SI.com grades the O's offseason.

[ChaosLex]

There's a lot to the article. I just quoting the "results" section here.

Preliminary grade: D. It took a perfect storm for the Orioles to make the playoffs last year, but even with the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays having relatively unimpressive winters, it doesn?t appear as though Baltimore has done enough to do much more than hope that a similar storm hits again.

http://mlb.si.com/2013/01/31/winter-report-card-baltimore-orioles/

To be fair, this is only their preliminary grade. They'll take into account any add'l moves we make between now and Spring Training, and update the grade if need be.

[waroriole]

I care about a national writer's grades almost as much as I care about ESPN's opinion on anything.

[Can_of_corn]

Guerrero?

Guerrero?

:rofl:

[TonySoprano]

To be fair, this is only their preliminary grade. They'll take into account any add'l moves we make between now and Spring Training, and update the grade if need be.

Yeah, I'm sure they're on DEFCON 1, awaiting the imminent threat of a move involving the major league roster.

Pitchers and catchers report in 11 days, full squad in 14 days. The first game is on 2/23.

[waroriole]

Yeah, I'm sure they're on DEFCON 1, awaiting the imminent threat of a move involving the major league roster.

Pitchers and catchers report in 11 days, full squad in 14 days. The first game is on 2/23.

It's this month!!!!!

22 more days until baseball returns.

[howboutthoseos]

This is completely meaningless. I'm happy for the Blue Jays that they won the offseason.

For the record, this was their final take on the O's after last offseason:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/tom_verducci/03/30/american.league.dominance/index.html

[stomperspc]

Guerrero?

Guerrero?

:rofl:

Yea, that is a pretty ridiculous suggestion.

There is a world of difference between signing 35 year old Lew Ford or a 30 year old Nate McLouth to minor league deals during the season just in case and signing Vlad Guerrero before the season begins to serve as the team's primary DH. Yet the writer suggests Vlad because of "Duquette’s penchant for digging up long-lost players."

Get used to these articles. There are going to be a TON of them between now and April.

[El Gordo]

I am becoming increasingly optomistic the more I see the sports writing cognoscente lining up once again to dis the O's. It's just so easy. It worked wonders last year and I've got a good feeling it will again this year.

[howboutthoseos]

Plus, this article doesn't take into account the potential Fernando Tatis signing. That at least should bump us to a C-.

[hallmt18]

As a Redskins fan, I will say that "winning the offseason" is overrated.

[ricowiz]

Meh, what are national writers supposed to say, that we had a great offseason?? Its a Winter Report card, not a prediction. For the WINTER, we didnt do much at all.

[Can_of_corn]

Meh, what are national writers supposed to say, that we had a great offseason?? Its a Winter Report card, not a prediction. For the WINTER, we didnt do much at all.

But D-? Whom do they suggest the O's should have signed? Other then Vlad I mean? Should they have traded Bundy+ for Upton? They don't even mention Schoop as a possible answer to the second base problem, even after DD called Machado up to fix third base last season.

[ricowiz]

Thats because Schoop struggled mightily at AA last year and I doubt we are counting on him this year. Why would they include him? Machado was always at least talked about being a possible Sept call up option

They could have signed Swisher, or re-signed Saunders...both would have helped this team (although we still could add Saunders). Again, they added noone other then very minor pieces. I can see why the national media would give our WINTER offseason a failing grade.

[Slappy]

We had a lot of things go right last year but I'd hardly call it a perfect storm. We used 52 players!

[wildcard]

Meh, what are national writers supposed to say, that we had a great offseason?? Its a Winter Report card, not a prediction. For the WINTER, we didnt do much at all.

Do you really think their prediction for the season will be any better?