Keri: 2015 Os Should Be Even Better

[TXOriole]

No one said we would be signing a bunch of FA

Actually, per the article...

"And while losing MLB home run leader and free agent Nelson Cruz would hurt, the Orioles could spend significant money to replace him,

"the club should be able to spend after earning additional revenue during this years playoff run and presumably seeing an uptick in season-ticket sales for next year."

Call me crazy, but that sounds like someone referring to signing FA's.

[VeveJones007]

C McCann

1B Teix

2B Prado

3B Hundley

SS Han Ram

LF Gardner

CF Elsbury

RF Beltran/Rasmus

DH ARoid

SP

Scherzer

Sheilds

Peneda

Greene

McCarthy

Tanaka?

CC?

Pen

Betances, Miller, Robertson, Kelly

etc.

Yeah, .500 team definitely.

Names, names, names. Baseball is a numbers game. Give me some actual quantitative analysis.

[Crabby9]

Actually, per the article...

"And while losing MLB home run leader and free agent Nelson Cruz would hurt, the Orioles could spend significant money to replace him,

"the club should be able to spend after earning additional revenue during this years playoff run and presumably seeing an uptick in season-ticket sales for next year."

Call me crazy, but that sounds like someone referring to signing FA's.

I'm with you and this could/should be interpreted as so. This is why I challenged so many who stated as a matter of fact (not opinion) that we could NOT get into a bidding war for Miller. We went after Cruz and Jimenez last season when no one expected it. Buck has some influence to get PA to spend unlike anyone we've seen in a long time. It's absolutely possible that this team spends money. It's not guaranteed but the opposite is also not set in stone. And if they choose not to keep Markakis, Davis and Cruz, there will be money to chase whoever they want. And the O's don't have that many needs. Just a few players and they'll be ready to compete again for the division.

I suggested the same rationale you are citing in this article but it hasn't been enough to convince a lot of posters here that such spending is even remotely possible.

[DrungoHazewood]

I'm with you and this could/should be interpreted as so. This is why I challenged so many who stated as a matter of fact (not opinion) that we could NOT get into a bidding war for Miller. We went after Cruz and Jimenez last season when no one expected it. Buck has some influence to get PA to spend unlike anyone we've seen in a long time. It's absolutely possible that this team spends money. It's not guaranteed but the opposite is also not set in stone. And if they choose not to keep Markakis, Davis and Cruz, there will be money to chase whoever they want. And the O's don't have that many needs. Just a few players and they'll be ready to compete again for the division.

I suggested the same rationale you are citing in this article but it hasn't been enough to convince a lot of posters here that such spending is even remotely possible.

The payroll would have to go up significantly to justify spending about as much on a single reliever as they did on the entire 2014 bullpen.

[hoosiers]

It will be a long offseason and I think we will find out definitively if FAs are interested in Bmore to play for Buck or if they go for the bucks (and possibly competitive teams) in NYY or Bos.

DD has a lot of work ahead this offseason with treatment of Markakis (and possibly related De Aza), Pearce (contract?), Davis (trade or non-tender), Wieters (trade?) and Ubaldo (salary dump?). Of course, maybe we go after Cruz in a LT deal.

I do think the Os can look to upside next year with a strong season from Wieters, better performance from Schoop, Gausman in the rotation, status of Bundy, but we could lose Cruz and it is difficult to see Pearce performing at the same level.

I think there is room for payroll to increase at least $10M, but things could open up if we shed Davis. If we could somehow shed Ubaldo, maybe the Os make a run at one of these big name pitchers and go with a rotation ourselves of Sherzer, Tillman, Gausman, Chen and Bud and look to deal MiGon. Many ways to field a strong team again next year.

[El Gordo]

The MFY are currently committed to 166 M before arb. So 90 M added brings them to 256 M. Considering they were 241 M this season I don't think that's a stretch.

[DrungoHazewood]

The MFY are currently committed to 166 M before arb. So 90 M added brings them to 256 M. Considering they were 241 M this season I don't think that's a stretch.

I think Cashman is more concerned with running out of roster spots and playing time than money. Even my seven-year-old knows the Yanks' Achilles' heel is the fact they have so many old, unproductive players who have to be on the roster for years to come.

[El Gordo]

Actually, per the article...

"And while losing MLB home run leader and free agent Nelson Cruz would hurt, the Orioles could spend significant money to replace him,

"the club should be able to spend after earning additional revenue during this years playoff run and presumably seeing an uptick in season-ticket sales for next year."

Call me crazy, but that sounds like someone referring to signing FA's.

They may have money to spend, but they don't have anything in the FA market worth spending it on, unless they go crazy for a TOR.

[TiredofLosing20]

I'm with you and this could/should be interpreted as so. This is why I challenged so many who stated as a matter of fact (not opinion) that we could NOT get into a bidding war for Miller. We went after Cruz and Jimenez last season when no one expected it. Buck has some influence to get PA to spend unlike anyone we've seen in a long time. It's absolutely possible that this team spends money. It's not guaranteed but the opposite is also not set in stone. And if they choose not to keep Markakis, Davis and Cruz, there will be money to chase whoever they want. And the O's don't have that many needs. Just a few players and they'll be ready to compete again for the division.

I suggested the same rationale you are citing in this article but it hasn't been enough to convince a lot of posters here that such spending is even remotely possible.

He went after Cruz at a considerable discount. Jimenez contract was at a discount in years. If Miller is still around at the end of FA (which is highly unlikely) then maybe DD is interested. Even if they don't sign Markakis, Davis and Cruz, I just don't think it is DD's philosophy to spend a large chunk of money on on reliever.

[El Gordo]

Names, names, names. Baseball is a numbers game. Give me some actual quantitative analysis.

If you can't see that that's a good team, then all the quantitative analysis in the world won't help you.

[Guest]

I think Cashman is more concerned with running out of roster spots and playing time than money. Even my seven-year-old knows the Yanks' Achilles' heel is the fact they have so many old, unproductive players who have to be on the roster for years to come.

Why do they "have" to be on the roster for years to come? The Yanks will just cut bait, pay off the remainder of the contract(s), and bring in their next big FA signing(s).

[El Gordo]

I think Cashman is more concerned with running out of roster spots and playing time than money. Even my seven-year-old knows the Yanks' Achilles' heel is the fact they have so many old, unproductive players who have to be on the roster for years to come.

Beltran, CC, ARoid, and Teix? Who else. That's 4 roster spots.

[byrdz]

I like being underrated.

[DrungoHazewood]

Beltran, CC, ARoid, and Teix? Who else. That's 4 roster spots.

Ellsbury is 30 and still reasonably productive, but is signed through 2020 or 2021. McCann looked like he was 47 years old much of this year, and he's signed through 2018. Prado has alternated between good/decent/hurt and has two years and $20M+ on his deal and is 30 years old. They have to be praying Tanaka comes back strong from the injury since he's owed over $120M through 2020. Gardner is good, but he's locked up through age 34/35.

They have a ton of salary committed to guys in their 30s for much of the rest of the decade. Most of those guys have seen their best seasons already.

[Dark Helmet]

I think Cruz has to be brought back. His power and production will be tough to replace. I wouldnt go over 3 years and id pay over value if he'd take 2. He's also a good teammate who you could tell Manny and especially Schoop took to. Id be ok with De Aza in LF and a Pearce/Lough platoon in RF. Resign Delmon to PH and spot start also.