All signs point to major improvements

[Moose Milligan]

What crappy NL reliever will we get this offseason?

[Why Not?]

The 10 million number BB brings up is the type of thing that has been hurting us for the past 9 years...We set limits that make absolutely no sense, and this is before the market is even set. Unbelievable.

Signing free agent pitchers to mega-deals has tended to backfire. Consider most of the big pitchers who have signed recently. How many (outside of the HOF types) are still worth their contracts?

If we're going to throw big money around, it should be for a bat (or two or three).

[El Gordo]

The 10 million number BB brings up is the type of thing that has been hurting us for the past 9 years...We set limits that make absolutely no sense, and this is before the market is even set. Unbelievable.

The three "aces" are Matsuzaka, Zito and Schmidt. The MFY's the Red Sox and the Mets will be after all of them. How much more would we have to pay them to pry them away. Wouldn't that money be better spent upgrading the bull pen and adding some bats and an innings eater. Think a minimum of $20mil. per for Matsuzaka, $15mil. per at least for Zito and Schmidt.

[Moose Milligan]

Signing free agent pitchers to mega-deals has tended to backfire. Consider most of the big pitchers who have signed recently. How many (outside of the HOF types) are still worth their contracts?

If we're going to throw big money around, it should be for a bat (or two or three).

Yeah, I agree. Let the arms develop, grab some bats.

[SilentJames]

No, not defensive...SJ didn't present any new info to me in the thread. I really didn't even understand why he made that post.

I think the same thing each time I read Casey Kotchman's name.

[rolliefingers]

The 10 million number BB brings up is the type of thing that has been hurting us for the past 9 years...We set limits that make absolutely no sense, and this is before the market is even set. Unbelievable.

Amen! I'd rather sign starters than sign someone not named Schmidt. 3/30 would probably get us someone like Padilla, and - I can't believe I'm saying this - I'd rather have Lopez and the extra 25 mil.

Keep all the top arms and focus on the offense. Agreed with SG about getting guys like Burrell or Ensberg, though.

[rolliefingers]

Bigbird: Does the FO still prefer Lee over Soriano? As much smack as I talk about Soriano, I'd much rather have him than Lee.

[bigloe]

I think the same thing each time I read Casey Kotchman's name.

You don't get almost 30,000 posts without a few repeats.

[clapdiddy]

Signing free agent pitchers to mega-deals has tended to backfire. Consider most of the big pitchers who have signed recently. How many (outside of the HOF types) are still worth their contracts?

If we're going to throw big money around, it should be for a bat (or two or three).

Hard to argue with this logic.

I'd really love to see us stack up the bullpen and the sticks. If we are able to get another innings eater that would be insurance if Cabrera continues to falter, then I wouldn't have a problem with that. I would love to go after a #1 like Schmidt, but something tells me that someone is going to give him a 5 year deal and I certainly wouldn't offer that to him.

If we continue to develop pitching and integrating it onto the team, I think we can get by with Bedard being the #1. If Olsen pans outs to be in the rotation, we may end up with a lot of starting depth, which certainly is a nice situation to have.

[TonySoprano]

I don't think that's fair. We made three solid trades last winter.

Look at some of the deals the three teams ahead of us made, Abreu, Glaus, Beckett, Wilson, Overbay. Meanwhile, the Orioles acquire a pitcher who's been close to league average and was again this year. We acquire a guy who had one of, if not the worst, 2005 seasons for an outfielder. The Giants and the Orioles exchanged headaches out of their bullpens. We are always rumored to be involved in trades with bigger names, but never pull the trigger for one reason or another. This offseason I would like to see the Orioles make a trade that made people sit up and take notice that we really mean business rather than just filling in roster spots as cost-effectively as possible.

[Mashed Potatoes]

Look at some of the deals the three teams ahead of us made, Abreu, Glaus, Beckett, Wilson, Overbay. Meanwhile, the Orioles acquire a pitcher who's been close to league average and was again this year. We acquire a guy who had one of, if not the worst, 2005 seasons for an outfielder. The Giants and the Orioles exchanged headaches out of their bullpens. We are always rumored to be involved in trades with bigger names, but never pull the trigger for one reason or another. This offseason I would like to see the Orioles make a trade that made people sit up and take notice that we really mean business rather than just filling in roster spots as cost-effectively as possible.

Good point, complimentary players don't make much of a difference on a mediocre team. However, they were had for relatively nothing. Not bad moves, just shouldn't be the headline moves.

[bigloe]

Look at some of the deals the three teams ahead of us made, Abreu, Glaus, Beckett, Wilson, Overbay. Meanwhile, the Orioles acquire a pitcher who's been close to league average and was again this year. We acquire a guy who had one of, if not the worst, 2005 seasons for an outfielder. The Giants and the Orioles exchanged headaches out of their bullpens. We are always rumored to be involved in trades with bigger names, but never pull the trigger for one reason or another. This offseason I would like to see the Orioles make a trade that made people sit up and take notice that we really mean business rather than just filling in roster spots as cost-effectively as possible.

Yet the deals we did do, still improved us. Just shows how bad we were. We are still bad, but hopefully with continued upgrades we can become a winning team.

[Fairfax Bird]

No, not defensive...SJ didn't present any new info to me in the thread. I really didn't even understand why he made that post.

Then say it in a nicer way. Your post looked defensive.

[mikezpen]

Bigbird's post:

I don't see much to get excited about.

They just signed Gibbons to a multi-year. Now they want to get rid of him? What kind of nonsense is that?

They won't pay more than $10 million for a SP. Maybe that's the right approach, but it does tell you we aren't going to strengthen the rotation next year. The idea that they'd consider calling up Olson supports that notion. Totally stupid; they'rfe rushing another kid who isn't ready so they can fill the rotation on the cheap. And keeping Ortiz around is yet another indicator they won't go outside for a SP.

The free agent first basemen are an absolute joke. If they won't trade, they will have another garbage type at that position next year: A Conine or Millar or Sean Casey..

I'd love to see the salaries of those "7 or 8" players they acquire. Right off the bat, I have my doubts.

[helloharv]

I haven't heard the 10 million number for adding a pitcher but if that is the case , Ted Lilly is a guy I think we will look at.

Schmidt is the guy I think we should target.

I think we will upgrade the middle of our batting order. If I had to guess at this very moment,I would say one of these guys are brought in to add much needed power to our lineup. Soriono/Lee/Sexson/Texeira/Burrell

I know we will bring in a few arms for the bullpen.