Geoff Baker echos my thoughts on FA and the standard cliches (excuses) for a non-contending team

[CA-ORIOLE]

Of course you do, and you give up every real piece you have to surround Fielder with by the time you could be ready to compete. You can't replace those 4-5 pieces you are going to trade for Votto (who won't extend), with FA, it's too costly, and once again you are ignoring that you need to find positive WAR from low salaried players in order to realistically contend.

This point will be selectively ignored, as it always is.

[Hank Scorpio]

Tell me how much you would be willing to offer Fielder, in years and dollars. What's your limit?

Whatever it takes to break the perception that the Orioles aren't serious about winning.

[Fan4Life]

I'm bashing people who have a defeatist attitude and don't demand better.

These apathetic people and pity-parties are really starting to tick me off...

You're yelling at the wrong people...

[allstar1579]

This point will be selectively ignored, as it always is.

Yeah, I know, but somehow it makes me feel better to at least say it, even if I'm talking to myself

[Sports Guy]

7/175

If he wants more I go hard after Joey Votto.

Its amazing to me that you don't see how dumb it is to go after Votto.

[Sports Guy]

I'm bashing people who have a defeatist attitude and don't demand better.

These apathetic people and pity-parties are really starting to tick me off...

We all demand that PA sell the team.

There is no better way to demand better than by asking for that.

[Austin]

I'm bashing people who have a defeatist attitude and don't demand better.

These apathetic people and pity-parties are really starting to tick me off...

What can we possibly demand? Peter Angelos controls the budget and that's all there is to it. We can't change his mind. This isn't a democracy.

[DrungoHazewood]

Its amazing to me that you don't see how dumb it is to go after Votto.

But remember, this is the same guy who wanted to go hard after Fielder when he had 1 1/2, then one, then two months left on his contract. Trading multiple good, young players for a season or a season and a half of Fielder. 'cause you know, when you've seen Baltimore from the inside you definitely want to sign a below-market extension.

Didn't make sense then, doesn't make sense now.

[MikeAD]

Trea.

I have an honest question for you. If Duquette had autonomy to do his plan and he could build (in 1.5 years, so we would be surging in 2013) a team that was sort of like the Jays and the Rays. We'd be a bit better since we have more money than they do and wouldn't ALWAYS have to trade guys. But what if we built a team like that and then boom we had long term success and long term contention. Would that make you happy?

Or do you only want to go all in and try it that way, realism be damned. Personally, I don't make excuses for why we can't get these FAs. I think that if the Orioles wrote the checks they could sign Reyes, Fielder, Wilson, Darvish, and call it a day. I just think it would be extremely stupid and might get us a small spike but we'd still be the fast sinking ship that we are.

That's my question, if the first method made us successful would you be happy with it?

[erb8472]

Its amazing to me that you don't see how dumb it is to go after Votto.

We should be going after Alonso instead of Votto.

Reds are looking for a middle of the lineup hitter for CF or 3B.

[DrungoHazewood]

I'm bashing people who have a defeatist attitude and don't demand better.

These apathetic people and pity-parties are really starting to tick me off...

And the rest of us will continue to call you out for your naive, absurdist viewpoint that it's the Orioles responsibility to shortcut reality and win right now by any means necessary.

[ShaneDawg85]

Its amazing to me that you don't see how dumb it is to go after Votto.

This is the same guy that wanted to go after Chone Figgins with a three or four year contract, Randy Wolf, and Jamie Moyer, just to name a few.

[DrungoHazewood]

This is the same guy that wanted to go after Chone Figgins with a three or four year contract, Randy Wolf, and Jamie Moyer, just to name a few.

He still wants Jamie Moyer, had him penciled into the #5 slot in the O's rotation after a year off at the age of 49.

[CA-ORIOLE]

He still wants Jamie Moyer, had him penciled into the #5 slot in the O's rotation after a year off at the age of 49.

Well, lets give him some credit here. At least Moyer is now cheap and realistic.

[shylock]

He's also about 10 years from collecting social security.