We are all pissed and rightfully so...What can the Orioles do this offseason to change that?

[BaltimoreTerp]

What do we have if we don't?

Its the saying about putting a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. Yeah, you might die slower, but you still die. Give me a tourniquet and proper care.

EDIT: Also, I just had the thought that this attitude is as bad as the "I'm quitting the team" attitude. They come from the same place: you are so frustrated that you just want to give up. Instead of giving up and rooting for another team, though, it's going for some sort of short-term upswing because there is no hope at all long-term anyway.

There's no way I could agree with that kind of view.

[CA-ORIOLE]

We don't know that signing Darvish is "sub-optimal", whatever that really means. The alternative is to make no moves at all or minor moves that are potentially sub optimal as well. Since signing Darvish isn't your idea of fun, what kind of offseason is going to give you a belly laugh? Those of you who are resigned to completely giving up, are no fun!

Play Andino/Reimold/Adams/Davis. Get a couple more like them (or better) and go with it. Give the young pitchers another round. Have fun with the waiver wire. Use the extra 30-40 million and subsidize young poor people to come to OPACY. Heck, bus them in by the thousands. Maybe they'll buy popcorn and soda and learn to become future Oriole fans. My plan makes losing Fun, builds future fan loyalty, and is socially responsible.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Funner for me to watch young guys stink than old ones.

[SrMeowMeow]

No really. What's your idea for this offseason?

I see no hope for the O's as long as Angelos is the owner.

If he suddenly gave away the team, my idea for the offseason would be to make a few trades in the Reynolds/Hardy mold, move a few veterans as their price tags grow, make a few canny signings to fill gaping holes on the team, and then be #1 in draft and international spending, and pay top dollar to lure elite baseball minds and administrators to the organization. Do that for five years and you'll win.

[DrungoHazewood]

No really. What's your idea for this offseason?

With Angelos in charge, mandating conditions for any GM hire? Bide your time until there's a new owner.

I mean, sure, go sign Darvish. Why not? It might be fun, and it has no impact on anything as far as competition goes.

[DrungoHazewood]

Signing Darvish is ino way giving up on the long term. First of all, he's young and will probably be signed ot a 5 year contract. There is still the chance that guys like Matusz, Britton, and Arrieta can make progress to form a good rotation. That's a big IF but there is hope. 90% of those who are hopless now and say there's no way to compete shorterm were the same one predicting 80-90 wins last year. It's pitiful.

Our eyes have finally been opened. Sapper was right.

[Sports Guy]

So...let's not sign free agent pitchers, agreed?

That depends on what age they are and where we are as a team.

Darvish is young enough that if this team isn't a contender for 2-3 years, he could still be a very good player for us.

Plus, his posting fee doesn't go against the payroll, at least not officially.

If PA were to surprise us and go after him, would he just look at it as a one time payment taken directly from MASN profits or would he count him as 20ishM a year on the payroll?

For me, I look at it strictly as a one time payment.

The contract itself is only 10ishM a year and you get to keep a draft pick as well, which could be worth a lot of money too.

[SrMeowMeow]

That depends on what age they are and where we are as a team.

Darvish is young enough that if this team isn't a contender for 2-3 years, he could still be a very good player for us.

Plus, his posting fee doesn't go against the payroll, at least not officially.

If PA were to surprise us and go after him, would he just look at it as a one time payment taken directly from MASN profits or would he count him as 20ishM a year on the payroll?

For me, I look at it strictly as a one time payment.

The contract itself is only 10ishM a year and you get to keep a draft pick as well, which could be worth a lot of money too.

Hey, I'm down with signing Darvish. That would be electrifying news. But I would rather sign, say, Andrew Friedman than Darvish. I think a good GM is absolutely necessary so if we don't get one I don't think Darvish will matter.

[Sports Guy]

Hey, I'm down with signing Darvish. That would be electrifying news. But I would rather sign, say, Andrew Friedman than Darvish. I think a good GM is absolutely necessary so if we don't get one I don't think Darvish will matter.

The GM is meaningless with Buck and PA here.

[Skeletor]

This organization may be terrible but at least it's entertaining 12 months a year.

[SrMeowMeow]

The GM is meaningless with Buck and PA here.

Well, yeah. Amend it to "good GM with autonomy".

[JTrea81]

They can't win in the near term. It's that simple.

"Can't win" and "choose not to win" are two different terms.

They have the resources to win in the near term so they can indeed win. Whether they choose to utilize them or not is what we will have to see.

[Barnaby Graves]

"Can't win" and "choose not to win" are two different terms.

They have the resources to win in the near term so they can indeed win. Whether they choose to utilize them or not is what we will have to see.

They certainly have the resources to win at some point in the future but baseball teams are slow ships to turn.

You seem to want Fielder and Wilson to come in. If they both panned out, they'd probably bring in about 5 WAR apiece. Assuming they replace our 2011 1B and a 2011 #5 starter, respectively, are we a contending team? If not, do their contracts prevent us from future investments?

Because a) I doubt they bring in 5 WAR each and b) you're probably spending $110 million for an 80 win season. If Tampa has the resources to win, we should be doing exactly what they are doing, and then using our superior finances to patch up spots on the roster and further develop our international presence.

Two free agent contracts for guys coming off career or near-career years guarantees us more mediocrity.

[scOtt]

What would make you happy?

PA is a joke, the GM search is an embarrassment but the offseason has just started.

And while this will always be an issue no matter what they do, they could still make us happy, I would think, if they wanted to.

So, what would it take?

And I mean no offense, Rob. Peace.

And I apologize to everyone, I haven't read any of the ten preceding pages (yet)...

They can do nothing. They have already done ALL they can do to show us their direction.

1) First off they (HE) tried to rehire AM. Like a starry-eyed little schoolgirl.

2) Second (really first because it preceded that...) they (HE) let it out in the press (by hook or by crook) that Buck had his pick of jobs, and by default, his pick of managers, or if he stayed manager, his pick of GMs. I think the phrase was "free reign."

And I wasn't totally against this... At least I trust Buck's BASEBALL decisions! Much more than PA's.

3) Then they (HE) re-signed Stockstill to a contract for a nameless job, whatever that job might be... before ANY GM was interviewed. (Went behind the back of BOTH the new GM AND Buck...)

4) Then, out of the frickin' blue... they interviewed Stockstill for GM.

5) "The committee" (minus Angelos) was signed off on hiring LaCava. Buck and all the moneymen/lawyers were ok with it.

6) THEN the Dark Lord himself meets with LaCava and within 12 hours TLC declines the job and it comes out that it was over some middling people in our front office that PA just WOULDN'T let go.

7)Now we're left with a lot of potential and actual second-tier candidates scheduled or trying for an interview. National writers writing how much of a joke we are. How GM candidates will refuse to even interview with us.

8) And it's now November. Britt (or someone) tweeted we hoped to make a decision by Monday (Nov. 7th... tick tock......) Good luck with that!

So as ALL that stands... "What can the Orioles do this offseason to change that???"

NOTHING!

No combination of signings/trades (that we're already too late to get in on) will fix this, this year. Or next. Or til PA sells the damn team. Trea had me half swayed that this FINALLY was the year that PA let his baseball people (Buck) go hog wild. Spend some damn money, expand the scouting and drafting... actually act like a REAL ML franchise! One of the good ones...

This all shows me that it will NEVER happen! Not til PA (and probably both his damn sons) are GONE. Completely new ownership. There is just nothing I wish, or dream, or that will actually happen this offseason that will change our (SEALED) fate! NOTHING.

EDIT: 60-something and 90-something til then.

^^^ DEFinitely NSFW warning on that link...

[JTrea81]

Perhaps the reason the Orioles want a GM by Monday is because Buck put his foot down on the search...

And let's stop acting like LaCava was the greatest GM in the history of the planet and his refusal of the O's job has now basically made it so the O's have to contract the franchise.

There are plenty of other good candidates out there such as Oppenheimer that could still take this job.

And I still have the confidence Buck knows what it will take to compete in the AL East and will move the Orioles in that direction in a big way this offseason.