oriole

When a mid market team has an absolute elite player I think it makes sense to cash in. How many more games do you think they’d lose if they traded Hader but gained a couple major league ready players plus some prospects? Obviously it’s speculative and highly debatable but when you’re not a large market team and you’re looking for continued relevance rather than a window then you move the pieces with bloated value. Subjective, sure. Maybe a year too early, sure. But we’d be in a lot different of a place I think if we made some smart trades when our players were elite.

The smart thing to do would be maximize that value. It’s something I wish the O’s would have done.

If we had at least one new guy in the running for ROY, Means avoids the looming sophomore slump, and Cobb comes back from injury and pitches decent then I’ll be happy. Of course I could list a bunch others that I’d like to see happen but I feel like those three are the most important to me at this moment in time. Ask me again at the end of March and I’m sure I’ll say something else.

I think I’m happier about this than I am the actual rule 5 picks.

I’d like to know how I voted in that poll if I voted at all. I probably voted in the 75%. Signing Davis and Trumbo were two of the dumbest moves in all of baseball. Very easy to see their regression a mile away. Cruz not so much, he had a consistent track record. So yeah, hindsight is 20/20 but also it was easy to see the Trumbo and especially Davis extensions winding up awful. It was also easy to see signings like Jimenez and Gallardo going south. Just a bad track record in free agency overall.

Oh yeah...things could have gone a lot different if Davis wasn’t signed or Britton was traded at his peak. Instead they made dumb decisions like signing Trumbo and letting Cruz walk. It seems so clear now in retrospect but to be honest, it seemed clear when the decisions were being made too.

I agree it was over extended but at the same time, as a fan base we went through a grueling decade prior to that window and any chance at continued good fortunes had to at least be attempted. I think the only way to have any chance at selling a true rebuild to this fan base would be to hit rock bottom. And that is exactly what happened.

I was holding out hope for a Gausman reunion. Too bad...good for him getting that much guaranteed after last season. I think the Giants will get a good year from him.

I just mean it’s a good idea to temper expectations. Though I guess it’s arguable whether or not it’s too much to expect for a rule 5 to hold his own in what is sure to be the worst rotation in baseball.

I don’t think anyone can realistically hope for anything more than a RP or utility infielder. I’d focus on who could fill those roles best. Though it’d be fun to see how long a rule 5 SP could stick.

Dang and I was looking forward to 3 rule 5 picks.

As long as his defense is still decent than I’d have no issues if they signed him. Iglesias would be good too. I’ve also still got some hope for Martin. But Hechavarria would be solid enough to get us through the year.

Especially at 3B. Ruiz didn’t really cement himself as a contributor last year so while he is probably the front runner, it shouldn’t take much to take his place.

If he’s willing to take a minor league deal with an opt out after ST I’d be happy with that. I don’t think he is a guy you count on though.

That’s unfortunate. I’d have much rather seen quality over quantity...but I’m content to just trust whatever approach Elias is taking. Even if I disagree completely

Entertainment. Someone’s got to pitch this year and I just can’t get myself excited to watch guys like Wojo pitch.

You wouldn’t. I’d rather have kept him. That’s why it looks like a salary dump to me.

I’m not saying it’s less than what I expected by any means...I’d have liked to see him stay put rather than traded for nobodies. It’s really not that big a deal, I’ll still watch the games and maybe even attend a couple but it’s disappointing for sure.

I didn’t want to see Bundy traded for low level lottery ticket type of players. I know the next few years are lost years but someone has to pitch and I’d rather watch a guy like Bundy who I can root for and wish well for his career than have a few guys who will very likely never make the majors. I’m no scout, I’ll leave the optimism about the players up to those who are familiar with them. I was just really hoping if Bundy was traded, it’d be for at least one prospect worth hoping on. Otherwise I’d be happy to watch him pitch on a 100+ loss team.

This is exactly the type of package I was afraid of getting for Bundy. Absolute bust in my eyes. I’d rather watch Bundy pitch. I’m not gonna be dramatic because it’s part of a rebuild but this is just as much of a salary dump as the Villar trade was. Absolutely no value coming back between the two trades.

I did that for the first time last season after going a couple years not being able to watch games. VPN company is getting my monthly payment when it could be MASN.

I’d happily pay to stream MASN. I don’t watch cable tv so I stopped using it a few years ago.

My logic is as follows...someone said he hit his wife. MLB looks into it and delivers a suspension. Did they suspend him because of hearsay or did they suspend him because of evidence of abuse? It doesn’t take a high horse to conclude MLBs investigation came up with something more than hearsay. Every single player on an MLB team is glorified when their name is called on the loud speakers and jerseys are sold and when we all cheer when he comes up to bat or makes a great play.

Mmhmm...and historically men have consistently been known to undervalue the weight of a woman’s words when she has been wronged. I’d prefer to pass on Russell. Playing the game of baseball for fame and fortune should be a privilege reserved for those who adhere to a minimal standard of human decency. I’m not saying he should be banned or anything like that, but as fans we should recognize that personal conduct matters and actively oppose glorifying domestic abusers. Baseball is a business so if the fans reject a player, I would hope teams would too.

I think that “crossed line” can be moved depending on the context. The Yankees and Red Sox have crossed lines by spending so much more than other teams in their division. The Dodgers cross lines all the time by flexing financial might to take bad players on bad contracts just because they can and it helps their return. The O’s are just playing the game as it has evolved and they’re not the first nor last to do it. It’s saddening an disappointing but moves like these are going to be more and more commonplace without some restructuring of how the league designs a competitive environment.