SI AL East Hot Stove Report

[TradeAngelos]

A GM worth anything, should always be looking to improve going into the next season. That should be the case if your team won 65 games or 100. But, im not a GM, and my feeling is we won 93 games, and I dont care how we got there. I'll leave the worrying on how to get there again, to the man that gets paid to worry about that.

Ignoring "how we got there" wouldn't be the best way to plan for the future and assess our long term needs now would it? Can you name any successful business that operates like that, saying "Last year? Don't know how the heck we did it..but sales were up so we are good! Let's just move on and forget about all that"

We got there in large part by breaking a record that had not been touched in 122 years.

And if you think that is going to happen again well.....

[TradeAngelos]

Yeah, but like many have said, the payroll will increase with just what we have. That doesnt mean adding stars. See, these threads always bring me down

The payroll is projected to increase in a very negligible way if we bring back every single player we have now, including Reynolds at $8 million. Anyone who says otherwise has not crunched the numbers. Also we have two huge salaries coming off the books in consecutive years, with Roberts after 2013 and Nick after 2014.

This team is set up to build a solid perennial competing core for the next 5 years if the proactive steps are taken NOW to sure up holes. Or we can just keep hoping 5 guys off the street play way outside the box and we set 122 year old records year in and year out.

[Roll Tide]

The payroll is projected to increase in a very negligible way if we bring back every single player we have now, including Reynolds at $8 million. Anyone who says otherwise has not crunched the numbers. Also we have two huge salaries coming off the books in consecutive years, with Roberts after 2013 and Nick after 2014.

This team is set up to build a solid perennial competing core for the next 5 years if the proactive steps are taken NOW to sure up holes. Or we can just keep hoping 5 guys off the street play way outside the box and we set 122 year old records year in and year out.

This is well said ... I personally dont think you bring back Reynolds. I quess I can live with them hoping to get something out of Roberts. But they need to step up elsewhere.

[Dark Helmet]

Ignoring "how we got there" wouldn't be the best way to plan for the future and assess our long term needs now would it? Can you name any successful business that operates like that, saying "Last year? Don't know how the heck we did it..but sales were up so we are good! Let's just move on and forget about all that"

We got there in large part by breaking a record that had not been touched in 122 years.

And if you think that is going to happen again well.....

Your missing my point. Im looking at this from a fans perspective. Im not the one building the team, and its pointless worryying about that. As a fan, its not up to me on how to sustain success.

I know reality. I know having a 200 mil payroll isnt the way to go. But, im a fan, and I want instant gratification. I grew up watching the games, looking at w/l and the final standings. I didnt care about the money the team spent or who they had in the minors. Just where they finished in the standings. Thats how im looking at it right now. I know thats not a popular way to look at it. But, thats how i enjoy baseball.

[Dark Helmet]

The payroll is projected to increase in a very negligible way if we bring back every single player we have now, including Reynolds at $8 million. Anyone who says otherwise has not crunched the numbers. Also we have two huge salaries coming off the books in consecutive years, with Roberts after 2013 and Nick after 2014.

This team is set up to build a solid perennial competing core for the next 5 years if the proactive steps are taken NOW to sure up holes. Or we can just keep hoping 5 guys off the street play way outside the box and we set 122 year old records year in and year out.

You also have Jones salary going up. Wieters will be due an increase. Davis will get a raise. Jim Johnson a raise. Decisions on Hammel. Losing Roberts salary, will be negated by all the other raises. If the Orioles decide they want to operate with a 90-100 mil payroll, then that doesnt leave a lot of meat on the bone.

[Babypowder]

You also have Jones salary going up. Wieters will be due an increase. Davis will get a raise. Jim Johnson a raise. Decisions on Hammel. Losing Roberts salary, will be negated by all the other raises. If the Orioles decide they want to operate with a 90-100 mil payroll, then that doesnt leave a lot of meat on the bone.

Just keeping our own players we are already going to be approaching a 100 million dollar payroll. This team isn't cheap next year.

[El Gordo]

Players like Jones and Davis, might regress, but Markakis, Machado, Reynolds, Wieters, and Hardy, are likely to improve. The bullpen might regress a bit, but the starting rotation could well improve.

[BohKnowsBmore]

Ignoring "how we got there" wouldn't be the best way to plan for the future and assess our long term needs now would it? Can you name any successful business that operates like that, saying "Last year? Don't know how the heck we did it..but sales were up so we are good! Let's just move on and forget about all that"

We got there in large part by breaking a record that had not been touched in 122 years.

And if you think that is going to happen again well.....

Here's my problem with this statement. You are correct that we will probably not repeat this feat, it's almost certain. However, it seems that everyone is taking the record in one-run games and cutting the wins in half or automatically assuming that we will lose those games next season. While our record could be worse in one-run games next season, that could be achieved with the same number or more of wins overall due to the fact that the situations we will be in will not remain static. Games that we won by one last season, we could win by 2 in 2013. Similarly, games we lost by 3 in 2012, we could lose by 1 in 2013. So, our record in one-run games could revert to the mean, but this doesn't necessarily force the Orioles record downward.

[TiredofLosing20]

Overmatched???? No we know Overmatched

Manny Machado was not overmatched

[Roll Tide]

Here's my problem with this statement. You are correct that we will probably not repeat this feat, it's almost certain. However, it seems that everyone is taking the record in one-run games and cutting the wins in half or automatically assuming that we will lose those games next season. While our record could be worse in one-run games next season, that could be achieved with the same number or more of wins overall due to the fact that the situations we will be in will not remain static. Games that we won by one last season, we could win by 2 in 2013. Similarly, games we lost by 3 in 2012, we could lose by 1 in 2013. So, our record in one-run games could revert to the mean, but this doesn't necessarily force the Orioles record downward.

If we dont score more runs that outcome is likely.

[OsLuvrInKy]

Overmatched???? No we know Overmatched

Manny Machado was not overmatched

Thanks. Do you know what hot coffee blowing out your nose feels likes. You are right though. Bell's pic should be in the dictionary under the word "Overmatched"!

P.S. Thanks for the laugh.

[Can_of_corn]

Thanks. Do you know what hot coffee blowing out your nose feels likes. You are right though. Bell's pic should be in the dictionary under the word "Overmatched"!

P.S. Thanks for the laugh.

Sounds like that would be great for the Sinuses.

[Bradysburns]

I heard if we just resign McLouth that the payroll will go to $172 million. And that's just resigning McClouth!

[Dark Helmet]

The O's win 93, and experts say we may be a team looking to move some guys like Hardy or Jim Johnson and even Nick Markakis was mentioned. The same experts, said the Red Sox arent that far away. So a 90+ win team should be dismantled, but a 90+ loss team, isnt that far away? I thought winning games, would get us some respect. Guess not.

[Can_of_corn]

The O's win 93, and experts say we may be a team looking to move some guys like Hardy or Jim Johnson and even Nick Markakis was mentioned. The same experts, said the Red Sox arent that far away. So a 90+ win team should be dismantled, but a 90+ loss team, isnt that far away? I thought winning games, would get us some respect. Guess not.

I don't think trading Hardy and/or Johnson would be dismantling.

Hardy's bat really isn't all that impressive and I don't think he should be blocking Machado. If the right deal presents itself then sure send him on his way.

As for JJ he had a great year but I am always in favor of selling high on relief pitchers before they get expensive.