Orioles sign Vlad

[Robbie]

Well, we'll see I guess. It seems like you're saying the pot of gold is right over that next hill. I'll believe it when I see it with the Royals.

Of course the only way for the Orioles to compete long term is to develop good cheap in house players. We all agree on that. But we haven't done a great job of it over the past 30 years and the horizon isn't that bright either. Until the Orioles make significant change to the organizational philosophy when it come to scouting, development, etc, then we're going to have to build the team in a different way. I like what we've done this offseason.:mwahaha:

So there is only one way for the Orioles to compete long-term, but we have to do it another way?:scratchchinhmm:

[jtschrei]

So there is only one way for the Orioles to compete long-term, but we have to do it another way?:scratchchinhmm:

Yes. There is only one way to win long term and our Front Office has consistently failed to follow that path or succeed via that path. So, without a great farm system that produces alot of great young players, we have to pursue a different path.

Do I think the Orioles are on the path to long-term success with the signings of Vlad, Gregg, & Lee? No, not without making all of changes we have previously discussed. But am i excited for this year and do I think that if everything breaks right for us we have a chance to compete? YES!!

[eddie83]

I am very happy. I think what you are hearing tonight from the players is a big deal. The players sound like fans, they are estatic. I think making a move like this states you are trying to be as good as you can be now and not just handing jobs to people because they are young or the best we have at the moment.

I think having a deep lineup makes everyone better and takes pressure off. Jones and Wieters might be hitting 7th and 8th. I think the players will have real optimism this year and not just the typical high hopes every team has in spring training. I think this year they will actuallly believe in themselves and not just hope things will be better.

Vlad is a fun player to watch and I can't wait until Opening Day.

[Sports Guy]

It would be nice if a provision was put in the contract that Vlad will waive his right to accept arbitration if he is a type A or type B FA.

[The Epic]

Random note:

This entire "Orioles Talk" subforum's first page is officially full of nothing but Vlad-related threads, save one or two threads. That's crazy.

[GoGoPower]

Ugh... Horrible signing in my opinion. I hate it.

[The Epic]

Ugh... Horrible signing in my opinion. I hate it.

O's signed Vlad.

Problem? U MAD?

[shorebird22]

This puts the roster at 41, wonder who's going?

[Peace21]

Ugh... Horrible signing in my opinion. I hate it.

Nolan?...Felix?....is that you?

[Carroll County]

It would be nice if a provision was put in the contract that Vlad will waive his right to accept arbitration if he is a type A or type B FA.

That's gotta be illegal. And if it's not, don't worry, the Orioles aren't that smart.

I haven't read this whole thread, but I'd be very, very surprised if the contract is for $8M guaranteed. That's pretty much completely against MacPhail's MO. And if it is, my guess it that this was an Angelos directive to "get it done." I've commented before on Vlad's mystique, and think it's possible that Angelos, as more or less a casual fan, is buying into that and not worrying so much about the fact that he could have been had for less, and that his production could wind up being disappointing.

[backwardsk]

This puts the roster at 41, wonder who's going?

Most likely Simon to the restricted list or released, imo.

[Farmboy]

This puts the roster at 41, wonder who's going?

If Simon cant show because of no bail, its him. Otherwise, id guess Florimon Jr.

[capanson]

It would be nice if a provision was put in the contract that Vlad will waive his right to accept arbitration if he is a type A or type B FA.

Except that I doubt Vlad would accept such a provision. Look at how few offers he had this year even without teams worrying about losing a pick in signing him. Just as teams have been hesitant this winter to lose picks for many relievers, so they will be reluctant to give up a pick for an aging DH. If Vlad is a Type A next year, I would be shocked if any team would be willing to lose a pick for him while meeting his salary demands.

[Malike]

Well, except for the fact that a team on the fringes of contention will probably draw half a million more fans to the Yards, and seemingly half the roster is now on one-year contracts that will expire and could net us draft picks next year.

Their "little to no thought" of the future includes:

1) A very reasonable budget for the future, with almost no encumbering contracts.

2) Potential for draft pick compensation from any of Hardy, Vlad, Lee, maybe Duchscherer, Koji.

3) A core of 6-7 regulars/starters under the age of 27.

4) Potential for much improved revenues with a real major league team that should be semi-competitive.

Could they have piled up more draft picks, or done more to overtly improve the development system? Sure. But this recurring theme that they don't give a hoot about building a team beyond 2011 seems a little overdone. MacPhail hasn't bought into that Billy Beane quote basically equating finishing five games out of the playoffs with winning 60 games, but I don't either.

Post of the thread, and I'm not too shocked there was no reply. If we had a ball player that hit as many homeruns as Drungo, we'd be lethal.

[GoGoPower]

Nolan?...Felix?....is that you?

Hahahaha!

I hate to be a Negative Nancy, but Vlad is the 2011 version of 2009-2010 Griffey to me - An old, declining former star taking up a roster spot who hurts the team and prevents younger, more useful and deserving players from getting playing time. He might not be as bad as Griffey was in his final years, but there's a good chance that he will be, and at $8M I have a feeling that the Orioles are going to be hesitant to release him if he sucks. It would be even worse if he just ends up being mediocre, but good enough to still get a full season of plate appearances. As a one-year rental, a full season of Vlad versus seeing what Reimold/Pie can do sets this team WAY back in 2012.

Maybe I'm just overreacting, but I truly feel that signing Vlad is a terrible move for this club. I think for the long-term benefit of the team, the best case scenario for this signing is that Vlad gets DFA'd or hits the disabled list early in the season...