I don't understand the "sky is falling" mentality...

[JeterJumps]

All I wanted was a SP and an upgrade in LF. That can still happen. It may not but...

Here ya go DD:

Machado 10/100

Davis 6/96

Garza 4/64

Trade for Gardner so long as no top prospects go.

Gardner - L/LF

Machado - R/3B

Davis - L/1B

Jones - R/CF

Valencia/Urrutia - S/DH

Wieters - S/C

Markakis - L/RF

Hardy - R/SS

Flaherty - L/2B

R - Garza

R - Tillman

L - Chen

R - Gonzalez

R - Norris

Pen and Bench as it works out. Really like the Webb signing.

thissssssss.

[VThokie7]

Well let's see, last year fans were restless because we did nothing to improve. And especially at DH. How did that go for us? When you do nothing to fill glaring holes except bench fodder like Pearce you're asking for trouble.

[atomic]

Some people might say that 2012 was, in large measure, driven by three trades and two drafted and internally developed players. That would be the Adam Jones, Chris Tillman for Erik Bedard deal and the Chris Davis, Tommy Hunter for Koji deal and the JJ Hardy for bums whose name escape me deal, and Orioles drafted and developed in the system, Matt Wieters and Jim Johnson. Duquette had virtually nothing to do with the core of the team that won in 2012. Some might also say that the failure to achieve the playoffs in 2013 was due to inactivity to fill or upgrade clearly identifiable needs in the 2012 offseason- like 2B, DH. Duquette did not build the team in ANY significant fashion that won in 2012 but he was in charge in the offseason prior to the falloff in 2013 and we are watching to see whether the team built primarily by Andy Macphail has their window close or not. We shall see how DDs moves work out for 2014 and beyond. He has done very well putting complementary parts around a team that jelled after being essentially constructed by the previous GM and DD has done well in improving depth and scouting and farm aspects of the organization, but it remains to be seen whether he can pull of his own major contributions in the area of trading and signing of talent to help get us over the top or even maintain the performance of the team. And then there is Potter, of course. lol.

2012 was created because DD when out and got Chen, Hammel and Gonzalez and the team defense was improved. You can't win without pitching and defense. Something that Macphail never seemed to realize.

[Rclynch82]

Post like this are so funny. 2012 Giants had a payroll of 131m get back to me when the Orioles get there.

The post wasnt meant to defend payroll amounts. Its goal was to point out that every year you can find discontent with a teams, who later goes on to win the WS, fan-base.

[atomic]

I can actually see a platoon of Reimold and Urrutia being an upgrade with Pearce as a backup. But that is just me. I would rather go through life with a positive attitude rather than someone who acts like they spend their days sucking on sour lemons.

Nate can't play outfield. I am sorry if you can't see that as it is pretty obvious he is awful in the field. Also he doesn't hit.

[BallsoHard]

FWIW, Jayson Stark posted this in his article for ESPN:

Matt Garza: It's incredible how the top of the starting-pitcher market has plodded along -- to the point that four executives said of Garza: "I don't even hear his name mentioned." But that's not all Garza's fault. In an offseason in which the posting of Masahiro Tanaka has been delayed and potential trades for Price and Samardzija have been slow to develop, "the starting-pitcher market is going to take a lot longer to establish itself," said one exec. "And guys like Garza are caught up in that."

So only four of the people we surveyed saw Garza signing any earlier than the third week of December. The Yankees and Orioles were the popular picks. But there are too many moving parts in this market for anyone to know yet where this is heading.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/wintermeetings2013/story/_/id/10084758/mlb-winter-meetings-preview

[birds the word]

i could not agree with you more Sam. There has never been a World Series won in the off-season. This Orioles fan is glad they haven't overspent for a free agent. Napoli 2 yrs. 36 mill?, Ellsbury 7 yrs. 153 mill?, Beltran 4 yrs. 60 mill?, Feldman 3 yrs. 30 mill, McCann 5 yrs. 85 mill?...are you friggen kidding me?

The Orioles would be much better off to make a trade, plug in some guys from the farm who they think are ready, be patient and wait for some guys value to fall after the initial "fool's gold" mad rush. Also players will become available during Spring Training, and as you pointed out, still some good guys out there and the Meetings haven't even started yet.

The guys in charge DD & Buck have a pretty good track record, would be prudent to give them time. I would like to remind people of the Raven's philosophy "Right player, right price"...chilllllllllll!

...with respect to the offseason.

First, the winter meetings haven't even happened yet. And while there has been an uncanny amount of activity before the meetings, nothing is over at this point. Which leads to...

Second, do any of you really, truly think that the Ellsbury/Cano/Beltran contracts are good contracts? Because they aren't. If the Orioles signed one of those players, and it didn't work out, this place would be going berserk about handing out big contracts to aging free agents. Seems like the FO can't win with the fan base in this context. Which leads to...

Third, recent history suggests that in the post-steroid era especially that handing out huge FA contracts is not the way to a WS. Looks at the Blue Jays last year, the Yankees of the past half decade, the Angels with the Pujols and Hamilton contracts. It won't be hard for me to find 100 posts from this time last year where apathy was at an all time high because the Blue Jays were "positioning themselves to win the AL East" with their aggressive trades and signings and how we were destined for a 4th or 5th place finish because of our inactivity. How'd that work out? Why would even want to consider that path given the current trend of overall parity in MLB (Red Sox and Cardinals success notwithstanding).

With all of this, it seems much more prudent for this team to get the right players at the right price and to not cripple the whole organization by handing out stupid contracts that require giving up draft picks.

Remember 2012? What splashy moves did we make that offseason? Exactly.

Remember 2013? When despite serious flaws, a terrible avg with RISP, and a shaky closer, we were still playing meaningful baseball late in the season? Exactly.

Maybe, just maybe, Dan Duquette and company know what they are doing. Given the last two years, in relation to the 15 that precede them, I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I think more or you should as well.

/End rant.

[333WCamden]

I'll be happy when I see the Orioles make a move that lets me know they are truly trying to compete. I'm not upset that they haven't signed any of the recent FA's, but the team is no better now than it was when the season ended. A few years ago I would have been satisfied with a .500 team. I guess I've raised expectations.

[Guest]

I'll be happy when I see the Orioles make a move that lets me know they are truly trying to compete. I'm not upset that they haven't signed any of the recent FA's, but the team is no better now than it was when the season ended. A few years ago I would have been satisfied with a .500 team. I guess I've raised expectations.

What a great post.

[wildcard]

While I do not think "the sky is falling" is the right way to describe where the O's are, there is reason for concern. Here is why:

1) The free agent market has gotten more expensive and it appears that the O's are still operating at the old rates. Examples:

- McLouth was affordable at 2/10.75m and the O's didn't even make an offer.

- Mujica was affordable at 2/9.5m and the O's do not appear to have bid.

2) Its not early in the off season any more. 26 of MLBTR's top 50 free agents have signed. That is 52%. The off season FA talent is half gone and the O's have not filled a single major hole.

3) The O's have more major holes to fill then they did at the end of the season. The need:

1) a starting pitcher

2) a left fielder

3) a closer

4) a DH

4) The O's should not try to tell anyone that Reimold, Pearce Urrutia, and Peguero are everyday leftfielders. Reimold is injury prone. Peguero is a rookie and has too little power to be a starter and Pearce is 30 and has never been a successful everyday player. Urrutia is a long shot at best to be a good defensive OF and hasn't shown power at high levels of competition. It just will not sell.

So any O's fan as a right to be concerned about the O's direction at this point. Especially after the lack of movement the O's made last off season.

[Orioles0615]

All I wanted was a SP and an upgrade in LF. That can still happen. It may not but...

Here ya go DD:

Machado 10/100

Davis 6/96

Garza 4/64

Trade for Gardner so long as no top prospects go.

Gardner - L/LF

Machado - R/3B

Davis - L/1B

Jones - R/CF

Valencia/Urrutia - S/DH

Wieters - S/C

Markakis - L/RF

Hardy - R/SS

Flaherty - L/2B

R - Garza

R - Tillman

L - Chen

R - Gonzalez

R - Norris

Pen and Bench as it works out. Really like the Webb signing.

I'd take this, I don't think I would have Henry U ever bat 5th though

[weams]

Well let's see, last year fans were restless because we did nothing to improve. And especially at DH. How did that go for us? When you do nothing to fill glaring holes except bench fodder like Pearce you're asking for trouble.

You are right. We did fall short.

[birds the word]

Why is Angelos a terrible owner? I want to know how this doesn't spend money and cheap myth got perpetuated? Did you forget Miguel Tejada, Rafeal Palmeiro, Albert Belle, Roberto Alomar, Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Scott Erickson, Glenn Davis, Eric Davis, Javy Lopez, Charles Johnson, Bobby Bonilla, Jimmy Key, Pat Hentgen, Randy Myers, Kevin Brown, etc? He also offered Teixeira more than the Yankees and gave Mike Mussina a very fair offer but the Yankees blew him away and offered more. How is that his fault? I think Orioles fans just like to make him the "whipping boy". I went back and looked at payrolls since he took ownership in 1993 and he has averaged in the top 10, and other than 2 yrs. where he was in the lower tier, pretty much middle of the pack. I think a lot of people have forgotten the Eli Jacobs fiasco and subsequent bankruptcy and had Angelos not saved the team may have been down the road in Nat's Park.

[tntoriole]

2012 was created because DD when out and got Chen, Hammel and Gonzalez and the team defense was improved. You can't win without pitching and defense. Something that Macphail never seemed to realize.

Oh, and the hiring of Buck Showalter which was also done by Andy Macphail. Minor detail. And while the contributions of Chen, Hammel and Gonzalez were important to 2012, none of those players are on what DD himself describes (or anybody else) would describe as the core of the team that won in 2012. For the core, you can thank Andy Macphail.

[Guest]

Why is Angelos a terrible owner? I want to know how this doesn't spend money and cheap myth got perpetuated? Did you forget Miguel Tejada, Rafeal Palmeiro, Albert Belle, Roberto Alomar, Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Scott Erickson, Glenn Davis, Eric Davis, Javy Lopez, Charles Johnson, Bobby Bonilla, Jimmy Key, Pat Hentgen, Randy Myers, Kevin Brown, etc? He also offered Teixeira more than the Yankees and gave Mike Mussina a very fair offer but the Yankees blew him away and offered more. How is that his fault? I think Orioles fans just like to make him the "whipping boy". I went back and looked at payrolls since he took ownership in 1993 and he has averaged in the top 10, and other than 2 yrs. where he was in the lower tier, pretty much middle of the pack. I think a lot of people have forgotten the Eli Jacobs fiasco and subsequent bankruptcy and had Angelos not saved the team may have been down the road in Nat's Park.

Hi Peter.