SI.com grades the O's offseason.

[OFFNY]

.

I believe that the loss of Reynolds at 1st base (particularly his defense) knocks our grade down from about a B- or a C+ to a C.

If we were coming off one of of our usual 64-70 win seasons, that would be pretty alarming. Coming off of a 93-win season, I think that we should still win at least 83 or more games at worst. As almost always is the case, there are a lot of unanswered questions, so, as almost always, it will be a "wait and see" season.

.

[Can_of_corn]

So you really thnk it should be better than a D. Without the gaggle of retreads/ AAAA/ and independent league players the Orioles did nothing. I mean gosh .... I take a beating here when discussing the off season for being negative.

Realisitically the off season grade is accurate. I guess a fire sale would've got a E or F. Last season the Orioles had a lot go right and this season we will all be hoping that some guy who hasnt done much in MLB finds his A game. Just sayin

I think 6+ seasons of Schoop is going to be a pretty valuable commodity when everything is said and done. Right now there is a talent shortage at the MLB level at second and third, and Schoop can play either.

[Il BuonO]

I think 6+ seasons of Schoop is going to be a pretty valuable commodity when everything is said and done. Right now there is a talent shortage at the MLB level at second and third, and Schoop can play either.

Yep, and the current rankings of prospects undervalue him in comparison to the available market. I'd like to see him this year at about the same time line MM was moved up. He will be a valuable commodity considering the dearth at the spots you mentioned.

[wildbillhiccup]

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

I was thinking it would lower us to a D-

[ricowiz]

I think 6+ seasons of Schoop is going to be a pretty valuable commodity when everything is said and done. Right now there is a talent shortage at the MLB level at second and third, and Schoop can play either.

If he gives us .750+ OPS production at the ML level, I completely agree. I just think he will be an average offensive 2b or 3b, like any run of the mill player, hence the reason I would include him in a trade while his value is at a peak. I really hope I am wrong and am obviously rooting for him, but he didnt tear it up at Frederick, and didnt tear up in Bowie. I realize he is still young, but he certainly should have had more success at Frederick right?

[notyourbuddy]

But we've added Arthur Rhodes! Alexi Casilla!! Travis Ishikawa!!! Jair Jurrjens!!!! Yamaico Navarro!!!!! Trayvon Robinson!!!!!! And the great Danny Valencia!!!!!!!!

Yes, clearly those people at SI are smoking something to have given such an impressive offseason a poor "D" grade.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

But we've added Arthur Rhodes! Alexi Casilla!! Travis Ishikawa!!! Jair Jurrjens!!!! Yamaico Navarro!!!!! Trayvon Robinson!!!!!! And the great Danny Valencia!!!!!!!!

Yes, clearly those people at SI are smoking something to have given such an impressive offseason a poor "D" grade.

Yeah, but we didn't have many gaping holes to fill, and we didn't do anything stupid and short-sighted to fill them- i.e. give Josh Hamilton 5 years and $125 million, trade Bundy and Schoop for Butler or Upton, give up big money and a first round draft pick for a good but unspectacular player well into their 30s such as Lohse or Laroche, etc.

Based on that alone, it's a solid C, IMO. Add in Buck and DD's extensions, and you're talking a C+ or a B-.

Could it have been better? Yeah, definitely. Could it have been worse though? Much.

[Wish]

Exactly. Which is why I was never in favor of trading any of Matusz, Arrieta, etc for Billy friggin Butler. The Orioles got some breaks in close games, but to claim that we had a "perfect storm" of events is just crazy.

I don't get what Frobby said has anything to do with trading or not trading for Billy Butler. I agree that it wasn't all luck, this is a good team, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved. If all it took was Matusz, Arrieta, and'etc...' to get Butler, you do it. Not that it was on the table or anything because that's an awful deal for KC.

[OFFNY]

But we've added Arthur Rhodes! Alexi Casilla!! Travis Ishikawa!!! Jair Jurrjens!!!! Yamaico Navarro!!!!! Trayvon Robinson!!!!!! And the great Danny Valencia!!!!!!!!

Yes, clearly those people at SI are smoking something to have given such an impressive offseason a poor "D" grade.

Yeah, but we didn't have many gaping holes to fill, and we didn't do anything stupid and short-sighted to fill them- i.e. give Josh Hamilton 5 years and $125 million, trade Bundy and Schoop for Butler or Upton, give up big money and a first round draft pick for a good but unspectacular player well into their 30s such as Lohse or Laroche, etc.

Based on that alone, it's a solid C, IMO. Add in Buck and DD's extensions, and you're talking a C+ or a B-.

Could it have been better? Yeah, definitely. Could it have been worse though? Much.

Sometimes, the best passes that a quarterback makes are the ones that he doesn't throw.

And, sometimes the best deals/trades that you make are the ones that you don't.

[DrungoHazewood]

So... since the consensus seems to be that this grade is completely insane, where's the yearly "grade the offseason" poll? At the very least we can have a "grade the offseason through 1 Feb" poll.

[Can_of_corn]

So... since the consensus seems to be that this grade is completely insane, where's the yearly "grade the offseason" poll? At the very least we can have a "grade the offseason through 1 Feb" poll.

Start it. You have the power to poll.

[stomperspc]

Really? Ridiculous? Do I need to cite Guerrero's career numbers to you guys? Come on. This article takes aim, rightly so, at our inactivity during the off season and go on to make a very REASONABLE suggestion for a DH platoon and it gets waived off as ridiculous? I mean are you forgetting Vlad had a WHOLE YEAR to take take off and possibly could "recapture his former glory."? That year off with intermittent stints for the Jays should pay dividends in my mind. A Vlad signing is well advised.

Vlad had a .733 OPS in his last Major League season in 2011. His OPS against LHP that year was .709. He can no longer play the field at all and didn't play in the Majors at all last season. He will be 38 this season. That does not sound like a player that would "pay dividends". Anything is possible, but the odds are heavily against Vlad bringing any significant value to the Orioles even as a right-handed part of a DH. I called it ridiculous because we have several right-handed DH options in house and to put faith in Vlad bouncing back at age 38 after missing basically the entire 2012 season is a big leap. To me, that suggestion reeked of the writer saying that the Orioles should sign a name player for the sake of a signing a name player. In all likelihood, the Orioles can get better production (plus the ability to at least play in the field) from one of Valencia, Jackson, Pearce or even Reimold (depending on how left field playing times shakes out) without signing Vlad.

[LookitsPuck]

I'd give us a C. That's being generous.

[Il BuonO]

Vlad had a .733 OPS in his last Major League season in 2011. His OPS against LHP that year was .709. He can no longer play the field at all and didn't play in the Majors at all last season. He will be 38 this season. That does not sound like a player that would "pay dividends". Anything is possible, but the odds are heavily against Vlad bringing any significant value to the Orioles even as a right-handed part of a DH. I called it ridiculous because we have several right-handed DH options in house and to put faith in Vlad bouncing back at age 38 after missing basically the entire 2012 season is a big leap. To me, that suggestion reeked of the writer saying that the Orioles should sign a name player for the sake of a signing a name player. In all likelihood, the Orioles can get better production (plus the ability to at least play in the field) from one of Valencia, Jackson, Pearce or even Reimold (depending on how left field playing times shakes out) without signing Vlad.

Really? As Malike once said to me when I was apparently too tightly wound, "Sarcasm meter is in need of calibration." I wasn't serious. If the O's sign Guerrero someone should be shot. (That's not serious either)

Later in the post which you apparently didn't read I said, "Back to reality."

[El Gordo]

The mere suggestion of signing Vlad invalidate the whole article. I'd give us a stealth C+ because I think one of Valencia, Robinson, or Jurrjens could be a big surprise, just like Nate and Gonzo were last year.