Per the Sun: "Orioles most inactive team..."

[ledzepp8]

Look man not trying to start a fight. In 2013 the Twins SP was a hot mess, At least they're trying to fix that problem. What are we doing about are holes? I will never make fun of a team for trying as a fan that's all you can ask.

I could be wrong but what he is saying is this: look this team thinks this guy is a valuable piece and they went out and got them. Why can't we be more aggressive like this? He isn't saying we should have signed that specific player...

I could be wrong though...

The point is that if you don't believe that the player is an upgrade, why use it as an argument towards condemning the Orioles inaction? Complain about the inaction all you want...it just gets old to have every non signingi pointed out as some blunder, when the person pointing it out wouldn't agreed with the signing anyhow.

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>There are players in the Orioles' organization not happy with recent events; they are hoping to see progress in weeks ahead.</p>— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) <a href="

">December 3, 2013</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It's not just the Fans that are mad. Remember this?

[Camden_yardbird]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>There are players in the Orioles' organization not happy with recent events; they are hoping to see progress in weeks ahead.</p>— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) <a href="

">December 3, 2013</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It's not just the Fans that are mad. Remember this?

The players are going to be really pissed when they find out that the Orioles are not only not adding payroll, but are actually reducing it and are not committing to additional salary after 2015.

[theobird]

At this point, really there are no FA's that would be smart moves for the Orioles unless you see Pete breaking out the check book for Choo or a starter like Jimenez. I do not see it.

So unless the Orioles make some good trades, this is what we have. That of course is my opinion, but what else can they do? And the truly scary part about that is that I do not trust Dan to make good trades, his track record with us on that front has been less than stellar. It is gonna be another long and frustrating off season.

[Guest]

At this point, really there are no FA's that would be smart moves for the Orioles unless you see Pete breaking out the check book for Choo or a starter like Jimenez. I do not see it.

So unless the Orioles make some good trades, this is what we have. That of course is my opinion, but what else can they do? And the truly scary part about that is that I do not trust Dan to make good trades, his track record with us on that front has been less than stellar. It is gonna be another long and frustrating off season.

Cruz , Arroyo , A.J , Balfour , Hanson all would make us better.

[jamesenoch]

The only thing that will snap them out of the "let's do nothing and hope for the best" mindset is a truly disastrous season. Like 55 wins.

Then they'll come up with a formula that suggests that we really didn't lose 55 games on paper, but UZR + WAR + OBP + RISP = a 97 win season. Despite being in 5th place.

Just watch.

MSK

Immature crap like this is the reason why I am having real difficulty coming to this site during the off season.

I have been visiting this site for at least 10 years now, reading but not posting (as you can tell with my post count). I have come to enjoy reading up the latest information, following the rumors and the intelligent arguments and discussions, but you guys are making this unbearable.

Who in god's name has come out and said anything remotely close to what you are suggesting??? Please quote them, show me a link to that discussion, please.. I would like to read it.

I understand the frustration with the team, but I don't agree with using the "grass is always greener on the other side" view as justification for throwing $$ at everyone and anyone who have sniffed the major leagues. Just because other teams are giving out stupid contracts does not mean our team should as well.

However, that does not mean I don't enjoy a logical discussion on the matter. Hell, you might even change my mind.

But, please, stop with this. I think a lot of people in these threads forget that we are ALL O's fans.

MSK, go ahead and neg rep me if you want.. I simply don't care.

[theobird]

Cruz , Arroyo , A.J , Balfour , Hanson all would make us better.

I hear you, but this is my take on all of those guys. Hanson is done-dee. By all accounts, the guy is a shell of his prior self and likely on his way out of ML baseball. AJ, although a nice local boy story, is not nearly as good as what he will want to not go into retirement. Arroyo would get whiplash watching all of the HR's fly out of our park and the rest of the AL East venues. Cruz is a DH, and although I like his bat, he is looking for Star OFer money and he is just a DH for a team focused on defense. That leaves us with Balfour(or Benoit). DD made a calculated mistake. He thought he could dump JJ and get someone as good for less. He can't. It would now be beyond stupid to sign one of these aging (36) year old relief pitchers to a multi year contract for 8+ Million per. The Orioles have a bunch of real good younger arms. Let them close.

[Barnaby Graves]

He thought he could dump JJ and get someone as good for less. He can't. It would now be beyond stupid to sign one of these aging (36) year old relief pitchers to a multi year contract for 8+ Million per. The Orioles have a bunch of real good younger arms. Let them close.

Fangraphs has Grant Balfour at 0.6 WAR last year, behind such names as Jenrry Mejia and Brandon Cumpton, and Josh "Best Pitcher in Baseball" Collmeter.

[CA-ORIOLE]

What personal attacks? What words did I put in anyone's mouth?

Good luck Zepp but I think you're wasting your time. I'm at the point of waiting until February or March to start posting again. Maybe the crap won't be as deep.

[Number5]

Cruz , Arroyo , A.J , Balfour , Hanson all would make us better.

As I understand it, we have made offers to Burnett and Balfour. In both cases, all indications are that DD has done what he can and the players simply have to make their decisions. Limiting Balfour to two years is the sensible thing to do. If another team caves and wants to guaranty him a third year, well, that would not be a mistake on DD's part, IMO. And Burnett is pondering a life decision on whether he wants to retire from baseball. It would be nice if they both signed tonight, and the Orioles' situation would look very different if they did, but the players are the ones causing the delays in these two cases, based on everything we have heard.

[Rene88]

Fangraphs has Grant Balfour at 0.6 WAR last year, behind such names as Jenrry Mejia and Brandon Cumpton, and Josh "Best Pitcher in Baseball" Collmeter.

Who is best of what is left?

[MemorialStadKid]

Immature crap like this is the reason why I am having real difficulty coming to this site during the off season.

I have been visiting this site for at least 10 years now, reading but not posting (as you can tell with my post count). I have come to enjoy reading up the latest information, following the rumors and the intelligent arguments and discussions, but you guys are making this unbearable.

Who in god's name has come out and said anything remotely close to what you are suggesting??? Please quote them, show me a link to that discussion, please.. I would like to read it.

I understand the frustration with the team, but I don't agree with using the "grass is always greener on the other side" view as justification for throwing $$ at everyone and anyone who have sniffed the major leagues. Just because other teams are giving out stupid contracts does not mean our team should as well.

However, that does not mean I don't enjoy a logical discussion on the matter. Hell, you might even change my mind.

But, please, stop with this. I think a lot of people in these threads forget that we are ALL O's fans.

MSK, go ahead and neg rep me if you want.. I simply don't care.

I won't neg-rep you. I don't do that unless there's justification.

But again, when have I EVER suggested spending money for the sake of spending money?

Not once.

I have suggested that we sign guys that will make us a better team. So far, that has not occurred during this offseason.

What I can't stand are the ridiculous conversations (including an 80+ page thread on Balfour) about the talent we have as if standing pat will somehow get us over the top.

Folks have come out of the woodwork attacking me, but they never say anything about the fact that A LOT of people are upset with the Orioles' lack of movement.

ESPN (who used to ignore us) noticed it.

MLB Network (who are usually more democratic) noticed it.

Baltimore Sun writers noticed it.

Sports writers NOT in Baltimore noticed it.

Are you suggesting that the stuff we're saying is fabricated? That the team is solid for 2014? That the personnel we have at this moment is a championship caliber squad?

That's not the case. No matter how upset the defenders get (not calling you a defender) it doesn't change the win-loss column at the end of a season. You'd think that after 14 years those guys would understand. But...

MSK

[Barnaby Graves]

Who is best of what is left?

The guy who doesn't cost $8 million.

I think I know what you are getting at and if I had to build a bullpen I would not try to do it with contracts longer than two years and more expensive than $5.5 million, as an arbitrary number representing the cost of 1 WAR.

Starting pitching? We have it, let it sink or swim. I'll put Mr. Gausman in the fifth spot and if he can't hack it then he wasn't meant to justify his draft pick. Lineup? I'd like a left fielder, and at this point there isn't anything left named Nate McLouth. Markakis is a sunk cost who will not be replaced, we could use a second baseman but LOL @ Infante's contract, so let freaking Flaherty have it. I will not compromise the 2016 Orioles to gain 1 WAR for the 2014 Orioles. These contracts are insane.

[Il BuonO]

Fangraphs has Grant Balfour at 0.6 WAR last year, behind such names as Jenrry Mejia and Brandon Cumpton, and Josh "Best Pitcher in Baseball" Collmeter.

Well, Bbref had him at 1.4 but I'd rather not spend that kind of money on any reliever. Bad allocation of resources. Too many places within the organization where we can plug in similar production. That's exactly how we found Johnson.

[Barnaby Graves]

Well, Bbref had him at 1.4 but I'd rather not spend that kind of money on any reliever. Bad allocation of resources. Too many places within the organization where we can plug in similar production. That's exactly how we found Johnson.

I usually use Fangraphs but I'll take the point because even if he was worth 1.4 WAR, or even if he was worth 2 WAR, we are talking about the most volatile position in baseball as far as year-to-year production. At 2 WAR he is worth at least 11 million and for such a price I'd rather have a few years of Omar Infante.