Duquette: "We want to be 500 or better this year"

[Malike]

You know its funny...We hear this exact same thing every year.

Some things are true every year. I mean, if you want to decipher quips from Britt, or Roch, or MLBTR, then sure, you have a great idea on whats happening.

[Fan4Life]

So no one would be happy next year if they won 84 games

Well... no... because that must mean we'll win n 65 the next 3.

[El Gordo]

I don't think it is that unrealistic to think that the addition of 2 mid rotation SP and a LH bat with some pop could get this team to .500. They were a 75 ish W team last year that underperformed. If one or two of our young SP takes a step forward, then we can be much better. I think Duq has agreed to hold onto PA's favorites, in spite of his preference to trade whomever he can, trade some lesser pieces for short term improvement, and concentrate long term on improving player development, scouting, and international FA.

[atomic]

You know its funny...We hear this exact same thing every year.

Right now DD hasn't done anything of substance so how can you really judge him? No team has done much so far. So wait untul something happens or the season has stared before passing judgement.

[Sports Guy]

Right now DD hasn't done anything of substance so how can you really judge him? No team has done much so far. So wait untul something happens or the season has stared before passing judgement.

Read what I said...I am not judging DD...Its Buck and PA.

[ccbird]

And again, let me be clear. This is more directed at Buck and PA than DD.

I believe if DD could do what he wanted, he wouldn't go this path.

But Buck is running things in terms of the ML team and PA is listening to him, provided that he doesn't want to spend much money.

So why beat a dead bush. Why go through what you go through on a daily basis when you know it ultimately doesn't make a hill of beans with PA in charge. More power to you if you want to continue beating your head against the wall every day but I advise you and every other O's fan to sit back relax and pray DD can make huge strides with the scouting and player development because that is the only chance he or anyone else will have at making this organization a contender with PA as owner.

[BaltimoreTerp]

I just rolled over in bed and asked Emma Stone her thoughts. She seems to think that there's a real chance of this happening this year.

[Lucky Jim]

So why beat a dead bush.

I, for one, would just like to applaud your conflation of "beat about/around the bush" and "beat a dead horse."

I agree, btw.

[Malike]

So why beat a dead bush. Why go through what you go through on a daily basis when you know it ultimately doesn't make a hill of beans with PA in charge. More power to you if you want to continue beating your head against the wall every day but I advise you and every other O's fan to sit back relax and pray DD can make huge strides with the scouting and player development because that is the only chance he or anyone else will have at making this organization a contender with PA as owner.

Considered illegal in all 50 states I'm pretty certain.

[JTrea81]

The problem is, we hear this same stuff every year.

No, MacPhail said "significant improvement in the standings" or some crap like "the fans will determine when we've improved". He never put a number on it.

Duquette is shooting for over 81. He actually wants to have a winning team in 2012 and doesn't want to rebuild.

So now we get to see how he's going to do it...

[MrOrange82]

No, MacPhail said "significant improvement in the standings" or something crap like "the fans will determine when we've improved". He never put a number on it.

Duquette is shooting for over 81. He actually wants to have a winning team in 2012 and doesn't want to rebuild.

So now we get to see how he's going to do it...

I'm guessing it involves Professor Copperfield's Miracle Legumes.

[ccbird]

I, for one, would just like to applaud your conflation of "beat about/around the bush" and "beat a dead horse."

I agree, btw.

Considered illegal in all 50 states I'm pretty certain.

. Any chance this avoids the Out of context thread.

[crawjo]

http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2011/12/duquette-we-want-to-be-500-or-better-this-year.html

This just annoys the hell out of me.

You want to win more games? Great. We all want to win more. We all want to root for a team that wins more games.

But, how in the hell are you going to pull that off by basically putting the same team on the field next year that you had last year, adding in a different 4th OFer, a different back up C and perhaps 1 or 2 different starters, starters who are not true TOR guys.

I know he also said he wants to build...and he is going to do that organizationally by improving scouting, development and our international presence. That is all exciting. That is all great and that is all needed.

But while you wait for that, you need to bring in talent. Right now, the Orioles don't want to trade anyone. They either view them as core players or guys that are "very valuable" to them, such as Johnson and Andino. You say you want to imrpve the talent...you want to improve the depth. Buck said we don't have enough talent in the minors...Yet, you don't want to trade anyone to acquire it? How is that supposed to work? Just keep waiting for good drafts and International signings to happen? At least if you make trades, most of the players could be here in 2 years or less and you could build something very quickly.

They also don't want to up the payroll in any significant way. That means no Fielder, no Pujols, no Wilson, no Buehrle, etc....

So, that leaves the team, yet again, as a fence rider. A team that is playing for the short term while putting a poor short term product on the field.

And yes, this is DD's comment but I don't blame him. I blame Buck. I blame PA. This is the same mantra we have heard, year in and year out.

Its just very frustrating because while it is great that DD is improving so many areas that need improvement, I don't believe that he can do the same with the ML team and we have 2 people, Buck and PA, who just aren't good enough to make those decisions and are not thinking long term enough.

But the confusing and frustrating part is if you aren't looking long term, why not go out and get talent via free agency? Just go spend some money.

I don't have the same reaction to that quote. To me, the changes they are talking about, adding starting pitchers, having a better backup catcher, getting an outfielder, can make this team significantly better. It really depends on who those starters are, and how they perform (obviously). The offense as it stands is capable of supporting a .500 team. The pitching needs to see massive improvement, and I am glad they are not in on Wilson or Buehrle. I don't want either one on the Orioles, both are poor long-term investments.

I'd like to see them maybe go after Fielder (depends on the details of the deal) but even if they don't it's hard to judge Duquette until he's made his moves and brought in the pitching that he is able to acquire. When you consider how bad the starting pitching was last year, if they can get better performances from Arrieta and Britton and Matusz and bring in one or two other arms to stabilize the rotation, the chance for an exponentially better starting rotation next year is there. It's just the way to do it is not to throw a lot of years and money at a C.J. Wilson type.

It's fine that the Marlins are going all in this offseason. They have a better core to build around than we do (Ramirez, Stanton, Johnson, Sanchez, Morrison, etc.) We don't have the pieces in place yet to make a run at the top shelf free agents. (I make an exception for Fielder because he's younger and still in his prime.)

[BarclaySouthway]

Staying the course is unacceptable. It is beyond me why people think this team comprised of horrible pitching, below average defense, and middling offense will compete in the near future with a couple of tweaks. Your offensive core is Markakis, Jones, and Weiters, and your pitching core is Guthrie, Britton, and Arrieta. If you think you can build around that, well, I'm speechless. With the possible exception of Weiters, they are all complementary pieces-- 6th and 7th hitters and 4th and 5th starters.

As far as alienating the fanbase, I'd say that's a fait accompli.Attendance is off 54% from 1997. They're staying away in droves. I don't think you could drive any more away regardless of whom you traded. The people still coming to games aren't coming to see any particular player. They're coming because they really like going to baseball games-- no matter how subpar the product on the field. Jeez, don't they realize this at the warehouse? That 1.7 mil. that showed up last year? They're lifers. Trade all six of the guys listed above, you'll still draw 1.6.

Sports Guy couldn't be more right. The apologists surface every off season-- as stubborn as that handful of stinkbugs that somehow make it through the winter in your basement. I'm sure they've been around since the Hangout's inception. Go back and read how ridiculous some of those posts look now. Same as it ever was for some folks.

[RavNMadMan]

In short, we're not going to contend next year, no matter what we do. This fact isn't lost on nearly this entire board.

Count me among the "we will NOT contend next year" crowd. The goal should be a modest improvement; something in the 75-80 win range. It seems that goal is at least somewhat practical to me if we can obtain some good pitching.