Nick Swisher's Bat Fits Us Like a Glove (Update: Indians sign Swisher)

[24fps]

Well, too bad. This is reality, not a PS3 game. Whether or not the Orioles could spend more money is irrelevant, PA has a budget and DD has to work within it.

I think it's hugely relevant and I have a different take on what constitutes reality. Unexpectedly the Orioles' competitive window opened in 2012 and fan expectations have started to adjust accordingly. 'Bout damn time right? The farm system is a couple of years away from being a sustainable source of trade chips. 2013 is shaping up to be a year when the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays are all weaker than the norm based on the last 5 seasons or so. To capitalize on this, at this moment the most powerful tool at Duquette's disposal is PA's checkbook which strikes me has having an unhealthy amount of dust on it. So far this offseason I've been against the Hamilton/Greinke sized FA deals as inappropriate and they are. Not so much Swisher's deal, although without the vesting 5th year. Cleveland was willing to go the extra distance so good for them. I have to admit I'm tired of hearing about Baltimore's limited budget as well.

Maybe the FO can just come out and say "Folks, 2012 was a fluke, I hope you all enjoyed it but don't expect the same in 2013 because we're not going to risk cutting into the profit margin." I'm sure everyone will understand and if they don't, there's always the nuclear option. DD can invoke the most powerful weapon known any GM. "Folks, we're going to build the team the right way" - a phrase guaranteed to send any and all into a deep hypnotic state where losing becomes acceptable because its philosophical underpinnings are sound.

[ricowiz]

Swisher and Markakis are both very good players, who cares whose better. Bottom line is Swisher would have improved this club but for some reason we didn't feel it was necessary to pursue him.

[Austin]

I think it's hugely relevant and I have a different take on what constitutes reality.

The reality is that PA is not going to open the checkbook. He hasn't in years and every indication is that he won't any time soon. I agree that it's worth getting upset about, I mean who doesn't wish the O's would spend more? I think Angelos is a terrible owner. That said, there is very clearly a budget that DD seems to be working with and to pretend like it doesn't matter or doesn't exist doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

[wildcard]

I think it's hugely relevant and I have a different take on what constitutes reality. Unexpectedly the Orioles' competitive window opened in 2012 and fan expectations have started to adjust accordingly. 'Bout damn time right? The farm system is a couple of years away from being a sustainable source of trade chips. 2013 is shaping up to be a year when the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays are all weaker than the norm based on the last 5 seasons or so. To capitalize on this, at this moment the most powerful tool at Duquette's disposal is PA's checkbook which strikes me has having an unhealthy amount of dust on it. So far this offseason I've been against the Hamilton/Greinke sized FA deals as inappropriate and they are. Not so much Swisher's deal, although without the vesting 5th year. Cleveland was willing to go the extra distance so good for them. I have to admit I'm tired of hearing about Baltimore's limited budget as well.

Maybe the FO can just come out and say "Folks, 2012 was a fluke, I hope you all enjoyed it but don't expect the same in 2013 because we're not going to risk cutting into the profit margin." I'm sure everyone will understand and if they don't, there's always the nuclear option. DD can invoke the most powerful weapon known any GM. "Folks, we're going to build the team the right way" - a phrase guaranteed to send any and all into a deep hypnotic state where losing becomes acceptable because its philosophical underpinnings are sound.

The O's could end up in the upper half of the league in salary in 2013. I have said this many times but I will say it again.

87.3M to sign the current players + 7M for Saunders + 6.75M for Morse - 1M for players traded = 100.05M

[wildbillhiccup]

Swisher and Markakis are both very good players, who cares whose better. Bottom line is Swisher would have improved this club but for some reason we didn't feel it was necessary to pursue him.

Offensively speaking, Markakis is not a very good player. He's never developed the power (or speed) that most expected. Look at his numbers. He's basically on the same career track as David DeJesus (Markakis is 29 and DeJesus is 33). That makes him an average player, by MLB standards.

[luismatos4prez]

Look at his numbers. He's basically on the same career track as David DeJesus

An absurdly false statement.

David DeJesus thru age 28: .782 OPS 106 OPS+ .344 wOBA 106 wRC+

Nick Markakis thru age 28: .819 OPS 118 OPS+ .359 wOBA 125 wRC+

That isn't even close.

[Frobby]

Very fair price for Swisher. If the O's had the budget space I would have been willing to do this deal.

[24fps]

The O's could end up in the upper half of the league in salary in 2013. I have said this many times but I will say it again.

87.3M to sign the current players + 7M for Saunders + 6.75M for Morse - 1M for players traded = 100.05M

I wouldn't be surprised if $100 million was the true budget limit for 2013 and perhaps for a year or two beyond. There has to be some headroom left for DD to be able to take on salary in potential trades before ST. BRob, McLouth and Morse (under your scenario) come off the books in 2014 and you're back near $80 million pre arbitration increases and contracted raises. Adding Swisher at $14 million per and forgoing Saunders and Morse would have accomplished roughly the same end and standing pat on the pitching we currently have is a gamble, but would have been a reasonable one IMO especially if Saunders was going to be our big pitching acquisition.

Either scenario would have satisfied me that the Orioles are willing to throw a few resources behind a team and (increasingly) a fan base that did their part last year.

[scOtt]

Very fair price for Swisher. If the O's had the budget space I would have been willing to do this deal.

Is a fair price. Don't like the 5th year option. Surprising move for Cleveland. This doesn't make them contenders at all. Just better.

[waroriole]

Offensively speaking, Markakis is not a very good player. He's never developed the power (or speed) that most expected. Look at his numbers. He's basically on the same career track as David DeJesus (Markakis is 29 and DeJesus is 33). That makes him an average player, by MLB standards.

This is a foolish statement.

[jjdman]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/cleveland-indians-nick-swisher-agree-to-four-year-deal-122312

[mark_beckens]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/cleveland-indians-nick-swisher-agree-to-four-year-deal-122312

The reason you didn't see this posted in here. Was cause the thread about him was moved to the MLB section.

[jjdman]

The reason you didn't see this posted in here. Was cause the thread about him was moved to the MLB section.

My bad. Thanks for letting me know. Merry Christmas

[Tx Oriole]

My bad. Thanks for letting me know. Merry Christmas

Good for Swisher. Merry Christmas to you and family.

[24fps]

The reality is that PA is not going to open the checkbook. He hasn't in years and every indication is that he won't any time soon. I agree that it's worth getting upset about, I mean who doesn't wish the O's would spend more? I think Angelos is a terrible owner. That said, there is very clearly a budget that DD seems to be working with and to pretend like it doesn't matter or doesn't exist doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

From 2008-2010 the opening day budget ranged between $67.1 and $73.8 million. In 2011 the budget shot up to just under $87 million shrinking back slightly to $84.1 million in 2012. The lion's share of that 2011 increase went to special cases - 1-year contracts for DLee and Vlad, so to say he hasn't increased the budget is not true. The budget was $93 million as recently as 2007. The 2000 budget was only $1 million less than the 2012 budget.

The fact is that the budget over the last 12 years has expanded and contracted radically more than once. A reasonable interpretation is that PA is open to the argument that special cases warrant extra expense. I have no way of knowing if that is actually true or not, but we should also entertain the thought that Duquette (and AM before him) has more options than he's letting on and it's Duquette choosing not to spend, not PA forcing a rigid cap.

DD gets the benefit of the doubt from me, he earned it last season. If he feels now is not the time to spend a little more I'll hold of criticizing, but to me, 2013 sure looks like a good opportunity to capitalize on a core team really beginning to coalesce.