Duquette, "Our best players are going to come up through the farm system."

[Brendan25]

Problem is they haven't stood pat. They lost Reynolds to save 6 million, and thus far have lost Saunders also. In comparison Toronto, Boston and Tampa have made significant additions.

The O's had zero intention of bringing back Reynolds, regardless of his price.

[Tx Oriole]

Makes you sick to your stomach. Sure, miracles can happen and we could stay afloat this year. However, when a team makes the playoffs on the starting staff we had, it is a one-time occurrence. We had a chance to improve the team (we had to improve the team) and we have failed.

Frustrating. Nobody is saying handicap the franchise, but Angelos money coming out of his eyeballs, it is disgusting.

O

The only positive thing is Buck being resigned, which is probably the best signing you can make. No clue why he wants to re-up or why he came here in the first place, but god bless the man.

This all is an overreaction. DD is a smart baseball man. There

Weren't very attractive FA anyway. Over priced and too many

years to sign them. I still believe trades will be made. I know

what he said. I just don't see DD being so stupid that he would

not know there has be outside help for the team. As for PA it is

his money to spend the way he wishes. I don't get all lathered

up in anger if he doesn't spend on the team. I wish he would

spend more but I just can't let things like that bother me.

[Tony-OH]

I understand the point you are trying to make, but it just isn't accurate to compare our management's approach to Tampa's. Our estimated payroll for 2013 is about $30 mm higher than Tampa's. Tampa has one player on the entire team on a multi-year contract, and they routinely have let star players walk. And, of course, their approach has been working for the last five years, and the prognosis for the next five looks pretty good, too. So, if anything, maybe we should be a little more like Tampa than we are, when it comes to developing our own players.

True, the big difference between the Orioles and Rays is that the Orioles do sign their own players unlike the Rays who have to trade them or let them work. Of course, the other big difference is that Tampa routinely brings up impact players from their farm system. I'm not against building from within, but I do think the Orioles can add payroll. Although Josh Hamilton was a risk, he also would have made us a contender this year. I'm just not sure how doing it on the cheap is going to make it every year. At some point the Orioles have to step up and bring in an impact guy into their lineup or rotation. I just don't see ownership allowing that to happen. Afterall, actions speak louder than words.

[NewMarketSean]

While I don't like the mantra of not making ANY key free agent signings, I do believe the landscape of the MLB has changed. Even the Yankees are looking to cut payroll and teams like the Dodgers and Angels, who've been shelling out big dollar contracts, have nothing to show for it...yet.

I think this was a quote to show the fans why the O's have been so dormant this season. We're not going to shell out for a Josh Hamilton or make blockbuster trades like the Blue Jays. Most fans know that already.

But it wouldn't hurt to say "right player, right price" or something along those lines. The Orioles don't have the MiL system in place to constantly replenish their roster. We are not to where the Rays are. However, we also aren't in the financial position that the Rays are in. We can sign our own players, and we could afford to spend on the right kind of FA.

Yet that hasn't happened since 2004 with Miguel Tejada.

[TonySoprano]

I understand the point you are trying to make, but it just isn't accurate to compare our management's approach to Tampa's. Our estimated payroll for 2013 is about $30 mm higher than Tampa's. Tampa has one player on the entire team on a multi-year contract, and they routinely have let star players walk. And, of course, their approach has been working for the last five years, and the prognosis for the next five looks pretty good, too. So, if anything, maybe we should be a little more like Tampa than we are, when it comes to developing our own players.

Except that past 2014, they have Longoria and Moore and we have Jones and ????

[Brendan25]

True, the big difference between the Orioles and Rays is that the Orioles do sign their own players unlike the Rays who have to trade them or let them work. Of course, the other big difference is that Tampa routinely brings up impact players from their farm system. I'm not against building from within, but I do think the Orioles can add payroll. Although Josh Hamilton was a risk, he also would have made us a contender this year. I'm just not sure how doing it on the cheap is going to make it every year. At some point the Orioles have to step up and bring in an impact guy into their lineup or rotation. I just don't see ownership allowing that to happen. Afterall, actions speak louder than words.

If Bundy and Gausman are what the O's think they are, and we still have Tillman, Chen, Gonzalez, Matusz, Arrieta, Britton, and some of the young guys (Hader, Rodriguez) hopefully progessing, is there really a need to go out and spend a ton on a starter?

[Can_of_corn]

True, the big difference between the Orioles and Rays is that the Orioles do sign their own players unlike the Rays who have to trade them or let them work. Of course, the other big difference is that Tampa routinely brings up impact players from their farm system. I'm not against building from within, but I do think the Orioles can add payroll. Although Josh Hamilton was a risk, he also would have made us a contender this year. I'm just not sure how doing it on the cheap is going to make it every year. At some point the Orioles have to step up and bring in an impact guy into their lineup or rotation. I just don't see ownership allowing that to happen. Afterall, actions speak louder than words.

I can't agree with that Tony. The Rays do sign their guys long term, when feasible. The have singed Longoria to a pair of contracts and they signed Wade Davis and Moore to long term deals. They were smart enough to let Crawford walk and trade Kazmir.

The O's signed Roberts, which backfired, Markakis who ended up producing at around market value and Jones which is too early to tell.

[Brendan25]

Except that past 2014, they have Longoria and Moore and we have Jones and ????

Bundy, Gausman, Machado, Markakis, Chen, Wieters, Davis, Reimold, Matusz, Arrieta, Strop, Tillman, Britton, Gonzalez, Flaherty, Johnson. I know not all of those guys have "contracts" but our team is young. Give it a year or two and see how many of these guys have longer term contracts.

[Brendan25]

I can't agree with that Tony. The Rays do sign their guys long term, when feasible. The have singed Longoria to a pair of contracts and they signed Wade Davis and Moore to long term deals. They were smart enough to let Crawford walk and trade Kazmir.

The O's signed Roberts, which backfired, Markakis who ended up producing at around market value and Jones which is too early to tell.

Who else have they had to sign to long term deals that they haven't? They haven't had too many opportunities.

[Can_of_corn]

Bundy, Gausman, Machado, Markakis, Chen, Wieters, Davis, Reimold, Matusz, Arrieta, Strop, Tillman, Britton, Gonzalez, Flaherty, Johnson. I know not all of those guys have "contracts" but our team is young. Give it a year or two and see how many of these guys have longer term contracts.

Markakis signed an extension?

[Brendan25]

Markakis signed an extension?

Has a team option for 2015. Probably won't be picked up but it's available.

[Can_of_corn]

Who else have they had to sign to long term deals that they haven't? They haven't had too many opportunities.

The Rays signed Longo after a couple weeks in the majors. They signed Davis after two seasons and signed Moore early as well.

[Can_of_corn]

Has a team option for 2015. Probably won't be picked up but it's available.

Ahh, Cots doesn't show it.

[Frobby]

Except that past 2014, they have Longoria and Moore and we have Jones and ????

I forgot about the deal they did with Moore, who would be under team control in any event for five more years but now has options that could extend him two extra years. One thing Tampa has done several times, and we've never tried, is locking up players well before they are truly established. I'd love to see the O's do that with Machado.

[Tony-OH]

If Bundy and Gausman are what the O's think they are, and we still have Tillman, Chen, Gonzalez, Matusz, Arrieta, Britton, and some of the young guys (Hader, Rodriguez) hopefully progessing, is there really a need to go out and spend a ton on a starter?

I didn't necessarily mean this off season, and I honestly rather go after a big time bat than a starter any day. The Orioles have some starting pitching depth, no doubt, and Bundy and Gausman have the potential to be top of the rotation guys, but we don't have that when it comes to impact bats. Buck will probably look at batting Jones or Davis at number four and neither are cleanup hitters. To me that's a big problem. If we are not going to be involved in guys like Hamilton, then the Orioles need to be aggressive in dealing for potential MOO bats by using some of that starting pitching depth.