Update your offseason grade after the Yoon, Jimenez and Cruz signings

[Hooded Viper]

Isn't it funny the MemorialStarKid is not chiming in?

[Bradysburns]

I think it's a solid B. I was tempted to go to B+.

The thing that would push it to an A for me would be for DD to acquire some young depth for our minors by dealing off some of the guys on the 40-man. If somehow we could turn Bud Norris into a Nick Franklin...or something along those lines...I'd be ecstatic.

I went B as well, and I really like your reasoning. It wasn't that I wanted another big FA signing. Some kind of trade to help stock the farm system - either a blockbuster Wieters deal or something like you mentioned - would have made me even happier.

Sure, I won't give him a lot of style points, for waiting till the last minute. But what counts is what DD walked away from the table with, ultimately. So I have to give the man credit. He got us a good DH... and left room in the salary structure to resign Davis and/or Hardy, or lock up Machado, whatever.

Although I wanted Morales, this might have been a smarter move for those reasons. I don't suspect you'd get Morales for $8 mill/per... and not for one year. But who knows.

Regardless, I am happy with the offseason now - and I wasn't before the Jimenez/Cruz signings.

[weams]

Isn't it funny the MemorialStarKid is not chiming in?

From what I understand he is ecstatic with the moves. He's a fan. I don't always agree with him, but he's a fan.

He may just be busy right now. He has an interesting life.

[El Gordo]

Isn't it funny the MemorialStarKid is not chiming in?

He doesn't have any "morals" [sic.]. Maybe he's ashamed to admit it. :smile11:

[Bradysburns]

I see Cruz as a ~2 win DH that doesn't get on base much(310 over his last 3 seasons). We would've probably gotten similar production from a platoon comprised of the guys we already have, so basically we threw away a draft pick for an injury-prone ~34 year old cheater that does nothing to improve our biggest area of concern in regards to the offense, OBP.

The move just reeks of panic and window-dressing, IMO.

A few things to keep in mind, that might cheer you up:

1) His lifetime OBP is .327. His 2013 OBP was.... wait for it.... .327.

2) The O's DH OBP for 2013 was... .293.

3) We might have just improved our OBP from the DH spot by 34 points.

4) Having one DH allows for tons more flexibility in our roster... You don't have to carry righty and lefty DH/platoon guys. You can make better tactical moves with your roster when you have the DH locked down like this.

5) You won't have to watch someone named "Dan Johnson" fill your DH role against a rubber match versus the Yankees.

So buck up, camper - Spring Training is here!

[Dipper9]

B+ for me. Man what a difference a week makes

This exactly.

[Rene88]

I read some of these low grades and laugh. I am not delusional but you can run all your fancy SABR metrics you want the Orioles sending a clear message to the players (and less importantly to the fans) is something that cannot be measured.

If Cruz is a POS that is going to provide the same product as a Platoon of existing options (Pearce/Henry/Reimold), so be it. We lost a low 1st round pick. I think the message it sends to the team is much more valuable.

I value the insights of many posters with some really good statistical analysis, but I feel they are missing the boat here IMO.

[weams]

I read some of these low grades and laugh. I am not delusional but you can run all your fancy SABR metrics you want the Orioles sending a clear message to the players (and less importantly to the fans) is something that cannot be measured.

If Cruz is a POS that is going to provide the same product as a Platoon of existing options (Pearce/Henry/Reimold), so be it. We lost a low 1st round pick. I think the message it sends to the team is much more valuable.

I value the insights of many posters with some really good statistical analysis, but I feel they are missing the boat here IMO.

Mid Second rounder. And for messages? Frank is coming to take Earls place in the clubhouse tomorrow and speak with the team.

[Rene88]

Mid Second rounder. And for messages? Frank is coming to take Earls place in the clubhouse tomorrow and speak with the team.

Oh really? Wow. I hadn't heard that, thanks for sharing.

[Norfolk orioles]

A- for me.

Jimenez was the best pitcher we could afford (we were never going to get tanaka), youn was a solid depth signing who could fill in out of then pen or rotation who also has options and signing cruz, while not my first choice (I would have rather had morales) was still a shrewd move because he came cheap, under market value and with very little risk. He also has the potential to hit the warehouse in Camden, something we'd all enjoy seeing. I also like picking up lough, I enjoyed what I saw from him in kc and I think he reminds me of a young scrappy McClouth. Even a poor mans McClouth at the plate with slightly better defense would work well for me.

I like the other depth signing as well, (aceves, webb, weeks, young etc.) Some solid vets to have on the team should we need them later in the season.

With young guys waiting in the wings like Gausman, Rodriguez, wright and bundy, I'm very excited that this offseason could go a long way towards making us a real contender to win the east at the very least.

[Norfolk orioles]

Btw I just want to add my 2 cent.......

Cruz isn't here to get on base. He's here to slug and drive in runs, both of which he is more than capable of doing at a MUCH higher clip than what we received from our DH's last year.

Obp is important for the guys at the top of the lineup but for a guy batting 5/6th in a stacked lineup, not so much.

[Stotle]

Want to break that down as current vs. future? I mean you must at least think these moves improve the 2014 Orioles, no?

Total gained in added shot a playoffs in 2014 offset by future expenditures, lost draft picks, and potential opportunity cost for prospects in system (and potential trades). Still looks like a 3rd/4th place to me.

[RVAbird]

C+

They finally picked a direction and committed to it. It's not the direction I would have chosen. They punted 2 (3 if we go back to the Norris trade) high picks in a strong draft and spent $60 million for maybe a 15% chance at the playoffs.

Still, they will be better in the short term than if they had been conservative. If the risk pays off, you don't waste time thinking about draft picks and money. Let's play some baseball.

[24fps]

C+

They finally picked a direction and committed to it. It's not the direction I would have chosen. They punted 2 (3 if we go back to the Norris trade) high picks in a strong draft and spent $60 million for maybe a 15% chance at the playoffs.

Still, they will be better in the short term than if they had been conservative. If the risk pays off, you don't waste time thinking about draft picks and money. Let's play some baseball.

Let's play some baseball indeed. I rarely disagree with your posts, but this one strikes me as unfinished. The Orioles punted three draft picks in a single strong draft to take advantage of a competitive "window" from a strategic and considered standpoint, and they spent $60 million primarily on two deals that informed consensus considers to be undervalued.

I'm not interested in quibbling about the percentage increase in playoff chances - nobody really knows. What I like best about your post is the lead sentence, it's true and it stopped me in my tracks when I read it and it hit me. Somebody's driving for a change, somebody with a GPS and not simply some vague notion of where north might be at some undermined time in the future. To me the real question about this offseason at this point is whether the risk has been worth the cost.

For me the answer is a resounding yes.

[El Gordo]

For me an A+ would have been Abreu, M. Gonzalez, Webb, and Balfour. Total cost 20.5M, no picks lost.