How to spend 10.8 million dollars on your bullpen

[centralpaosfan]

Jim Johnson is projected to make 10.8 million dollars next year. Here is a bullpen that could be put together for roughly the same price:

Drew Storen

Jason Grilli

Joakim Soria

Aroldis Chapman

Brian Wilson

Greg Holland

Craig Kimbrell

[clapdiddy]

I'm not thrilled at all of the prospects of JJ taking up 1/10 of the salary of this team. This team is not in a position to have a closer making that kind of money.

If we could send him somewhere and eat 3M of his salary to get back a prospect, I'd have to think we'd bite.

[Rene88]

Couldn't agree more, JJ has to go!

[ShaneDawg85]

You think Johnson stands to make a lot of money, wait until Kimbrel hits arbitration.

[centralpaosfan]

You think Johnson stands to make a lot of money, wait until Kimbrel hits arbitration.

I understand that, but my point is there is the next Craig Kimbrel out there. Spending 10.8 million a reliever is insane, especially on a "cash strapped" team like the O's. There are plenty of other examples of very effective relievers out there making less than half that amount.

[Number5]

Jim Johnson is projected to make 10.8 million dollars next year. Here is a bullpen that could be put together for roughly the same price:

Drew Storen

Jason Grilli

Joakim Soria

Aroldis Chapman

Brian Wilson

Greg Holland

Craig Kimbrell

It could? I didn't realize that they were all available on the cheap. Wow, I'm surprised some team hasn't done that then.

[Justinlstn]

You think Johnson stands to make a lot of money, wait until Kimbrel hits arbitration.

Same for Chapman. He could opt out of his contract after next season and look to hit the FA market.

[centralpaosfan]

It could? I didn't realize that they were all available on the cheap. Wow, I'm surprised some team hasn't done that then.

You know what I meant. Thanks for adding an informative post though.

[Justinlstn]

I understand that, but my point is there is the next Craig Kimbrel out there. Spending 10.8 million a reliever is insane, especially on a "cash strapped" team like the O's. There are plenty of other examples of very effective relievers out there making less than half that amount.

I wouldn't pay JJ 10 million even with his 100 saves in 2 years. Orioles should of signed him to a long term deal as a relief pitcher before moving him to closer. He was a solid RP and was young enough to warrant giving him a 4 or 5 year deal and if he didn't handle being a closer still had value as a set up man. Closers always want big time contracts for 1 or 2 years of success and the majority don't last as closers. Not too many Mariano Riveras out there who can do it for 17yrs.

[webbrick2010]

And where are all those folks that vehemently argued against trading him last offseason???

We are exactly where many of us predicted last offseason.

and where we will be next year with Hardy

A player to expensive to sign, and no longer tradeabl

[Nigel Tufnel]

You know what I meant. Thanks for adding an informative post though.

He kind of had a point, though. You did say that you could put together that bullpen - maybe in the future you should just write what you actually mean to avoid confusion.

[Number5]

You know what I meant. Thanks for adding an informative post though.

You had no point. That bullpen absolutely cannot be put together for $10.8 million. Now, $10.8 is way too much for Johnson IMO, but any alternatives must be looked at in real-world terms. The choice is not Johnson vs. all of the guys you listed. That is not an option, and shouldn't enter the thinking at all. The choice is Johnson vs. Belisle, Lindstrom and Hawkins in terms of actual cost of real-life available relievers. The other alternative would be to just try Hunter, O'Day, or someone else as our closer. I wouldn't really object to that myself, but I think DD knows that going that way would alienate Buck. Recognizing that our manager believes in having a proven closer and, specifically, likes JJ, is a very real part of this.

[centralpaosfan]

You had no point. That bullpen absolutely cannot be put together for $10.8 million. Now, $10.8 is way too much for Johnson IMO, but any alternatives must be looked at in real-world terms. The choice is not Johnson vs. all of the guys you listed. That is not an option, and shouldn't enter the thinking at all. The choice is Johnson vs. Belisle, Lindstrom and Hawkins in terms of actual cost of real-life available relievers. The other alternative would be to just try Hunter, O'Day, or someone else as our closer. I wouldn't really object to that myself, but I think DD knows that going that way would alienate Buck. Recognizing that our manager believes in having a proven closer and, specifically, likes JJ, is a very real part of this.

Ok..... I see your point. I guess we shall see if DD answers to Buck or if a line will be drawn in the sand.

[Stotle]

You had no point. That bullpen absolutely cannot be put together for $10.8 million. Now, $10.8 is way too much for Johnson IMO, but any alternatives must be looked at in real-world terms. The choice is not Johnson vs. all of the guys you listed. That is not an option, and shouldn't enter the thinking at all. The choice is Johnson vs. Belisle, Lindstrom and Hawkins in terms of actual cost of real-life available relievers. The other alternative would be to just try Hunter, O'Day, or someone else as our closer. I wouldn't really object to that myself, but I think DD knows that going that way would alienate Buck. Recognizing that our manager believes in having a proven closer and, specifically, likes JJ, is a very real part of this.

If you are trying to win a championship while operating on a restricted payroll, you don't get the luxury of putting 1/10th of your budget into a closer, let alone an "okay but hardly impact" arm. It's incumbent on the front office to make sure that doesn't happen and, if need be, to sell that to the manager. Buck is a very smart man -- this isn't a complicated issue.

[centralpaosfan]

If you are trying to win a championship while operating on a restricted payroll, you don't get the luxury of putting 1/10th of your budget into a closer, let alone an "okay but hardly impact" arm. It's incumbent on the front office to make sure that doesn't happen and, if need be, to sell that to the manager. Buck is a very smart man -- this isn't a complicated issue.

I love Buck, but his achilles heel has been that he is loyal to a fault with his players.