Orioles sign Vlad

[wildcard]

This is just completely asinine.

Very well respected and knowledgeable people hold opposite opinions all the freaking time. That doesn't make them any less respected or less knowledgeable.

Don't believe me? Tune in to the Super Bowl pregame coverage tomorrow. Everyone in the studios and on the sets will pick a winner. Around half will be wrong. And come Monday they'll all still have jobs as NFL experts/commentators/analysts.

I am not disrepecting Stole or his opinion. I am pointing out that his opinion and Buck's opinion appear to be opposites on acquiring Vlad and the way Buck is going about building the O's to contention.

[wildcard]

Why so hostile?

Someone not named Stotle is not being taken seriously.

Cat got your tongue is hardly hostile. Certainly no more the Holy Crap which it was in response to.

[wildcard]

So then how do you compensate for the Accardo signing, or that possibly Buck wanted to bring in Hendrickson and Drese on minor league deals?

On the topic of Vlad, Stotle makes very good arguments and yet you can't make your own, accept to say that this is what Buck wanted.

I am making my own argument. I researched how Buck turns a team around, which is what he was brought to the O's to do, and I believe that the Vlad signing is part of that plan. I am pointing out that Stotle's opposition to the Vlad trade going against how Buck is building the team.

I am not positive about the Drese move but I like the suggestion that he was brought in to mentor younger players and is bound for the minors.

I am not sure the Hendrickson is a Buck move. It appears to be MacPhail running out of money and try to get a lefty on the cheap.

I am not sure who's move Accardo is. He certainly is not a major piece on the team. I am perfectly willing to say that whoever wants Accardo on the team knows more about why he want them then I do. He appears to be below the talent level of the other acquisitions this off season. I will have to wait to see why he was brought in.

[wildcard]

This is just completely asinine.

Very well respected and knowledgeable people hold opposite opinions all the freaking time. That doesn't make them any less respected or less knowledgeable.

Don't believe me? Tune in to the Super Bowl pregame coverage tomorrow. Everyone in the studios and on the sets will pick a winner. Around half will be wrong. And come Monday they'll all still have jobs as NFL experts/commentators/analysts.

By the way I can express a position without using the words asinine, stupid, absurd, and other demeaning words. They aren't neccessary. Maybe you should try it.

[davearm]

I am not disrepecting Stole or his opinion. I am pointing out that his opinion and Buck's opinion appear to be opposites on acquiring Vlad and the way Buck is going about building the O's to contention.

LOL we didn't need anyone to point that out. It's clear as day and has been from the beginning.

Of course you've gone the next step and implied that Stotle must be wrong.

He may be wrong, time will tell. But even if he is, that doesn't make him any less knowledgeable, or his reasoning any less sound.

My guess is Vlad is Sammy v2.0 for the O's. How soon some forget that debacle, and get all starry-eyed at the big career stats that are most likely gone forever.

[davearm]

By the way I can express a position without using the words asinine, stupid, absurd, and other demeaning words. They aren't neccessary. Maybe you should try it.

LOL you've already been called out by others for being hostile. You set the tone here.

[davearm]

I am making my own argument. I researched how Buck turns a team around, which is what he was brought to the O's to do, and I believe that the Vlad signing is part of that plan. I am pointing out that Stotle's opposition to the Vlad trade going against how Buck is building the team.

I am not positive about the Drese move but I like the suggestion that he was brought in to mentor younger players and is bound for the minors.

I am not sure the Hendrickson is a Buck move. It appear to be MacPhail running out of money and try to get a lefty on the cheap.

I am not sure who's move Accardo is. He certainly is not a major piece on the team. I am perfectly willing to say that whoever wants Accardo on the team knows more about why he want them then I do. He appears to be below the talent level of the other acquisitions this off season. I will have to wait to see why he was brought in.

You're not sure who's move Vlad was either. None of us are, in all likelihood.

That's a big part of why this whole argument is so silly. The entire premise is a big assumption that could easily be wrong.

[RandyM]

Stole, I can commend you for trying, but you need to give it up. You are arguing with someone that is fully drunk on the kool aid. No matter how correct you are you can't convince that person otherwise.

He believes that:

- Vlad is 29 and will hit like he did the first half of last year. Not believing his is really 34 and has been declining for the last 3 years.

- DLee is also is his late 20's and that he will quickly bounce back from a wrist injury in addition to old age.

- That all the Orioles young players will hit their upside this year.

- Buck is god as a coach and a talent evaluator. Coming up with excuses for the AGon and Chris Young deals. If it was the other way around I assume those excuses would be forgotten.

- Joe Mahoney was insulted by BA Callis when he stated that that he wasn't a "elite prospect".

- this is a 86-91 win team.

At the end of the day, the O's will be a 78-82 win team and I will be content because they will be watchable. But this is just creating the same situation next year because only Reynolds is a potential long term solution (talk to me when Hardy is healthy and is signed long term).

I kind of think of this year like the '95 or '96 one where Angelos stopped Gillick from trading all the old vets to make a run at the playoffs. Sure we got in, but that was the last time. I guess everyone is beaten down with all the losing and is all psyched about winning 78 games. But I want long term sustainable success. Those young players are only so cheap for so long.

[wildcard]

LOL you've already been called out by others for being hostile. You set the tone here.

Just because are have a different view then Stotle does not mean I am hostile to him. I think I have trying to explain that. And I didn't have to use demeaning words to do it.

[Hank Scorpio]

Ladies!!!!!!!!!!! Please!!!!!!!!!!!

Vlad's old and has glass knees. Luke Scott's a bad defender.

Both their bats in the lineup are likely better than Scott and Pie's bats. Scott's defense is likely significantly worse than Pie's.

Hopefully the offensive upgrade and the defensive downgrade wash each other out. This isn't a situation where they traded 3 young pitchers for one year of a fat first baseman. I think they overpaid but I can live with it, although it doesn't make a whole lot of sense given that they're probably not going to compete this season.

On paper the lineup looks pretty good, but I give the Vlad signing a "meh." He's certainly not the cherry on top of a contending team.

[wildcard]

Ladies!!!!!!!!!!! Please!!!!!!!!!!!

Vlad's old and has glass knees. Luke Scott's a bad defender.

Both their bats in the lineup are likely better than Scott and Pie's bats. Scott's defense is likely significantly worse than Pie's.

Hopefully the offensive upgrade and the defensive downgrade wash each other out. This isn't a situation where they traded 3 young pitchers for one year of a fat first baseman. I think they overpaid but I can live with it, although it doesn't make a whole lot of sense given that they're probably not going to compete this season.

On paper the lineup looks pretty good, but I give the Vlad signing a "meh." He's certainly not the cherry on top of a contending team.

You are right in many ways. Its not done yet. Vlad still has to pass the physical. And Oriole physicals are pretty tough, ( when they occur,(Gonzo)).

Managing leftfield with Scott and Pie is something that Buck apparently wants the chance to do. Scott is worse defensively. But Buck has a choice and this is what he picked.

If you are right and the O's don't contend and Vlad leaves after one year then I will agree that paying $8m for him was not a smart move. Buck appears to believe differently. I think he deserves the chance.

[Hank Scorpio]

That is a rational, well articulated, perfectly legitimate argument.

Bravo.

[Sports Guy]

But if you want to be taken seriously that your opinion is right over an experienced baseball who is in a better position to know what is happening, then you better have a darn good reason for your disagreement.

Will/has Buck ever made a mistake in his judgment on the baseball field in his life?

[Sports Guy]

Are the terms of this deal still up in the air at this point?

[RVAbird]

Are the terms of this deal still up in the air at this point?

They won't be officially announced until Vlad passes his physical, which is scheduled for Friday the 11th.

They could leak before then, but you know AM won't be commenting before it's official.