Same old Os offseason... sigh

[Tx Oriole]

Not pissed. Just... I dunno... tired of the same old, same old.

The same people complain that we're complaining. They always say that the offseason isn't over.

When it's over, we're still not a playoff-caliber team.

MSK

I can understand. Maybe the O's can build from within. They have Gausman and

Bundy should be back late 2014 or 2015. It can be frustrating and I do apologize

for being rude to you.

[Chavez Ravine]

Much like Christmas marketing, these threads on the OH seem to come earlier and earlier each year.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Much like Christmas marketing, these threads on the OH seem to come earlier and earlier each year.

I guess I can kiss the Choo Choo Train goodbye.

[Tx Oriole]

The worth of anything is what people are willing to pay for it. A 16oz beer is not worth $7.50 but they charge that because people are willing to pay it.

I am just glad the O's weren't foolish enough to spend for Peralta.

[waroriole]

I am just glad the O's weren't foolish enough to spend for Peralta.

The O's will always err on the side of not spending.

[MurphDogg]

When it's over, we're still not a playoff-caliber team.

Were the Orioles a playoff caliber team the year they made the playoffs?

[badmamajama]

Ah yes. The classic overreaction thread. We all know that spending doesn't mean winning (Angels). And we all know that trading away prospects for some other teams stars doesn't mean winning (Jays). We know this but still we complain. We have this "spend just to show that they will" mentality. And that's the worst mentality we could have as fans but still, here we are. Why these threads exist and why people beat themselves up and each other up every year about this time over the same thing is beyond me.

[centralpaosfan]

Were the Orioles a playoff caliber team the year they made the playoffs?

As a previous poster said, this team is not a playoff team and sitting around hoping to catch lightning in a bottle is silly. Going 29-9 in 1 run games (3rd best in MLB history) is something I would classify as catching lightning in a bottle.

[MurphDogg]

As a previous poster said, this team is not a playoff team and sitting around hoping to catch lightning in a bottle is silly. Going 29-9 in 1 run games (3rd best in MLB history) is something I would classify as catching lightning in a bottle.

Last March were the 2013 Red Sox a playoff team?

[centralpaosfan]

Ah yes. The classic overreaction thread. We all know that spending doesn't mean winning (Angels). And we all know that trading away prospects for some other teams stars doesn't mean winning (Jays). We know this but still we complain. We have this "spend just to show that they will" mentality. And that's the worst mentality we could have as fans but still, here we are. Why these threads exist and why people beat themselves up and each other up every year about this time over the same thing is beyond me.

Why use only the extremes to prove your point? I don't think, even the people who are advocating spending want the O's to spend like drunken sailors (Angels) or scoop up a handful of stars (Jays). I believe we're all aware that the O's have limitations when it comes to spending. Some think the organization is tapped out at 100 million while others tend to disagree. I don't think anyone is expecting a 180-200 million payroll. We just want better talent and not keep signing the same people who won't take you to the next level.

[centralpaosfan]

Last March were the 2013 Red Sox a playoff team?

No and neither were the other 29 teams. I'm not sure what you're getting at.

[hoosiers]

We had our second winning season in 16 years. The team was in the running for the playoffs until the final week.

We were only in the running until near the final week for those who never took our schedule seriously. It is just flat weird to me that we finish somewhere in the neighborhood of about five games and four teams out of a playoff race and folks think we were really, really close. I've rarely been so disappointed in so many quality posters on this board who continue to think our GM made good moves and it was close.

If we had played those final series against the Rays and BoSox in May instead of the last 10 games of the season, we could have written the season off sooner - perhaps soon enough for our GM not to make bad trades.

[Three Run Homer]

It's too early to conclude that the offseason is a bust. My criteria for a decent offseason are (1) resign McLouth or get someone better for LF; (2) resign Feldman or sign someone better for the rotation; (3) sign a decent left-handed DH.

When it becomes clear that the O's aren't going to achieve one or more of those those goals, then I'll start complaining.

[ShaneDawg85]

I really don't understand why people get so wrapped up in what other teams do. For one thing, it totally ignores context and you have absolutely no idea how it's going to turn out down the road, you know, when it really matters. The Yankees just threw a bunch of money and years at a 29 year old catcher, you know, the very thing that several Orioles fans on this very site don't want to do to a younger player in Matt Wieters for largely the same grounds that he plays too demanding a position to be worth it over the long haul. So we're advocating trading Wieters, but yet we're pissed when another team does exactly what a lot of people don't want us to do? McCann is one season removed from being pretty darn bad at the plate, and between injuries and who knows what else the number of games he has caught has declined from 136 in 2010 to 92 this past season. I know, the Yankees had no production behind the plate, but using the Wieters logic, you can't expect him to stick at catcher by the end of that contract, and his bat doesn't play well enough for DH or 1st.

Never mind the fact that, once again, and some of you guys never seem to get this concept, it really doesn't matter much what the Orioles do during the offseason, because whether they get better or worse next will because of what they already have. The O's could bring back Feldman and sign Garza and whatever else, but if Chris Davis hits like he did prior to coming here, we're screwed. If Tillman regresses, we're screwed. If Markakis and Wieters (provided he's here) don't return to some kind of form, where else is the offense coming from? You can try and spin it to say "well that's why you have to add to it;" no, it doesn't matter what you add, it matters what you already have. If what you already have doesn't improve, you're not getting very far.

[theobird]

This thread is an instant classic. The same folks bitterly complaining about the inactivity, and the same apologists defending the establishment. Perfect.

The fact is, in 2012 Andy MacPhails best efforts got us in the playoffs by the skin of our teeth. After 2012, we did essentially nothing and regressed. It ain't over till its over, but it looks like very little effort will be put into improving our lot this offseason.( I will gladly retract that declaration should it become needed.)

Now, I am not at all surprised by what is going on. I expected very little, and that is what I see to this point. For the record, this will result in a less competitive 2014 team. And further away from just a few shrewd moves to put us in contention. If you ask me, Dan Duquette will have an opportunity to show all of us that he has the skills (or not) to build a moribund club back to respectability just like AM did, right after the 2014 season. Stay tuned.