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Enough! Jan 11th and Still Nothing...


Rene88

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I mean, this is pretty straight forward. If the FO (A) doesn't want to trade any significant chip at the ML or MiL level, and (B) doesn't see merit in the risk of eating some money on the back end of a top tier FA contract in exchange for the upside of getting a few years of top tier performance, then © you're left with an off-season of tweaking and looking for low-risk lotto tickets.

It is what it is. Baltimore could not do what the Yankees did, but the org has money to sign one of Cano, McCann, Ellsbury, etc. The organization has MiLB talent to trade for significant MLB upgrades. The organization has MLB talent to trade for younger, cost controlled MLB/high minors talent (which in turn frees up more MLB payroll room for the FA -- now or next year). So far, they've opted not to do any of these things. Maybe the plan is to extend some of the talent currently in house, and that's where the money is ultimately going. Maybe there's a free agency signing or two ahead. Maybe there's a surprise trade in store.

For the sake of the fan base, I'd hope something happens in the next 12 months that indicates a long term strategy of some sort, because right now there is nothing in BAL's actions that indicates the org is interested in more than tweaking things as the chug along. There's enough talent for the team to be competitive if everything breaks right. This will now be true for three seasons (2012-2014). At some point the bar needs to be raised as far as baseline MLB talent level and playoff probability.

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Tanaka has a chain reaction effect on a number of teams not necessarily in on him. E.g. If SEA signs him they might not have an interest in Morales. That would bring his price down enough for some team not interested in Tanaka to sign him. Same way with the MFY, if they get Tanaka they may not be interested in Balfour. SP like Garza, Santana, Jimenez, Arroyo and even Burnett will be effected by where Tanka is signs. And then the lesser SP will be effected by where these guys end up. Sure we probably could sign Arroyo tomorrow if we offer him 3/45 M, but do we really want to do that?

I agree, however, the Orioles are obviously not going to sign any of the high priced remaining free agents, which I don't mind.

However, taking a shot at guys like Scott Baker and Johan Santana, is now. This FO is a joke. Are they REALLY waiting around for Burnett? That is certainly what it looks like to me.

Again, the FO is going to be reactive and not proactive. Lets not show someone we really want them, lets "Let the market continue to set",then they can give us some excuse.

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I mean, this is pretty straight forward. If the FO (A) doesn't want to trade any significant chip at the ML or MiL level, and (B) doesn't see merit in the risk of eating some money on the back end of a top tier FA contract in exchange for the upside of getting a few years of top tier performance, then © you're left with an off-season of tweaking and looking for low-risk lotto tickets.

It is what it is. Baltimore could not do what the Yankees did, but the org has money to sign one of Cano, McCann, Ellsbury, etc. The organization has MiLB talent to trade for significant MLB upgrades. The organization has MLB talent to trade for younger, cost controlled MLB/high minors talent (which in turn frees up more MLB payroll room for the FA -- now or next year). So far, they've opted not to do any of these things. Maybe the plan is to extend some of the talent currently in house, and that's where the money is ultimately going. Maybe there's a free agency signing or two ahead. Maybe there's a surprise trade in store.

For the sake of the fan base, I'd hope something happens in the next 12 months that indicates a long term strategy of some sort, because right now there is nothing in BAL's actions that indicates the org is interested in more than tweaking things as the chug along. There's enough talent for the team to be competitive if everything breaks right. This will now be true for three seasons (2012-2014). At some point the bar needs to be raised as far as baseline MLB talent level and playoff probability.

Thank you sir. If not go for it now, when? If not go for it, why aren't we dealing Crush or MW? Makes no sense....unless ownership is content with mediocrity because it draws fans (which is exactly what I think).

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Thank you sir. If not go for it now, when? If not go for it, why aren't we dealing Crush or MW? Makes no sense....unless ownership is content with mediocrity because it draws fans (which is exactly what I think).

They are "in the middle" which is EXACTLY how our 12 year losing streak started. I agree with both you and Stotle.

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I mean, this is pretty straight forward. If the FO (A) doesn't want to trade any significant chip at the ML or MiL level, and (B) doesn't see merit in the risk of eating some money on the back end of a top tier FA contract in exchange for the upside of getting a few years of top tier performance, then © you're left with an off-season of tweaking and looking for low-risk lotto tickets.

It is what it is. Baltimore could not do what the Yankees did, but the org has money to sign one of Cano, McCann, Ellsbury, etc. The organization has MiLB talent to trade for significant MLB upgrades. The organization has MLB talent to trade for younger, cost controlled MLB/high minors talent (which in turn frees up more MLB payroll room for the FA -- now or next year). So far, they've opted not to do any of these things. Maybe the plan is to extend some of the talent currently in house, and that's where the money is ultimately going. Maybe there's a free agency signing or two ahead. Maybe there's a surprise trade in store.

For the sake of the fan base, I'd hope something happens in the next 12 months that indicates a long term strategy of some sort, because right now there is nothing in BAL's actions that indicates the org is interested in more than tweaking things as the chug along. There's enough talent for the team to be competitive if everything breaks right. This will now be true for three seasons (2012-2014). At some point the bar needs to be raised as far as baseline MLB talent level and playoff probability.

Great post as usual.

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The way I see it the org seems to have high hopes for Gausman, Bundy, E-Rod, and (eventually) Harvey.

That might be a case of eggs in a basket, but the org likes the players they have. Thinking back to the "stars and scrubs" article. I think that the org has pretty much bought into that. They have enough talent to compete over the long haul of the season, for now they are tweaking.

But we also need to realize that nothing has happened in baseball for the last month. Seriously, nothing significant on the FA front that genuinely impacts the players on the Orioles' board.

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The way I see it the org seems to have high hopes for Gausman, Bundy, E-Rod, and (eventually) Harvey.

That might be a case of eggs in a basket, but the org likes the players they have. Thinking back to the "stars and scrubs" article. I think that the org has pretty much bought into that. They have enough talent to compete over the long haul of the season, for now they are tweaking.

But we also need to realize that nothing has happened in baseball for the last month. Seriously, nothing significant on the FA front that genuinely impacts the players on the Orioles' board.

You look for angles to constantly improve the team. The org hasn't come close to maxing its assets to that end. It's fine to say you have arms at Double A and Triple A that you really like and could be really good as soon as this year. But in honesty, Gausman is the only arm you could argue with a straight face as having a high likelihood of doing anything of import at the MLB level this year.

So that stance is really a stance that you can't make anything else happen for the time being, so we are waiting it out and hoping to hit the lotto on some smaller moves.

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That doesn't really address anything I typed there, now does it? You automatically assume I'm looking to increase payroll when my post said nothing of the sort. Apparently if you're pissed about the offseason so far you're beating the increase payroll drums and that's the only way you think you can make the team better. I'm not sure which is more lazy...thinking that the only way to make this team better is to increase payroll or thinking that if people are pissed about the offseason they automatically must mean they want to go on a spending spree.

I'm not really one to play armchair GM...I don't whip out my calculator and try to add and subtract payroll and hypothesize who we could sign for what. I understand that's fun for some people, but it's not fun for me. So as far as you being very generous and giving me a $110 million payroll, I can tell you that it'd go towards a 35,000 square foot house, a Maybach and flying in some Victoria's Secret models. May not be the smartest, but it'd be damn fun.

What I was hoping for was some reasonable, smart signings (not these hope and a prayer AAAA guys) and some interesting trades. I liked the Lough deal, I think he can be pretty good. I like Ryan Webb, I hope he can be a valuable arm. Unfortunately there just doesn't seem to be much of a plan or a direction right now. We've got a good core of guys but what's next?

Like I said, people will cry and moan if the Orioles are having a horrible regular season, but it seems off limits to some to criticize the offseason until it's "over", whenever that is.

Hard to understand how you can regard a move as smart and reasonable without taking budget into account, but please go ahead and try. What reasonable moves would you have liked to have seen?
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Hard to understand how you can regard a move as smart and reasonable without taking budget into account, but please go ahead and try. What reasonable moves would you have liked to have seen?

This is tired. Baltimore has around $20 MM committed starting in 2015. Tampa has $30MM. Davis/Wieters/Tillman will carry them above Tampa, but there is SOOOOO much room for aggressive action it's almost silly. Please stop perpetuating this narrative, even if it is a convenient way to shrug everything off on ownership...

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You look for angles to constantly improve the team. The org hasn't come close to maxing its assets to that end. It's fine to say you have arms at Double A and Triple A that you really like and could be really good as soon as this year. But in honesty, Gausman is the only arm you could argue with a straight face as having a high likelihood of doing anything of import at the MLB level this year.

So that stance is really a stance that you can't make anything else happen for the time being, so we are waiting it out and hoping to hit the lotto on some smaller moves.

oh no, don't get me wrong, I am not disagreeing with you at all. the Orioles need to make moves, they need to find way to improve and max those assets. But I get the feeling they are looking at young arms that will be hitting the MLB in the next two years and thinking how they don't want to pay a super over-inflated price for a Feldman-like pitcher for three years.

But yes the Orioles NEED to continue the tweaking and the supplementing of their roster. They have the core, now it is time to surround that core with the pieces to maximize its potential.

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You make good points as usual. It could still be awhile before we understand the strategy regarding Davis and Wieters.

I think that is the key. How things shake out with those two players will speak volumes as to how the front office plans to compete, not just in the immediate future but as a statement as to how the FO believes the Baltimore baseball team should be run.

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This is tired. Baltimore has around $20 MM committed starting in 2015. Tampa has $30MM. Davis/Wieters/Tillman will carry them above Tampa, but there is SOOOOO much room for aggressive action it's almost silly. Please stop perpetuating this narrative, even if it is a convenient way to shrug everything off on ownership...

Clap, clap, clap....clap.

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I imagine you writing this in a dark room with a muted TV playing static. You reach for a bottle of whiskey and you find its empty (you drank it all). You throw it across the room towards a dusty shelf of Orioles bobbleheads but you miss and all of the toy statutes bob their heads mockingly. At this moment you scream, "Daaaaaaaaaaan!" and press Post.
Brilliant! Now get that spy cam out of my house...
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