Just an interesting article(Hamilton)

[Dark Helmet]

Maybe Brendan can tell us how foolish the Giants were to spend.....$117 million on payroll this past year.

Oh and they had ONE big name free agent, which is exactly what most of us are advocating for this team. No one is saying go on some wild spending spree, just ONE guy to supplement the core.

They had a core made up of solid players who were paid accordingly AND a premium free agent, not the dumpster diving spare parts makeup of a certain team that got bounced in the first round. Matter of fact that is the profile of every team who has won it all for the past 8 years, except when the $200 million Yankees won it in 2009, and the $143 million Red Sox won it in 2007.

Those teams had a few premium free agents didn't they?

But those guys don't help teams win, it was the guys making a million that drive championship teams. Yeah that is it.

The Giants also traded a top prospect, to go and get Hunter Pence. The idea of trading prospects for costly veterans, is something that many on here, dont agree with also. But, if a team wants the main prize, you have to take risks. It worked for the Giants. Many will be happy as long as the O's finish over ,500, even if thats an 82 win team. I want to go from a 93 win team to a WS. Playing it safe wont get us there imo.

[24fps]

Maybe Brendan can tell us how foolish the Giants were to spend.....$117 million on payroll this past year.

Oh and they had ONE big name free agent, which is exactly what most of us are advocating for this team. No one is saying go on some wild spending spree, just ONE guy to supplement the core.

They had a core made up of solid players who were paid accordingly AND a premium free agent, not the dumpster diving spare parts makeup of a certain team that got bounced in the first round. Matter of fact that is the profile of every team who has won it all for the past 8 years, except when the $200 million Yankees won it in 2009, and the $143 million Red Sox won it in 2007.

Those teams had a few premium free agents didn't they?

But those guys don't help teams win, it was the guys making a million that drive championship teams. Yeah that is it.

Cot's has the SF 2012 payroll at $131,355,298.

[Brendan25]

The Giants also traded a top prospect, to go and get Hunter Pence. The idea of trading prospects for costly veterans, is something that many on here, dont agree with also. But, if a team wants the main prize, you have to take risks. It worked for the Giants. Many will be happy as long as the O's finish over ,500, even if thats an 82 win team. I want to go from a 93 win team to a WS. Playing it safe wont get us there imo.

I'm guessing you are talking about Joseph. Just because he was one of the Giants top prospects does not mean he is a great prospect.

[Dark Helmet]

My post was not to point out that those players played well. It was to point out that there teams paid a TON for them, and still missed the playoffs. Because of that, the Red Sox and Phillies both traded away players that they had planned on helping them win playoff games.

Different circumstances for different teams. The counter arguement could be, IF the Orioles would have had a Lee in the rotation or Pujols at first, the Orioles may have won a WS. Maybe a Hamilton or Grienke doesnt win us a WS in 2013. But, it sure would have helped in 2012. A lot of guys had surprise years for us in 2013. You cant depend on all of that happening again. The Gonzalez's and McLouths are great when they work. But, those types of deals fail more times then not. Sometimes, you need a sure thing. Just my opinion.

[Dark Helmet]

I'm guessing you are talking about Joseph. Just because he was one of the Giants top prospects does not mean he is a great prospect.

He was their number two prospect. While they arent on the same level talent wise, that would be like us trading Machado. A lot of people were in arms about the possibility of trading Schoop in a deal for Pence.

[Brendan25]

Different circumstances for different teams. The counter arguement could be, IF the Orioles would have had a Lee in the rotation or Pujols at first, the Orioles may have won a WS. Maybe a Hamilton or Grienke doesnt win us a WS in 2013. But, it sure would have helped in 2012. A lot of guys had surprise years for us in 2013. You cant depend on all of that happening again. The Gonzalez's and McLouths are great when they work. But, those types of deals fail more times then not. Sometimes, you need a sure thing. Just my opinion.

There is something to be said about team chemistry that some posters on this site don't believe in. I do.

If Cliff Lee is in our rotation, is the rotation as close as it was trying to outperform the last guy out? If Pujols is at 1B, is our clubhouse as close as it was.

I'm not saying it wouldn't be, but it's not all the time that you just replace one guy with a different guy with better numbers and you get better results. It doesn't always work that way.

[Dark Helmet]

There is something to be said about team chemistry that some posters on this site don't believe in. I do.

If Cliff Lee is in our rotation, is the rotation as close as it was trying to outperform the last guy out? If Pujols is at 1B, is our clubhouse as close as it was.

I'm not saying it wouldn't be, but it's not all the time that you just replace one guy with a different guy with better numbers and you get better results. It doesn't always work that way.

I actually agree with you, on the team chemistry thinking. Thats one of the reasons I want Reynolds back.

OTOH, the old sentiment of "does chemistrt create winning" or " does winning create chemistry" comes to mind. I think its a combination of the two.

Bringing in Saunders in late aug didnt disrupt the SP. Imagine if Hammel, Chen, Gonzalez, and Tillman, watched and tried to out perform Lee everytime. It wouldnt have changed your scenerio, just upped the stakes each time out .

[Brendan25]

I actually agree with you, on the team chemistry thinking. Thats one of the reasons I want Reynolds back.

OTOH, the old sentiment of "does chemistrt create winning" or " does winning create chemistry" comes to mind. I think its a combination of the two.

Bringing in Saunders in late aug didnt disrupt the SP. Imagine if Hammel, Chen, Gonzalez, and Tillman, watched and tried to out perform Lee everytime. It wouldnt have changed your scenerio, just upped the stakes each time out .

Saunders didn't because it was either him or someone from AAA taking his spot in the rotation. He wasn't taking someones spot.

These guys know it's a business. A big move could work. Could blow up awfully.

[Roll Tide]

There is something to be said about team chemistry that some posters on this site don't believe in. I do.

If Cliff Lee is in our rotation, is the rotation as close as it was trying to outperform the last guy out? If Pujols is at 1B, is our clubhouse as close as it was.

I'm not saying it wouldn't be, but it's not all the time that you just replace one guy with a different guy with better numbers and you get better results. It doesn't always work that way.

Is it said that Hamilton , Youkalis, Swisher are bad teammates that would hurt the team chemistry.

[Roll Tide]

Saunders didn't because it was either him or someone from AAA taking his spot in the rotation. He wasn't taking someones spot.

These guys know it's a business. A big move could work. Could blow up awfully.

I'd bet that Britton/Johnson felt differently about the situation. No one on a team is going to complain about the front office dumping Mark Freaking Reynolds in order to bring in Hamilton or Butler or whomever. If they dump Reynolds and sign a lesser player then you might hear complaints.

[Dark Helmet]

Saunders didn't because it was either him or someone from AAA taking his spot in the rotation. He wasn't taking someones spot.

These guys know it's a business. A big move could work. Could blow up awfully.

Whos job would Grienke be taking for example? You have Hammel, Chen, Gonzalez, Tillman, and another year of a rotating door in the 5 spot. How much chemistry can be built with the 5 guy, when hes on a bus back to the minors, as he is on the bench?

[Brendan25]

Whos job would Grienke be taking for example? You have Hammel, Chen, Gonzalez, Tillman, and another year of a rotating door in the 5 spot. How much chemistry can be built with the 5 guy, when hes on a bus back to the minors, as he is on the bench?

I'm just naming different reasons for why it doesn't make sense to make some big moves.

Greinke doesn't make sense because of the money it would take to get him over Texas and LA.

[Brendan25]

I'd bet that Britton/Johnson felt differently about the situation. No one on a team is going to complain about the front office dumping Mark Freaking Reynolds in order to bring in Hamilton or Butler or whomever. If they dump Reynolds and sign a lesser player then you might hear complaints.

I don't think they would either. I don't want Hamilton because of the cost. The chemistry has nothing to do with why I don't want Hamilton.

[Roll Tide]

I don't think they would either. I don't want Hamilton because of the cost. The chemistry has nothing to do with why I don't want Hamilton.

I read a poster say he'd rather have Fielder earlier in a post. I'll bet that same poster didnt want him last year either because of the cost. End of the day the Orioles NEED a star player or two to put them over the top.

I've argued 2 of them .... I'd be okay with any combination of the guys I've mentioned. I'd like to see Jones & Wieters batting 5-6 rather than 3-4. That would make them better players IMO.

[Brendan25]

I read a poster say he'd rather have Fielder earlier in a post. I'll bet that same poster didnt want him last year either because of the cost. End of the day the Orioles NEED a star player or two to put them over the top.

I've argued 2 of them .... I'd be okay with any combination of the guys I've mentioned. I'd like to see Jones & Wieters batting 5-6 rather than 3-4. That would make them better players IMO.

Agreed on Wieters. I'm fine with Jones-Davis as our 3-4 next year. I'll admit if I'm wrong next September and we are hovering around or below .500