Hardy confused from lack of extension talk

[Stotle]

Ah. Yeah. I see. That's a point. To me, sometimes the best deals are the ones you don't make. We are never going to be in contention for any of those top end FAs anyway. Nor do I think we should be.

I generally agree. That doesn't mean I wouldn't prefer a world where, all things equal, Baltimore is a spot players gravitate towards. I don't think that's currently our world; I could be wrong.

[weams]

Clearly there were some discussions with Hardy's agent and we don't know what was said. Length of contract may have been discussed. We do not know.

Feb. 25 Baltimore Sun

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/schmuck-blog/bal-jj-hardy-ponders-contract-future-at-shortstop-20140225,0,4668577.story

We don't know. And we won't know. No matter what gets out on the twitterverse.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Fully admit I might be tilting at windmills. Would just like to hear some positive stuff about how the FO operates from time to time. Of course it doesn't mean the FO is bad; I'd still like to hear positive stuff.

From my perspective more and more players are saying they like the Orioles organization. More and more analysts as well. Maybe not the players listed. Maybe not Grant Balfour. The organization seems well run and efficient. Moral seems pretty good to me in the clubhouse. Every player seeking a contract extension isn't going to be happy. Maybe most of them won't be happy. That is fine. I'm confident DD is above board and communicating with players agents effectively while balancing the needs of the organization. From my perspective the unprofessional comments have been from the player/agent side.

Hardy has often stated that he loves this organization after he was jerked around by both Milwaukee and Minnesota. Yeah, A Hardy extension may not work out and quite frankly it's probably not in the organizations best interest anyways,

[weams]

I generally agree. That doesn't mean I wouldn't prefer a world where, all things equal, Baltimore is a spot players gravitate towards. I don't think that's currently our world; I could be wrong.

I think you sell us short. People enjoy this clubhouse. Those who have to leave it, miss it.

[Stotle]

From my perspective more and more players are saying they like the Orioles organization. More and more analysts as well. Maybe not the players listed. Maybe not Grant Balfour. The organization seems well run and efficient. Moral seems pretty good to me in the clubhouse. Every player seeking a contract extension isn't going to be happy. Maybe most of the won't be happy. That is fine.

Hardy has often stated that he loves this organization after he was jerked around by both Milwaukee and Minnesota. Yeah, A hardy extension may not work out and quite frankly it's probably not in the organizations best interest anyways,

I think you sell us short. People enjoy this clubhouse. Those who have to leave it, miss it.

As I said, I love your optimism (and think you are perceptive folks) so it's great for me to hear you express these thoughts, and I hope it means Baltimore will have little issue getting the FA it wants and extending the players it wants.

[weams]

Sometimes when there is smoke, it's just a fine cigar.

[weams]

it means Baltimore will have little issue getting the FA it wants and extending the players it wants.

"Within the budgetary constraints imposed, and not necessarily required by market and revenues."

How is that for optimism. Sometime the facts are the facts. Complaining has rarely gotten me much in life.

[LookinUp]

I'm inclined to take both sides on this, to be honest.

On one hand, I hope the O's don't extend Hardy for any more than 2 years and I suspect he wants 3-4. I really don't want the O's to even engage in that. Also, given all of the late off season activity and injuries, I definitely don't mind DD biding his time. To some degree, silence seems appropriate. I'm not sure I want Dan telling agents every time his negotiating position (strongly pro, going negative, maybe pro again?) wavers.

However, I can't dismiss what Stotle and Frobby are saying. The O's have this corporate culture that comes from the top and has for two decades. Then they bring in Duquette - a guy who I now think very highly of generally - and he contributes to unhealthy business relationships. I've seen this in my line of work. There are very competent people who end up poisoning the well because they're not respectful of their business partners.

In the end, I think people are right to expect a front office to be straight up. However, I also think that the business side of this is high risk for all sides, and that's guaranteed to result in some tension. I look at the Patriots in football and see a ton of hurt feelings, but enough wins to make it a small point in the grand scheme of things. I'd prefer that DD not make these mistakes, but if he does, I hope multiple 90+ win seasons make it something we can deal with.

[Frobby]

Markakis will be a free agent this off season. (The O's will not pick up his 17M 2015 extension). We don't hear anything about a Markakis contract extension.

Different situation. Nick needs to prove that he is still an above average baseball player, before an extension can get any consideration. He's my favorite player, but those are the facts.

[wildcard]

You are missing the point, IMO. If the O's don't want to discuss an extension with Hardy right now, all they have to do is say that to his agent, and I'll be fine with it. But that's not what they said before, and if they've had a change of heart, they should say so (not publicly, but to JJ's representative) rather than leaving JJ dangling.

As to the "JJ has been fragile" and "Roberts 2.0" remarks, I disagree. To me, Hardy has a pretty average injury history in his career (and played 158 and 159 games the last two seasons). It's unfortunate that he's had back spasms and a tight hammy in the early going this year, but the same thing in the middle of a season would barely be noticed. Things are always blown out of proportion when they happen in April. Yes, I might want Hardy to be back on the field for a few weeks before resuming an extension discussion at this point, but his injury wasn't the reason those discussions hadn't occurred in the first place. They were supposed to occur before the season started. And the fact that the O's haven't communicated with his agent is what bothers me.

You are assuming a lot. Landis (Hardy's agent) and DD are not talking about what has or has not been discussed. Your outrage is based on Hardy's desire to sign an extension but you have no details about what has really happened.

[webbrick2010]

Hardy won't be worth whatever his next contract is.

He should have been traded this past off season

Hopefully DD is laying the groundwork for a trade by the deadline.

Let's not make the same mistake we made with Jim Johnson and get nothing back when Hardy reaches FA.

[weams]

I think the fact that Boras has overplayed the Drew situation so badly has had impact on this all.

[Frobby]

Hardy won't be worth whatever his next contract is.

He should have been traded this past off season

Hopefully DD is laying the groundwork for a trade by the deadline.

Let's not make the same mistake we made with Jim Johnson and get nothing back when Hardy reaches FA.

We'll get a draft pick.

Hardy won't be traded at the deadline unless we aren't in the pennant race. Nor should he be, if we are trying to win.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I like your optimism. It means we should expect the team to land free agents when it wants to, and to have no issue keeping the guys it wants to keep. Here's hoping.

Then you completely missed my point. It doesn't mean that at all. It means almost the opposite. This a business. Businesses can be friendly and like family in some ways, but it's not family. We're not obligated to keep the sick uncle or take in the spoiled rich kid.

[Frobby]

You are assuming a lot. Landis (Hardy's agent) and DD are not talking about what has or has not been discussed. Your outrage is based on Hardy's desire to sign an extension but you have no details about what has really happened.

Because I believe what JJ is saying is true. The only thing I'm assuming is that JJ is not a liar.