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

[twinedenter]

It's still early in the off season, really. The team makes a couple decent signings and this firestorm from the fans goes away. I am still lightened up thanks to McPhail/Duquette and especially Showalter and you know what? The team could still finish with a winning record as is, they just wouldn't have as much margin for error.

Hard to do with no one left that can make a serious impact on our club.

Thank you for adding MacPhail....thank him for 2012.

[TouchemAll]

Damn, now you are making me feel old, I remember those days!

Like I said before I don't go to the games any more I follow them and watch on the

tube

[TonySoprano]

So what? Seems to me that PA was a pretty good business man to get those things done.

He didn't get those things, that you responded to, done; he inherited them when he bought the team.

[MrOrange82]

[/b]

I agree, that is what I said. Why did I get neg rep? :scratchchinhmm:

You mean apart from claiming to control the vocal cords of an entire planet, or backing that assertion with an extremely superficial, borderline-useless analysis of what it means to run a business?

I think it's your avatar. Just terrible.

[Singleton]

Well there you go.

All the MASN money. All the luxury tax loot. All the increased revenues from merchandising leading us to being the #7 franchise in value but they won't spend.

They won't spend anything.

When even the friggin' Sun is calling them out, it's clear there's a problem. A serious problem.

SOURCE: http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-as-winter-meetings-wrap-up-orioles-still-without-a-major-move-20131212,0,2969293.story

And...

They're squabbling with Balfour over a third year. Seriously?!?!

All the good players are going off the table and we're hiding our cards, afraid to walk away to make a deal of any kind.

This is crazy. I've never seen a team run this way in my life. I thought with the 2 good years behind us they would make a true commitment to a winning season, but it's still the same old nickle-and-dime Angelos Os.

Damn.

:slytf:

MSK

Yes, they're squabbling over a 3rd year cause even when you're rich $9 million means a lot. If our budget goes to $100 mil (which is not an unreasonable sum) it's 9% of our total spending which is significant enough to get right. If we sign him for the 3rd year and he stinks are you going to say it was worth waiting the 24 hours or whatever it ends up being? It's a negotiation. We don't get extra points for signing the guy on December 12 instead of a day or two later.

I'm pretty critical of DD on a lot of things but the frequent posts along the lines of "just do something" are silly.

[SteveO]

Two good years ..... same impatient fans.

So now apparently anything over .500 is a good year? Have we really sunk that low in our expectations? The last two seasons as one magical ride in 2011 and a wasted opportunity in 2013 to capitalize on their resurgence.

What has people annoyed is the fact that this organization has the revenue streams to add significant payroll and STILL be profitable. We care about this team and we want to be proud of this organization that we once were so proud of. Its hard to feel that way though when you feel you care more about the team winning than the ownership apparently does. Its hard to feel that way when you see other organizations who commit more of their revenue towards their on the field product.

Hearing the O's whine about self imposed budgetary restrictions while players who can help us disappear from the board makes me angry and discouraged. I want an owner who cares about winning more than how much income he can squeeze out of the team.

[Fla_O'sfan]

From time to time I will run into Dollar Tree or Dollar General to save a buck or two on something you can buy elsewhere for more. Not many can say they don't. However, you can't buy everything you own at the dollar stores or else you will own a lot of junk. (Ever buy dollar store batteries?). Right now, DD and the Orioles are shopping exclusively at dollar stores for upgrades to the team. I'm not saying they go on a buying spree at Nieman Marcus, but how about a couple purchases at mid-level department stores?

[NJ BIRD FAN]

I think what's most offensive to me, apart from being lectured from a boardwalk, is the implied idea that PA is running the team in the only way that a successful business could be run. Related to that is the idea that PA has no accountability to anyone but himself (which is absurd for a litany of reasons).

PA has chosen to run the Orioles as a tight-fisted fiefdom with poor baseball acumen. Recent changes aside, PA has been historically reticent to fire "his people," even when they've proven themselves inept at baseball related activities such as player evaluation/development, remembering what decade it is, and wearing pants. In other words, it isn't simply that PA has kept payroll down - he's also made a significant number of choices that've precluded the Orioles from successfully implementing the low budget models of teams like Tampa Bay and Oakland. Furthermore, PA's approach has depressed gate receipts (along with the team's fanbase) and advertising/sponsorship revenue (areas in which the Orioles could arguably generate a lot more money if they won more consistently).

PA has his MASN stake. He has money coming in from MLB. He COULD choose to run the Orioles very differently and still be "successful," both in terms of profits and fielding a competitive team. It's not all one way or another, and acting as though everything is acceptable because "PA has a business to run" is a simplification that stretches beyond gross. It is a vacuous waste of social commentary.

If you had some boardwalk justice, maybe you wouldn't have to be crying into a message board. It would get settled.

[Austin]

Wow, so it was ok, in your opinion, for a contending team, to have Wilson Betemit as you starting DH? In the AL East? Besides the fact, that a contender doesn't have Betemit as their DH, the term "MUCH better" is just crazy talk. Yes, he would have put up better numbers than Pearce and whatever ELSE, Dan got from the trash heap from one of his diving expeditions. However, it wouldn't have changed the standings.

Nonetheless, starting pitching was/is the issue, its hasn't been addressed and for that, yes, I consider DD, incompetent. He hasn't even taken a cheap flier on someone such as Scott Baker.

Its a joke, that isn't funny anymore.

I agree with you that Betemit wouldn't have made much of a difference last year but you know that not every contending team has an amazing hitter at every position, right? Check out who started at DH for the Rays last year.

[twinedenter]

Under Dan Duquette's "reign of terror" we've had back to back winning seasons and a trip to the playoffs, all in spite of Peter Angelos. I understand that this doesn't give him a lifetime pass but yeah, I do think he's making an effort to improve the club and I don't believe we are going to go into opening day with the exact roster we have right now. If nothing changes between now and opening day, sure, I'll be very upset... I just don't see that happening.

Duquette is riding MacPhail's ability to trade and build our team from the same "budget contraints" he has. The core of this team is from MacPahil. Lets not kid ourselves here.

I would be willing to bet you a beer at a game (I will still go to 10-15 games), that IF any players are added, they won't be a difference maker. To me Balfour could be a difference maker, if we have any leads......

[Tony-OH]

I think what's most offensive to me, apart from being lectured from a boardwalk, is the implied idea that PA is running the team in the only way that a successful business could be run. Related to that is the idea that PA has no accountability to anyone but himself (which is absurd for a litany of reasons).

PA has chosen to run the Orioles as a tight-fisted fiefdom with poor baseball acumen. Recent changes aside, PA has been historically reticent to fire "his people," even when they've proven themselves inept at baseball related activities such as player evaluation/development, remembering what decade it is, and wearing pants. In other words, it isn't simply that PA has kept payroll down - he's also made a significant number of choices that've precluded the Orioles from successfully implementing the low budget models of teams like Tampa Bay and Oakland. Furthermore, PA's approach has depressed gate receipts (along with the team's fanbase) and advertising/sponsorship revenue (areas in which the Orioles could arguably generate a lot more money if they won more consistently).

PA has his MASN stake. He has money coming in from MLB. He COULD choose to run the Orioles very differently and still be "successful," both in terms of profits and fielding a competitive team. It's not all one way or another, and acting as though everything is acceptable because "PA has a business to run" is a simplification that stretches beyond gross. It is a vacuous waste of social commentary.

Exactly. No one expects Angelos to lose money year in and year out, but he told the fans that when the Orioles are ready to compete he would provide the money. He said, "This time it literally will come true!" I hate to use the word "liar" because that assumes intent, but at the very least Angelos misled Orioles fans. He has no intention of giving Duquette the budget needed to improve the team. Every indication is that he is making money hand over fist, yet we fans have to be embarrassed each off season as National pundits lambast the inactivity of the O's.

He truly believes he can make money regardless of whether the Orioles win or lose and the way things are set up, he's right. In 20 years, when the generation that grew up with losing Orioles baseball now have disposable income and are choosing to spend it elsewhere, he'll be long gone from this good earth.

I'm honestly more mad at this team than anytime before, because even in our darkest times in the past, I kept thinking in the back of mind that the Orioles would spend once we got a good core. Well, we have that core now but Angelos won't allow the budget to augment that core with additional impact players.

He really doesn't get that part of being a fan is having a pride in our organization. Well, it's hard to have a pride in an organization that gives it's fans nothing to be excited for the next season other than hoping they can catch lightening in a bottle to compete once again.

[NJ BIRD FAN]

You mean apart from claiming to control the vocal cords of an entire planet, or backing that assertion with an extremely superficial, borderline-useless analysis of what it means to run a business?

I think it's your avatar. Just terrible.

I wasn't asking you. Stay at the kids table.

[Three Run Homer]

If another team wants to come along and overpay for him, then they can have him.

And then we get to have John Axford as our closer. Sounds like a play!

[MrOrange82]

I wasn't asking you. Stay at the kids table.

Oh, I forgot to sign. That last bit of negative rep was from me.

Smooches.

[twinedenter]

I agree with you that Betemit wouldn't have made much of a difference last year but you know that not every contending team has an amazing hitter at every position, right? Check out who started at DH for the Rays last year.

Of course I do.

Yea but there team ERA was half of a run better than ours. Starters almost a full run better. You don't have to score quite as many runs with that staff.