Stephen Drew...perfect example of why you didn't need to rush to sign Hardy

[BaltimoreTerp]

His value was still high.

He was worth 2 picks at the end of the year and his salary wasn't all that high.

No doubt he fetches at least the value of those 2 picks.

And you know what, if he wasn't worth that much, that's when you extend him.

No one has yet to explain what the harm would have been to wait 10-14 more days to have him sign the contract.

No one has yet to explain why a team that had already done their research and thought things through would have needed to wait 10-14 more days.

[Sports Guy]

No one has yet to explain why a team that had already done their research and thought things through would have needed to wait 10-14 more days.

This just makes no sense.

What research are you talking about?

Are you telling me that whatever trades were out there around the AS break have zero chance of getting better? Are you telling me that things can't happen where more teams become interested in Hardy?

[Enjoy Terror]

I'd rather have a hole at SS and be better positioned to win in a couple years than to have SS filled and be stuck in mediocrity (and mediocrity is being generous). Frankly I'm tired of striving for .500.

If you had written this in 2007, and we traded Tejada for prospects in the offseason (which we did), then you wind up with the hole at SS (which we did) the revolving door, and being stuck in mediocrity, so I'm not sure where you're going with that. We did this once already. It really really sucked doing it your way the first time.

[BaltimoreTerp]

This just makes no sense.

What research are you talking about?

Are you telling me that whatever trades were out there around the AS break have zero chance of getting better? Are you telling me that things can't happen where more teams become interested in Hardy?

I explained this to you earlier.

[Sports Guy]

I explained this to you earlier.

Yea you tried...It was awful then and its awful now...Lets just agree to disagree because your logic is really poor.

[Mizerooskie]

1. Never sign anyone to an extension

2. Trade everyone useful away for unproven prospects

3. ?????

4. Profit.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Yea you tried...It was awful then and its awful now...Lets just agree to disagree because your logic is really poor.

Hey, if you feel like conceding, please feel free. You still haven't said WHY the logic is poor. Just calling it poor doesn't make it so, though it makes for an easy way out when you can't argue against it.

[Sports Guy]

Hey, if you feel like conceding, please feel free. You still haven't said WHY the logic is poor. Just calling it poor doesn't make it so, though it makes for an easy way out when you can't argue against it.

LOL...Trust me, you are never going to be in a discussion with me where I concede anything because you just don't know what you are talking about.

On top of that, you are just avoiding questions being asked to you because you think your previous answers answer those questions, which they don't.

But its what I expect from you, so whatever. Heaven's forbid you actually attempt to have an actual conversation.

Oh and btw, the logic is poor because whatever "research" you want to talk about, is incomplete because things can and would change. If you don't think they would change, well then it is pretty obvious that you don't understand how things work.

[flashjordnk]

If you had written this in 2007, and we traded Tejada for prospects in the offseason (which we did), then you wind up with the hole at SS (which we did) the revolving door, and being stuck in mediocrity, so I'm not sure where you're going with that. We did this once already. It really really sucked doing it your way the first time.

Wait you're implying you wanted Tejada at SS after we traded him? You know he was like...terrible right? You can't possibly think that our problems were actually tied to having a hole at SS and not a lot other really systemic and major problems with our team. Right??

If trading Hardy gets us back a #4 starter and a starting 1b for all of next season, would you make a trade like that? Does it leave us with that many MORE substantial holes? This system has a couple glaring holes:

1. SS

2. SP

3. 1b

4. LF

We don't really have a full time solution for any of those positions next year. If I could give up one of those for two, and know that our highest rated prospect in the minors is a SS, I really don't think moving Hardy would be all that bad.

[flashjordnk]

No one has yet to explain why a team that had already done their research and thought things through would have needed to wait 10-14 more days.

So the problem with this is that things change in 14 days. What if Jeter suffered a season ending injury? Might the Yanks be interested? Or Rollins?

Or how about if the Mets ended up changing their minds and dealt Reyes to Cinci. Then all of a sudden, Pitt or St. Louis might be in the market for a SS. What if the Giants lose the Beltran sweepstakes, need a bat and Arizona pulls the string on a major trade.

The bottom line is that no matter how much research one can do, crazy things can still happen. There are only a few SS that play at an elite level and Hardy is one of them when he's healthy. We've been so bad in LF and 1b and SP this year I can't understand why we might not be willing to part with Hardy to help with those positions. There are no clear solutions for those three spots next year. Maybe someone gets desperate. Unless you have a crystal ball, or you assume you know what's going to happen you'll miss out on some potential.

Where is the harm in waiting to sign Hardy? What do the O's LOSE by waiting? If the O's had a reason to sign him now, like he wouldn't have signed or something like that, I think that's worth discussing then.

[ledzepp8]

And what percentage of the board would be happy with no solution at SS next year? 1% or less?

Exactly. There's a certain group of people (in general, not just on this board) that live to complain or be contrarian about something. They pick one thing and then move onto the next and so on and so on.

[ledzepp8]

No one has yet to explain why a team that had already done their research and thought things through would have needed to wait 10-14 more days.

Well why would they? They've repeatedly said that AM entertained no offers for Hardy (even though there was "legit" interest) without a shred of evidence presented to back up the assertion.

[Enjoy Terror]

Wait you're implying you wanted Tejada at SS after we traded him? You know he was like...terrible right? You can't possibly think that our problems were actually tied to having a hole at SS and not a lot other really systemic and major problems with our team. Right??

You completely glossed over the fact that we traded Tejada and trotted out below replacement level players at shortstop for three years. We had no one to replace Tejada. To answer your question; would I have wanted Tejada at shortstop over Luis Hernandez or Brandon Fahey or Freddie Bynum or Alex Cintron or Juan Castro or Robert Andino or Cesar Izturis.... Yes to all seven. You want to go back to that after acquiring a legitimate starting shortstop for pennies? I'm not ready for that. If you want prospects, trade Jim Johnson. Trade Koji. Trade Pie. Trade Luke Scott. Trade Reimold. Trade Vlad. Trade Lee. Trade Bergesen. Trade Berken. They are all replaceable more easily than Hardy is at the moment.

[LookinUp]

You completely glossed over the fact that we traded Tejada and trotted out below replacement level players at shortstop for three years. We had no one to replace Tejada. To answer your question; would I have wanted Tejada at shortstop over Luis Hernandez or Brandon Fahey or Freddie Bynum or Alex Cintron or Juan Castro or Robert Andino or Cesar Izturis.... Yes to all seven. You want to go back to that after acquiring a legitimate starting shortstop for pennies? I'm not ready for that. If you want prospects, trade Jim Johnson. Trade Koji. Trade Pie. Trade Luke Scott. Trade Reimold. Trade Vlad. Trade Lee. Trade Bergesen. Trade Berken. They are all replaceable more easily than Hardy is at the moment.

How about 1.5 years of Luis Hernandez and then adding Machado, while also getting a good deal for Hardy?

We traded Tejada waay too late. I forgot the deal we turned down, but it included really nice pitching from LAA, I believe. Others can remind us.

But, we'll wait too long again. Those who don't learn from their mistakes...

[DrOrioles90210]

1. Never sign anyone to an extension

2. Trade everyone useful away for unproven prospects

3. ?????

4. Profit.

If this is what you think the Orioles are doing if/when they trade guys like Guthrie and Hardy, you obviously don't know enough to be giving your opinion.