Q & A with MacPhail

[wildcard]

Whoo's "tude" is worse Kemp or Milledge?

Depends on whether you like rap music or not.

[CumberlandFan]

I think you have to look at this from an ownership position. There's more to this than meets the eye.

First....Mr. Angelos and partners have a MLB franchise worth $375 million to $400 million.

Second..Our old Uncle Pete is getting a little long in the tooth, and no one in the family wants to pick up the pieces.

Third...He has maximized the value of property, the TV package was the last piece. Camden Yards is still the place to come, for Yankee, Boston, and the Nationals fans.

The Baltimore franchise for several years was drawing huge crowds, they still announce fairly decent attendance, but most are no-shows. (hence no secondary revenue streams (parking,beer,food,etc. ).

If he is preparing and polishing things up to sell it, he has to put backsides in the empty seats, 35,000 to 40,000 each game. Then we'll be considered a big market team again.

First bring in a well-respected baseball man with a legendary name to build up our minor league teams and put an interesting and ever improving product on the. That is clearly Andy MacPhail's mandate.

Everyone agrees pitching is paramount, so why trade Bedard? Give him the big contract he wants, but get creative, front load the first couple years and defer part of it, Bedard knows Baltimore, I don't believe he'd be comfortable in a big city like Boston or NY, he just may consider staying on. Do the same with Brian Roberts. Trade the 5 guys mentioned earlier. Concentrate on a strong defense. For example..Omar Vazquel hasn't signed with the Giants yet, and at 41 is still a very good SS, he'll do for a year or even two.When our young SS of the future arrives Omar will make a good mentor. A good solid defense will pay immediate dividends and will help the pitchers tremendously. Then maybe go after one premier player to show the fans, our young players (Bedard and BRob), and future players that we wish to attract that we are headed to the promise land.

I believe in three year plans, and I think Uncle Pete will sell the BALTIMORE ORIOLES in three years. That's why Andy MacPhail is here, the name makes the product legitimate.

[NoVaO]

Does Kemp's attitude concern you? I have read some bad things.

Also do you think the Dodgers would trade Kemp?

From Dodgers.com

Dodgers begin youth movement in '07

They still need a power-hitting third baseman. They need to resolve the situation with their power-hitting second baseman. And they need harmony in the clubhouse.

Matt Kemp made an impact, too, although not all of it was good. He looked like he needed a GPS the way he sometimes ran the bases, his fundamentals were lacking and his cocky clubhouse attitude put off pretty much every veteran. That said, he has a wealth of tools and he made better adjustments in his swing this year. He figures to be an everyday player in 2008, either for the Dodgers or elsewhere via a trade that could net plenty in return.

"Matt Kemp's probably made the most progress of any of our young players this year," said Little.

Loney and Kemp joined the nucleus of 2006 arrivals -- Martin, Andre Ethier, Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Broxton -- to create a core of talented, and for the most part, homegrown youngsters with a taste of the Major Leagues.

Nope, Kemp's attitude does not concern me. I don't know what was going on inside that clubhouse, but I do know I heard veterans *****ing about the kids getting their playting time despite the excellent production they gave them.

I am not sure the Dodgers would trade Kemp...a lot of things go out the window when it comes to acquiring a #1 starter with 2 years left. The untouchables suddenly become touchable.

For me, its Kemp/Kershaw/Loney, Hu, and Laroche...who we get back in other trades and what the Dodgers are more willing to deal would determine which of those big 3 we would get.