Per ESPN: Orioles need to make a bold statement this offseason...

[SerenityNow]

Would be nice if that core included a starting pitcher.

Apparently you aren't familiar with Steve Johnson.

[Can_of_corn]

Apparently you aren't familiar with Steve Johnson.

He is on my H8 list.

[Bradysburns]

It is not depressing at all to me. I look at what the Blue Jays did last offseason.

spending like they did didnt help them. I will not condemn DD before I see what

he will do. If you aren't going to get top talent for Matt why trade him then? I

don't know what TOR's are available. I will be patient. Sorry to tell you but I was

pretty with the season the O's had. Yes I would have liked them to be in the

playoffs. But it is a building process. Kevin G. will be be back and maybe Bundy

will be back maybe late season. Schoop may be able to start at 2nd. I have a lot

of hope for next season. I will trust DD to add where needed.

I agree with most of your post, and kind of resigned myself to being okay with our offseason (but I think I really had to talk myself into it). BUT... I think the Toronto example is a straw man. The much better example of a balanced, smart approach - that still involved significant spending and upgrades at strategic positions - is Boston. I would say their acquisitions worked out pretty well. So, my caveat would be: spend like Boston, not some crazy "hey, let's get a whole new team of guys and throw them together and see what happens" plan, like Toronto tried.

[joedogg9999]

I was ok with last offseason because we were coming off a 93 win season and a good run in the playoffs. However, this offseason there are glaring holes that need to be addressed if they want to get back into the hunt

[DrungoHazewood]

I was ok with last offseason because we were coming off a 93 win season and a good run in the playoffs. However, this offseason there are glaring holes that need to be addressed if they want to get back into the hunt

The same (or similar) holes were there last year, only they were masked by a bullpen with a once-in-a-lifetime +13 WPA.

[Dr. FLK]

I hope you're not saying Wieters' MLB-average hitting performance in 2600 PAs is the equivalent of Steve Clevenger's handful of MLB at bats OPSing in the low .500s at the same age. Wieters hit as well at 23 in a pitcher's paradise in the IL as Clevenger did at 25-27 in the same leagues/parks that made Scott Moore and Felix Pie look awesome.

I'm not saying he'll have the same success...and I use the term success loosely. But, if you can trade a no-hit catcher for some useful pieces and replace him with a worse hitting catcher, I don't see it as a huge deal.

[Roll Tide]

Nothing too see here! Peter Angelos doesn't care what ESPN or anyone else has to say. He won't be told how much money to spend.

And he will continue to protect his small market club image to protect his sweetheart sale deal he made with MLB.

We will go after middling free agent replacements to replace the mediocrity of the bullpen and bench. We will get what he pays far and will see similar results.

The Orioles will build the farm as that is our only hope for success as long as Sneaky Pete is still the owner.

Just my 2 Cents

[DrungoHazewood]

I'm not saying he'll have the same success...and I use the term success loosely. But, if you can trade a no-hit catcher for some useful pieces and replace him with a worse hitting catcher, I don't see it as a huge deal.

I think characterizing Wieters as a no-hit catcher is exaggeration to the point of hyperbole. Wieters' OPS+ is above-average over his career (among catchers) and average among all MLB players. If you're going to say he's a no-hit catcher then that label also applies/ed to guys like Varitek, Saltalamacchia, Pierzynski, Shoppach, Ramon Hernandez... The median OPS+ among catchers with 750+ PAs since 2008 is 88, and Wieters is significantly above that. By your criteria about 75% of regular catchers are "no-hit" guys, and more than half of all MLB players fit that definition, too.

[DrungoHazewood]

The Orioles will build the farm as that is our only hope for success as long as Sneaky Pete is still the owner.

At least Duquette seems to be fairly adept at acquiring buy-low and depth signings to augment the farm within the Angelos budget.