Addition by Subtraction: Pictorial of why it doesn't work for the O's.

[harp6]

After seeing another thread about players with negative WAR being removed from the roster, therefore making us better this year, I decided to explain in simple form why this doesn't work for the O's. When something is removed, it has to be replaced. That usually doesn't go well with the O's. Hopefully, DD does a better job with this concept. So here is my simple explanation with a little algebra and pictures.




-



+



=




For those who don't like picture books, that is

Trash - Trash + Trash still equals Trash

Now some of those players were quality players at one time, but are no longer productive and so other teams have thrown them here.





This is where the O's have tried to do their shopping. The O's hope that they return to the players that they once were. See Vlad, Lee, Atkins, etc. So far, they haven't been very successful at turning these players back into treasures.





Because of the reputation of the O's, this has been the scene outside the warehouse. Discarded players lining up hoping to get a big contract.




Now we have hired Peterson to turn some of these players back to their successful past.




Maybe Peterson can work with one of the O's biggest disappointments.




Here is a picture of that same player getting ready to face Ortiz again.

[mcinww0]

Duquette's whole plan this off season was to acquire QUALITY depth. He specifically eschewed washed up vets; we aren't relying on a single player over 30 to be productive this year. The rotation is much deeper than last year with QUALITY arms; Chen, Hunter and Wada have replaced Bergeson, Tillman, Atkins, Jakubauskas, Vandenhurk and Simon. Left field and third base, two areas of utter failure in 2011, have solidified with guys like Betemit and Chavez replacing Josh Bell and Felix Pie.

[SrMeowMeow]

What a bizarre OP.

[jonesing4pie]

Great opening post. I don't care if anyone slams you. If this was one of the veterans posting everyone would say this is funny, creative, and actually makes a point in a way.

[SrMeowMeow]

It's just a bunch of pictures of garbage, and the concept that "if you replace bad players with other bad players, you haven't improved."

[Malike]

Google Ads are funny. Tons of pictures of trash and they put a vote for Obama ad right next to them.

[Mr Snuffleupagus]

Oooooh, I see what you did there. That's really cute. You're so creative, smart, and whitty. Thanks for enlightening the board.

[Mr Snuffleupagus]

Great opening post. I don't care if anyone slams you. If this was one of the veterans posting everyone would say this is funny, creative, and actually makes a point in a way.

I love how people think this is some sort of elite social club. I've been posting for less then a year, argue with plenty of posters, I'm treated the same as everyone else. Start making meaningful post, and you'll receive meaningful responses.

[harp6]

What a bizarre OP.

You may think it is bizarre, but it is very accurate. When was the last time including this past off season that the O's added a quality player that was not old, that was above league average, or did not have a questionable health history.

I did like the Hardy trade when it was made because I liked Hardy when he played for the Brewers. It was a cheap, low risk health trade. It did pay off, but our percentage of these signings working is very low.

[SrMeowMeow]

You may think it is bizarre, but it is very accurate. When was the last time including this past off season that the O's added a quality player that was not old, that was above league average, or did not have a questionable health history.

I did like the Hardy trade when it was made because I liked Hardy when he played for the Brewers. It was a cheap, low risk health trade. It did pay off, but our percentage of these signings working is very low.

I just mean bizarre in that nobody really disagrees with your point. It's self-evident. And then there were like fifty feet of garbage pictures.

[harp6]

Duquette's whole plan this off season was to acquire QUALITY depth. He specifically eschewed washed up vets; we aren't relying on a single player over 30 to be productive this year. The rotation is much deeper than last year with QUALITY arms; Chen, Hunter and Wada have replaced Bergeson, Tillman, Atkins, Jakubauskas, Vandenhurk and Simon. Left field and third base, two areas of utter failure in 2011, have solidified with guys like Betemit and Chavez replacing Josh Bell and Felix Pie.

Most of the depth that we acquired is league average or are health risk and is more quantity than quality. DD did get some potential quality, health risk relievers that have had some good years in the past. I hope some of them can be like Hardy and stay healthy. So yes, out of that quantity, there will probably be a few of the pitchers that have good years. That is a positive.

Betemit did not replace Josh Bell. Bell only had 61 ABs. Betemit replaced some of the ABs of Lee and Vlad. There was talk of the O's improving their OBP, but that did not happen. Betemit for his career is only league average in OBP. Betemit also adds more strikeouts for a team that needed to improve in that area. Putting balls in play moves baserunners. Strikeouts fail to do this. Not only will the O's be below average in OBP this year, but the O's will not move runners well. We are a very one dimensional offense. We will hit homeruns, but we will not manufacture runs. This is very obvious at this point in the early season. The only thing that I think that will make our offense better this year is the maturity of hitters that were already on the team like Wieters, Reimold, Jones, and Andino and a possible bounce back by Markakis. Davis could go either way.

Chavez is better than Pie as the 4th outfielder, but that is only one small part of this team.

The pitching is better and will continue to be better than last year, but it is hard to get any worse than what our pitching has been in recent years. Hunter was on the team at the end of last year, so it will be interesting to see what he can do for an entire season. Wada is a question mark. Chen has looked good so far, but will he be durable and will teams adapt to him? The bullpen is better, but it is still a question of whether the starters go deep enough for the bullpen.

[crawjo]

Most of the depth that we acquired is league average or are health risk and is more quantity than quality. DD did get some potential quality, health risk relievers that have had some good years in the past. I hope some of them can be like Hardy and stay healthy. So yes, out of that quantity, there will probably be a few of the pitchers that have good years. That is a positive.

Betemit did not replace Josh Bell. Bell only had 61 ABs. Betemit replaced some of the ABs of Lee and Vlad. There was talk of the O's improving their OBP, but that did not happen. Betemit for his career is only league average in OBP. Betemit also adds more strikeouts for a team that needed to improve in that area. Putting balls in play moves baserunners. Strikeouts fail to do this. Not only will the O's be below average in OBP this year, but the O's will not move runners well. We are a very one dimensional offense. We will hit homeruns, but we will not manufacture runs. This is very obvious at this point in the early season. The only thing that I think that will make our offense better this year is the maturity of hitters that were already on the team like Wieters, Reimold, Jones, and Andino and a possible bounce back by Markakis. Davis could go either way.

Chavez is better than Pie as the 4th outfielder, but that is only one small part of this team.

The pitching is better and will continue to be better than last year, but it is hard to get any worse than what our pitching has been in recent years. Hunter was on the team at the end of last year, so it will be interesting to see what he can do for an entire season. Wada is a question mark. Chen has looked good so far, but will he be durable and will teams adapt to him? The bullpen is better, but it is still a question of whether the starters go deep enough for the bullpen.

If I had to choose, I'd much rather have a one-dimensional offense that hits home runs than a one-dimensional offense that "manufactures runs," which has to be one of the most overrated attributes in the game. How many times in a season do you think the average player makes an out that advances a runner? And how many times does that advancement directly lead to a run being scored that otherwise would not be scored?

[Lucky Jim]

Most of the depth that we acquired is league average or are health risk and is more quantity than quality.

If we can acquire "league average" talent at low cost, that's a bargain you make again and again.

[harp6]

If I had to choose, I'd much rather have a one-dimensional offense that hits home runs than a one-dimensional offense that "manufactures runs," which has to be one of the most overrated attributes in the game. How many times in a season do you think the average player makes an out that advances a runner? And how many times does that advancement directly lead to a run being scored that otherwise would not be scored?

Then why have the Yankees and Red Sox been so good at it. They get on base. The more people you get on base the better. When they get them on base, they move them. They also get the homeruns with players on base. So far, most of the O's homeruns have come with the bases empty. What happens in games that we do not hit homeruns. This team lacks OBP people. We will lead the league in strikeouts. Last year, the O's did not score the amount of runs that they should have with the offense that they had. We need a more balanced lineup. Power and OBP