I really like what Duquette is doing

[33rdst]

How did you arrive at these numbers?

[BaltimoreTerp]

How did you arrive at these numbers?

They are likely the "overall" numbers for each position on the Orioles in 2011.

[El Gordo]

How did you arrive at these numbers?

Those are the team positional averages for each O's position last year. If these guys remain the primary starters at their positions we should be significantly better.

[El Gordo]

I think the offense will see improvement, as defined by OPS, at the following positions,

catcher,

second base

left field

right field

DH

first base.

OPS will decline at short stop and remain relatively constant at third base and center field.

Over all I see the O's scoring between 750 and 780 runs this year.

Remember, Reynolds stuggled for the first 5-6 weeks adjusting to the new league. Now that he is familiar with the pitchers, I wouldn't be surprise to see him do better. That is if the weight loss doesn't effct his power.

[33rdst]

Those are the positional averages for each position last year. If these guys remain the primary starters at their positions we should be significantly better.

Great thanks. I agree especially given some of the OPS they put up this year. BTW where did you get these?

[El Gordo]

Great thanks. I agree especially given some of the OPS they put up this year. BTW where did you get these?

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/split.cgi?t=b&team=BAL&year=2011

[Fla_O'sfan]

Those are the team positional averages for each O's position last year. If these guys remain the primary starters at their positions we should be significantly better.

I'd be willing to bet significant money that the Orioles are not significantly better this year. They play 72 games vs Boston, NY,TB, and Toronto. They have another 19 vs Detroit,LAA, and the Rangers with 3 more vs Philadelphia. These far more talented teams will pound them...and they make up nearly 2/3 of the schedule!

[helloharv]

How can we get out of this mess if we sign that talent now so that by the time enough of the well-drafted talent is ready those players are already expensive and declining?

How did that work out for Andy's "plan" ?

Fans and Front Office people that keep saying we need to "wait for the right time" to sign Elite players are delusional

You sign BETTER PLAYERS whenever you can if you have a team that has not had a winning season in 14 and soon to be 15 years !

[clapdiddy]

How did that work out for Andy's "plan" ?

Fans and Front Office people that keep saying we need to "wait for the right time" to sign Elite players are delusional

You sign BETTER PLAYERS whenever you can if you have a team that has not had a winning season in 14 and soon to be 15 years !

So...you would have beaten Detroit's offer for Fielder?

[33rdst]

Remember, Reynolds stuggled for the first 5-6 weeks adjusting to the new league. Now that he is familiar with the pitchers, I wouldn't be surprise to see him do better. That is if the weight loss doesn't effct his power.

You make a good point about his need to adjust to a new league. However, he still had an OPS of above .805. If he can exceed that far out.

[El Gordo]

I'd be willing to bet significant money that the Orioles are not significantly better this year. They play 72 games vs Boston' date=' NY,TB, and Toronto. They have another 19 vs Detroit,LAA, and the Rangers with 3 more vs Philadelphia. These far more talented teams will pound them...and they make up nearly 2/3 of the schedule![/quote']How many of those positions will do significantly worse than their last year's average, and which specifically?

[El Gordo]

You make a good point about his need to adjust to a new league. However, he still had an OPS of above .805. If he can exceed that far out.

His career OPS is .814 and he's capable of .890 as he did in 2009. I wouldn't be shocked if he approached that again.

[Singleton]

Isn't that pretty much what I said?

If you are looking to cash in anything--be it baseball players, baseball cards, stocks, livestock, etc.--and you aren't getting offers in return you feel are worth what you are giving up, should you just go ahead and cash them in anyway? There's risk in holding on to them, but there is risk in selling low.

Looking only at the surface moves for the major-league roster, sure. But that isn't the only place where moves were made.

We aren't saying the same thing. Your initial post suggested that the season would be about gathering more info about Davis, Reynolds, Andino, Reimold etc. I'm suggesting that it WILL BE about that because we've acquired no one more promising and that was a mistake.

As to the rest of your post, why do you presume we are selling low?

It seems pretty unlikely that J. Guthrie will have more value at midseason -- particularly pitching for a team that is not very good and with a defense that appears to be weak.

Adam Jones could improve but his improvement would have to be fairly dramatic to compensate for the fact that he will be a year closer to free agency.

Jim Johnson might have more value if he becomes a lock down closer but his value is pretty high coming off a very strong year and it's just as likely he picks up saves but is less dominant.

I could go on but hopefully you get where I'm coming from.

Here's another way to look at it. There's another GM who took over a failing franchise around the time as DD. His team isn't expected to contend in 2012 either and also has a weak farm system that is very likely an organizational infrastructure issue in addition to a talent issue. He added some depth to his team but he made some long term moves on the player side as well.

He traded a young, late inning reliever who has proven himself in the majors and still has some cost controlled years ahead of him for multiple prospects. He also traded a well regarding young pitcher (with some injury concerns) for a long-term answer at another position. Of course I'm talking about Theo and the Cubs.

Maybe we couldn't have made those moves. Maybe our players aren't as well regarded or the players acquired will not pan out and DD was wise to stay away.

All we have to judge is the moves he has made and on the player side it is close to impossible not to view those moves as very conservative and tinkering around the edges. In my opinion, that's not going to get it done and I'm concerned.

[BaltimoreTerp]

How did that work out for Andy's "plan" ?

Fans and Front Office people that keep saying we need to "wait for the right time" to sign Elite players are delusional

You sign BETTER PLAYERS whenever you can if you have a team that has not had a winning season in 14 and soon to be 15 years !

Right, because a good idea that was implemented poorly and failed is automatically a bad idea. Great logic.

You want to build a house without a foundation. That may make you happy, but I'd prefer to stay out of it when the storm hits.

[Rene88]

Right, because a good idea that was implemented poorly and failed is automatically a bad idea. Great logic.

You want to build a house without a foundation. That may make you happy, but I'd prefer to stay out of it when the storm hits.

14 years is one heck of a storm!