Yardball85

This.

I don't think you understood the point of my question. Why sign a second baseman when you have significant depth at the position and the position is filled, especially when there are more glaring holes on the team and you (seemingly) have limited resources?

That's all well and good, but why spend $8M on a player when you have Henderson, Mateo, Urias, Westburg, Norby, and Vavra?

Urias for Carrasco now, with Urias platooning with McNeil and playing some third? Really just trying to make this make sense.

Amazing how they can seem so smart with some stuff and so idiotic with others. This makes ZERO sense... this makes the Jake Cave claim from a few weeks ago seem like a brilliant move.

Right. A minor league deal? Sure. One year one million? Don't think it's necessary, but why not? But $8M? That is more than any position player on the team makes... and it's Adam Freaking Frazier.

Yup, this. If you want an offensive player, fine, but get an upgrade. Get Brantley, or JD Martinez, or someone that might move the needle. If you have endless funds then sure, sign Frazier. But they don't. This appears to be an awful allocation of limited resources, simply put.

Agreed. Just remarkable how awful this team is at allocating resources in free agency.

Was thinking this too. And, to no one's surprise, Roch did not break the story.

$8M utility guy? I really hope not.

Still holding out hope for Brantley...

Haha. that is a very good comparison actually.

Right. Eight million a year you would have to assume he starts at second. He was decent on the Pirates, could be a good bounce back candidate. But you would think this means Urias gets traded, or Mateo gets traded and Gunnar goes to SS. Just a strange move for a team that seems hesitant to add players at positions they actually needed.

I... I just don't get this team.

I share your frustration. I think two things can be true at one time: Elias has done a great job building the farm and building this team into a contender, and ownership has done a piss poor, pathetic job at giving Elias the rope to supplement the major league roster via free agency. The Angelos sons really seem to be a chip off the old, cheap, block.

Why can't they just spend a little more on a BETTER PITCHER? It's not like their payroll is even remotely close to league average. This should not be so difficult.

Yup.

Who did we expect them to sign? Better players to supplement the young core so they can win. Eovaldi would not take a $30M contract.

This. Exactly this.

These are fair points WC, and if Elias is pursuing them and making legitimate offers and they choose to go elsewhere, fine. But I would think the Orioles are more attractive for starting pitchers now, for all the reasons Gibson noted (up and coming team, Adley, Walltimore).

Right. I am used to it as a fan, but it does not make it any less frustrating. If you want to make the team better via free agency--which you should be doing as well as drafting smart, making trades, etc.--then actually make the team better, don't bring in warm bodies who aren't an upgrade.

If you are going to sign Wacha (which will probably cost $10-12M), just fork over 5-7M more for Eovaldi, who has higher upside and is better. I don't get this obsession with half measures. Sorry, I know I am a broken record.

Yup. Good move for Thor. They did a great job with Stripling, Heaney, Anderson. Wonder if the Orioles were in on him and he preferred LA, or if they just didn't want to match the Dodgers deal.

I didn't want him either, but it makes you wonder if the Orioles are actually trying to sign a pitcher, or if its just talk.