Presser thread

[quidam]

The biggest problem with this organization is player development. Although we haven't played the arbitration game well, and signed tons of international free agents the talent that is in the organization still has to be developed. Why does Matusz have to get all the way to the big leagues before his delivery is changed? Why was Wieters "untouched" by coaches in the minors and simply forced to make all the adjustments when he got to the majors? We can complain about lack of picks but the fact that we have had top picks in the first 5 rounds for over a decade should have provided enough talent to compete.

The biggest thing I would like to see this off-season is a program instituted that sets a plan of action for every player from when they are drafted all the way through their development. If someone like Cal could be the "face" of this and spearhead it that would be perfect, but I'm sure there are tons of candidates. A team like the Braves has training regiments for their players including the off-season.

You can spend all you want internationally and even more in the rule 4 draft, but if we can't develop someone like Tillman, who has all the talent in the world, what makes you think we can develop a 16 year old from the Dominican?

[Jimbo81]

Worth noting that this question came from Jen Royle. For once, she asked a good question.

Sorry Frobby, I couldn't resist

[LookinUp]

How do we spend money poorly?

Clear - Kevin Gregg, Mike Gonzalez, Brian Roberts (if not for injury, it would be not so clear, I think)

Not so clear - Nick Markakis, Mark Reynolds, Jeremy Guthrie, Luke Scott

Unclear - JJ Hardy, Adam Jones (soon)

Here's the thing...there's a case to be made that spending large sums of money on any individual at the MLB level right now is a poor investment. We are either going to try to win with these guys in the next two years or we are not. If we are, we need a really creative GM who can make a ton of moves within our payroll constraints to actually give us a chance to win. Note, not a chance to be an 85 win team. Rather, a chance to be a 95 win team. Most here understand this is an incredible long shot.

If we are not going to try to win with this core in the next two years, we need to identify who will be with us when we are good in 2014 and beyond. That should include players like Machado.

We have spent terribly. We maintain a large MLB payroll for a team with NO CHANCE OF COMPETING. If that continues, Duq will be another in a long line of failures. However, if he can actually build a plan to compete, he might just recognize that spending a lot of money now, even on good players, is a total waste. If he comes to that realization, he should make a lot of moves, IMO. That means:

Reynolds - Gone

Hardy - Gone

Markakis - Questionable (as he can probably still add nice value for a few years, but I think he should be traded)

Jones - Totally dependent on whether he extends reasonably. If so, he can be valuable in a few years

Guthrie - Gone

JJ - Gone (about to be expensive)

Luke Scott - Gone (not offerred arbitration)

If we get our payroll in line by trading the expensive guys for good young pieces, we'd speed up this rebuild and the ETA for when it would actually make sense to spend big money on FAs. Oh, and we'd have the money available to spend, with plenty left over for nice draft/int'l additions in the meantime.

[Chevytrckman3]

How do we spend money poorly?

Clear - Kevin Gregg, Mike Gonzalez, Brian Roberts (if not for injury, it would be not so clear, I think)

Not so clear - Nick Markakis, Mark Reynolds, Jeremy Guthrie, Luke Scott

Unclear - JJ Hardy, Adam Jones (soon)

Here's the thing...there's a case to be made that spending large sums of money on any individual at the MLB level right now is a poor investment. We are either going to try to win with these guys in the next two years or we are not. If we are, we need a really creative GM who can make a ton of moves within our payroll constraints to actually give us a chance to win. Note, not a chance to be an 85 win team. Rather, a chance to be a 95 win team. Most here understand this is an incredible long shot.

If we are not going to try to win with this core in the next two years, we need to identify who will be with us when we are good in 2014 and beyond. That should include players like Machado.

We have spent terribly. We maintain a large MLB payroll for a team with NO CHANCE OF COMPETING. If that continues, Duq will be another in a long line of failures. However, if he can actually build a plan to compete, he might just recognize that spending a lot of money now, even on good players, is a total waste. If he comes to that realization, he should make a lot of moves, IMO. That means:

Reynolds - Gone

Hardy - Gone

Markakis - Questionable (as he can probably still add nice value for a few years, but I think he should be traded)

Jones - Totally dependent on whether he extends reasonably. If so, he can be valuable in a few years

Guthrie - Gone

JJ - Gone (about to be expensive)

Luke Scott - Gone (not offerred arbitration)

If we get our payroll in line by trading the expensive guys for good young pieces, we'd speed up this rebuild and the ETA for when it would actually make sense to spend big money on FAs. Oh, and we'd have the money available to spend, with plenty left over for nice draft/int'l additions in the meantime.

I doubt Hardy is going anywhere, atleast this season. The Orioles extended him, with the intent to keep him until Machado is ready IMO.

[LookinUp]

I doubt Hardy is going anywhere, atleast this season. The Orioles extended him, with the intent to keep him until Machado is ready IMO.

I'm not making predictions. If I were, I'd predict that very few of the things I want to happen will happen. This organization has a day to day or year to year focus. They plan for 80 wins, if things go well. It's stupid.

I love Hardy, but I'd rather have traded him for Wheeler last July or for one of the Atl pitchers right now. Why? Because if he ever contributes to a winner in Baltimore, it'll be after we traded him and likely at a position where he provides less value. I'll take the high upside pitcher, please.

[Chevytrckman3]

I'm not making predictions. If I were, I'd predict that very few of the things I want to happen will happen. This organization has a day to day or year to year focus. They plan for 80 wins, if things go well. It's stupid.

I love Hardy, but I'd rather have traded him for Wheeler last July or for one of the Atl pitchers right now. Why? Because if he ever contributes to a winner in Baltimore, it'll be after we traded him and likely at a position where he provides less value. I'll take the high upside pitcher, please.

I meant I could see the others you listed being gone this offseason maybe, but I doub't Hardy will. I was kinda making my own prediction

[Big Al]

The biggest problem with this organization is player development. Although we haven't played the arbitration game well, and signed tons of international free agents the talent that is in the organization still has to be developed. Why does Matusz have to get all the way to the big leagues before his delivery is changed? Why was Wieters "untouched" by coaches in the minors and simply forced to make all the adjustments when he got to the majors? We can complain about lack of picks but the fact that we have had top picks in the first 5 rounds for over a decade should have provided enough talent to compete.

The biggest thing I would like to see this off-season is a program instituted that sets a plan of action for every player from when they are drafted all the way through their development. If someone like Cal could be the "face" of this and spearhead it that would be perfect, but I'm sure there are tons of candidates. A team like the Braves has training regiments for their players including the off-season.

You can spend all you want internationally and even more in the rule 4 draft, but if we can't develop someone like Tillman, who has all the talent in the world, what makes you think we can develop a 16 year old from the Dominican?

Yes +1

[LookinUp]

I meant I could see the others you listed being gone this offseason maybe, but I doub't Hardy will. I was kinda making my own prediction

I highly doubt Markakis, Guthrie or JJ get traded. They're all too important to our 83 win (upside) team. Thus my problem with the Orioles' philosophy.

Jones could be, but not for any other reason than he won't resign reasonably.

This is my opinion, of course.

[weams]

I highly doubt Markakis, Guthrie or JJ get traded. They're all too important to our 83 win (upside) team. Thus my problem with the Orioles' philosophy.

Jones could be, but not for any other reason than he won't resign reasonably.

This is my opinion, of course.

Our New EVP said he would not sign Albert or Prince or The Straight Edge Racer. He also said he would trade prospects for useful proven pieces. He Mentioned three Orioles Wieters, Hardy and Jones. I think that would mean that Nick, Guthrie, and Jim Johnson would be available in the right deal.

[TGO]

He specifically mentioned how there were some young bright executives already in the organization. I bet he values Klentak a great deal and keeps him around a while.

He's not going to throw guys like that under the bus and in fact has good reason to say good things about them. If he keeps them around, he wants them to be happy, and if he wants them to leave he needs them to have other opportunities.

He could have gone back to his office after saying that and started calling around to his old buddies trying to see if anyone wanted to take Klentak off his hands. Not saying that's what happened but we really have no way of knowing based on platitudes given at an introductory press conference.

[Chevytrckman3]

Back to the press conference..Did anyone catch towards the end, when DD accidentally referred to Baltimore as Boston? Is that how the O's were able to convince him to take the O's GM position? Tricking him into thinking he was becoming the Red Sox GM again??

[LookinUp]

Our New EVP said he would not sign Albert or Price or The Straight Edge Racer. He also said he would trade prospects for useful proven pieces. He Mentioned three Orioles Wieters, Hardy and Jones. I think that would mean that Nick, Guthrie, and Jim Johnson would be available in the right deal.

Time will tell.

Frankly, I put very little value on an introductory press conference. Duq's number one goal during that press conference had to be not to tip his hand on his desired moves this offseason. His #2 goal was to say small market a lot. His #3 goal was to make fans happy with player development and international being his buzz words.

Honestly, that presser means very little to me. He could be awesome or terrible.

[weams]

Back to the press conference..Did anyone catch towards the end, when DD accidentally referred to Baltimore as Boston? Is that how the O's were able to convince him to take the O's GM position? Tricking him into thinking he was becoming the Red Sox GM again??

Yes. He did. He got it right the next time though.

[TGO]

Back to the press conference..Did anyone catch towards the end, when DD accidentally referred to Baltimore as Boston? Is that how the O's were able to convince him to take the O's GM position? Tricking him into thinking he was becoming the Red Sox GM again??

I'm not sure that would work unless they could prove they took out a restraining order on his behalf against Gordon Edes and Dan Shaughnessy.

[SrMeowMeow]

Guys, I'm pretty aroused by this mission statement.