Assuming we use a draft pick to get Jimenez or Santana, shall we go ahead and get Morales?

[Redskins Rick]

You think they are likely to replicate that performance?

Morales probably.

Santana is iffy, if you ask me.

[El Gordo]

Well...if we were an 85-ish win team, I'd say "yes"!

So an 85 W team loses Feldman, McLouth, and JJ, replaces them with Sanatana/Jimenez, Morales, Lough, and Webb and we are just breaking even?

[El Gordo]

I think they could. I actually think Morales would be better in OPACY.

I agree on Morales.. Santana/Jimenez are like the proverbial box of chocolates.

[OrioleMagic79]

Not sure I'm confident that Morales or Santana can repeat their success, but I'm at least as skeptical that Davis and Tillman will repeat their level of success as well...more confident about Tillman than Davis, barring injury of course, but still.

That said, this is why I want to just go for it. Morales should improve at OPACY and Santana is likely to not be quite as good...honestly I'm torn between him and Jiminez, but I say just get one...maybe I am leaning toward UJ though? Not sure...

What I do know is how long it took to build this core of players and that we are pretty close to missing our window of opportunity to compete. IMO we have a better shot at the World Series by bolstering this core than we do allowing them to age and building a new core through the draft...

[Redskins Rick]

So an 85 W team loses Feldman, McLouth, and JJ, replaces them with Sanatana/Jimenez, Morales, Lough, and Webb and we are just breaking even?

Feldman wasn't here all season, so its not fair to pick on him. He was a mid season replacement.

[El Gordo]

Feldman wasn't here all season, so its not fair to pick on him. He was a mid season replacement.

I'm not picking on him, although given your super sensitivity I am not surprised you'd think so. I think, and I've said this many times, if we had had Feldman for a full season we would have made the playoffs. I do think Santana/Jimenez would be a slight upgrade over Feldman I hope that doesn't hurt his or your feelings.

[Frobby]

Putting aside his personal issues, I've always liked Aceves' repetoire. He has a 4.29 ERA in 15 career starts. To me he's a candidate to be a big surprise for this team.

And, Roch agrees with me. http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2014/02/my-dark-horse-candidate-with-the-orioles.html

[Il BuonO]

Not putting aside the personal issues, Buck is the perfect manager for a guy like him. And I agree, he was flat out nasty a couple years ago. Diamond in the rough.

You have my stamp of approval.

And, Roch agrees with me. http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2014/02/my-dark-horse-candidate-with-the-orioles.html

Forget Roch, he's getting paid by the man.

[LA2]

Second base actually worked out fine last year. DH not so much.

It didn't "work out fine" the whole first third of last season. And even in the end it wasn't much of a solution--Aren't we now back to square one at 2B?

[LA2]

Badly, and for one year.

LookinUp and CoC are right...if the options are Santana/Morales or Santana/Jimenez, then the latter is the obvious choice. Adding two #3-type starters with #2 upside to the rotation would be a coup...at least compared to getting the lower-ceiling starter along with a DH.

But none of the these three alternatives is going to happen, even the meager last one. I decided a few months ago not to set myself up for disappointment by conjuring up any grand FA-signings, no matter what Duquette might have thought was possible or Angelos promised in the clubhouse after losing to the Y's in the playoffs. It might be better for everyone's health and daily work schedule if we'd just resign ourselves to it....

[Frobby]

But it wasn't much of a solution--Aren't we now back to square one at 2B? And I'd consider Buck insane if he sticks again with what he put up with the first few *months* of last season (Flaherty hitting below .200).

I think Buck believes in Flaherty, despite his underwhelming overall numbers the last two years. When he was asked at Fanfest which positions were up for grabs, he immediately ticked off LF, DH, backup C, and 5th spot in the rotation. The he said something like, "it's not the first time I've thought about this." The inference was pretty clear that he does not see 2B as up for grabs, and that can only mean he sees Flaherty as the starter. That said, we do have other options if Flaherty starts the year ice cold, as he has the last two seasons.

[Fla_O'sfan]

But none of the these three alternatives is going to happen, even the meager last one. I decided a few months ago not to set myself up for disappointment by conjuring up any grand FA-signings, no matter what Duquette might have thought was possible or Angelos promised in the clubhouse after losing to the Y's in the playoffs. It might be better for everyone's health and daily work schedule if we'd just resign ourselves to it....

shhhhhhhhhhhhh! There are a lot of O's fans on here who like to pretend the Orioles are chasing big FA's during the off season. Please don't spoil it for them.

[Can_of_corn]

shhhhhhhhhhhhh! There are a lot of O's fans on here who like to pretend the Orioles are chasing big FA's during the off season. Please don't spoil it for them.

Oh please. Big free agents would be folks like Cano and Tanaka.

I don't recall anyone seriously suggesting the O's were going to sign someone of that caliber.

[crawjo]

Going into this offseason, I looked at the caliber of free agents that were going to be available and wanted the Orioles to go after Jimenez. Here we are on February 11, and he's still out there.

[LA2]

I think Buck believes in Flaherty, despite his underwhelming overall numbers the last two years. When he was asked at Fanfest which positions were up for grabs, he immediately ticked off LF, DH, backup C, and 5th spot in the rotation. The he said something like, "it's not the first time I've thought about this." The inference was pretty clear that he does not see 2B as up for grabs, and that can only mean he sees Flaherty as the starter. That said, we do have other options if Flaherty starts the year ice cold, as he has the last two seasons.

Oh yes, I'm sure Buck has penciled Flaherty in for 2B and we've all seen that he has potential, at least over short periods of play. I was just saying that, objectively speaking, Flaherty has not proven himself yet (thus, we're back to square one) and it will be maddening--and, I think, a sign of deep failure--if Buck insists on starting him the first 50 or so games again even if he isn't hitting worth a lick, as they used to say.