TT: The Orioles projected payroll is 4th in the AL East

[Tony-OH]

According to Baseball Reference.com, the Orioles projected payroll is $88.4 million for this upcoming season which puts them 4th in the AL East and 8th in the American League.

AL East projected payrolls in 2013:

NYY $208.6M

BOS $151.4M

TOR $114.8M

BAL $88.4M

TBR $55.0M

Dan Duquette said he wanted to add a MOO and some OBP into his lineup this offseason but he was unwilling to get involved with the top free agent hitters nor willing to give up the high impact young players it would have taken to get a true impact offensive player.

This begs several questions. Can Duquette afford to be frugal and unwilling to take on risk? Can the Orioles catch lightning in a bottle two years in a row? Will the starting pitching repeat their success of the second half? Can the bullpen repeat their near perfect run last year? Can the Orioles repeat their record setting one-run game magic? Can the Orioles basically stand pat and repeat as contenders while the other teams in the AL East made major moves to upgrade their roster? Is Duquette's hands tied by ownership that refuses to use their MASN money to significantly improve the payroll to AL East standards? How can Detroit and Toronto afford $150 and $114 million payrolls yet the Orioles still stand at a frugal $88 million?

The excuse for Angelos and the Orioles has always been we're not one or two players away so we're not going to spend until that happens. Well, the Orioles were contenders last year and they are basically a MOO or top of the rotation guy away from being a contender on paper again. Yet, it appears Duquette is happy with trying to find the next Nate McLouth and Miguel Gonzalez rather than bringing in the impact talent the Orioles truly needed.

Maybe he will be right. Maybe Bundy and Gausman will end up our number one and two starters for years to come and maybe Machado will become an impact player. Maybe Schoop will see his power develop and become another star for the Orioles. Perhaps Tillman will continue to develop and prove to everyone that he truly did turn the corner and can be a top of the rotation kind of guy. Maybe Arrieta and Britton will harness their stuff and Matusz will become a lights out left-handed reliever. Maybe Reimold will stay healthy and produce like he was at the beginning of last season all season.

All or some of this could happen and honestly, they are all real possibilities, but until the Orioles prove they are willing to acquire impact talent, they are going to be at the mercy of their drafting and development. And although things are looking brighter in that department, I'm not sure any team can fully expect to compete in the AL East year and year out while ignoring two significant streams of talent acquisition.

[Dipper9]

We have heard repeatedly from Louis Angelos, Duquette, Buck, and even Peter himself, that IF Duke wanted to add payroll, Angelos would sign off on it.

So my question is, do most people think Angelos is full of you know what and this is just lip service, or do we think that Duke truly is making the calls and thinks rebuilding the system without giving up talent or signing "premiere" talent is the way to guarantee contention on a repeating basis?

I may have my head in the sand, and I know in the past Angelos has nixed GM's ideas, but I truly think that Duke is making these calls, and I also think Buck would not have signed on for 5 seasons if he knows that ownership is interfering with baseball decision.

What say you?

[waroriole]

Tony, what moves do you think should have been made?

[srock]

Given the options available this off season, I'm giving the FO the benefit of the doubt. They could have made big name moves, but I'm really not convinced they were prudent moves.

What I would have liked to see (and we might yet see) is a brilliant trade. Again, not entirely within Duquette's control, but its could be a more cost effective means of upgrading then giving Zach Greinke 6 years/$147M.

[Dipper9]

Given the options available this off season, I'm giving the FO the benefit of the doubt. They could have made big name moves, but I'm really not convinced they were prudent moves.

What I would have liked to see (and we might yet see) is a brilliant trade. Again, not entirely within Duquette's control, but its could be a more cost effective means of upgrading then giving Zach Greinke 6 years/$147M.

Also of note...we are 30+ million more than Tampa, who everyone pretty much agrees has built their team the right way. Just saying.

[srock]

Also of note...we are 30+ million more than Tampa, who everyone pretty much agrees has built their team the right way. Just saying.

Indeed, but they have like 15 years of building the right way so they have a minor league system capable of sustaining such a pay role.

We have a 5 years (if that) minor league tradition.

[El Gordo]

We are a MOO bat and a TOR away from being a strong contender on paper. We could acquire those two things by inceasing the payroll by 50+M or trading Bundy, Machado, and Schoop plus. Can the O's afford to do either? Was there a realistic chance of aacquiring either for less? Would the MASN money let us have a 150M payroll? BTW does that 88. M include the projected arb. settelements of Hammel, O'Day, and JJ? If not then the number is closer to 100M.

[isestrex]

DD will up payroll when there's an opportunity. There wasn't any opportunity this offseason to do so WISELY.

I'd much rather we wait for "the best free agent class ever"

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/the-gms-office/post?id=5852

However, consider the 2014 class. The top five reads like an All-Star Game rotation: Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw, Felix Hernandez, James Shields and Brett Anderson, who has the potential to be a Cy Young candidate someday. That’s three of the best starters in baseball and two more who are pretty close, all eligible for free agency. (The A's hold a 2015 option for Anderson, so he might have to wait a year.)

[MDK02]

TBR spends no money and is consistently solid each year because of a great minor league system. I think thats what DD wants and that is okay by me if we in contention year in and year out.

[Stotle]

DD will up payroll when there's an opportunity. There wasn't any opportunity this offseason to do so WISELY.

I'd much rather we wait for "the best free agent class ever"

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/the-gms-office/post?id=5852

I can't see Verlander or Kershaw reaching free agency. Hernandez might, but my guess is he is traded and extended before that. So, wait two seasons for Shields and Anderson? Meh.

[Gurgi]

I think the way they have acted after the season is encapsulated in Bucks quote "dont drink the Orange koolaid on your own players".

I think they want to see what they have with the young pitching so they can decide better this years trade deadline or next offseason who they can let go.

And I dont think they want to give up prospects.

If we had had a protected first rounder this year I could see them having gotten a MOO.

[waroriole]

I can't see Verlander or Kershaw reaching free agency. Hernandez might, but my guess is he is traded and extended before that. So, wait two seasons for Shields and Anderson? Meh.

Even if they did, they're looking at a massive contract that the O's have shown no willingness to give out. Kershaw may get something like 8/200.

[DrungoHazewood]

The excuse for Angelos and the Orioles has always been we're not one or two players away so we're not going to spend until that happens. Well, the Orioles were contenders last year and they are basically a MOO or top of the rotation guy away from being a contender on paper again. Yet, it appears Duquette is happy with trying to find the next Nate McLouth and Miguel Gonzalez rather than bringing in the impact talent the Orioles truly needed.

I think this year proves that Angelos was not simply doing the smart and logical thing and waiting until a free agent signing would have maximum impact. He just won't spend money on higher-dollar free agents. No, the free agent class wasn't the best or full of lots of players that immediately filled holes. But it seemed that the O's were never particularly interested in anyone at the going rates.

We have to assume that the Orioles are not interested in spending a lot on free agents no matter the on-field situation.

[DrungoHazewood]

If Arrieta, Britton, and Matusz all have relative success this year, the O's will have a haul of tradeable guys.

We've been saying that, or something similar, for a very long time. I'll be pleased if one of those three comes out of 2013 as an established, quality MLB pitcher.

[Justinlstn]

I don't like the idea of waiting for X year because of who will be a FA. Seems that's been an argument for us for the past few years an we come away empty handed because we aren't will to match or exceed offers from teams who are willing to go the extra mile to get players signed. I understand that you dont want to give older players long contracts because they won't be worth it by the end of the contract. But thats what they player wants when they sign with a team and they have the leverage. Can fight the system as long as you want but teams like Dodgers, Angels Yankees etc embrace the system and come away with the talent