If we give up a draft pick for Kendrys Morales I will hammer a railroad spike through my head

[weams]

Ask Adrian Beltre.

You may be right.

Anywhere but Seattle.

[mcgraw238]

Unfortunately, there is no option of spending marbles to save a pick here.

Its not like it would matter if there was. This club is salary averse.

[SrMeowMeow]

The real problem is, I don't even own a railroad spike.

[atomic]

Giving up a pick for a mediocre player like Morales is very poor especially when the team limits the methods in which it acquires talent. I'd feel different if the O's were active in the International market, etc. Most teams are inclined to pay extra to avoid losing a pick, I'm sure the O's see giving up a pick as an opportunity to save a few marbles.

How do you get that he is a mediocre player? He has 9.5 total WAR in his last 3 full seasons.. As someone else has mentioned he was the second best DH last year. And we aren't getting Ortiz.

[mdbdotcom]

The real problem is, I don't even own a railroad spike.

I'll sell you one. For $100.

[Barnaby Graves]

How do you get that he is a mediocre player? He has 9.5 total WAR in his last 3 full seasons.. As someone else has mentioned he was the second best DH last year.

Which is sort of like saying he's the second prettiest pig at the state fair, it's not a great use of resources to sign a pure DH. You hamstring your bench and it basically costs you more to rest your starters by DHing them. On the plus side, on days you DH Wieters and bench Morales (or whatever), you have a good late-inning pinch hitter, which is a nice rakeback. Still not worth his contract + a pick.

[weams]

The real problem is, I don't even own a railroad spike.

A brain is a terrible thing to spike.

[Why Not?]

I don't even have to read this thread. The title makes it a classic.

[Ripken]

A brain is a terrible thing to spike.

A mind is a terrible thing. Let's waste it.

[mdbdotcom]

A mind is a terrible thing. Let's waste it.

A waist is a terrible thing to mind.

[Stotle]

It wouldn't be the loss of a pick that's an issue, it would be the entrance of another exhibit into evidence that the organization doesn't seem to have a coherent proactive approach to building a roster.

[weams]

A brain is a terrible thing to spike.

A mind is a terrible thing. Let's waste it.

A waist is a terrible thing to mind.

You have all convinced me. Let it go to waste.

[MrOrange82]

It wouldn't be the loss of a pick that's an issue, it would be the entrance of another exhibit into evidence that the organization doesn't seem to have a coherent proactive approach to building a roster.

How so? For the sake of argument, if the O's identify a FA who fills a need at a reasonable financial cost, and who also costs a draft pick, wouldn't adding such a player make sense if he furthers the cause of reaching the postseason during what many seem to consider a closing window?

The O's haven't exactly been major players in FA over the last...lots of years...so I don't see how making a calculated departure from that history for a particular player indicates that the O's organizational philosophy lacks coherence.

Can an organization with a coherent plan not invest in both the FA market and the draft?

[SrMeowMeow]

You have all convinced me. Let it go to waste.

A waist is a terrible thing to mind.

A mind is a terrible thing. Let's waste it.

A brain is a terrible thing to spike.

Some of the minds in this thread are clearly no stranger to a good railroad spiking.

[Il BuonO]

It wouldn't be the loss of a pick that's an issue, it would be the entrance of another exhibit into evidence that the organization doesn't seem to have a coherent proactive approach to building a roster.

And that's really what this and other off seasons have been. No approach. No plan, or not one that is coherent. Even blowing up the team would be a plan, but this consistent lack of anything resembling a strategy is hard to watch.