Source: MacPhail Out as GM

[LookinUp]

There's an assumption by many on this board that I hope is wrong, and it is that Buck wants to rebuild this team the wrong way.

Yes, he may support greater investment in veterans, #1 pitchers, whatever, but what's to say he doesn't agree with John Hart when he says something like we need the best scouts in baseball, and to invest in those areas?

I agree that Buck holds some sway, but I don't think his history of going for it necessarily means that he plans on spending his way to competing with the Yanks and Sox. He might just hold sway AND support the right way to rebuild.

[Edit, which means he might actually be pushing for a guy like LaCava.]

[SoBo]

I am hearing that Buck will have a MAJOR influence in the front office... and been told to not be surprised if Buck is in fact the team's new 'GM'.

Sounds about right. You have to believe Buck would have been happy to stay at ESPN than come to the Orioles without some kind of guarantee that he would have significant sway within the front office. My guess is they bring in a young guy that Buck respects but also someone that is going to do as Buck pleases. I don't know if it'll work but what we've been doing certainly hasn't worked.

[Lucky Jim]

I am hearing that Buck will have a MAJOR influence in the front office... and been told to not be surprised if Buck is in fact the team's new 'GM'.

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

[Remember The Alomar]

I am hearing that Buck will have a MAJOR influence in the front office... and been told to not be surprised if Buck is in fact the team's new 'GM'.

I wonder where Olney is getting his info.

[The Rick]

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

This about sums it up.

[weams]

In September, 2004, Pete Angelos said, "we want to be right on the heels of the Yankees and the Red Sox ... or right in their faces."

Tough talk, but did he take action to make that happen? No, because Angelos knows that it would take big money.

In an interview with Stan Charles in 2006, he said, "Our problem has been [an inability] to generate the kind of revenue that is needed to compete in the AL East." "For example, I was at a meeting in Milwaukee and everyone was talking about the most recent deal the Astros made giving [pitcher Roy] Oswalt $73 million for five years, $14.5 million a year. (chuckle) That is lunacy. He's going to pitch every fifth day. A good ballplayer and all that, but $14.5.million a year…now come on."

"I go back to the money. Right now with that $75 million payroll, you need an ace to go with your four young pitchers. You need a left-fielder who can hit 30-35 home runs and --we're talking as if this is Christmas and we were talking to Santa Claus. You'd probably want a first baseman to hit 20-25 home runs and can field the position and some bullpen help. You add those components to this ballclub, you'd have one hell of an interesting ball club.

So, we're not that far away, but what's that going to cost you? I'll tell you, the left fielder -- with what happened with Oswalt -- is going to cost you a $60-75 million commitment. First base, you're talking about similar dollars. Ace pitcher, I don't think you have to go to $14 million, but you're in the $12-13 range. I wouldn't also include the money for the bullpen. And you also have that guy Jim Hoey, who is 6'5, who can throw the ball 100 mph. He just needs a little seasoning and I think Leo Mazzone will take care of that. And that's where you are and from $75 million, we've just jumped up to about $110 million. "

Notice how Angelos outlines the amount of money it would take, and basically folds his cards. This attitude starts from the top; it wasn't a creation of MacPhail's. Angelos deliberately hired a GM who would work with a restricted budget. I don't want to hear how [insert name] was hired because Angelos gave them a commitment to do what it takes. He told Jim Beattie that he wasn't in Montreal any more and he could spend money. How did that work out for us?

There's only one word that I can think of for anyone who thinks that a different GM is going to get Angelos to open his wallet.

Delusional.

One of the best posts I have seen. Read it. Think about it. Then Read it again. And again. Until you believe it.

[SoBo]

One of the best posts I have seen. Read it. Think about it. Then Read it again. And again. Until you believe it.

Only been one constant over the 14 years of losing.

[Fan4Life]

I'm no Angelos apologist, or MacPhail for that matter, but neither of those guys are responsible for the crappy season the Orioles turned in -in 2011. We are spending enough money at the MLB and MiLB levels to have a team that should be at least playing .500 year in and year out. If we have poor developers and or scouts, that needs to change. Most of the failure the last few years is the under-perfomance of players we all thought would have performed much much better before now.

[TonySoprano]

Am I the only one who would love to see Rshack come back on here and continue to tell us how great Trembley and AM are?

*sigh* gee thee behind me....

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.

If you care to reminisce, here you go. It wouldn't be Andy's fault, or even Angelos' but EBW's, who assumed room temperature 23 years ago.

[The Rick]

*sigh* gee thee behind me....

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.

If you care to reminisce, here you go. It wouldn't be Andy's fault, or even Angelos' but EBW's, who assumed room temperature 23 years ago.

Geez, that's a trip down memory lane.

Good 'ole Geschinger, where the hell has he been? I'll tell you, this continued sucktitude has really caused some quality posters to do a lot more lurking than posting. It's a shame.

[Fan4Life]

Geez, that's a trip down memory lane.

Good 'ole Geschinger, where the hell has he been? I'll tell you, this continued sucktitude has really caused some quality posters to do a lot more lurking than posting. It's a shame.

What happened to Mackus?

[Bradysburns]

Maybe I should fade into oblivion for a while, and then re-invent myself as an "insider" type. Perhaps then you'll start to like me.

The good Ol' CompuCoach is back on the scene! Yee-haw!

[JTrea81]

I am hearing that Buck will have a MAJOR influence in the front office... and been told to not be surprised if Buck is in fact the team's new 'GM'.

I'm all on board for this.

This offseason sounds like it's going to be exciting...

[Lucky Jim]

I'm all on board for this.

This offseason sounds like it's going to be exciting...

Now that you're getting what you want, you can finally answer this post:

Of the seven teams that spent $110-150m a year, 3 had winning records, putting the odds of winning at roughly 43%. They averaged 77 wins.

Of the nine teams that spent $80-110m, 5 had winning records, putting the odds of winning (at roughly the O's current spend rate) at 55%. They averaged 84 wins.

So, if you really believe that your math is revealing, we should probably spend somewhere in the range of $90-110m a year, no? Wait, unless you're saying we should be one of the three teams in baseball spending over $150m a year. But you couldn't be saying that, right?

Further, and just to show how keen your analysis is, if we add $45m in salary via FAs, using your logic our chances of winning will actually go down.

[Bloopandablast]

Jim Hendry is now available.