Duquette's most important task: fix the farm system

[Frobby]

I know that now that Duq is here, people will be fixated on what free agents we will sign and what trades we'll make. And I just want to repeat my mantra -- this team needs to produce way more talent if it wants to compete. We need better amateur talent acquisition, and better player development. I do want to see the major league team get better in the short run, but I'm far more interested in having a steady pipeline of good young talent that can be sustained. And we won't know that this winter.

[Palmoripken]

Agree, a strong farm system is vital to success.

[Nirvana]

I know that now that Duq is here, people will be fixated on what free agents we will sign and what trades we'll make. And I just want to repeat my mantra -- this team needs to produce way more talent if it wants to compete. We need better amateur talent acquisition, and better player development. I do want to see the major league team get better in the short run, but I'm far more interested in having a steady pipeline of good young talent that can be sustained. And we won't know that this winter.

Totally agreed, only way for the O's to compete in the AL east.

[ChicagoBird]

I know that now that Duq is here, people will be fixated on what free agents we will sign and what trades we'll make. And I just want to repeat my mantra -- this team needs to produce way more talent if it wants to compete. We need better amateur talent acquisition, and better player development. I do want to see the major league team get better in the short run, but I'm far more interested in having a steady pipeline of good young talent that can be sustained. And we won't know that this winter.

Nothing to worry about, the Stockstills are still around to fix everything.

[Rene88]

Couldn't agree more, anyone have any thoughts who Duquette could bring in?

[LookitsPuck]

Expand international scouting

Increase the signing of international players

Do NOT, under any circumstances, sign Type A relievers. PERIOD. I'm sorry, it's idiotic.

Do NOT, under any circumstances, sign meddling free agents with decreasing peripherals/decreasing performance (i.e. Atkins)

Draft appropriately.

We NEED to improve our advanced scouting as well.

[Sports Guy]

He really needs to trade Jones.

[Moose Milligan]

He really needs to trade Jones.

I'm not sure why. First you're obsessed with acquiring young talent, then you want to trade it.

I'm not a giant Jones fan by any stretch of the imagination but I don't think he's part of the problem here.

[weams]

Well he has three years to do it.

[Nirvana]

Adam Jones isn't really that good, can't take a walk and doesn't steal bases. If you can get something good for him then you do it.

Edit: He is still young though so maybe he'll become Alex Rios in his best years.

[JTrea81]

I disagree.

The first step needs to be to put a team on the field that can get back into the playoffs. The Orioles need to end the losing. They've got to change the mentality and perception of this team before they do anything else.

Once they do that, then it will make anything else they try to do that much easier.

You don't have to have a strong farm system to win initially but you do need one to sustain winning. But to sustain winning, the Orioles need to actually win first.

Fans don't come to the Yard to watch "scouting and development" and the O's need their fanbase back to generate the neccessary revenue to rebuild those parts of the organization that do need attention.

Duquette will need to develop a succession plan eventually, but not until we figure out the pieces at the ML level.

[crawjo]

That is backwards thinking. If anything, it will be harder to sign free agents to come to a place where there has been nothing but losing. On the other hand, one can most certainly improve scouting and player development while losing at the major league level, and then allow the young players to come up through the system and "change the mentality" through their performance. This is actually the way most teams do it, but you are so obsessed by impact FAs that you seem determined to look at everything exactly backwards.

[RavNMadMan]

I agree Frobby. Until this organization is built to win, it won't. Expensive FAs are not the answer on a team with so many needs.

[Slappy]

I disagree.

The first step needs to be to put a team on the field that can get back into the playoffs. The Orioles need to end the losing. They've got to change the mentality and perception of this team before they do anything else.

Once they do that, then it will make anything else they try to do that much easier.

You don't have to have a strong farm system to win initially but you do need one to sustain winning. But to sustain winning, the Orioles need to actually win first.

Fans don't come to the Yard to watch "scouting and development" and the O's need their fanbase back to generate the neccessary revenue to rebuild those parts of the organization that do need attention.

Duquette will need to develop a succession plan eventually, but not until we figure out the pieces at the ML level.

There is a lot of truth here, but no one will admit it.

[taylor21]

I disagree.

The first step needs to be to put a team on the field that can get back into the playoffs. The Orioles need to end the losing. They've got to change the mentality and perception of this team before they do anything else.

Once they do that, then it will make anything else they try to do that much easier.

You don't have to have a strong farm system to win initially but you do need one to sustain winning. But to sustain winning, the Orioles need to actually win first.

Fans don't come to the Yard to watch "scouting and development" and the O's need their fanbase back to generate the neccessary revenue to rebuild those parts of the organization that do need attention.

Duquette will need to develop a succession plan eventually, but not until we figure out the pieces at the ML level.

well said, and highly accurate