that you wish we still had? I really enjoyed Eric Byrnes and David Newhan. I wish they were both still around.

[Mackus]

Byrnes yes, although he was terrible when he was here, although I wouldn't have non-tendered him.

Newhan, no thanks, although his style of play was fun to watch, he just wasn't any good.

[Terps23]

Definately Byrnes, who plays like his life depends on every pitch. Also John Maine, who'd look great in the middle of the rotation, although I question how good he would be back in the AL. He'd certainly be better than some of the garbage we've had to throw out there tho. Too bad he got away, I thought it was a great trade at the time.

[Del34]

Terps23 nailed it word for word about Maine.

[HarryReasonable]

This is really sad - I'm sitting here trying to think about players who got away and went on to be stars to the point where I wish we still had them on the team.

Casey Blake comes to mind simply because of the numbers he put up last year compared to most of the guys on our team. But who else has left our team and performed well elsewhere? Greg Zaun? Jack Cust?

It really says something about the state of our organization for the past 10 years that, not only are we really bad now, but we don't even have ex-minor leaguers performing for other teams in the major leagues. It's tough to come up with any names for me - who am I missing??? Someone help me, please!!!!

[bird watcher]

B.J. Ryan!:eek:

[gfrank]

I think the jury is still out on his ultimate effectiveness, but I really dislike how we threw away Chris Britton. At least with Maine we got a year of a relatively effective pitcher in return(and got Julio off the team), and there was really NOTHING to indicate that Eric Byrnes would develop into the type of player he's developed into with Arizona. Britton had pretty evident talent at that point, and I genuinely didn't see how anybody could have thought how one year of Jaret Wright would have been worth MANY years of Britton unless we had been able to cheat some contender out of a really solid player in a deadline trade(OOPS!!). I thought with Britton we may have had a guy with closer/setup man material - something we'd sell our mothers into slavery for right now - and I suspect last year may not have gotten so damn ugly had we not lost him.

I think over the course of the next ten years, Britton has a good chance of being one of those PAIN IN THE ASS PITCHERS that makes us all groan and convulse uncontrollably when we see him wander out of the bullpen to strike out our 3, 4, and 5 hitters in the bottom of the 8th or 9th.

[Who's On 1st]

I agree with John Maine and I would say Yes too Chris Britton..... even though he struggled a bit.

[allstar1579]

Michael Young. If we would have signed him when we drafted him, we never would have signed Miggy, instead going after a power bat, at 3B or LF, where we wouldn't have signed Mora or Gibbons to the extensions, and this whole process would be easier.

(I'm half kidding by the way, except the Young part)

[El Gordo]

John Maine, Byrnes, and, I hate to bring him up but, Jack Cust.

[HarryReasonable]

John Maine, Byrnes, and, I hate to bring him up but, Jack Cust.

I only wish we had one of those guys. Do you really wish we still had Cust and Byrnes. I'm not sure its that much of an upgade over where we are today.

[scOtt]

John Maine, Byrnes, and, I hate to bring him up but, Jack Cust.
I was thinking you have to bring up The Mighty Cust too... altho I think his greatness in his time with Oakland is just playing above his level. IMO he will be short-lived.

[Lucky Jim]

We should've given Cust more of an opportunity.

How would he not be an improvement?


28 2007 OAK-A 124 395 101 18 1 26 61 82 0 2 164 105 1 0 6 2 6 .256 .408 .504

He would've led the team in HRs, OBP (and walks) SLG and OPS. Now, tell me how that wouldn't be an improvement over our DH last year.

Oh, and he played in a pitcher's park.

[HarryReasonable]

We should've given Cust more of an opportunity.

How would he not be an improvement?


28 2007 OAK-A 124 395 101 18 1 26 61 82 0 2 164 105 1 0 6 2 6 .256 .408 .504

He would've led the team in HRs, OBP (and walks) SLG and OPS. Now, tell me how that wouldn't be an improvement over our DH last year.

Oh, and he played in a pitcher's park.

2 or 3 years ago, I think more of us would have taken Gibbons over Cust. The only thing I remember about Cust is the memorable trip he took around third base and then he couldn't get up. Good times...

[GotNitro]

This ones a little older, but how about Shilling? Does anyone think our last ten years may have been different if we had him as a franchise pitcher to build around?

[gfrank]

Just remembered another one that nobody has mentioned: Gary Matthews Jr.

Moreso than damn near every roster move of the last 10 years, I think I was the most agitated when we lost Matthews. He hadn't been playing well at the time we had attempted to pass him through waivers, but I really thought that he was still developing into a solid major league player. I really wouldn't have minded so much if the Orioles had attempted to get anything in return for him, but I really don't like seeing players like that get lost in waiver claims. I guess people could certainly argue over how good of a baseball player he really is, but he ABSOLUTELY wasn't throw-away talent and, as time has shown, would definitely have become a fairly valuable trade piece at some point in the future.


Also, another guy that may be a regular staple of conversations like this one day: Kevin Hart (http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/H/kevin-hart.shtml), who developed into a fairly interesting prospect approximately fifteen minutes after we traded him for Freddie Bynum.

[section62]

Mussina. With a solid top of the rotation pitcher of his caliber the past ten years we may not have been in the playoffs, but we would not be bracing for our 11th consecutive losing season either.

[mikezpen]

The reason why they Orioles lost some of those guys is due to their infatuation with veteran players even when those players are lousy.Guys like Blake and Cust sat and rotted while they played nobodies and lost 90 games anyway. This is an organization that would much rather win 70 games than 65 even if it means letting the kids sit. I'm already worrying about Scott Moore w/Mora, Millar and Huff supposedly ahead of him.None of those three should play over Moore, not on this team.

The things they say to justify it are ludicrous. "We owe it to the fans to win as many as we can" "We owe it to the contenders to put our best team on the field". Ridiculous.

[RShack]

AM's daddy signed a kid named Sparky Lyle.

[Boy Howdy]

Miguel Tejada