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

[notyourbuddy]

Orioles 2nd Round Draft picks since 1989:

Career WAR | NAME

---------------------

0.0 Keith Schmidt

0.0 Tommy Taylor

-0.2 Eric Schullstrom

0.0 Jeff Williams

0.0 Shawn Curran

0.1 Brian Sackinsky

-1.0 David Lamb

-0.1 Tommy Davis

0.0 Chip Alley

-0.8 Brian Falkenborg

-1.2 Sean Douglass

0.0 Ben Knapp

0.0 Alex Hart

0.0 Corey Shafer

0.0 Brian Finch

2.7 Nolan Reimold

-0.3 Ryan Adams

-0.3 Xavier Avery

TBD Mychal Givens

TBD Jason Esposito

TBD Branden Kline

TBD Chance Sisco

Whatever you think of Cruz as a person something tells me we aren't missing out on much with that 2nd round pick of ours. We'd probably just be as well off taking that slot money and spending it on some random dude from the International Amateur talent pool.

[isestrex]

Orioles 2nd Round Draft picks since 1989:

Career WAR | NAME

---------------------

0.0 Keith Schmidt

0.0 Tommy Taylor

-0.2 Eric Schullstrom

0.0 Jeff Williams

0.0 Shawn Curran

0.1 Brian Sackinsky

-1.0 David Lamb

-0.1 Tommy Davis

0.0 Chip Alley

-0.8 Brian Falkenborg

-1.2 Sean Douglass

0.0 Ben Knapp

0.0 Alex Hart

0.0 Corey Shafer

0.0 Brian Finch

2.7 Nolan Reimold

-0.3 Ryan Adams

-0.3 Xavier Avery

TBD Mychal Givens

TBD Jason Esposito

TBD Branden Kline

TBD Chance Sisco

Whatever you think of Cruz as a person something tells me we aren't missing out on much with that 2nd round pick of ours. We'd probably just be as well off taking that slot money and spending it on some random dude from the International Amateur talent pool.

I appreciate the research but looking at prior draft picks of an incompetent organization might not be the best data pool to draw from. I would be curious to see names around baseball that have had 1.0+ WAR out of the second round from say... 1999.

[weams]

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

Both Abreu and Gonzales are said to be really big question marks. You know that I believe Balfour is as well. So for me, 1 for 4.

[ShaneDawg85]

Orioles 2nd Round Draft picks since 1989:

Career WAR | NAME

---------------------

0.0 Keith Schmidt

0.0 Tommy Taylor

-0.2 Eric Schullstrom

0.0 Jeff Williams

0.0 Shawn Curran

0.1 Brian Sackinsky

-1.0 David Lamb

-0.1 Tommy Davis

0.0 Chip Alley

-0.8 Brian Falkenborg

-1.2 Sean Douglass

0.0 Ben Knapp

0.0 Alex Hart

0.0 Corey Shafer

0.0 Brian Finch

2.7 Nolan Reimold

-0.3 Ryan Adams

-0.3 Xavier Avery

TBD Mychal Givens

TBD Jason Esposito

TBD Branden Kline

TBD Chance Sisco

Whatever you think of Cruz as a person something tells me we aren't missing out on much with that 2nd round pick of ours. We'd probably just be as well off taking that slot money and spending it on some random dude from the International Amateur talent pool.

Great research, I applaud you for that. However, I don't subscribe to the theory that the Orioles should give away picks just because of their history of drafting and developing players. I'm fine with losing a pick here and there if it fills an obvious need and can be justified in terms of years and money (Jimenez). But, people and personnel change, and so what the Orioles have done draft wise over 25 years given those factors shouldn't factor in to whether they sacrifice draft picks or not.

[DrungoHazewood]

Orioles 2nd Round Draft picks since 1989:

Career WAR | NAME

---------------------

0.0 Keith Schmidt

0.0 Tommy Taylor

-0.2 Eric Schullstrom

0.0 Jeff Williams

0.0 Shawn Curran

0.1 Brian Sackinsky

-1.0 David Lamb

-0.1 Tommy Davis

0.0 Chip Alley

-0.8 Brian Falkenborg

-1.2 Sean Douglass

0.0 Ben Knapp

0.0 Alex Hart

0.0 Corey Shafer

0.0 Brian Finch

2.7 Nolan Reimold

-0.3 Ryan Adams

-0.3 Xavier Avery

TBD Mychal Givens

TBD Jason Esposito

TBD Branden Kline

TBD Chance Sisco

Whatever you think of Cruz as a person something tells me we aren't missing out on much with that 2nd round pick of ours. We'd probably just be as well off taking that slot money and spending it on some random dude from the International Amateur talent pool.

My solution would have been to make changes that result in better drafting. But, hey, just punting on picks and conceding a huge advantage to the competition is an option, too.

[crowmst3k!]

B+

They went out and addressed the two main things that needed to be addressed: starting pitching and DH.

Unfortunately, they shat the bed on acquiring a closer. I hope that doesn't mess things up this season.

[crowmst3k!]

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.

It really depends on how the Jimenez deal works out long-term. If he's a consistent #2-3 type for every year of his contract, then I'll take that over the crapshoot of the draft. It ensures that the Orioles have, more or less, a good rotation for the next half-decade (assuming that 1/3 of E.Rod, Bundy, Gausman develops properly).

The Cruz pick was the more difficult one to lose, because if the draft is as deep as is speculated, then I could see some real value being had in that round. The whole "but the Orioles suck a drafting in the second round..." argument is invalid. The FO has been so completely overhauled that you cannot project the previous failures onto the current regime. I think they'd be able to find some talent in the second this time around.

I'm absolutely fine on surrendering the Jimenez pick, though.

[crowmst3k!]

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.

I'll take a year of decent Nelson Cruz over the abysmal results out of the DH position last year.

DH and closer kept the O's out of the postseason last year. One has been solved, and the other will hopefully be answered in spring training.

[Singleton]

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.

Great post. My thoughts exactly.

[OFFNY]

.

Contrast the two polls.

Go, Duquette !!!

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php/138906-Grade-the-off-season?p=3393196#post3393196

[Rene88]

I love the Santana low risk, high reward signing (same case could be made for Yoon), Jimenz and Cruz.

I just don't see how anyone can give us an A with the JJ/Balfour fiasco. That is preventing the A grade in my eyes.

[24fps]

One man's fiasco is another man's no-brainer.

[OFFNY]

.

Almost 1/4 of the way through the seasdon.

A) Cruz has been great so far.

B) Jimenez has bounced back very nicely after his first 3 starts, 2 of which were atrocious.

C) Yoon has been erratic at the AAA level for the T IDES. Remains to be seen/incomplete.

[Dipper9]

OMG...completely forgot about Yoon.

[scOtt]

Cruz has been a godsend with so many guys starting slow!