Would you bring BRob back next year if the price is right?

[JohnD]

There is no good reason, no good dollar figure and absolutely no good reason, for the Orioles to bring Roberts back. I'm sure he'll catch on somewhere else next year, but Flaherty/Schoop is, at a minimum, what should be done. Even that is better than whatever Roberts can bring now, much less again next year. It's adequate if you're willing to make upgrades elsewhere.

[Can_of_corn]

I prefer to think that Markakis is just regressing at a younger age than most than to think he wouldn't totally apply himself in the offseason until he had the incentive of a new contract or having his expensive option picked up.

Well we might find out by this time next year.

Feel free to bring it up if I am wrong.

[OFFNY]

I wouldn't necessarily be against at least giving Flaherty a chance to vie for the starting job next season.

However, when Flaherty was 0-for-life earlier this season, I believe that there were numerous posters that wanted him run out of town with a one-way ticket to anywhere but Baltimore Oriole Land (and if there WERE NOT numerous posters that had said anything like that, then I apologize in advance.)

So ........ if they had had there way back then, Flaherty would have been gone before his bat had ever gotten hot, and wound up complementing his exemplary defense. And I don't mean gone as in "take him out of the starting lineup" gone. I mean GONE, gone. So, for anyone who was screaming for Flaherty's exile when he was batting .161 in the middle of June, he really shouldn't even be a consideration in their argument/case now.

Or at the very least, they need to put a "I was wrong when I wanted Flaherty out of here a few months ago, but now that he has proven me wrong, I think that he should be, etc." at the beginning of their post proclaiming their favor of him.

If they wanted him GONE as in down to Norfolk, then I don't see why the same people couldn't want him in the next year's equation.

Even if they had kept him in the organization with a demotion to Norfolk, he therefore would not have gotten the chance to do what he did with the Orioles (when his bat got hot), so it's highly unlikely/doubtful that they would currently be championing him for the position now, even if he were to hit well at AAA-Norfolk.

And frankly, if they were screaming for his (Flaherty's) head back then, I seriously doubt whether or not they would have had a problem if he were sent to AAA-Norfoilk or flat-out released, one way or the other ........ It's not like they would have been saying, "Hey !!! They released Flaherty. Are they crazy ??? I didn't want him released, I only wanted him sent down to AAA-Norfolk."

[Can_of_corn]

Even if they had kept him in the organization with a demotion to Norfolk, he therefore would not have gotten the chance to do what he did with the Orioles (when his bat got hot), so it's highly unlikely/doubtful that they would currently be championing him for the position now, even if he were to hit well at AAA-Norfolk.

And frankly, if they were screaming for his (Flaherty's) head back then, I seriously doubt whether or not they would have a problem if he were sent to AAA-Norfoilk or flat-out released, one way or the other ........ It's not like they would have been saying, "Hey !!! They released Flaherty. Are they crazy ??? I didn't want him released, I only wanted him sent down to AAA-Norfolk."

Or, he could have gotten hot at Norfolk and with regular play put a real nice stretch together. That might have convinced some of them.

[OFFNY]

Or, he could have gotten hot at Norfolk and with regular play put a real nice stretch together. That might have convinced some of them.

Maybe. It's possible.

But again, how much protest do you think that they (the ones who wanted Flaherty gone, and were screaming at Showlater for continuing to play him) would have put up if he had been given his outright release?

We'll never know for sure because that isn't what happened, but my guess is that there would not have been much, if any.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Another thought is putting Manny at SS, JJ at second base and finding a third baseman. Valencia was a plus defender at 3B coming up through the minors. If you think he'll be ok there at this stage in his career, then you have to imagine he'll out OPS anything the Orioles would get from Flaherty or Roberts in 2014. Heck, maybe a Flaherty/Valancia platoon at 3B?

I've been thinking about this myself. Initially I was thinking no way way we move Machado off of third in the immediate future but we really need to think out of the box a little bit. Chase Headley should be a lot more reasonably priced these days and despite an off year, he gets on base and plays good defense at third. They may have some warts but Choo (FA)and Headley (trade) would really improve our OBP problem. Maybe there is more value in dealing Hardy than playing him at second base, though one of the things Hardy does give us is an effective hitter against LHP.

[OFFNY]

I think it's logical if someone felt Flaherty was so bad ( and he was at the plate) that they wanted him benched or sent down to AAA, and now think he's a factor in the 2B job next season. If someone thought Gausman should be sent down after looking bad as a starter, does that mean the same person can't see him as a possibility for next year's rotation?

Two TOTALLY DIFFERENT situations, and I think that you know it.

Gausman is a first-round draft pick, and ........

Do I really need to explain the difference to you ??? Are you honestly going to compare a demotion and/or possible release and/or giving up on of Kevin Gausman to that of Ryan Flaherty when he was hitting .161 in the middle of June?

[Can_of_corn]

Maybe. It's possible.

But again, how much protest do you think that they (the ones who wanted Flaherty gone, and were screaming at Showlater for continuing to play him) would have put up if he had been given his outright release?

We'll never know for sure because that isn't what happened, but my guess is that there would not have been much, if any.

I would have been tickled if it had happened in 2012. In 2013 it would have been wasteful.

[NJ BIRD FAN]

I've been thinking about this myself. Initially I was thinking no way way we move Machado off of third in the immediate future but we really need to think out of the box a little bit. Chase Headley should be a lot more reasonably priced these days and despite an off year, he gets on base and plays good defense at third. They may have some warts but Choo (FA)and Headley (trade) would really improve our OBP problem. Maybe there is more value in dealing Hardy than playing him at second base, though one of the things Hardy does give us is an effective hitter against LHP.

I think this is the move to make. I would extend Hardy a couple years as incentive to have him agree to the move. I really think if Manny does not move to SS next year, the ship would have sailed on the move back to SS. The Orioles would then have Premium bats at positions that are not know for great offensive production. If you cannot pry Headley away, you go with Valencia at third.

[Tony-OH]

To this point, you have a trained eye that most of us don't have. Is Nick gonna bounce back next year, or is he one of these players from your bolded statement above?

The Orioles are contractually obligated with Markakis next year, but if I could move him this off season I would. He does not produce like a corner outfielder any more and he's not a plus defender in right fielder any longer. He'll be back unless DD can move him this off season but I'd like to see the Orioles upgrade at both left field and right field.

[OFFNY]

Biggest Roberts fanboy alive (that's me) says no.

You may be the biggest Roberts fan BOY alive, but you are not the biggest Roberts fan alive.

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/member.php/70-cindyluvsbrady

[El Gordo]

It's been a disappointing decline for McLouth over the last month or two. Still a value at what we paid for him, and he had some nice hot stretches, but I agree with replacing both he and Markakis if possible.

It's very unlikely that they would be able to replace Markakis. So I think the best solution would be to get a good RH OBP OF to combine with Nick and Nate.

[Tony-OH]

I don't have Tony's eye but I have faith in the old contract year bump for Nick.

I think he has a very nice year.

I hope you are right, but remember when we worried that Markakis could have a very similar career path as Ben Grieve and Steve Kemp? Well, unfortunately, he looks a lot like those guys at this stage in his career, but he will play everyday next year while getting paid $15 million from the Orioles instead of being out of baseball or a platoon guy like Kemp was at this stage. I was fine with Marakis' lack of power, but that was when he was a .290/.340 guy.

Outside of last season (when he only played part of the year due to injures) Markakis has been trending down in the SLG department. I don't see a bounce back, but hopefully he can accept his lack of power and just go into a Wade Boggs type of role and just slap the ball around and get on base. He still has the ability to have some nice ABs but he wasn't consistently good in just about anything this year.

[Tony-OH]

I've been thinking about this myself. Initially I was thinking no way way we move Machado off of third in the immediate future but we really need to think out of the box a little bit. Chase Headley should be a lot more reasonably priced these days and despite an off year, he gets on base and plays good defense at third. They may have some warts but Choo (FA)and Headley (trade) would really improve our OBP problem. Maybe there is more value in dealing Hardy than playing him at second base, though one of the things Hardy does give us is an effective hitter against LHP.

Good points. Headley has always been a good fit for us and our ball park. A Headley/Machado, Hardy and Davis infield would be good defensively and outstanding offensively. The Orioles definitely need some OBP guys and guys that work counts. We have too many of the same kinds of guys and when they go cold, they go cold.

[atomic]

This is a tired topic. The management likes him... at the games I've been to, the fans still like him... he's had a solid "comeback" year... he hasn't stolen bases, but he's running the bases really well and is still fast... so I think he is going to get offered a reduced short-term deal.

Playing another year (or two) while Schoop proves IF he's a productive major leaguer or not (and we all hope that he's the real deal) is a good plan.

BRob is professional, scrappy, but the BIG thing for me is that one thing he has clearly demonstrated over the last couple of months is that he has BY FAR the best plate approach of anybody we have. That is a big deal. The whole team needs to take notes --- he's the ONE guy who is patient at the plate and works the pitcher.

Plus, I'll also give him this: he drives in critical runs better than anybody.

His great plate approach has led to an OBP of .307. He is a replacement level player who will only get worse and is extremely injury prone. We don't have to pay him anymore so why would we? I think Brian should retire. Three years of unproductive baseball in a row.. He is about to turn 36. I really don't know how Brian could help the team. Flaherty was a better player this year. He shouldn't have been tossed aside for Roberts. I think the biggest fault of Buck this year has been playing Brian practically every day.