You know what's maddening? The sound of crickets.

[Moose Milligan]

By all means let me rectify that. Google Yung's theory of the shadow. The average O's fan would be your shadow. That is, what you are consciously not.

Hey, you explain to me what the O's fanbase is, I'll explain "gravity" and "supply and demand"

[McNulty]

Clearly he hasn't been paying attention. Maybe he's a representative of the O's fanbase.

I suppose I haven't been. My apologies to you all. I'll go back to being a misinformed member of the O's fanbase now.

[Go M's]

Open communication promotes trust and respect - I would wager that the reason no one trusts the O's front office around here is due to the lack information about decisions flowing your way.

It's about a relationship...the FO either wants a relationship with their fan base or they don't, you'll know by how they communicate. Their will always be people who disagree (see the Seattle divide about trading Jones), but open communication goes a long way towards smoothing tough/long decisions over.

[Moose Milligan]

I suppose I haven't been. My apologies to you all. I'll go back to being a misinformed member of the O's fanbase now.

That was more of me being a smartass. I hope you were being one, too. We can usually smell our own.

[McNulty]

That was more of me being a smartass.

Oh, I know. You aren't the only one...

I just don't really have the energy to go into why its not realistic to think that this deal with get nixed because MacPhail says something about what's REALLY going on. Honestly, all I would need to hear is, "Be patient. Things are happening".

That's it.

[Go M's]

I was being a smartass back there. Welcome to the OH

I'm glad you could fill me in on who the average fan is, though. El Gordo couldn't.

Hey, thanks for the welcome and I appreciate a little sarcasm once in awhile. I appreciate the baseball knowledge being dispensed here. Great "average" fan site!

[RShack]

I would like to go on record here to say that I'm not annoyed by anybody or anything in this little conversation. I expect we'll know more whenever we know more. Personally, I think it's not a crime against fandom for things to be fuzzy for a couple weeks until details get ironed out in the middle of the winter. But I'm not upset if somebody disagrees.

[McNulty]

I would like to go on record here to say that I'm not annoyed by anybody or anything in this little conversation. I expect we'll know more whenever we know more. Personally, I think it's not a crime against fandom for things to be fuzzy for a couple weeks until details get ironed out in the middle of the winter. But I'm not upset if somebody disagrees.

Its certainly not a crime. But it would be nice for them to throw us a bone.

You know what? As I'm typing this, I'm thinking that I should just shut the hell up, because last year at this time I was hoping they'd get someone in the FO who had a clue and start rebuilding. And that's happening.

[RShack]

You know what? As I'm typing this, I'm thinking that I should just shut the hell up, because last year at this time I was hoping they'd get someone in the FO who had a clue and start rebuilding. And that's happening.

Good point. (Not about shutting up, exactly, but about the main point.)

[El Gordo]

Hey, you explain to me what the O's fanbase is, I'll explain "gravity" and "supply and demand"

The difference is I already know what supply and demand are and gravity as well. If you don't want to bother to understand what I'm talking about, so be it. My prostate gives me enough trouble as it is, I don't need to engage in adolescent pissing contests as well.

[boogidownoriole]

The only reason we are annoyed is because we keep getting these insider posts, many of them wrong, about whats going on.

If we werent reading the OH the last month none of us would feel frustration. We all know there is an explanation....probably a damn good one too.

[Dipper9]

*Just because I'm enjoying the analogy*

Isn't it a little more like... my date totally missing the night and because I'm absolutely obsessed with her I spend every waking minute the *weeks after* our missed date trying to figure out why she missed' date=' if she was alive and healthy, if there was another guy, did she actually look in the window...see me...and try to go back to her old boyfriend, or what!! If she finally does show up for the date a few weeks late, I'll still be there waiting (I'm desperate), but yes, I would like to know what is going on.

Does she have to tell me? No.

Does she owe it to me? Not necessarily.

[b']But I'll tell you this much - she's not getting a second date unless she's got some kind of reasonable explanation[/b].

Wrong. You said yourself you (Bavasi) are desperate. You really want to date (aquire) this hot chicky baby (Bedard). So even though she (MacPhail) stood you up you still take her phone calls the next week. And when she finally does sit down with you at the local Denny's you take that date with a smile on your face and ask no questions of why it took so long!

[Baroquen131]

That's not true. After reading a two weeks (or more) worth of newspaper and ESPN coverage of a reported deal that should be completed in the next day or so, I'd be annoyed too. This isn't an OH thing.

The assumption that the one side of this argument is making is that the O's are conducting MLB business as usual. That trade always happen like this and we are spoiled by this wacky new thing called the internet. Otherwise, everyone would be oblivious until the trade was magically announced in the papers and a sound bite during the evening news. But that's not what is happening here. The trade was reported as being nearly done (like the Satana deal, and the Shaq deal, and many others). However - unlike all of the other transactions mentioned - it wasn't completed "in the next day or so". We're now well over a week from when mainstream media people started predicting the trade would be officially announced. And might I remind - it still hasn't been. Take a look at the Rotoworld scroll on the main page, and scroll down the list. The trade should probably be announced Monday. Tuesday. Probably Wednesday. Thursday or maybe Friday. This isn't normal. It just isn't.

Maybe there are legitimate reasons. Or maybe it's just the team conducting O's business as usual - not the way other teams in the league operate. We'll never know because it's doubtful the FO will even acknowledge the issue. Nobody is saying they have to do so. Nobody is saying they expect it or that they're owed such an explanation. What Moose and Lev were saying is that it would be a smart PR move to mention or acknowledge the complication that arose during the completion of this transaction. It doesn't matter if it's only a small percentage of die-hard fans who come away comforted. You'd be making your customers happy and that is usually important in a business venture. Are there things they can't talk about? Certainly. Are there things they can say that would be helpful? Sure.

Here's what I'd draft up in a nutshell if I was in the PR dept of the club... (assuming a trade actually is completed, since we're still not there yet).

1) We're happy to announce the trade of blahblahblah... sorry to see EB go....happy to acquire pieces to make us a more competitive ballclub in the future.

2) We're sorry for the delay and the confusion that some of our fans and media memebers experienced while following this story. (OPTIONAL: Explanation of delay, details,etc.) Blahblahblah...

3) We hope the results of this trade and of our other offseason moves help everyone to get excited about the potential of our 2008 team. We hope you're looking forward to watching (Adam Jones, whomever else) as much as we are. Blahblahblah...

Now.. before people misconstrue my post, (and considering the chances of me coming back into this thread are remote), let me clarify a few possibly contentious points:

1) Do the O's have any obligation to explain themselves? Hell no. They have every right to operate their business and team public relations however they see fit.

2) Do O's fans (obsessive or casual) have a right to know what went on with this transaction? No, we don't. Just like the club doesn't have the right to expect unhappy fans (obsessive or casual) to continue purchasing the product.

3) Am I saying the O's should apologize?!? No. I would, but I try and appease the people I work with so that everyone stays happy.

So.. bottom line summary: IMO, this transaction hasn't been normal. While the fans don't have a right to an explanation, what a nice PR move it would be to have the club acknowledge (or explain) it when announcing the trade.

Instead of alienating the hard-core fans for caring too much, find some way to reach out to them (like the Hangout nights last season. A nice feel-good gesture that I still remember fondly). They don't have to.. maybe shouldn't have to.. but I would if I was in their shoes.

[AlBumbry]

The only reason we are annoyed is because we keep getting these insider posts, many of them wrong, about whats going on.

If we werent reading the OH the last month none of us would feel frustration. We all know there is an explanation....probably a damn good one too.

Yes, it was all of the "wrong" insider posts. Nothing to do with Adam Jones telling the press he had been traded and was going to Baltimore for a physical, Bavasi indicating that he thought a deal was as good as done about a lifetime ago, national media reports indicating for the last couple weeks that the deal was close. It all just those pesky insider reports . . .

I'm sure there probably is an explanation that could make sense, but probably doesn't, and doesn't matter since we probably won't hear it anyway.

[DrLev]

The reason why the FO isn't talking is because they have made a legal issue out of leaking info about the trade before it is completed. No one will say anything until it is finally completed. It is not about placating internet junkies, it is about avoiding litigation.

Good morning, everyone.

I'm not asking for an explanation this very moment, before all the t's are crossed and the i's are dotted. You're absolutely right, there's a legal issue in this case. I said in my original post that when all is said and done, it would be a good PR move (by no means required but simply a nice gesture) to give fans some indication of what happened and why everything took weeks and weeks after television stations even as far away as Hartford, CT and were reporting the trade as done. No, there's no burden on the O's that they "must" do this. It's just a sign of trying to embrace the fans, both casual and fanatic. It shouldn't happen "right now" because everything isn't done yet (clearly) but in my opinion it would be appreciated if it would happen after everything's done.

If you want to see this summed up a whole lot more eloquently, read what Go M's has to say.