Withholding Judgment

[Spy Fox]

January 10, 2012: Wei-Yin Chen signed as an amateur free agent with the Baltimore Orioles

January 24, 2012: Wilson Betemit signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles

February 6, 2012: Colorado Rockies traded Jason Hammel and Matt Lindstrom to the Baltimore Orioles for Jeremy Guthrie

February 10, 2012: Luis Ayala signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles

March 4, 2012: Miguel Gonzalez signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles

The offseason isn't over.

I understand there being some angst over the lack of movement this season, but it seems that many debaters on both sides (either defending the FO for not making rash decisions or criticizing the FO for being too passive) are speaking as if the final decision has been made and we're going forward into the new season with our current roster. Well even if you're upset about missed opportunities, the winter is barely half over. We have not run out of avenues to improve our team.

The players above, all acquired after the new year, contributed 11.1 rWAR to the 2012 Orioles.

[isestrex]

Level headed post of the week.

Rep to you sir

[scOtt]

Great post Spy Fox! I'd just like to ask everyone. At what point this past year did Dan Duquette ever stop making moves and looking around?

[kyleott]

Been in this boat the whole offseason. In my opinion, we owe it to Duquette after last year to allow him his allotted time in fielding a roster.

[24fps]

It's worth noting that last year at this time Duquette had been on the job for only seven weeks, he barely knew where the men's room was at that time. The team he took over was a 69-win perennial doormat. This year he's in charge of a 93-win post season contender currently shedding momentum with a vengeance. Yes there's still time for several transactions before spring training but this is a very different situation than last offseason. Different expectations are justified.

[byrdz]

You have to stop it with the logic and historic precedents.

[Orange_Crush]

Sorry but Betemit is garbage and his D was laughable. He also spent some time on the shelf. Hes terrible. nobody wants him long term.

Chen I guess worked.

Hammel somewhat worked but nothing in his track record said that would work.

Ayala has been in several places, he's nothing special. The pen was all good though mostly.

Gonzalez was low risk.

Some of these worked out in the short term but all of them going forward i'm not sold on and betemit/Ayala are who they are by now.

[scOtt]

Sorry but Betemit is garbage and his D was laughable. He also spent some time on the shelf. Hes terrible. nobody wants him long term.

Chen I guess worked.

Hammel somewhat worked but nothing in his track record said that would work.

Ayala has been in several places, he's nothing special. The pen was all good though mostly.

Gonzalez was low risk.

Some of these worked out in the short term but all of them going forward i'm not sold on and betemit/Ayala are who they are by now.

Betemit ain't seeing the field. He CAN hit some tho.

Really? You concede that Chen kinda sorta worked? I'm assuming you're also happier when the Orioles fail?

Gonzalez was low risk.

YOU are a piece of work orange crush! Low risk... Gonzalez was nothing, toiling in a nothing league, that Fred F. saw throw 9 pitches and signed him. And he GD delivered.

And all you have to say is "low risk"...

Have some more red reps you clueless poster.

[byrdz]

Sorry but Betemit is garbage and his D was laughable. He also spent some time on the shelf. Hes terrible. nobody wants him long term.

Chen I guess worked.

Hammel somewhat worked but nothing in his track record said that would work.

Ayala has been in several places, he's nothing special. The pen was all good though mostly.

Gonzalez was low risk.

Some of these worked out in the short term but all of them going forward i'm not sold on and betemit/Ayala are who they are by now.

So I guess we can assume that you're a glass half empty kinda guy.

[scOtt]

Oy ve, the type of poster this site attracts these days.

[Orange_Crush]

Betemit ain't seeing the field. He CAN hit some tho.

Really? You concede that Chen kinda sorta worked? I'm assuming you're also happier when the Orioles fail?

YOU are a piece of work orange crush! Low risk... Gonzalez was nothing, toiling in a nothing league, that Fred F. saw throw 9 pitches and signed him. And he GD delivered.

And all you have to say is "low risk"...

Have some more red reps you clueless poster.

Chen needs a putout pitch. He left some wins on the table. He had a rough patch there in the 2nd half. August was a terrible month for him. Chen can get ahead 0-2 but he doesn't put guys away. This year theres footage on him.

As for Gonzalez...I'm not giving him the "high reward" because if he stinks this year or isn't the same then it brings out the questions many had about a guy who saw 5 innings above AA ball before 2012's "magical" season.

[Frobby]

It's worth noting that last year at this time Duquette had been on the job for only seven weeks, he barely knew where the men's room was at that time. The team he took over was a 69-win perennial doormat. This year he's in charge of a 93-win post season contender currently shedding momentum with a vengeance. Yes there's still time for several transactions before spring training but this is a very different situation than last offseason. Different expectations are justified.

For me, the difference between last year and this year is that, having improved the team by 24 games in one season, Duquette now has earned some deference that he hadn't earned last year.

I'm sure Duquette will make some more moves, and I'm sure they won't appear to be earth-shattering, just like the ones in the OP didn't. We'll have to wait until the season is over to judge whether DD took a good approach this winter.

[Roll Tide]

For me, the difference between last year and this year is that, having improved the team by 24 games in one season, Duquette now has earned some deference that he hadn't earned last year.

I'm sure Duquette will make some more moves, and I'm sure they won't appear to be earth-shattering, just like the ones in the OP didn't. We'll have to wait until the season is over to judge whether DD took a good approach this winter.

How do you get a MOO bat without it being a major move. I personally will judge the off season by his ability to get done that he himself set out to do. If we end up using the much talked about platoon or add a mediocre/ project guy like Smoak then I think this winter was a failure.

[PA Bird Fan]

How do you get a MOO bat without it being a major move. I personally will judge the off season by his ability to get done that he himself set out to do. If we end up using the much talked about platoon or add a mediocre/ project guy like Smoak then I think this winter was a failure.

Last winter was deemed a failure by most. What matters are the results at the end of the season, which means we have to let things play out.

DD strikes me as someone who finds another way when something he wants doesn't work out. He is constantly looking for resources that he can access. Most of them have not been sexy finds but the sum of the parts worked last year. He'll keep bringing them in if things don't work out. Think of the guy who is great at sifting through spare parts and creating something cool. Call it dumpster diving if you like, but if it works I'm okay with it.

[OsLuvrInKy]

Great post Spy Fox! I'd just like to ask everyone. At what point this past year did Dan Duquette ever stop making moves and looking around?

Last time I looked the man was still making moves. I don't think he ever stops looking.