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Reporting from Fanfest, 2014


Frobby

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I don't understand this. How are players never aware of being offered extensions and why do they never seem to care that their agents are withholding info?

Usually a comment like that is just a way for a player to avoid discussing contract issues with reporters.

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Had a great day, hard to believe crowd was down from last year... it seemed larger, not sure if it was because the cheerleading competition had things moved... just seemed harder to get around. The lines were running late and long.. Tommy Hunter, Daren O'day.. great guys to talk to! JJ same holds true, held a great conversation, David lough was also extremely sociable.. snagged a weaver statue at the giveaway area, so glad as they pulled them last year, got a cal statue, a Brooke's Robinson Jersey... I felt like the entire day I spent chasing the end of the line!

Manny really needs a better autograph... Heny Urratia was blinged out, but very sociable..there were a few people that I think I made their day by handing them a clean ball for an auto...

I had three offers for my sweatshirt as well.... I should have taken one of them.. as we were heading on 95N I had a blowout..waited 45 mins... only to have someone show up w/o a jack and w/o air (my spare was low)...Thanks AAA... the best part of the day, driving home with a donut tire on, doing 55 on I-95 N

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I don't understand this. How are players never aware of being offered extensions and why do they never seem to care that their agents are withholding info?

Just because DD made an offer doesn't mean it was even close to a good one. Plus, it wouldn't sit well with the fan base to hear, "Yeah, but it wasn't enough". Davis is just being personable, as he should. The more the fans adore him the more leverage he has.

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My first fanfest. Really enjoyed the forums and meeting a few of the players but I gotta say this isn't for me. Way too crowded and too many lines. I spent most my day in line for autographs, game used gear, giveaways and even lunch. Aside from meeting a few of the guys, I would almost rather just buy online. I stood in line all day rather than enjoy it. But maybe that's my fault from inexperience? Sorry if this seems negative, but just my two cents.

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I got there around 2, and for the first 45 minutes I walked around and saw most of the usual stuff that's there each year, then I was in some autograph lines. Nothing terribly in depth, but here goes:

1. It was really crowded today. Even if it was less than last year, it was still really crowded, especially when I got there, and getting around was difficult. Most of the vendors and stands were the same that they always are, but it's whatever. I did decide that it was time to upgrade my O's hat, and finally get one with a cartoon bird on it. So I got an authentic black one with the orange bill, because I just don't like the tri-color one. Some might say $30 was too much, but considering the sticker said it was $34.99, it's authentic, and I plan on having it for several years to come, I'd say it was a worthwhile purchase.

2. If you have not seen a picture of Nick Markakis, you need to. I'm use to seeing him with a beard, but the hair was insanity. Duck Dynasty doesn't have anything on Nick Markakis when he lets it fly.

3. While in the autograph line for Adam Jones I said to Wayne Kirby that I always love seeing him on TV because he always looks like he is having a blast and the time of his life every single night. He told me that he was, and I said it was real refreshing to see someone so visibly enjoying themselves.

4. I caught part of the forum with the developmental team, and I have to say I always appreciate when guys with marginal major league careers are humble and honest that they weren't that great. Jim Hunter asked Calvin Maduro something to the effect of what you're looking for, like you were scouting the next Calvin Maduro, and Calvin said something to the effect of, "Well you're looking for someone who was better than I was." I've met a lot of mediocre and not so great ballplayers over the years who had a real crappy attitude even though they weren't that good, so hearing a sense of humility, and really enlightening answers was refreshing from Calvin.

5. I think I was present when Frobby asked the question about the advancements in scouting, although I didn't catch all of the response from the panel. Funny thing was that I found myself asking whether or not the guy asking the question was on here, because the question sounded too in-depth and detailed. Most casual fans wouldn't ask a question like that to anyone on the Orioles.

6. I'm usually really crappy at asking guys questions or making small talk in the autograph lines, but I asked Dylan Bundy how he felt and he said he felt good. I asked him if he'd be starting at Bowie, without really thinking about it, and he said he'd probably be down in Sarasota to start. Michael Ohlman figured he'd start at Bowie, then he casually popped Baltimore into his response.

7. Going back to Markakis, he came up again somehow at the last session with Jim Palmer, TJ McFarland, Nate Snell, and Ohlman. Somehow his name came up and his appearance, and the guys were sort of beating around what a lot of people probably said, and then Palmer just blurted out he looked like a "terrorist." PIC, yes, but I still thought it was funny, because come on, it's Jim Palmer.

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Here my impression from Fanfest and I will try to give you a different perspective from the Chris Davis offer and the Manny rehab report.

1) Most impressive person on the day: Dave Wallace.

He is direct, straight forward and has a clear concise way of getting his point across. Communication with his pitchers and management will be a strong suit for him.

The dynamics of the pitcher forum was fun to watch. You have the new pitching coaches (Wallace and Chiti) on stage with 4 want-to-be starters in Matusz, Gausman, Norris and McFarland plus one veteran starter in Miguel Gonzalez. Now realize that Wallace and Chiti have a ton to say about who breaks camp in the rotation and they have only spoken to each of these players a few times. Now the want-to-bes are on stage in front of the fan base but also in front of their pitching coaches. Pretty neat stuff.

Questions like:

What role do you see yourself in this summer?

To which every one of them said starters including Matusz. MacFarland said any role that helps the team but he really wanted to be a starter.

McFarland made the point that he played Venezuelan Winter ball to add innings so he would be ready to start and that he was a starter in Winter ball.

What is the most important pitch combination?

The consensus among the want-to-bes was that the fastball/changeup combo is the most important but there were a few points made:

Gausman say he already has a fastball/changeup combo that works for him but he is working to refining his slider. He thinks that he showed in relief late last year that his slider can be effective in the majors.

It was almost one up man ship between the want-to-bes to make sure that Wallace was hearing thoughtful answers from the potential 4th and 5th starters.

Gonzalez (not one of the want-to-bes) said his split/change is a important pitch for him and he would not be in the majors without it.

Wallace made his own point at the end though. Fastball command is the most important thing for starters. Being able to throw quality pitches to all four quadrants.

"These guys are going to get tired on hearing me stress that point over and over."

Great Forum. I enjoyed watch the interaction of the applicants with their new boss.

2) Buck, where are the battle in ST?

Quick concise answer from Buck without hesitation. Leftfield, DH. Backup Catcher, 4th outfield, 5th starter and infield utility man. Then he smiled which brought a laugh from the crowd. 'What?' he says, 'I have had a lot of time to think about this.'

Important point ---- Second base was not mentioned. Flaherty is very secure as a starter to begin the season at 2nd.

3) Two guys in the New Faces Forum think they can be the leadoff hitter

.

Jemile Weeks and David Lough both made they cases for the job. Weeks pointed out the he had a high OBP last year. (.376 OBP in the PCL). Lough said he didn't hit for as high a OBP as he would like in his first year in the majors, (.311 OBP with KC) but he knew he could do better like he did in the minors. (.391 OBP).

Both players showed well in front of the fan base. Weeks didn't fluster when asked about cutting his hair.

4) Ryan Webb made his case to be the closer.

He introduced himself as a sinker ball pitcher like Jim Johnson. He said opportunity was all the stood between him and the job, and he wanted to show he was ready to take advantage of that opportunity. His answer probably wasn't quite that straight forward -- but close.

Just some of the fun at FanFest.

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My first fanfest. Really enjoyed the forums and meeting a few of the players but I gotta say this isn't for me. Way too crowded and too many lines. I spent most my day in line for autographs, game used gear, giveaways and even lunch. Aside from meeting a few of the guys, I would almost rather just buy online. I stood in line all day rather than enjoy it. But maybe that's my fault from inexperience? Sorry if this seems negative, but just my two cents.

I am going to respond to your post, but first I want to acknowledge that you are 100% correct in stating that there are a LOT of lines. I stood in line for autogrpahs, for two pictures, for some popcorn and nuts, for giveaways and for game gear. Heck, there was a ridiculously long line for the free Powerade samples and Utz potato chip bags! And standing in line isn't much as far as "fan experience" goes.

I have a different take on it all, however. I go to Fanfest, not so much for the forums or the giveaways, autographs or photo opportunities. I go because I like communing with fellow O's fans - with like-minded individuals.

When I was in line to get in from 10:15 to 11:00 A.M. I had a wonderful conversation with the woman in front of me who has a family in Norfolk, Va. and goes to Tides games, and the man in back of me from York, Pa. who goes to Revolution games and knew a lot about Brooks Robinson.

The guy behind me in the autograph line was just out of college and interested in what people thought about what Matusz and Britton were likely to do this season.

The guy in front of me in the photograph line knew about the early entrance forums and all the stuff the people getting in early had a chance to do.

I just find that, while standing in line isn't what I go to Fanfest for, it really gives one an opportunity to meet with fellow fans and discuss the team, the game and the general fan experience with people who really are interested in at least one of the same things you are interested in.

Heck, I've even met people from the Hangout who were coincidentally in line with me at Fanfest.

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I went today because I had two free tickets from being a season ticket holder. I don't know why anyone would pay to get into fan-fest. Tons of people and nothing going on. Ok if you had paid for autographs it might be worth it. But they are already charging for that. Couldn't even get food as the lines were insane. I spent maybe 20 minutes at it and left. I was expecting a ton of stuff and basically mostly all that was happening was lines.

I will say that the locker room and dug out tour were interesting enough. They didn't ask for any sort of ticket so you could have done this without going to fan-fest. I was surprised that the locker room wasn't nicer. Cheap carpet and cinder block walls. Also the locker labeled "Brady" was the only one that had wooden hangers. I was thinking you pay a guy 15 million a year and you give him plastic hangers? Standing on the field with snow on it was fun.

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Just because Davis wants to stay with the O's doesn't mean he believes that now is the best time to negotiate a new deal. Only management could see it that way.

You negotiate a deal coming off a season like he had. Just like Markakis did. You don't wait and hope you pull another MVP type season in the next 2 years. You run with the one you got.

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Very important point and good catch. I highly doubt Buck just "forgot" to mention 2B.

'What?' he says, 'I have had a lot of time to think about this.'

If he rattled them off like that it also means he intentionally left out 2B. I'm usually not much for gleaning meaning from qoutes but this seems to have some weight.

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You negotiate a deal coming off a season like he had. Just like Markakis did. You don't wait and hope you pull another MVP type season in the next 2 years. You run with the one you got.

Markakis signed before his first arbitration. He was three years from free agency and not making a boatload of money. Chris Davis has already agreed to a deal covering his 2nd year of arb and is making over $10 million. Big difference.

The guy to sign early is Manny. He's still far enough away from arbitration and free agency that they might be able to convince him to tack on a few years if they're willing to pay for them. Once he hits arbitration, it will be game over and he'll be a FA at 26.

One other thing on Davis: he might be the nicest, quietest, most humble guy in the world, but he hired Scott Boras to optimize his earnings, not to spread the love. There are agents with "nice guy" reputations. He didn't choose one of them. As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words.

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