McPhail left this morning

[BaltimoreTerp]

Right, nobody is sitting around looking at the clock waiting for their 40 hours to be up. Especially during meetings like this week, they're up and working around the clock. But when everybody else is done for the night, are we really gonna criticize him for going to bed? Because thats what is going on in this thread.

Of course we are. Haven't you been around here a while?

[Lucky Jim]

So thats what your source said he did the past 3 -4 days???? If you want to find fault with the man find real reasons not just some lame crap like this.

Exactly. If reports are true that there were up to 11 teams interested in Bedard, and discussions about other players, it's hard to criticize MacPhail for being aloof or not "creating a market."

Geez, indeed.

[terpsos]

Its a message board. If we don't do anything, people get pissed. If we do stuff, we do the wrong stuff. Its called living to complain. We could trade bedard for david wright and jose reyes and people would complain we didn't get any pitchers. Stop stressing about peoples reactions to this. Do what I do, sit back and laugh at them.

[rooter]

The reason you stay awake is to find deals from other teams. You don't just sit in your $1000 a day suite with a sign on the door that says OPEN. You create a market for your players, try to find matches with other teams, bring a third team in if necessary. Geez.

so can you reveal the super amazing exciting shoot my load news that belkast just had to pm you about last night yet?

[Cakes2Kakes]

The reason you stay awake is to find deals from other teams. You don't just sit in your $1000 a day suite with a sign on the door that says OPEN. You create a market for your players, try to find matches with other teams, bring a third team in if necessary. Geez.

If you know something we don't then spill it, but otherwise your just talking crap! So you don't like the guy. we get it.

Unless you are the one who heard the quote you have no clue as to what context it was given in. It sounds to me like he was making pleasant, casual, conversation. He had had a long busy day, it was 2am his time, nothing else was going on, so he was going to turn in. I'm sure he has a cell phone and a phone in his "$1000 a day suite" so if anyone had a pressing urge to make a deal in the middle of the night I'm sure they would have called him!

[forest leech]

None of you really know what was going on at the meetings. The insiders don't know whats going on outside of a few things their guys tell them (if they even exist, how can any of us really be sure?). Even nationals sports writers give us bad information ALL THE TIME. The ONLY thing that matters is how this team looks by the start of the season, and that is months away. CHILL OUT.

[Mackus]

(if they even exist, how can any of us really be sure?)

Its an undeniable fact that all of the insiders on the board have good sources. The mods wouldn't let them post otherwise.

[BaltimoreTerp]

I'm thinking of starting a web site to compete with OH. I'm going to call it "The Ledge." I'm betting I can grab at least half of the people here.

No, see, you do it as a magazine.

Have everyone write completely negative and off-the-wall crap. Then have me write a positive column on the back page called "The Safety Net".

Yeah...that would work...or at least not fail immediately...

[clarence]

Very surprised by some of those on here that are making an issue out of AM saying he didn't get to bed until 1:00a.m. Are you joking? Comments like that take away credibility. I for one am glad he wasn't wandering the halls all glassy-eyed and looking like a beggar. The ball is in his court and it sounds like he got around a dozen teams interested in Bedard. That is where it should start. Are the Twins fans jumping off rooftops because they went home without half the yanks or bosox farms? Some of these posts are actually very sad in an extremely comical way.

I think AM is a little crazy if he deals Tejada or BRob before Bedard. We need to get that haul first and go from there.

Some information on this site is awesome, especially for someone who isn't in the Baltimore area and doesn't get as much O's news as I would like. But, the same people that are preaching a total rebuild should be the one's with the most patience and that is not evident on this thread at all.

[olehippi]

Epstein is a good GM because he has a clue as to what he is doing.

I am not saying deals can't be made but it is ridiculous nothing got done.

It is obvious they have only concentrated on Bedard and Tejada while ignoring others on the team that should be shopped.

As long as things get done, its fine..If they don't, f this team.

So now, because we didn't make any trades in Nashville.....

- MacPhail is a bad GM without a clue

- It's ridiculous because we didn't make any trades....like most of the other teams didn't.

- You absolutely know that MacPhail talked to no one about any other players beside Bedard & Tejada.

Well here's my take on the winter meetings:

- MacPhail wasn't comfortable with any offers made for anyone and was smart enough not to make a deal just to satisfy the impatient fantasy league fandom of Baltimore.

- MacPhail was far from being ridiculous, IMO. He didn't sell the team out by making a bad deal.

- We truly have no idea who he talked to or what other names beside Bedard & Tejada were discussed...unless you want to believe some of the many rumors sprouted by desperate, and ill-informed, real and wannbe reporters scurrying around Opryland.

- And SG, everyone knows that a die-hard, bleeding orange, fan like yourself will never abandon his team.... It'll get better by Spring Training.

[hoosiers]

Recent conversation between Coletti, Bavasi and Krivsky.

Coletti: Is that Andy getting on the plane to Bmore?

Bavasi: Looks like him. He's going home.

Krivsky: I thought he was conducting a fire sale. I thought he was desperate.

Bavasi: Me, too.

Coletti: He doesn't look desperate to me. He looks tired, but not desperate.

Colletti: Did he change into a Hawaiin shirt for the ride home?

Bavasi: He has a starting pitcher I need.

Krivsky: Me, too. Can't he catch a later flight?

Bavasi: I kept telling him no to Triunfel.

Krivsky: I didn't think he was serious about Cueto too.

Coletti: Don't worry, boys, his team is still not going to the playoffs.

Krivsky: Neither is mine.

Bavasi: Neither is mine.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Recent conversation between Coletti, Bavasi and Krivsky.

Coletti: Is that Andy getting on the plane to Bmore?

Bavasi: Looks like him. He's going home.

Krivsky: I thought he was conducting a fire sale. I thought he was desperate.

Bavasi: Me, too.

Coletti: He doesn't look desperate to me. He looks tired, but not desperate.

Colletti: Did he change into a Hawaiin shirt for the ride home?

Bavasi: He has a starting pitcher I need.

Krivsky: Me, too. Can't he catch a later flight?

Bavasi: I kept telling him no to Triunfel.

Krivsky: I didn't think he was serious about Cueto too.

Coletti: Don't worry, boys, his team is still not going to the playoffs.

Krivsky: Neither is mine.

Bavasi: Neither is mine.

Heh. Sounds like something off of The Dugout.

[Sports Guy]

If SG leaves us, then maybe he can actually go out and find a job. It could very possibly be a win-win situation.

I figure I could go work for BALCO...I imagine you would be my first client.

[clarence]

Recent conversation between Coletti, Bavasi and Krivsky.

Coletti: Is that Andy getting on the plane to Bmore?

Bavasi: Looks like him. He's going home.

Krivsky: I thought he was conducting a fire sale. I thought he was desperate.

Bavasi: Me, too.

Coletti: He doesn't look desperate to me. He looks tired, but not desperate.

Colletti: Did he change into a Hawaiin shirt for the ride home?

Bavasi: He has a starting pitcher I need.

Krivsky: Me, too. Can't he catch a later flight?

Bavasi: I kept telling him no to Triunfel.

Krivsky: I didn't think he was serious about Cueto too.

Coletti: Don't worry, boys, his team is still not going to the playoffs.

Krivsky: Neither is mine.

Bavasi: Neither is mine.

Very nice. I'm just surprised they weren't making fun of him for not staying up all night.

[Sports Guy]

- And SG, everyone knows that a die-hard, bleeding orange, fan like yourself will never abandon his team.... It'll get better by Spring Training.

If this is basically the same team come ST, yea i will seriously consider it.

It would show me that they still have no direction and there is no end in sight...That is not something that a fan wants to have.

I am not saying I will definitely abandon them but i thin, at the very least, I will stop caring as much.