Reporting from Fanfest, 2014

[Frobby]

Anyone who thought interest would be down is wrong. 9:40 and the line for early entry wraps 95% of the way around the Convention Center.

[TradeAngelos]

Mommy and Daddy with the kids will never lose interest, they don't know any better. Weather being great doesn't hurt either.

[Diehard_O's_Fan]

Are they seriously calling for temperatures in the 50's today for Baltimore? If so, you could not ask for better weather for Fanfest. The Orioles are the best team in MLB so why wouldn't interest be high?

[Can_of_corn]

Anyone who thought interest would be down is wrong. 9:40 and the line for early entry wraps 95% of the way around the Convention Center.

How does that compare to prior fests?

[ShaneDawg85]

I never had any doubt that interest would still be high, and I've said so before. The mood might be depressed, like it was in 2012, but never the interest. No matter how bad this team has been over the years, people turn out for Fan Fest.

[El Gordo]

Anyone who thought interest would be down is wrong. 9:40 and the line for early entry wraps 95% of the way around the Convention Center.

Thanks Frobby. I live in NY and can never attend Fanfest, I look forward to your reports as much as I do Vatech's reports from ST. Ask some tough questions at the Q&A.

[Big O]

Is AJ Burnett there? Is there a random empty podium around?

[Mayor McCheese]

From what I am hearing, O's want to extend Hardy now.

Doesn't sound like they are really going to add a FA.

[Mayor McCheese]

Davis has been approached about an extension, but no progression at all.

Same as Weiters.

[centralpaosfan]

Davis has been approached about an extension, but no progression at all.

Same as Weiters.

I can't blame Davis for not extending right now. His value will skyrocket even more if he backs up last year with another monster year at the plate, he saw how AJ signed too early and is now not being paid fair market value, he was pretty direct in the one interview how he is disappointed that pitching will once again be a problem for this team.

[Frobby]

Buck and Dan

Dan: we still have work to do, want to sign a couple of pitchers. Our work is primarily on the pitching staff.

Buck, do you like having all this depth? We'll see -- it's a good thing to have Quality depth.

Dan: I don't like the FA market. We will compete through farm system.

Buck: the most athletic group of outfielders we've had. Lough is a good outfielder with a good arm and plays the game the way we want it played.

Dan: Told JJ Hardy we want to try to extend this spring. Tried twice with Wieters and once with Davis and really didn't get anywhere.

Buck re Walkace and Chiti: We liked the guys we had before..,but we needed to make some changes.

Dan says Lough is a better outfielder with a better arm and maybe a better hitter than McLouth, though less of a base stealing threat and less power.

Buck says Nick has worked to put on weight and is at about 220, thinks he'll run better, too.

[MurphDogg]

Just won an autographed Reimold picture at Orioles bingo! And I got an autographed Authentic Betemit jersey for $40 in the grab bag of former players jerseys (the other two people I was with got Arrieta and Betemit). Got a free Earl Weaver statue in the giveaway line (the giveaways cycle throughout the day). I had all the statues but my Earl had a broken leg.

Fun time thus far.

[Frobby]

Dan pretty much acknowledged that Boras is an obstacle to signing Davis and Wieters. Seemed very pessimistic on that front.

[Frobby]

O'Day on Palmer's advice: sometimes it's like trying to drink out of a fire hose because of all the stuff Palmer remembers.

[El Gordo]

Dan pretty much acknowledged that Boras is an obstacle to signing Davis and Wieters. Seemed very pessimistic on that front.

Not surprised about this. I still have hope for Davis. He could just tell Boras to sign him up if he felt what the O's offered him next year was fair. He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who is after the last nickle. Not this year, though. All he needs to do is hit 35-40 HR to maintain his current value.