How would YOU fix/improve the Orioles, going forward?

[24fps]

So, the O's are 3 out in the loss column for the wild card in late May and that is proof they can't contend?

Matusz is about to join the rotation. The O's just promoted a first round draft choice and 2 second rounders.

Other teams in the League have problems too.

Let's wait and see what happens before pushing the panic button.

I agree. Other teams are struggling too, and I'm unconvinced we've seen the best of what the current team has to offer. IMO we're at least month away from needing to begin all he "blow it up" talk.

I also agree with those who are calling (for the umpteenth time) for domestic and international scouting to be revamped. I don't believe for a second that AM, PA or Showalter have any interest in starting from scratch, and I don't expect a big sell-off come July. Like it or not, the sort of team we're seeing this year is the sort of team we'll see next year - different faces, same approach. IMO excellent drafting and an increased international presence offer the best realistic opportunity for change in this organization.

Enough with overspending for relief pitching.

[now]

Short term: Don't do much. Wait for Matusz to return, move a current starter to the pen. Move Gregg to lower-leverage situations. Release Rapada.

At the deadline: Trade any of the veterans you can get a good return on, unless they're still in contention. I think you have to push to be a buyer, or at least hold serve, if you're within ~5 games in July. Worst case you get some picks for Hardy, Vlad, etc. That may be as much value as you'd get out of them in a trade for two months of their services. Scott and Guthrie - it's all in what MacPhail can get in return.

Long term: Paradigm shift in the international market, much more scouting and investment. Look for more Ueharas - Japanese starters turned relievers. But also stay far away from most mid-range free agents, especially relievers. Find your relievers in pools of failed major league starters and adequate AAA starters. Much more from the Uehara, JJ, and yes even the Berken mold, no more of the Baez, Gregg, DeJean, Walker, Bradford model. Almost everyone's ROI on free agent relievers just sucks.

I think the O's went into 2011 hoping some on-field success would bring in a little more revenue, and bring some respect that might help lure talent here. That can't change now, not before Memorial Day, four games out of first place. If they're 10 games out in July, look to sell, but otherwise, you have to go for it. 2012 might be ugly in any case so you might as well hold out slim hope for a miracle run.

Great post - with the best part in bold. And yes, it is bold, but only in conventional terms. As your examples show, we're already doing it successfully to some extent - just need to repeat.

[DrungoHazewood]

I agree. Other teams are struggling too, and I'm unconvinced we've seen the best of what the current team has to offer. IMO we're at least month away from needing to begin all he "blow it up" talk.

And in any case, blowing it up doesn't have the same meaning it did at the times of the Tejada and Bedard trades. The core of the current team is Jones, Markakis, Matusz, Britton, Arrieta, Wieters. They're not going anywhere. If they trade a few of Scott, Guthrie, Hardy, etc, it'll be to augment the existing core, not start over.

[bluedog]

This season:

1. Extend Guthrie. He looks like the kind of guy who will be able to continue to pitch well as he ages. He's extremely underrated and as a result he should come as a bargain in any negotiations. We can always deal him after we sign him assuming the deal is a good one. He's our best starter and I don't believe he will bring back enough value in trade relative to his value to the O's as a starter.

2. Deal Luke Scott at the trade deadline. I think Scott is a classic addition by subtraction guy. He's got to be one of the least productive power hitters in the history of the game in terms of actually contributing to wins. I'd like to have a hitter in LF who can consistently produce for this team, even if they don't hit 20+ HRs and I don't believe Scott is that guy. Let Pie and Reimold get the bulk of the at bats in left and see if either can distinguish themselves.

3. Extend Hardy for a couple of years. He's in a slump right now, but I like him as an interim solution while we wait for Machado. Hardy is another guy who should come at a discount because of his recent injury history and if he's playing well, he'll be easy to move in trade if/when we need to open a spot for Manny.

4. Extend Koji Uehara. Instead of throwing more money at guys like Gonzalez and Gregg, lets pay the guy who's actually performed for us. Koji is the type of guy who should have several more quality years ahead of him and he's been absolute money as a reliever.

5. Extend Wieters. Given the slow start to his career offensively, Wieters is likely to never be less expensive to extend than he is now. He's already a Gold Glove defensive catcher and his bat is coming around and he may explode as a hitter as he matures, but if the O's wait until he becomes a bona-fide All-Star (which I believe is right around the corner) the price tag will skyrocket from there.

6. Move Tillman to the pen. Tillman seems to be reasonably effective over 3 to 5 innings, but he's failed to show the ability to go beyond 5 innings as a starter. The O's need a guy who can effectively pitch multiple innings in relief every few days and Tillman may be that guy.

7. Clean out the bullpen behind Uehara, Gregg and Johnson and go with some of the youngsters who are pitching lights out at Bowie. I'd like to see McCurry, Klein, Diaz, Viola and Johnson get shots with the O's instead of running retreads like Accardo, Rapada, Rupe and Jakubauskas out there. Watching Pedro Beato pitch effectively out of the pen for the Mets and seeing other teams building effective bullpens primarily with untried minor league arms makes me believe the O's should attempt to do the same thing.

8. Give Ryan Adams a real shot at supplanting Brian Roberts at 2b. I don't believe Andino is a long term solution at 2nd, but Adams seems to have the offensive ability to produce at the major league level and could be the long term solution there, assuming he can play even average defense. Put Andino back in the utility role and give Adams more playing time at 2nd while BRob is not available.

9. Stick with Mark Reynolds at 3b regardless of his struggles. We need to see if this guy can adjust to the AL and get back to being an effective hitter. We need to make that determination this season and I think we need a full season's worth of evidence to be certain.

10. Don't panic! The O's are only 3 games under .500 and still very much in the running in the AL East. Once Matusz returns, the rotation will be a force to be reckoned with.

[McNulty]

First of all, you have to totally revamp your whole way of doing things.

International and domestic scouting needs to be re-done(or enhanced). You need to try and bring in the best scouts and development people you can, offering them huge pay raises from their current jobs if needs be.

You need to spend money internationally...Spend 15-20 million a year on International and domestic talent.

We aren't going anywhere long term unless you really increase the talent level of the organization AND develop it properly.

As for the ML team, you need to stop wasting away draft picks to sign middling, crap FAs. You need to stop spending so much on mediocre BP pitchers.

You need to realize where you are on the AL East food chain, be honest with where you are as a franchise and realize that you must trade off guys like Guthrie and bring in as much talent as you can.

As I have said, this team is 2-3 offensive players, 2 BP pitchers and 1 TOR starter away from truly contending...that is a lot. That is miles away from contention at this point.

Trade as many of these vets as you can, build up the system as much as possible and go into the offseason with a lot of young talent and a lot of money to be able to manuever easily.

Short term: Don't do much. Wait for Matusz to return, move a current starter to the pen. Move Gregg to lower-leverage situations. Release Rapada.

At the deadline: Trade any of the veterans you can get a good return on, unless they're still in contention. I think you have to push to be a buyer, or at least hold serve, if you're within ~5 games in July. Worst case you get some picks for Hardy, Vlad, etc. That may be as much value as you'd get out of them in a trade for two months of their services. Scott and Guthrie - it's all in what MacPhail can get in return.

Long term: Paradigm shift in the international market, much more scouting and investment. Look for more Ueharas - Japanese starters turned relievers. But also stay far away from most mid-range free agents, especially relievers. Find your relievers in pools of failed major league starters and adequate AAA starters. Much more from the Uehara, JJ, and yes even the Berken mold, no more of the Baez, Gregg, DeJean, Walker, Bradford model. Almost everyone's ROI on free agent relievers just sucks.

I think the O's went into 2011 hoping some on-field success would bring in a little more revenue, and bring some respect that might help lure talent here. That can't change now, not before Memorial Day, four games out of first place. If they're 10 games out in July, look to sell, but otherwise, you have to go for it. 2012 might be ugly in any case so you might as well hold out slim hope for a miracle run.

Both of these.

[Sports Guy]

Speak for yourself.

How is 3 losses out of first (this past week, say) after a quarter of the season not "reality"?

And that with (as usual) no one overachieving (unless you argue Britton) and our likely best pitcher yet to join the team?

To increase the sample size, how about adding the last third of last season? (with even less of the improvements you require)?

Its not reality to believe this team can contend for the playoffs this year.

[bluedog]

Its not reality to believe this team can contend for the playoffs this year.

With the emergence of Britton, Arrieta's progression, the return of Matusz and with Guthrie putting up another excellent season, I think the O's rotation looks very much like a contending rotation. Everything starts with the rotation - if they pitch well and stay healthy, this team will contend this year.

[Sports Guy]

With the emergence of Britton, Arrieta's progression, the return of Matusz and with Guthrie putting up another excellent season, I think the O's rotation looks very much like a contending rotation. Everything starts with the rotation - if they pitch well and stay healthy, this team will contend this year.

No it won't.

This isn't a 90+ win team.

[bluedog]

No it won't.

This isn't a 90+ win team.

We'll see.

[cindyluvsbrady]

Its not reality to believe this team can contend for the playoffs this year.

That is NOT true:eek:

BELIEVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wildcard]

No it won't.

This isn't a 90+ win team.

Looks like you have a little mutiny going on here.

Seems like people want to see what this team can do before trading a bunch of talent away.

[Sports Guy]

Looks like you have a little mutiny going on here.

Seems like people want to see what this team can do before trading a bunch of talent away.

That's the case every year...and every year I(and many others) have been shown to be right.

That this team always chooses the wrong direction.

So, I am fine with your little mutiny.

[HokieOs]

Send Andy MacPhail packing and steal Brian Cashman from the Yankees

At first glance... I had no intention of reading further after this part..... just ridicuous. I don't necessarily approve of the job MacPhail has done and I agree it's time for new blood... but Cashman as a candidate is laughable...... just as is the thought of us offering Cashman to be our GM...... I'm pretty sure Cashman would laugh pretty hard at our offer.

Sign Prince Fielder to a 7/175 contract

Great, let's sign a guy ALREADY getting up there in age to an insane deal. The guy is very good... but will be be worth the 7 years? And at $25 mil a year? It would be stupid of us to sign ONE guy and use well over a 1/4 of our annual payroll to do it. Just stupid.

Sign Jose Reyes to a 5/90 contract - start him at SS in 2012-2013 and move him to 2B to take over for Roberts in 2014 when Machado is ready. In the meantime he can take over leadoff duties when Roberts is on the shelf in the final two years of his deal.

Uhh.. we have Hardy. If he can stay remotely healthy (jury's out), why shed ties to get a guy for a LOT more money... only to move him in a couple years.

Those would be the three key moves of the offseason, with other moves such as a #3 starter, DH, 4th OFer and bullpen help to be made. But Cashman, Fielder and Reyes would make a statement and would be key components to the competitive Orioles teams of 2012-2015.

Not a bad fantasy world pick up.

I have no doubt Cashman will also put an emphasis on international signings and won't be afraid to deal with the buscones to get the top talent so international amatuer scouting would be ramped up significantly in Latin America.

Look to try to steal scouts and coaches from organizations like the Rangers, Blue Jays and Red Sox that have found and developed lots of young talent and Cashman could probably lure some Yankees FO and scouting talent with him.

This I can get on board with for the most part...... except for the part about Cashman again. There is a better chance that Camping's "new" prediction of an October rapture is correct than us getting Cashman as the GM. Scouting and developing young talent is the key. We were doing OK early in AM's tenure at this. But after a year or two, it was almost as if we got over budget and quit.

[now]

That's the case every year...and every year I(and many others) have been shown to be right.

That this team always chooses the wrong direction.

So, I am fine with your little mutiny.

So you're saying this year is the same as every other year? That the plan to grow a top-notch rotation is not working out?

[now]

This season:

1. Extend Guthrie. He looks like the kind of guy who will be able to continue to pitch well as he ages. He's extremely underrated and as a result he should come as a bargain in any negotiations. We can always deal him after we sign him assuming the deal is a good one. He's our best starter and I don't believe he will bring back enough value in trade relative to his value to the O's as a starter.

2. Deal Luke Scott at the trade deadline. I think Scott is a classic addition by subtraction guy. He's got to be one of the least productive power hitters in the history of the game in terms of actually contributing to wins. I'd like to have a hitter in LF who can consistently produce for this team, even if they don't hit 20+ HRs and I don't believe Scott is that guy. Let Pie and Reimold get the bulk of the at bats in left and see if either can distinguish themselves.

3. Extend Hardy for a couple of years. He's in a slump right now, but I like him as an interim solution while we wait for Machado. Hardy is another guy who should come at a discount because of his recent injury history and if he's playing well, he'll be easy to move in trade if/when we need to open a spot for Manny.

4. Extend Koji Uehara. Instead of throwing more money at guys like Gonzalez and Gregg, lets pay the guy who's actually performed for us. Koji is the type of guy who should have several more quality years ahead of him and he's been absolute money as a reliever.

5. Extend Wieters. Given the slow start to his career offensively, Wieters is likely to never be less expensive to extend than he is now. He's already a Gold Glove defensive catcher and his bat is coming around and he may explode as a hitter as he matures, but if the O's wait until he becomes a bona-fide All-Star (which I believe is right around the corner) the price tag will skyrocket from there.

6. Move Tillman to the pen. Tillman seems to be reasonably effective over 3 to 5 innings, but he's failed to show the ability to go beyond 5 innings as a starter. The O's need a guy who can effectively pitch multiple innings in relief every few days and Tillman may be that guy.

7. Clean out the bullpen behind Uehara, Gregg and Johnson and go with some of the youngsters who are pitching lights out at Bowie. I'd like to see McCurry, Klein, Diaz, Viola and Johnson get shots with the O's instead of running retreads like Accardo, Rapada, Rupe and Jakubauskas out there. Watching Pedro Beato pitch effectively out of the pen for the Mets and seeing other teams building effective bullpens primarily with untried minor league arms makes me believe the O's should attempt to do the same thing.

8. Give Ryan Adams a real shot at supplanting Brian Roberts at 2b. I don't believe Andino is a long term solution at 2nd, but Adams seems to have the offensive ability to produce at the major league level and could be the long term solution there, assuming he can play even average defense. Put Andino back in the utility role and give Adams more playing time at 2nd while BRob is not available.

9. Stick with Mark Reynolds at 3b regardless of his struggles. We need to see if this guy can adjust to the AL and get back to being an effective hitter. We need to make that determination this season and I think we need a full season's worth of evidence to be certain.

10. Don't panic! The O's are only 3 games under .500 and still very much in the running in the AL East. Once Matusz returns, the rotation will be a force to be reckoned with.

Another great post. Here are my comments:

1. Guthrie. Not sure he's as underrated by other GMs as he is by the media. But with Bergy and, to a lesser extent Tillman, still questionable, he still has great value as a reliable force in the rotation.

2-5. agree

6. Tillman. The heart says no, stick with him like Palmer says and he'll grow into it. But if he's not stretching it out to 7 by the end of the year, the bullpen might make sense as you point out. But without Guts and Tillman (and Bergy), the rotation is awfully thin again (Britton, Matusz, Arrieta, ???)

7-10. agree