Olney On Qualifying Offer Candidates

[Can_of_corn]

No of course I don't think that little of the front office, you know that. I'm just not in favor of moving Manny to shortstop because now you have to find out if indeed he's any good there (he'd probably be above average but you still have to plan for the fact that he could not be as good over there as at third), you have to plan for if he can't stay healthy and make sure you have a good backup SS (we already know Flaherty is our only option at SS in the system). It's just so much more crap to deal with than just leaving him at 3B where he's proven to be elite.

It doesn't matter how much the O's think they can project how he'll play at SS - I agree they have a lot of good info - they can't predict his health. And if you move Manny from 3B to SS and he gets hurt, now you have a crappy 3B AND a crappy SS.

Just sign Hardy for 3 years. Stop trying to overthink this. Manny Machado is a third baseman. End of story. And I guarantee you the Orioles feel the same way.

So what you are saying is that the O's have a lot more then "no idea" but still not enough to suit you.

OK I am fine with that view.

As for Hardy, yea, I remember Roberts.

I am still not excited about giving a three year deal to an over 30, offensively inconsistent shortstop that has needed multiple cortisone shots to stay on the field this season.

[clapdiddy]

Exactly. There's literally no way Machado will play SS in 2015 after we saw how long it took to rehab knee #1. Even if he's ready, they will baby the sweet jesus out of him and he'll play maybe 2 weeks of spring training, if that, and then possibly an extra week in Sarasota in April.

I still think we would be better off going ofter a young, good glove shortstop if we are unable to resign Hardy. We don't have a long-term solution in the system right now.

[Redskins Rick]

So what you are saying is that the O's have a lot more then "no idea" but still not enough to suit you.

OK I am fine with that view.

As for Hardy, yea, I remember Roberts.

I am still not excited about giving a three year deal to an over 30, offensively inconsistent shortstop that has needed multiple cortisone shots to stay on the field this season.

Its no coincidence that with a solid SS, the team is winning.

JJ has had some very clutch at bats, and while his offense isn't Ripken, it's from the Blade.

I am not in favor of going back to the likes of Andino and company.

[Can_of_corn]

Its no coincidence that with a solid SS, the team is winning.

JJ has had some very clutch at bats, and while his offense isn't Ripken, it's from the Blade.

I am not in favor of going back to the likes of Andino and company.

Hardy was on the 2011 team, they lost.

Hardy has been a great value for the O's. That doesn't mean a three year extension is a good idea.

[csgordos]

My opinion is that Manny will be ready by Spring Training and Opening Day this year. I also predicted that he would not be ready for OD last year. However, based on his surgery and the demands of the positions, why would they even consider moving Manny off of 3B. He is a gold glove 3B. Leave him there and offer the QO to JJ or sign somebody else. Even think about moving Schoop to SS if need be. They have Flaherty also. I do not see moving Manny. But I have been wrong so often about so much in the past.

[Redskins Rick]

Hardy was on the 2011 team, they lost.

Hardy has been a great value for the O's. That doesn't mean a three year extension is a good idea.

Thats because it takes more than player.

I am not saying all the success is due to Hardy. But, just it takes a solid player at SS for most playoff teams.

I totally agree with long term contract for Hardy isn't the best way to go.

Hopefully, DD has a plan.

[Frobby]

James Shields 3.1 rWAR),

Max Scherzer (5.6),

Pablo Sandoval (3.7)

Melky Cabrera (3.0)

Russell Martin (5.0)

Nelson Cruz (4.5)

J.J. Hardy (3.7)

Victor Martinez (4.9),

Ervin Santana (1.5)

David Robertson (1.3)

Hanley Ramirez (3.0)

Only Santana and Robertson seem questionable, but it seems reasonable that they'd be on a tentative list. Robertson probably wouldn't get a QO from any other team,but from the Yankees, he might.

[HokieOs]

I can't see his agent turning it down. Nick's value has plummeted the past few years. I would still like to see them on a new deal. Something like a 2/22 deal wouldn't be too bad. That's more along the lines of his value.

I don't see Markakis accepting a new 2/22 deal. IMO, for a new contract to be worthwhile to BOTH parties, it would have to be a 3 year minimum. Something around 3/33 or 3/36. While I think would be worthwhile. A little bit of an overpay, but Nick is the kind of guy for this team worth overpaying a little for.

[hoosiers]

I just don't see how the O's can expect to be any good next year without JJ Hardy at SS. You don't know what Manny is capable of over there or if he can even stay healthy and no one else in the system capable of handling SS.

We are in a year in which we shed last year's closer, have had an All-Star catcher miss most of the year, have had our excellent 3B miss time due to multiple injuries and suspension, had our star pitching free agent signing pitch poorly and had our All Star 1B absolutely stink. Yet win the division by probably 10-15 games. There will be plenty of options for our FO to put together a good team next year - with and without JJ Hardy.

[Frobby]

I don't see Markakis accepting a new 2/22 deal. IMO, for a new contract to be worthwhile to BOTH parties, it would have to be a 3 year minimum. Something around 3/33 or 3/36. While I think would be worthwhile. A little bit of an overpay, but Nick is the kind of guy for this team worth overpaying a little for.

Nick has played his way out of that good of a contract over the last 5 weeks.

[hoosiers]

I don't see Markakis accepting a new 2/22 deal. IMO, for a new contract to be worthwhile to BOTH parties, it would have to be a 3 year minimum. Something around 3/33 or 3/36. While I think would be worthwhile. A little bit of an overpay, but Nick is the kind of guy for this team worth overpaying a little for.

I think it is difficult to pay a 1.4 WAR guy at Nick's age 3/$36M. Nick is the indeed the kind of guy worth overpaying, but that's too much. I also think Nick's performance does not deserve a guaranteed three year deal, but two plus an option.

[Crazysilver03]

I am having a hard time accepting the idea that any relief pitcher wouldn't accept the QO. Are there any teams left out there dumb enough to sign a bullpen guy with an attached QO?

I think they actually want to keep him. I read an article about it a few weeks ago. Basically saying the Yankees might want to go with the higher AAV for one year so they don't have to commit long term to him.

[Reboulet'sStache]

There are definitely concerns with Hardy. He's managed to stay away from any major injuries as an Oriole, but he is a health concern. He's also the best shortstop in the division, hands down. I just have soooo many concerns with moving Machado off of 3B. I dunno what the answer is, but one answer is to just sign Hardy and come what may. I kind of prefer that option, even with the risks.

It's not just injury concerns. Hardy is getting to be about the age that you expect to start seeing a decline even if he was healthy. With Machado, you aren't invested. He doesn't work out at SS, move him back to third. Although working out is relative because it's not as if the Orioles won't be getting great value due to what we pay him. With Machado, you don't have to be right. With Hardy and what he will make this off-season, the Orioles HAVE to be right. Which is why to me there are far more concerns with Hardy. Of course the simple solution to all of this is to meet in the middle and just slap Hardy with a QO. There really aren't any bad one year contracts.

[Babypowder]

I don't see Markakis accepting a new 2/22 deal. IMO, for a new contract to be worthwhile to BOTH parties, it would have to be a 3 year minimum. Something around 3/33 or 3/36. While I think would be worthwhile. A little bit of an overpay, but Nick is the kind of guy for this team worth overpaying a little for.

Couldn't disagree more. He's the kind of guy we should absolutely not overpay for. He's simply not very good. If that's the kind of deal he's looking for, he ought to walk. Alejandro De Aza or David Lough could be comparably valuable for a fraction of that cost. Buyout his option, do not offer him a QO, and wish him well.

He is league averageish corner outfielder, he's not all that valuable to this team. He's coming off a .685 OPS in 2013 and a .711 so far in 2014. He's a mediocre defender on top of it. We can get that kind of value for cheap. This team still operates on a budget and needs surplus value. We should not be signing on to continue overpaying Markakis just because he's been here a while and is a generally likeable guy.

[Guest rochester]

Right, because Hardy hasn't been fighting back and shoulder issues this season.

Manny had pretty much the same surgery this season that he had last season. Odds are pretty good that the after-effects are going to be really similar.

This isn't Matt with his elbow.

Apples & Oranges IMO, for no other reason that I consider Manny's injuries much more serious. Plus, JJ has played 134 of 152 games - the most in the infield - Manny? 82. Having the same surgery on the other knee isn't an endorsement that everything will be fine, plus, you never know how someone will respond or what the future holds. If the second surgery took place last year and he was on the field for as many games as JJ then, IMO, your point has more merit, i.e., switching Manny to SS (btw who is going to play 3B) immediately just does not make a lot of sense to me. Let Hardy go then Manny gets hurt again then what do you do.