Per Roch: Orioles STILL interested in Fielder, but don't get up hopes...

[TonySoprano]

Oh, so Albert Belle wasn't feared when he had 37 HR and 117 RBI for us, and Miguel Tejada wasn't feared when he knocked in 150?

That's two in fourteen years. Tejada drove in 150 runs for us seven years ago.

[Malike]

We have not consistently had a feared middle of the order hitter nor have we had a 1B man that has broke 3.0 fWAR in 13 seasons.

Duquette's Boston teams had Mo Vaughn. We have no Mo Vaughn.

Yeah, his teams had Mo Vaughn, and you want us to end up with the version of Vaughn the Angels ended up with. No thanks.

[Frobby]

That's two in fourteen years. Tejada drove in 150 runs for us seven years ago.

I'm just responding to the post that we had never had a feared middle of the order hitter in the last 14 years. Belle was for the two years he was here, and Tejada was for at least the first two, maybe three years he was here. So "never" isn't accurate. I'm not debating that we don't have an established middle of the order hitter now, or that we haven't had one for the last several years and at various other times.

[Roll Tide]

I'm just responding to the post that we had never had a feared middle of the order hitter in the last 14 years. Belle was for the two years he was here, and Tejada was for at least the first two, maybe three years he was here. So "never" isn't accurate. I'm not debating that we don't have an established middle of the order hitter now, or that we haven't had one for the last several years and at various other times.

And they were key free agents signings .... I guess I should have specified 1B as well. Belle was our last premier free agent signing and what terrible luck we had with him. Tejada was a buy low guy that was obviously on the juice. But yes your right ....

[Roll Tide]

Update ... 1 less option for Fielder.

The Nationals are focused on pitching, and won't be a player for Fielder or Albert Pujols, a Nats source tells Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio (Twitter link).

The Brewers are indicating that they're out of the running for Fielder and are moving on, tweets ESPN.com's Buster Olney.

[Roll Tide]

More ...Meddling or not!

The Orioles' interest in Fielder is the secret mandate of owner Peter Angelos, tweets SI's Jon Heyman. I think a team's owner will be involved no matter where Fielder signs.

[MrOrange82]

We have not consistently had a feared middle of the order hitter nor have we had a 1B man that has broke 3.0 fWAR in 13 seasons.

Duquette's Boston teams had Mo Vaughn. We have no Mo Vaughn.

How on Earth do you go from 69 wins with an abysmal (WORST IN BASEBALL) pitching staff, to 85+ wins with Fielder and an unimproved, or marginally improved, pitching staff?

How can you possibly think that Fielder bridges that gap?

[Roll Tide]

How on Earth do you go from 69 wins with an abysmal (WORST IN BASEBALL) pitching staff, to 85+ wins with Fielder and an unimproved, or marginally improved, pitching staff?

How can you possibly think that Fielder bridges that gap?

Orange noone is saying that they dont need to upgrade the pitching the best they can. Fix what you can this year and then add on next .... A MOO bat like Fielder wont be available next season. If they can trade with the Braves for JJ and and Andino has starting value at SS from another team they can get a starter for. Add in a international reliever and another bullpen arm...the Orioles could be quite a bit better.

[jrobb21613]

Were going to have a tough time getting pitchers excited about coming to pitch for the orioles unless we can show them we can give them plenty of run support. The Al east has some of the best hitters ball parks in all of baseball so unless you have a team that can put up runs your going to have a tough time attracting pitching, sign fielder show the pitchers your commited to getting them run suport and the market for pitching opens up.

[MrOrange82]

Orange noone is saying that they dont need to upgrade the pitching the best they can. Fix what you can this year and then add on next .... A MOO bat like Fielder wont be available next season. If they can trade with the Braves for JJ and and Andino has starting value at SS from another team they can get a starter for. Add in a international reliever and another bullpen arm...the Orioles could be quite a bit better.

I quoted the wrong post. Trea said "if we add Fielder this offseason, and we can win 85+ games," which seems to imply that 2012 = 85+ wins.

[andrewrickli]

Were going to have a tough time getting pitchers excited about coming to pitch for the orioles unless we can show them we can give them plenty of run support. The Al east has some of the best hitters ball parks in all of baseball so unless you have a team that can put up runs your going to have a tough time attracting pitching, sign fielder show the pitchers your commited to getting them run suport and the market for pitching opens up.

Then maybe Guthrie will be excited to start game with the Orioles!!! :thumbsup1:

[Roll Tide]

I quoted the wrong post. Trea said "if we add Fielder this offseason, and we can win 85+ games," which seems to imply that 2012 = 85+ wins.

Oh ok ...I dont think Trea is naive enough to think Feilder alone would boost the Orioles to 85+ wins. Im not speaking for him...The Orioles have plenty more to do. And I truly believe they have the money if Angelos wants to spend it.

[andrewrickli]

Oh ok ...I dont think Trea is naive enough to think Feilder alone would boost the Orioles to 85+ wins. Im not speaking for him...The Orioles have plenty more to do. And I truly believe they have the money if Angelos wants to spend it.

We can be an 85 win team next year, without Fielder IF we add quality pitching and they preform. Our young guys need to take the next step from prospect to performance like Duquette has been saying.

With that said, if we improve just a little bit with the SP and add Fielder I think we can be an 82+ win team

[MrOrange82]

We can be an 85 win team next year, without Fielder IF we add quality pitching and they preform. Our young guys need to take the next step from prospect to performance like Duquette has been saying.

With that said, if we improve just a little bit with the SP and add Fielder I think we can be an 82+ win team

(last time, I swear)

Dead-last in all of major league baseball. "A little bit" won't cut it. Our starters, in the space of a single winter, would literally have to become better than a third of the major leagues to get out of the bottom third...

[AZOriole]

(last time, I swear)

Dead-last in all of major league baseball. "A little bit" won't cut it. Our starters, in the space of a single winter, would literally have to become better than a third of the major leagues to get out of the bottom third...

And this isn't happening overnight. I'd rather see DD go out and acquire a Jurrjens or Minor via trade, and roll the dice on someone like Edwin Jackson via FA. Maybe bring Bedard back.