Source: MacPhail Out as GM

[Sports Guy]

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.

Yea, I miss Gesch.

He must be pulling his hair out with the BLeast breaking up and Peyton being hurt.

[Sports Guy]

I'm all on board for this.

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

What has Buck done that makes you think this will be exciting?

I have already proven to you that what he brought in while in Arizona was crap that happened to work out.

[TGO]

What happened to Mackus?

He quit to prioritize other things in his life or something.

[JTrea81]

What has Buck done that makes you think this will be exciting?

I have already proven to you that what he brought in while in Arizona was crap that happened to work out.

We know Buck wants to win now and has the ear of Peter Angelos and we've seen the instant turnaround he's had for clubs. That's all I need to know for now.

[Sports Guy]

We know Buck wants to win now and has the ear of Peter Angelos and we've seen the instant turnaround he's had for clubs. That's all I need to know for now.

So, to be clear...You will be happy if he brings in a bunch of 32+ year old players coming off of a poor season in hopes they turn things around?

[JTrea81]

So, to be clear...You will be happy if he brings in a bunch of 32+ year old players coming off of a poor season in hopes they turn things around?

I don't see him doing that. I do see us making a run at some of the top talent and landing at least one premium guy. I also see us shipping off some of our young SP for more established talent.

Either way this offseason is going to be more exciting than anything MacPhail tried to do IMO.

[Sports Guy]

I don't see him doing that. I do see us making a run at some of the top talent and landing at least one premium guy. I also see us shipping off some of our young SP for more established talent.

Either way this offseason is going to be more exciting than anything MacPhail tried to do IMO.

Why not? Its what he does.

When you speak about AM, you talk about his history and how he isn't likely to change.

When you talk about PA and Buck, you basically say they will change.

Do you not understand the inconsistency there?

[JTrea81]

In some parting words with Roch, MacPhail shows why he simply needed to go:

MacPhail didn't do much reflecting when I asked how he viewed his tenure in the front office, which began on June 20 2007. He felt better about the instances when the Orioles were on "fair or equal ground" and could acquire players in trades rather than trying to coax them to come here. He was "a little restricted," he said, when it came to free agency because pitchers seemed reluctant to sign with them.

Fair or equal ground? Pitchers were "reluctant?" Last time I checked they were one of 30 MLB teams. It was his job to sell talent on Baltimore, and he couldn't do it.

His salesmanship will be replaced this offseason, and that's a good thing.

[Sports Guy]

In some parting words with Roch, MacPhail shows why he simply needed to go:

Fair or equal ground? Pitchers were "reluctant?" Last time I checked they were one of 30 MLB teams. It was his job to sell talent on Baltimore, and he couldn't do it.

His salesmanship will be replaced this offseason, and that's a good thing.

Wait, you kept telling us that Buck was in charge last offseason...How did his salesmanship go?

Do you know what really sells players? Winning and money...the Orioles offered neither.

[TGO]

As SG has pointed out before, one of Buck's biggest moves in Arizona was trading for a 30-year old Luis Gonzalez. To use current free agent, up to that point Gonzalez was a player roughly somewhere between David DeJesus on the low end and Michael Cuddyer on the high end. He spent the next 6 seasons hitting like Prince Fielder. So, JTrea, do you propose we sign Cuddyer or DeJesus and pray they hit like Fielder? Or, uh, I'm sure there's some sort of supplement that could make them hit better?

[JTrea81]

Wait, you kept telling us that Buck was in charge last offseason...How did his salesmanship go?

Do you know what really sells players? Winning and money...the Orioles offered neither.

Buck apparently wasn't in charge last offseason and deferred to MacPhail. And you are right about winning and money. It's the GM's job to offer both, and it sounds like the Orioles are prepared to cough up the latter.

[TonySoprano]

Ahhh, sinking to the depths of debating with El Trea, I see.

Point taken, I went against my own advice. Ignore list here after. Care to follow suit?*

*Actually, I'm counting on you to start the appreciatoin thread after the offseason doesn't live up to grandiose expectations.

[Austin]

In some parting words with Roch, MacPhail shows why he simply needed to go:

Fair or equal ground? Pitchers were "reluctant?" Last time I checked they were one of 30 MLB teams. It was his job to sell talent on Baltimore, and he couldn't do it.

His salesmanship will be replaced this offseason, and that's a good thing.

So what you're saying is... MacPhail couldn't wine and dine?

[Sports Guy]

Buck apparently wasn't in charge last offseason and deferred to MacPhail. And you are right about winning and money. It's the GM's job to offer both, and it sounds like the Orioles are prepared to cough up the latter.

No, its the owners job to offer up(or allow his GM to offer up) the money...and really, the winning.

[JTrea81]

So what you're saying is... MacPhail couldn't wine and dine?

Bingo.