HHP: Interesting to Note: Plethora of Similarities Between This Offseason and 2008/09

[Yardball85]

I was thinking about the moves we have made this offseason, and the one big move we didn't - and realized just how similar this entire offseason has been to 2008-09.

1) Signing Gregg Zaun = Trading for Taylor Teagarden

Zaun was signed to be the starter and hold the fort down until Wieters was ready, but they are both an early-offseason acquisition of a backup catcher.

2) Signing Koji - Signing Wada, Chen

Curiously, our only two forays into the Asian market took place during that offseason and this offseason. Remember, we signed Koji to be a starter with the chance that he would eventually wind up relieving. While Chen will probably (hopefully) be a starter throughout his tenure here, Wada has a very good chance of becoming a reliever.

3) Trading for Felix Pie = Signing Endy Chavez

Yes, I realize that Pie was a high upside player at the time, but he wound up being essentially what we expect Endy Chavez to be - a servicable, speedy left-handed hitting fourth outfielder.

4) Signing Ty Wigginton = Signing Wilson Betemit

As another poster shrewdly pointed out (Frobby I believe), these two players have almost identical stat lines before coming to the Orioles. Again, it will be interesting to see if Betemit winds up representing the Orioles in the All-Star game during this two year deal :P

5) Pursuing and failing to sign Mark Teixeira = Pursuing and failing to sign Prince Fielder

Granted, Teixeira was the home-town guy, and maybe we had a slightly better chance of signing him than we did of signing Fielder, but for the most part, it was a similar pursuit.

Now, hopefully we will not feel the need to go out and sign an Eaton or a Hendrickson, but overall, these two offseasons are remarkably similar, at least to this point.

[Slappy]

Except for real changes to the organization in 2012. Some reason to hope our record of development failures improves going forward.

[Yardball85]

Except for real changes to the organization in 2012. Some reason to hope our record of development failures improves going forward.

This is true, though it remains to be seen how these organizational changes affect the team going forward. We were extremely optimistic in 2009 as well about the emergence of Wieters and the cavalry bursting onto the scene that year, and while that was not a disaster, it did not exactly turn the franchise around either.

Good point though, and I do agree with you that that does represent a difference.

[24fps]

6. Analogies = Play Doh.

[Yardball85]

6. Analogies = Play Doh.

It's just an interesting thing to note, it isn't supposed to symbolize anything more

[24fps]

It's just an interesting thing to note, it isn't supposed to symbolize anything more

Hey, I'm inexplicably optimistic as well. As long as the equation doesn't finally boil down to DD=AM, I'm good.

[Yardball85]

Hey, I'm inexplicably optimistic as well. As long as the equation doesn't finally boil down to DD=AM, I'm good.

Haha yeah, it was just supposed to get more of an interested hmmmmm

I certainly recognized the behind-the-scenes work that DD has done that already puts him ahead of AM. It's funny though, how we will remember DD this offseason will not be because he signed the Betemits of the world.

[zero1]

Felix Pie was serviceable?

[Yardball85]

Felix Pie was serviceable?

As a fourth outfielder, why not? What are you looking for out of your fourth outfielder?

[scOtt]

Haha yeah, it was just supposed to get more of an interested hmmmmm

I certainly recognized the behind-the-scenes work that DD has done that already puts him ahead of AM. It's funny though, how we will remember DD this offseason will not be because he signed the Betemits of the world.

[ESos92]

Another parallel, the O's were one of the finalists for Kenshin Kawakami that year. the 2008-2009 offseason also had the pursuit of two ML japanese starting pitchers only this time they actually came through with the signing of Chen. You could argue its a luck of the draw and both were pursued equally at their respective times though.

Having said that I still think DD has made some changes that AM did not do that year. Here are some:
-Signing amateur players internationally
-Hiring front office personnel that focuses more on orgazational wide goals
-Focusing his pickups on OBP guys
-Giving the young guys a chance ala Reimold

Having said that, while the pickups were similar to those AM made in that offseason, one could argue that the only reason DD is making these types of pickups is because AM's failed 3 years ago

[Tony-OH]

As a fourth outfielder, why not? What are you looking for out of your fourth outfielder?

You draw some interesting similarities here, but obviously Pie was not very serviceable in 2011. Of course the big difference in the offseason is what Duquette has done internally to the scouting and development within the organization. Duquette has done more internal change in a few months than any Orioles GM in at least the last 30 years.

As for the big league club I agree, but Chen is hopefully a bigger signing than Koji ended up being because Chen should be able to stick as a starter.

[incubus]

Agreed Tony. Chen sticking as a starter could be huge for the O's.

[Yardball85]

You draw some interesting similarities here, but obviously Pie was not very serviceable in 2011. Of course the big difference in the offseason is what Duquette has done internally to the scouting and development within the organization. Duquette has done more internal change in a few months than any Orioles GM in at least the last 30 years.

As for the big league club I agree, but Chen is hopefully a bigger signing than Koji ended up being because Chen should be able to stick as a starter.

No doubt Tony. It's amazing to realize how many holes we needed plugged once we brought DD aboard in scouting (international and domestic), player development, etc. I have held all along that these moves mean more than signing Chavez, acquiring Teagarden, etc.

It will be interesting to see how it all pans out, no doubt.

[Frobby]

I would agree the moves you listed were pretty similar. We also signed Izturis to a 2-year deal and traded Ramon Hernandez for prospects that winter, however. The other thing we did in 2008-09 was lock up two of our key players, Markakis and Roberts. I don't see anything like that coming.

Despite their similarities to the moves this winter, the moves you mentioned from 2008-09 seemed better received, for some reason.