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Yes, it does. It doesn’t happen because the goal isn’t to win a World Series it’s to field a winning team for as cheap as possible to maximize profits.

Thanks Mike, I hope you're getting a nice kickback for the money saved on not engaging in any "financial insanity".

It's hard to imagine they get anywhere close to 89 million this year. I hope you're right and they're right on the verge of the 2017 Astros who started to spend serious money chasing a World Series title but I see little to no evidence that they will be.

Not yet. The computer says the AL East odds are low this year. Hopefully it’ll be higher next year.

22 Astros - 8th in payroll 21 Braves - 10th in payroll 23 Orioles - likely bottom 3-5 in payroll One of those things is not like the others.

Isn’t the whole point of them trading him because the prices are so high that they will ask for at least a top 10 prospect?

Don’t worry, when he signs elsewhere it’ll be because the market is crazy and it was smart of the O’s to pass on him.

Elias said the other day he won’t make moves to win in 2023 that could hurt future teams. Last year in a playoff chase he traded the closer and the face of the franchise for prospects. Things like that matter to people in the real world. Why would someone sign a 1 or 2 year deal with the O’s if they care about winning? The GM already showed and has stated he isn’t considering the team an AL East contender in 2023. The only reason to sign a short term deal with the O’s is money. His moves might look good on Fangraphs or statcast but in the real world what he is doing and saying has and will continue to have consequences until he shows he’s trying to win.

2/25 for a guy who had a 2.92era in 24 starts with Toronto last year. I am starting to wonder if Elias will ever give anyone a multi-year deal.

I think the final nail was when Elias said that a free agent pitcher on a long term deal tends to pitch better the first year of the deal. At least for me that’s when I realized that regardless of years or money they wouldn’t be in for any meaningful pitcher. When you start blatantly lying like that because you know nobody will fact check you and the few that do will be criticized for it is when you know you can do whatever you want and still control the narrative.

The only concern with Bassitt is age and the 3 year contract takes care of that. To not sign him at 3 years is just being cheap.

Either it’s this or he just keeps kicking the can down the road while pretending, and in some cases convincing others, it’s the “smart” thing to do because he has been in on it from the start. When someone signs a crazy contract everyone says it was too expensive or too many years. Then when you see a reasonable free agent signing like when Bassitt signs for 3/63 you see the pivot to remaining free agents. Eventually, when they all sign, it’ll turn to mythical trades that they’ll be in on before Spring Training. After that, when they don’t make a meaningful trade, it’ll be because they’re waiting for the deadline. All the while they’ll be praised as “smart” by some. It’s insane.

Add Bassitt 3/63 to my list too lol

Based on what Luis Castillo went for that’s probably correct. They’ll get a better offer from someone else if they do decide to move him.

Probably low. He should be able to get $10m+ guaranteed I would think. He’d be a real nice back of the rotation target for teams like the Mets, Dodgers, etc. who are still signing starters.

Well then I change my answer to yes.

No, I wouldn't trade Grayson Rodriguez, Gunnar Henderson, or Jackson Holliday. Other than those three they could have whoever they want.

2.92era last year as a starter. Projected anywhere from 2/18 - 3/30. That seems like it could be a pretty nice deal for whoever ends up signing him.

Gibson career ERA - 4.52 Lyles career ERA - 5.10 Manaea career ERA - 4.06 Based on their career stats I think Manaea is a level above Gibson and Lyles.

It would make sense if the goal was to win a world series but unfortunately the goal is to be a good team that makes the playoffs for a long period of time while spending the least amount of money possible.

Giants 2/25 with opt out

Add Manaea 2/25 to my list

Carlos Santana, Miguel Castro, Josh Bell, Andrew Heaney, Zach Eflin, Jose Abreu, Kyle Gibson, and Jose Quintana. All of those signings were fair and anyone of them would have improved the O’s at a reasonable cost and none were long term. Obviously some are redundant so I wouldn’t have signed everyone of them but they were all good signings IMO.

I actually think that's a good thing. They had a guy they wanted and they went out and got him.

Going back to 2016 that statement he made is wrong. Most pitchers signed to 3+ year deals have not had the 1st year of the contract as their best year during their contract.