Rosenthal: O's and A's are teams most interested in Manny Ramirez

[tennOsfan]

I don't care what he costs, and I don't care if he has any upside left. He has no role in the future of our organization, and I do not want the Orioles to be looked upon as the place where great sluggers go to die. Moreover, he's a problem waiting to happen in the clubhouse.

Pass. Please!

[MrOrange82]

I didn't say I was thrilled about it. I just said he's the best option right now barring trade. And Duq loves him. Plus he will provide us fans some entertainment for another season that will be lackluster.

The only way we get a Pujols, Fielder, type of player is if we bring them up in our system. And we have a guy in Duq that knows how to develop talent. I've seen it with my own eyes with the Expos in 94 since I had a very good friend on that team. And when he came to the Sox. Most of those guys on that team were his guys he developed. And that by far was one of the most talented teams ever assembled.

Unfortunately, for us. We've heard that song and dance of we have to be patient... And a lot of people won't give Duq a chance to operate.

You're right...which is precisely why I'd much rather divert whatever minimal contract commitment it'd take to sign Manny towards amateur development/scouting. My extreme (extreme!) distaste for Manny aside, whatever carnival value he'd bring to Baltimore would be so negligible stacked against the reality of the O's terribleness and the knowledge of the team's need to development younger players who could actually contribute beyond next year that...well, it just doesn't add up.

And I really, truly, desperately hope that DD feels the same way.

[soxhotcorner14]

You guys have to understand that we need a professional hitter or name in that lineup to protect those young guys. The options are very weak at the moment. Buck is going to need someone to put in that lineup every night in the 3 hole. There is no guy oh there currently. But there is a guy who has done it before and knows what it takes to fill that role. Unfortunately that is where this team is at this point. If you don't bring in this guy we will be scoring 2-3 runs a night.

I thought that's what we had when we drafted Weiters. But all he looks like (and it's not bad) is a slightly better version of Varitk. So from the offensive side, we missed a little on him. He's not that 3 hole hitter we though he was goin to be when they gave him that bonus money. And he looked the part too ripping thru the minors . Maybe one day it will click like that for him. But chances are slim.

[tennOsfan]

The only thing good to come out of having Sosa and Guerrero sorrily end their careers here is that it resulted in a lot of cheap clearance-priced jerseys. Manny would be no different.

[soxhotcorner14]

You're right...which is precisely why I'd much rather divert whatever minimal contract commitment it'd take to sign Manny towards amateur development/scouting. My extreme (extreme!) distaste for Manny aside, whatever carnival value he'd bring to Baltimore would be so negligible stacked against the reality of the O's terribleness and the knowledge of the team's need to development younger players who could actually contribute beyond next year that...well, it just doesn't add up.

And I really, truly, desperately hope that DD feels the same way.

I disagree with you. But that's fine. We all can't agree on everything. We can agree to disagree.

It would be a complete disaster to put anyone in the current lineup today in the 3-hole at the big league level. The closest thing we have is Markakis. But we all know he will never be that player. His best spot is in the 2 hole. But this is all just my opinion.

[JTrea81]

I told you guys Duq loves him some Manny.

Let's be honest here. Whether or not Manny can perform like his old self. Hes a much better hitter in the middle of this lineup than Guerrero was. Steroids or not, the guy knows how to hit and won't swing at everything that is thrown in his direction.

For this lineup to be respectable, you're going to have to settle for Ramirez if there is no trade in the works. good or bad, there is no 3 hitter in this lineup. He hasn't been there since Palmeiro left. This kind of situation is our only hope of catching lightning in a bottle for this season.

One thing is for certain, this team would have someone with personality and enjoyable to watch. Rather than seeing stone face Weiters, Berken, Bergensen, etc.

His power is gone - only 25 XBHs in 320 PAs in 2010.

[mcgraw238]

It takes PAs away from guys who at least have a chance at producing in the future. Would you rather see what Manny Ramirez can do at the plate, or what Miller, Flaherty, Antonelli, and Reimold can?

Manny would not take a single PA from any of those guys during the first 50 games.

[MrOrange82]

You guys have to understand that we need a professional hitter or name in that lineup to protect those young guys. The options are very weak at the moment. Buck is going to need someone to put in that lineup every night in the 3 hole. There is no guy oh there currently. But there is a guy who has done it before and knows what it takes to fill that role. Unfortunately that is where this team is at this point. If you don't bring in this guy we will be scoring 2-3 runs a night.

I thought that's what we had when we drafted Weiters. But all he looks like (and it's not bad) is a slightly better version of Varitk. So from the offensive side, we missed a little on him. He's not that 3 hole hitter we though he was goin to be when they gave him that bonus money. And he looked the part too ripping thru the minors . Maybe one day it will click like that for him. But chances are slim.

But we don't need that. Not right this second, and not right this second up until just a single year from now. Putting aside the idea that Manny could somehow be a capable 3/4 hitter in the majors (sans-PED's, at age 39 - 40 in May - and given that he looked absolutely miserable in a small sample with the Rays), the O's just don't need his presence. What they need is to build from the ground up while devoting as much attention as possible to developing their MiL system and avoiding the kind of wasteful (i.e., Manny-ish...Vlad, DLee, Miggy Part II, etc.) spending that's kept their payroll relatively high during this awful streak.

The last thing the Orioles need to be doing right now is playing "best available" in February. They need to plan for 2013, 2014, and beyond. If they signed Manny, they'd be blasted by almost everyone, and rightfully so.

[section18]

Not to add any more salt or vinegar to this post but one of the national sites I was on earlier in the week speculated the Orioles may bring Guerrero back on a cheaper deal. He hasn't been signed yet and will be lucky to get a $2 million dollar deal. Much less than last year. Guerrero, Manny, Matsui or Damon? Would you rather have Guerrero on a cheap contract than the other three? I still would go with Matsui or Damon who would benefit with our short right field fence. I can't imagine bringing Guerrero back but DD has a past with him as well.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Part of me thinks that at the very least having Ramirez would be interesting, between the fans and the media and the other players and his own personal insanity.

The other part of me would rather have the 2010 Mariners' offense than see a forty-year-old* Manny Ramirez in our lineup (and declared falsely to be the best hitter). Either way, I don't want him to be a player. Can the Orioles hire him as an assistant outfield coach or something?

*Yes, he turns forty on May 30.

If you look at the numbers, his homer rate and homers per fly ball rate are plummeting. He's got the proverbial warning-track power, and not the kind that writes upbeat songs about the Orioles.

[BaltimoreTerp]

You guys have to understand that we need a professional hitter or name in that lineup to protect those young guys. The options are very weak at the moment. Buck is going to need someone to put in that lineup every night in the 3 hole. There is no guy oh there currently. But there is a guy who has done it before and knows what it takes to fill that role. Unfortunately that is where this team is at this point. If you don't bring in this guy we will be scoring 2-3 runs a night.

He's got warning-track power and is, if we're lucky, a .280 hitter (he hit .298 in 2010, before his year off, and that was with a high BAbip even for his career). Once pitchers realize that, they'll start going after him more and his walks will drop.

Empty names are worse than no names at all.

[24fps]

5 years from now we'll all look back on this night and laugh.

We'll get together, have a few belts, raise a few toasts, reminisce about how seriously we once took life when we were young and impetuous....

...or we'll wake up when the warden knocks on the door and says, "it's time". We'll stand up straight, and take our last walk at peace, even though any fool should know that signing Manny Ramierez in 2012 means no self-respecting man should be held accountable for his actions.

[El Gordo]

Why not offer him a split contract. After his suspension is up, put him in Norfolk and see if he hits. If he does and Flahertuy/Miller are struggling, bring him up . If he hits here you can move him at the deadline or keep him depending on how we are doing. As long as we aren't paying him much, it's not a big risk, but it could be of some value.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Why not offer him a split contract. After his suspension is up, put him in Norfolk and see if he hits. If he does and Flahertuy/Miller are struggling, bring him up . If he hits here you can move him at the deadline or keep him depending on how we are doing. As long as we aren't paying him much, it's not a big risk, but it could be of some value.

I suppose paying him ML minimum to play 50 games in the minors and possibly provide some future value isn't the worst possible idea out there.

[scOtt]

Nothing about Manny's history leads me to believe he would stop using PEDs

Manny's no quitter!