Sun: Players want free agent help

[TonySoprano]

Excellent post by FellsPoint. This quote that he referenced needs to be posted over and over again. If true (and does anyone really doubt it), it just means the same old, same old.

Great minds, RZ, well, you know the rest.

[TonySoprano]

The O's and the other teams who have missed out are now bidding against each other for the mid tier scraps like Craig Wilson.

Don't forget Luis Gonzalez. I revised my 25-man prediction to include him as a possible acquisition for leftfield. Either him or Wilson.

[IrishOriole]

Can we not have a moratorium on steroid talk? Every time certain players are brought up as potential targets in what could become an interesting thread, someone jumps in with steroid allegations even though they've been discussed ad nauseum in other threads.

I'm getting sick of it.

There is a difference between players "accused" of steroids use and those who have admitted to using. The O's <i>must</i> avoid those in the latter category.

[NewMarketSean]

I just dialed my expectations down a little more, if that was even possible.

[Moose Milligan]

Don't forget Luis Gonzalez. I revised my 25-man prediction to include him as a possible acquisition for leftfield. Either him or Wilson.

If we get Luis Gonzalez...I might have to throw in the towel. I probably talking crazy right now, but damn...he's exactly what we DON'T need...older, stop gap, past his prime, great guy, clubbhouse leader..where have I heard this before...

Sigh....

[bgfield]

I think the major problem is summed up here:

We made big mistakes in 2003-04 and 2004-05, and I just don't know that it's going to be possible to make up for those mistakes this winter.

I agree. We can go all out and get Soriano and he will address a big hole but he's not going to be enough to put us into contention unless the other players start playing to win and don't give up so easily like they seemed to do this year, AND we see some major progress from our young pitchers.

The O's painted themselves into a corner with all this losing. Now the players are fed up and they want some help, but the help really isn't there.

[NewMarketSean]

That's why this team needs to realize the urgency in signing quality players. Delgado could be our 1B right now. Vlad could arguably be our RF/DH right now if we really wanted him. Who knows who could be in our rotation if we were aggressive. And then there are countless other second-tier, high OBP players that we skipped over for whatever reason to sign 38-39-40 year old veterans.

It's a disease, this team has. It's not going to go away overnight, especially with Angelos still the owner, so don't get your hopes up this offseason. Very little, if anything, is going to happen.

[Objectivity]

Look at the quotes in this article and look at the Angelos quotes in TonySoprano's tag. Why does anyone believe this year will be any different than last year and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that?

[OregonBird]

It sounds to me like this team is on the verge of quitting before next season even starts, IF some big changes to improve the club aren't made.

Not good......

It's not going to happen. Most guys want their money and a ring. Even if this team signed all the top FA's available, it still wouldn't win a ring.

[GlennGulliver11]

While there have been several organizational meetings over the last month, Orioles owner Peter G. Angelos has not given his executives a budget to work under. Traditionally, he has not done so, preferring to deal with potential moves on a case-by-case basis. Angelos would not comment for this article.

Does he run his law firm this way? If so, how does he compete with the bazillion other ambulance chasers out there?

"Mr. Angelos, the secretarial pool downstairs needs to order office supplies".

"Send me the quote for the paperclips, then we'll move onto the copier paper".

[tennOsfan]

I think BRob and company are going to be really disappointed next February. Angelos will slowly authorize a few contract offers that won't be accepted, and we'll wind up with scraps, not wanting to buy into the "lunacy" of some of the free agent deals.

Then we'll finish fourth next year while Angelos promises to do everything he can to compete in 2008. Don't 'cha love him?

[TonySoprano]

Look at the quotes in this article and look at the Angelos quotes in TonySoprano's tag. Why does anyone believe this year will be any different than last year and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that?

I don't get my hopes up and it saves me on the disappointment. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, fool me more than that, I don't think sooo. Maese has already started drafting the obituary.

The article causes me no choice.

That's right, I triple-dog-dare the front office to do something really big this offseason.

C'mon, Mr. Flanagan, my ego can gladly take being wrong on this.

[BaltBird 24]

'I know this offseason was a rough one, and you can't ruin your teams future chances by going out of control in an over-blown marker. But in 2008, everything will literally come true and we will be a contender!'

[luismatos]

I have a couple questions about this. #1 -- is this major league payroll only? #2 -- does this include Ponson (whose arbitration case still has not been settled yet)? #3 -- does this include any deferred monies for players who are no longer on the team?

This Ponson thing really bothers me. It seems the FO/Angelos is including his salary in the 2006 payroll numbers, when in fact, it has not been determined if we will actually have to pay him. Including El Sid's $10 million seems extremely misleading to me -- it elevates payroll and makes it seem like we've shelled out more than we actually have.

I'd like to see one of our local journalists pose this question/angle to the FO. Or, at least, investigate when/if the Ponson arbitration hearing will ever take place.

Witchy

According to USA Today, our salary is 72 million: http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/salaries/teamresults.aspx?team=2

And we traded Javy and Conine midseason and didn't add anyone but Russ Ortiz (who we didn't have to pay), so I think that the 80 million is high and incorrect. My guess is that we really only had to pay about 70 million. But, then if you are counting Sir Sidney, then you have 80. But, counting him would be stupid.

[Sports Guy]

6/96 for Soriano....Just like i have been saying.

Any of you still think there is a chance we can get Soriano?