Time to Switch into Seller Mode

[Roll Tide]

They didn't expect Betemit to get hurt.

Okay I agree .... But he was injured in spring training. Anyone who watched it knew is was serious. I didn't expect him back this year as I've had a ACL and know how long it takes to feel normal. The point is they tried to get by with Reimold and Bucks flawed flexibility approach at DH. Look at the difference a guy like Ortiz would have made to our lineup.

[Redskins Rick]

I agree that letting Reynolds walk was a good move. But they downgraded at DH because of the flexibility Buck was seeking.

I wasn't happy to see Mark leave, but it happens,

However, I thought the expectation was they were supposed to replace the RH bat in the lineup, and they wasn't able to, for whatever reason.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Look at the difference a guy like Ortiz would have made to our lineup.

Miguel Carbrera would have been nice to have, too, as long as we're dreaming.

[Roll Tide]

Miguel Carbrera would have been nice to have, too, as long as we're dreaming.

Honestly ... I get your point.... But we could've gotten somebody ...other teams figure out how to go get a player they need.

[NJOsFan]

as trade deadline approaches

The O's have some pieces that they should know that they don't want to bring back next year:

1. Jason Hammel (FA) will get more than he deserves

2. Brian Matusz, 2M + for a <= one inning situational lefty is too much

3. Jim Johnson, 8M+ for a shaky closer is too much

4. Feldman (FA)

I would also dangle Matt Wieters to see if there are any interesting offers

I'm okay with giving Matt another arb raise and letting Buck over use him for another year, but I think as he gets close to FA his trade value will plummet and I hope the O's don't plan on extending him.

I think you've had enough. It's time to go home.

[waroriole]

Honestly ... I get your point.... But we could've gotten somebody ...other teams figure out how to go get a player they need.

The MFY are in dire need of multiple bats. They have basically unlimited resources. Who have they went out and got that has been worth anything?

[Redskins Rick]

The MFY are in dire need of multiple bats. They have basically unlimited resources. Who have they went out and got that has been worth anything?

Nah, they solved that problem when they picked up Ishikawa!

[atomic]

as trade deadline approaches

The O's have some pieces that they should know that they don't want to bring back next year:

1. Jason Hammel (FA) will get more than he deserves

2. Brian Matusz, 2M + for a <= one inning situational lefty is too much

3. Jim Johnson, 8M+ for a shaky closer is too much

4. Feldman (FA)

I would also dangle Matt Wieters to see if there are any interesting offers

I'm okay with giving Matt another arb raise and letting Buck over use him for another year, but I think as he gets close to FA his trade value will plummet and I hope the O's don't plan on extending him.

Are you going to buy my season tickets? Ridiculous post.

[weams]

I hate the type of idiocy that winning has spawned at this place.

Was it better when we were losers

[PaulFolk]

Crap! I was just coming on here to make a parody post about how the O's are a terrible team who should wave the white flag on the season, and how they should sell off every veteran on the roster, up to and including Matt Wieters, and should focus on rebuilding for the future because their 2013 team clearly isn't going anywhere.

Oh, my post was going to be a comedy masterpiece, a pitch-perfect satire of the ultra-reactionary Chicken Littles who think the sky is falling when the O's have a bad week.

And then someone came on here and posted exactly the same thing I was going to, but apparently with 100% sincerity.

Plans, ruined.

[UMDTerrapins]

Was it better when we were losers

I'll take the winning, most definitely! But the composite board IQ has dropped since we became relevant again. Anyone gonna disagree?

[Mr Snuffleupagus]

Well the kind of head in the sand responses that I unfortunately had expected

Keep holding on to those hopes that this team is a playoff team, and lose the chance to make improvements to the 2014 team.

I don't reply to you often, because I think you're a troll, but anyone who thinks that a team 2 games out of the W/C race should just call it a season, WITH 71 GAMES LEFT!, shouldn't be talking about people with their head in the sand, because your head is in far worse places.

You keep holding on hope that this team is the sub .500 team you thought it was when the season started. By my count, we need to go about 41-30 (that's a .577 WP for the math crowd) from here on out to make the playoffs. If you don't think that's something that feasible, you haven't watched the past 250 games.

[Redskins Rick]

I'll take the winning, most definitely! But the composite board IQ has dropped since we became relevant again. Anyone gonna disagree?

You mean the IQ was higher then? That's debatable!

[ExileAngelos]

Good grief. Will I ever read a positive post from you?

:agree:

[UMDTerrapins]

I think this particular post is less about trolling and more about trying to tout yourself as more knowing than others. It's an obvious truth that it will be a real battle for us to return to the playoffs given the strength of the teams we will have to surpass. If we miss by even one game this guy will claim victory and recall threads like this to prove how smart he was. What he doesn't get is that nobody will care. And if you're a GM of a contending team that has a chance to make the playoffs but is nowhere near being a lock, you absolutely have to go for it unless the owner declares the mandate. This isn't a practical set of suggestions he is making given the standings. It's just trying to earn internet points for taking an unpopular stance that has a decent chance of occurring. If we make the playoffs nobody will remember this guy because we'll be giddy. If we miss the playoffs he'll pretend to be a savant. Among other things, it makes him a pretty crappy "fan".