Orange Throat?

[El Gordo]

" Adam could go in the same deal as Ricky or Sanchez. Obviously Sanchez is the key guy with the contract but Adam is owed a little bit of cash, too, though we think he adds to a deal like that, rather than being seen as burdening the other club."

Adam could be Ramon. He's owed some money on his contract but wouldn't be considered a salary dump if included in a trade. Haven't heard of him being included in a Miggi trade. Miller could be BRob but I don't think he is regarded as average defensively. And I never thought of him as a baby sitter for Miggi. Melmo would be more likely to do that but he does speak Spanish. Rickey is most likely Bedard. Could be Dempsey with a couple of red herrings thown in to fuzz his identity

[Why Not?]

2002, Ah we could have a match here, but why not mention the fact he played for the team in the 80's? And how is he an assistant to MacPhail or a scout? This interview reeks of Dempsey though, he seems like the kind of guy to blab this stuff...

It would be like Dempsey to present himself to a writer as an "unofficial advisor" to MacPhail, whether it's true or not.

Other former Orioles in the scouting department unclude Curt Motten, Gary Roenicke, Todd Frohwirth and Randy Milligan. None of those guys meet the criteria listed, though the dates and years may be fabricated to protect the source.

[helloharv]

Yeah but he wouldn't refer to himself as being part of the Orioles, also he never played for them. It's clearly Flanagan, but some things were changed...

My guess is MacPhail is going to be pretty upset when he finds out about this...

The thread said the person was with the O's for 3 years in the 70's. Flanny was in Baltimore 5 years in the 70's .

Flanny was here when we signed Miggy, so there is no way he would talk bad about the biggest and best free-agent they signed during his time. I have heard him say in the past that he is great for our team with his energy and passion.

I don't know who said all this but it sounds like it could have been Dempsey. He was here for 3 years in the 70's. Or maybe a scout . There are always scouts around at the Winter Meetings.

[bigbird]

I was totally lost on that post. Can someone edit it and place the names you feel should go in the fake names???

[NATTYBO's]

I was totally lost on that post. Can someone edit it and place the names you feel should go in the fake names???

A Beautiful Quote

Note: I have to leave out actual player, executive and team names from the following quotes, in order to protect the front office member’s identity as well as his organization’s. But this blew me away yesterday.

I called this particular scout type who serves as an assistant to the GM of sorts of a club east of Arizona and west of Japan. I was asking about the current defensive abilities of a player the Mariners have been linked to very lightly, and the conversation crossed over into a few players his club was open to moving. What he ended up admitting to shocked me a bit.

Again, team names, player names, cities, staff names, etc, will be replaced by generic names to protect his identity.

Here it is verbatim as it turned from “can this guy play any defense?” into a free-for-all about his club’s future and plans.

Churchill: So if he’s is just average in the field, why the extension last year?

Smith: Because Tejada needs a babysitter and Roberts was among the very few that don’t speak spanish fluently but still had a good relationship with Tejada. We kind of spent an extra 20 percent to keep Tejada happy, and Roberts was a pretty good liaison between Tejada and the staff.

Churchill: What is Tejada’s problem?

Smith: He’s a piece of work, really, ya know? That’s the main reason why McPhail refuses to begin 2008 with him on the roster. We obviously aren’t telling other teams that, but I’d be more than surprised if Tejada is here when Spring Training begins.

We’re pretty much blowing this up, and even though it’s killing Angelos, I guess he just trusts McPhail enough to allow him some leash to get things going in the right direction. That’s a first.

Churchill: Blowing it up, meaning everyone goes?

Smith: Anyone that qualifies, yes. It’s not unheard of, and we aren’t even the only club doing that this winter, but it probably would surprise a few to hear it that way if they knew. We’re actually really excited about it. I’m anxious to see how this ends up so we can look forward to winning games.

Churchill: Qualifies how? Free agent to be?

Smith: I don’t know exactly what it is McPhail is thinking but the basic parameters are that if the player is likely to not be here after the ‘09 season and can bring back younger, cheaper value where we need it - or will need it two years - we’re going to try and trade that player and bring in the future.

We aren’t just a move or two from contending, and if we deal Tejada and Bedard and Adam probably fits in their also, and can look forward and see the return helping us compete in two years, then McPhail is going to pull the trigger. With Tejada, though, the best offer is going to win that. In fact, with Bedard, too. The offers we have gotten for Bedard thus far are probably good enough to get it done in the end.

Churchill: So why no deal yet, then? Just holding out for as much as possible?

Smith: Sure, yeah. McPhail fully believes he’ll be able to get quite a bit more for Tejada than what’s been offered thus far, and Bedard’s suitors are all in the right area, but those clubs have more to send back and he’s giving it everything to get those.

Something is very likely to get done on both those guys this month.

Churchill: What about with Markakis, Adam and Finley?

Smith: Adam could go in the same deal as Bedard or Tejada. Obviously Tejada is the key guy with the contract but Adam is owed a little bit of cash, too, though we think he adds to a deal like that, rather than being seen as burdening the other club.

Markakis might be one we hang onto, simply because he’s young enough and cheap enough to make sense two years from now. But if we were offered a premium package, he’d be gone, too.

I’m not saying anything you wouldn’t have guessed after I let it out that we were blowing it up, but you do know this has to stay between us. I trust you, but this can’t get published.

Churchill: Can I change all names and teams and not mention positions?

Smith: I’d rather you didn’t, unless you want to send me what you want to use first so I know what’s going to be out there.

Churchill: I can do that.

But tell me why Angelos would allow this?

Smith: He’s actually getting tired of being a kind of laughing stock, I think. I’m not in those discussions, but from what I hear he’s just frustrated and is bending on his ways a bit. He thinks McPhail is the perfect guy to get this type of job done and it’s why he was brought in.

We have so much competition here and things have been so bad for so long. I’ve been here five years and we haven’t even sniffed at adding a player in July for the stretch run. That’s not what in this town is about. I played here for three years in the 70s and was around the club in the 80s and when I came back after the 2002 season, it was like I’d never been here before. It was like going to lunch with the Grim Reaper around here in November.

Churchill: So if you had to guess where these guys are going, Tejada, Roberts and Bedard anyway, do you have an idea as to what offers have been made?

McPhail, Jimmy and I talked last night about all of the offers and the one thing I can say for sure is that we haven’t had an actual offer on Roberts. We’re waiting for an official offer on Tejada, but have had a lot of conversation back and forth. I personally spoke with Las Vegas about Tejada, but McPhail and Jimmy have done most of the work on these.

I think Bedard goes out west somewhere, though. That’s just a feeling, because the other clubs haven’t been nearly as aggressive.

END -

He went on to say that they weren’t having a fire sale because salary didn’t have much to do with the idea. It’s all based on whether they feel that player will be there in 2009, and whether he can help the team contend. They think they have enough young talent to stay interesting for a year or two, and then they may jump back into the market for veterans when the kids are ripe.

I just thought that was unbelievable, and since this clubs is a team that has had talks with the Mariners about a player, as well as other clubs about other players, it struck me as more than just entertaining

There were a few interchange anble names so Take it FWIW

[Boof]

If it's real or not; I think Johnson is Guthrie.

[Cakes2Kakes]

Am I the only one who is beginning to think that the cancer in this organization isn't confined to the clubhouse?

[El Gordo]

If it's real or not; I think Johnson is Guthrie.

Could be, but I have heard nothing of Gutherie being considered for trade. With the empasis on SP the only one that fits Johnson is DCab IMO. If it's Dempsey speaking Jimmy is likely Flannagan and Adam is Ramon.

[clapdiddy]

To me, this reaks of Dempsey. He'd be the kind of jackass to do an interview like this.

Dave Johnson wasn't around during the seventies...and Flanagan just doesn't strike me as the type who would sit down and talk like this. I can see Dempsey doing this interview, though. Although, as a fan, I'd be a bit disappointed if Dempsey had this type of "inside" info. He's certainly not the brightest bulb in the light.

[scOtt]

McPhail, Jimmy and I talked last night about all of the offers and the one thing I can say for sure is that we haven’t had an actual offer on Roberts. We’re waiting for an official offer on Tejada, but have had a lot of conversation back and forth. I personally spoke with Las Vegas about Tejada, but McPhail and Jimmy have done most of the work on these.

There is no way AM is talking about these deals with Dempsey. He fits a lot of the details, but not this one.

What about Brian something? I forget his name. The one Hargrove brought in as a "coach" and sat in the press box. He's back in the org again, right?

[Migrant Redbird]

Here's a slightly different version with a few more substitutions made, not that it gets any easier to read that way. Obviously, some combinations are impossible.

A Beautiful Quote

Note: I have to leave out actual player, executive and team names from the following quotes, in order to protect the front office member’s identity as well as his organization’s. But this blew me away yesterday.

I called this particular scout type who serves as an assistant to the GM of sorts of a club east of Arizona and west of Japan. I was asking about the current defensive abilities of a player the Mariners have been linked to very lightly, and the conversation crossed over into a few players his club was open to moving. What he ended up admitting to shocked me a bit.

Again, team names, player names, cities, staff names, etc, will be replaced by generic names to protect his identity.

Here it is verbatim as it turned from “can this guy play any defense?” into a free-for-all about his club’s future and plans.

Churchill: So if he’s is just average in the field, why the extension last year?

Flanagan/Dempsey: Because Tejada needs a babysitter and Roberts/Millar was among the very few that don’t speak spanish fluently but still had a good relationship with Tejada. We kind of spent an extra 20 percent to keep Tejada happy, and Roberts/Millar was a pretty good liaison between Tejada and the staff.

Churchill: What is Tejada’s problem?

Flanagan/Dempsey: He’s a piece of work, really, ya know? That’s the main reason why McPhail refuses to begin 2008 with him on the roster. We obviously aren’t telling other teams that, but I’d be more than surprised if Tejada is here when Spring Training begins.

We’re pretty much blowing this up, and even though it’s killing Angelos, I guess he just trusts McPhail enough to allow him some leash to get things going in the right direction. That’s a first.

Churchill: Blowing it up, meaning everyone goes?

Flanagan/Dempsey: Anyone that qualifies, yes. It’s not unheard of, and we aren’t even the only club doing that this winter, but it probably would surprise a few to hear it that way if they knew. We’re actually really excited about it. I’m anxious to see how this ends up so we can look forward to winning games.

Churchill: Qualifies how? Free agent to be?

Flanagan/Dempsey: I don’t know exactly what it is McPhail is thinking but the basic parameters are that if the player is likely to not be here after the ‘09 season and can bring back younger, cheaper value where we need it - or will need it two years - we’re going to try and trade that player and bring in the future.

We aren’t just a move or two from contending, and if we deal Tejada and Bedard and Payton probably fits in their also, and can look forward and see the return helping us compete in two years, then McPhail is going to pull the trigger. With Tejada, though, the best offer is going to win that. In fact, with Bedard, too. The offers we have gotten for Bedard thus far are probably good enough to get it done in the end.

Churchill: So why no deal yet, then? Just holding out for as much as possible?

Flanagan/Dempsey: Sure, yeah. McPhail fully believes he’ll be able to get quite a bit more for Tejada than what’s been offered thus far, and Bedard’s suitors are all in the right area, but those clubs have more to send back and he’s giving it everything to get those.

Something is very likely to get done on both those guys this month.

Churchill: What about with Markakis/Roberts/Loewen/Cabrera/Huff/Millar/Guthrie, Payton/Ramon and Millar?

Flanagan/Dempsey: Payton/Ramon could go in the same deal as Bedard or Tejada. Obviously Tejada is the key guy with the contract but Payton/Ramon is owed a little bit of cash, too, though we think he adds to a deal like that, rather than being seen as burdening the other club.

Markakis/Roberts/Loewen/Cabrera/Huff/Millar/Guthrie might be one we hang onto, simply because he’s young enough and cheap enough to make sense two years from now. But if we were offered a premium package, he’d be gone, too.

I’m not saying anything you wouldn’t have guessed after I let it out that we were blowing it up, but you do know this has to stay between us. I trust you, but this can’t get published.

Churchill: Can I change all names and teams and not mention positions?

Flanagan/Dempsey: I’d rather you didn’t, unless you want to send me what you want to use first so I know what’s going to be out there.

Churchill: I can do that.

But tell me why Angelos would allow this?

Flanagan/Dempsey: He’s actually getting tired of being a kind of laughing stock, I think. I’m not in those discussions, but from what I hear he’s just frustrated and is bending on his ways a bit. He thinks McPhail is the perfect guy to get this type of job done and it’s why he was brought in.

We have so much competition here and things have been so bad for so long. I’ve been here five years and we haven’t even sniffed at adding a player in July for the stretch run. That’s not what in this town is about. I played here for three years in the 70s and was around the club in the 80s and when I came back after the 2002 season, it was like I’d never been here before. It was like going to lunch with the Grim Reaper around here in November.

Churchill: So if you had to guess where these guys are going, Tejada, Roberts/Millar and Bedard anyway, do you have an idea as to what offers have been made?

McPhail, Jimmy and I talked last night about all of the offers and the one thing I can say for sure is that we haven’t had an actual offer on Roberts/Millar. We’re waiting for an official offer on Tejada, but have had a lot of conversation back and forth. I personally spoke with Las Vegas about Tejada, but McPhail and Jimmy have done most of the work on these.

I think Bedard goes out west somewhere, though. That’s just a feeling, because the other clubs haven’t been nearly as aggressive.

END -

He went on to say that they weren’t having a fire sale because salary didn’t have much to do with the idea. It’s all based on whether they feel that player will be there in 2009, and whether he can help the team contend. They think they have enough young talent to stay interesting for a year or two, and then they may jump back into the market for veterans when the kids are ripe.

I just thought that was unbelievable, and since this clubs is a team that has had talks with the Mariners about a player, as well as other clubs about other players, it struck me as more than just entertaining.

My guess is that it's one of two things:

(1) It's a hoax, containing information that half the posters to this forum could have put together.

(2) It's a trial balloon, floated out there by someone in the O's organization, with the approval of McPhail and/or Angelos. As such, it contains both some truth and some disinformation.

[El Gordo]

There is no way AM is talking about these deals with Dempsey. He fits a lot of the details, but not this one.

What about Brian something? I forget his name. The one Hargrove brought in as a "coach" and sat in the press box. He's back in the org again, right?

There's nothing in this "story" that I or almost anyone here couldn't have madeup. Certainly Dempsy could have. The closest thing to "inside info" is the Miggi prima donna stuff and that's been a common topic at the OH.

[El Gordo]

Here's a slightly different version with a few more substitutions made, not that it gets any easier to read that way. Obviously, some combinations are impossible.

My guess is that it's one of two things:

(1) It's a hoax, containing information that half the posters to this forum could have put together.

(2) It's a trial balloon, floated out there by someone in the O's organization, with the approval of McPhail and/or Angelos. As such, it contains both some truth and some disinformation.

I'd say door #1.

[ShoelesJoe]

There is no way AM is talking about these deals with Dempsey.

Agree 100%

Also, this source is supposedly talking to another team (Las Vegas?) about possible trades, and I doubt AM lets Dempsey get within a hundred miles of something like that. My guess is its Flanagan, who's deliberately stabbing the O's in the back for showing him the proverbial door.

[Rockbird]

My guess is its Flanagan, who's deliberately stabbing the O's in the back for showing him the proverbial door.

Makes sense, he's been here for 5 years, since 2002, then again he played with us for more than "3 years in the 70s" but maybe that was changed too.