Orioles Extend Showalter & Duquette through 2018

[Singleton]

You've already forgotten what it's like to have a slow to react GM at the helm.

Had McPhail stayed on another year, we'd be looking at something like

Guthrie

Arrieta

Hunter

Matusz

Tillman

as the OD rotation. Guthrie would have been good. Maybe a deadline deal for a surprisingly good prospect haul. Arrieta, Hunter, Matusz, and Tillman would have stunk and they wouldn't have gotten replaced until they got injured. Tillman would never have fixed his mechanics with Rick Peterson.

Of the guys who started for us in the playoffs, not a single one would have ever been an Oriole. Including Tillman with the cleaner mechanics.

Once Reimold got hurt, you're looking at Xavier Avery all year. Markakis is hurt? LJ Hoes time. Reynolds stays at 3B all year. Davis at 1B. Who does he sign for DH? Luke Scott maybe.

I'm not getting sucked in to the AM vs DD debate which has been done too many times. The idea that AM -- or any GM would have made zero moves is too silly to discuss. That fact that DD may be a better GM than AM has nothing to do with whether DD should get a 6 year contract.

I hope we're in the playoffs every year and add a couple of titles. But if we take a step back next year -- which is a real possibility, I'm just not sure we'll want to be locked in for another half decade.

[luismatos4prez]

I'm not getting sucked in to the AM vs DD debate which has been done too many times. The idea that AM -- or any GM would have made zero moves is too silly to discuss. That fact that DD may be a better GM than AM has nothing to do with whether DD should get a 6 year contract.

I hope we're in the playoffs every year and add a couple of titles. But if we take a step back next year -- which is a real possibility, I'm just not sure we'll want to be locked in for another half decade.

I was highlighting a strength of Duquette's. Instead of shrugging while guys fail and hoping they turn it around, he goes out and fixes the problem. The tinkering. You clearly missed the significance of all the little moves he was making during the year, so I don't know what to tell you. It's the concept of organizational depth.

Little things like organizational depth, proactive player development and international scouting, accountability for players' performance (and hopefully coaches/scouts), and a basic concept of the FA market are where Duquette excels though. It's something we've been missing.

[Singleton]

I was highlighting a strength of Duquette's. Instead of shrugging while guys fail and hoping they turn it around, he goes out and fixes the problem. The tinkering. You clearly missed the significance of all the little moves he was making during the year, so I don't know what to tell you. It's the concept of organizational depth.

Little things like organizational depth, proactive player development and international scouting, accountability for players' performance (and hopefully coaches/scouts), and a basic concept of the FA market are where Duquette excels though. It's something we've been missing.

I should probably just leave this alone but I just cant. There's words thrown around but we have no data to know if it is accurate: "accountability for players' performance" a "basic concept of the FA market." I'm not sure why you think DD has mastered this above all others.

Every GM tinkers. Every GM signs minor league free agents. Every team promotes players when someone from the MLB roster gets hurt. Random players are promoted daily -- get their 14 abs (Bill Hall) or even their 100 (Nick Johnson) -- don't do that much with it and get sent away the following year. If you rewarded a GM every time he signs Steve Pearce -- you'd have given out 18 years of contracts in total to the 3 GMs who signed him last year.

Again, some good moves were made that made a difference. DD should be commended for it. If more moves were made this offseason that lead to more success in 2013, I'd offer an extension. I see zero incentive to give it to him now. He's under contract and not going anywhere and there's risk on the other side any time any contract of 6 years is given.

[luismatos4prez]

Again, some good moves were made that made a difference. DD should be commended for it. If more moves were made this offseason that lead to more success in 2013, I'd offer an extension. I see zero incentive to give it to him now. He's under contract and not going anywhere and there's risk on the other side any time any contract of 6 years is given.

But you commended him at the time of the Guthrie trade, Chen signing, McLouth signing, Saunders trade, Gonzalez signing, and Ayala signing because you knew those would have the extremely positive impact they ended up having too, right?

[Brendan25]

Thank goodness he signed Bill Hall. The 14 at bats he had for the club (in which he got 2 hits) really made all the difference.

Ask Adam Jones and LJ Hoes if they respect and loved having Bill Hall.

[Frobby]

As to your second point, our minor league "system" is really dominated by 3 players. I imagine if you stacked our system for the 4th best prospect on we'd have one of the weakest systems in the majors. Obviously, our top 3 count but the idea that our "system" is going to save us seems hopeful.

I suspect that having a really strong top 3 is at least as important as what depth there is underneath it, IF that top 3 actually pans out. I agree that overall our system isn't very strong, but if Bundy and Gausman were true TOR starters and Schoop was a quality starting 2B or 3B we'd be in pretty good shape while the rest of the system was built up.