Olney: O's GM Candidates and Search Committee

[Dipper9]

I would be pretty pumped if we can land either Dipoto or LaCava. Hope we don't screw this up.

Its the O's we're talking about. Of course they'll screw it up.

[clapdiddy]

I would be pretty pumped if we can land either Dipoto or LaCava. Hope we don't screw this up.

Heck...sign them both! Open the checkbook for LaCava and put him in charge of the minors. Give him more money than Toronto with a fancy schmancy title.

We need knowledgeable baseball people from successful organizations. The status quo must go!

[Lucky Jim]

I'm reminded of Dave Cameron's explanation for ranking the Mariners the 6th best organization in baseball back in March 2010:

I understand that there’s a large contingency of people who believe that we should not presume intelligence until success has been displayed on the field, and that we should infer that an organization is well run once the fruits of their labor of have been reaped, and those are the people who are going to hate this ranking. I simply have a philosophical disagreement with you on how we should evaluate our expectations for the future. Just as we can separate Jason Heyward from a normal outfield prospect despite the fact that he has accomplished nothing at the big league level, I believe we can also evaluate an organization’s ability to put a winning team on the field before they do so.

The term “process” has become a cliche in referring to front offices, but quite simply, there are few better examples of an organization that is blending traditional scouting with new ways of thinking than the Mariners. The GM is one of the most respected scouts in the game, and his right hand man is an accountant who went out and hired Tom Tango as one of his first orders of business. Teams that have blended both ways of thinking into their decision-making process have been tremendously successful, and this is the path the Mariners have set themselves upon.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/organizational-rankings-6-seattle/

For those unaware, the Ms have since gone 128-196. Their system is solid, however.

[Ooooooohhhh!!!!]

For all of the deserved negativity surrounding this process it seems like we have assembled a pretty good list of candidates. Doesn't that encourage those who are pessimistic?

Don't get me wrong I understand the Angelos factor, but there seems like there could be some light at the end of the tunnel. It usually comes back to bite me (and everyone else), but I'm starting to get a little excited.

[Going Underground]

:laughlol::laughlol:

Heck...sign them both! Open the checkbook for LaCava and put him in charge of the minors. Give him more money than Toronto with a fancy schmancy title.

We need knowledgeable baseball people from successful organizations. The status quo must go!

But if we open up the checkbook,we won't have enough

for Pujols or Fielder.

Maybe we need Moo money.:laughlol::laughlol:[

[JohnD]

I would be pretty pumped if we can land either Dipoto or LaCava. Hope we don't screw this up.

As far as I'm concerned, that's my list. Either one of those guys is encouraging. Real encouraging. Odds are you'll have to sell me on anyone outside of that.

[The Rick]

For all of the deserved negativity surrounding this process it seems like we have assembled a pretty good list of candidates. Doesn't that encourage those who are pessimistic?

Don't get me wrong I understand the Angelos factor, but there seems like there could be some light at the end of the tunnel. It usually comes back to bite me (and everyone else), but I'm starting to get a little excited.

Resist the urge... trust me.

Plus, it's better to be pleasantly surprised!

[Going Underground]

Showalter had a meeting with some of the O's sponsors,yesterday. He said the biggest need for the team is pitching. I guess the grow the arms thing did not work out as well as hoped.

[clapdiddy]

Showalter had a meeting with some of the O's sponsors,yesterday. He said the biggest need for the team is pitching. I guess the grow the arms thing did not work out as well as hoped.

Unfortunately, the lack of development with our "cavalry" has made pitching (particularly starting) a necessity and not a priority. Right now, we're looking at a rotation of Guthrie, Britton and a bunch of question marks.

[wickedwitch]

Showalter had a meeting with some of the O's sponsors,yesterday. He said the biggest need for the team is pitching. I guess the grow the arms thing did not work out as well as hoped.

He can blame his pitching coach for that.

[ChaosLex]

Showalter had a meeting with some of the O's sponsors,yesterday. He said the biggest need for the team is pitching. I guess the grow the arms thing did not work out as well as hoped.

Boy, ya think?

[Going Underground]

He can blame his pitching coach for that.

Can you blame the pitching coach for all the other great O's prospects in earlier years that failed? I don't see alot of Orioles pitchers with the O's or around the league that have faired that well. I think you can count them on one hand over the last ten years.

[JTrea81]

Showalter had a meeting with some of the O's sponsors,yesterday. He said the biggest need for the team is pitching. I guess the grow the arms thing did not work out as well as hoped.

We definitely need two SPs this offseason.

[Lucky Jim]

I think it's pretty clear that the biggest need for the O's right now is pitching: it's the source of radical instability on the team. But that doesn't mean that it's necessarily the place to look for long-term, high-cost investment (it doesn't mean it's not, either). The issue, as always, is uncertainty, and we need to do a better job of hedging against the uncertainty inherent in pitching prospects. What the O's need most, short-term, are arms that can be relied on for innings and solid performance. And they should be willing to over-pay slightly to get it.

I would probably be looking at older pitchers on shorter-term deals. No type-As. A quick eyeball means (as a type, rather than specifically): Garland (as much as I've argued against him in the past), Hiroki Kuroda (provided his age creates a discount), Kawakami (at a steep discount), Chien Ming Wang and Aaron Harang (depending on price). I'd try to stay at three-year deals and under.

From there, you hope for a progression to near-elite status by Britton, a regression to his talent-norm from Matusz (200 IP, < 4.50 ERA), and a solid back-end performance from Arrieta. And pray that someone else steps up (Tillman, B. Bundy, etc.).

That's how I'd approach pitching, even agreeing that it's a "necessity."

[accinfo]

Unfortunately, the lack of development with our "cavalry" has made pitching (particularly starting) a necessity and not a priority. Right now, we're looking at a rotation of Guthrie, Britton and a bunch of question marks.

After what happened to Matusz this year I think you have to put Britton in that question mark category as well. Guthrie is the only known quanity here.