What Would You Have Done Differently?

[oriole]

Justin Masterson. He'd become our ace immediately. You make room by trading Norris and/or Gonzalez for some prospects or maybe relief help. LaRoche, contrary to anything I've ever said before, would make alot of sense right now as well.

[tntoriole]

AJ Burnett. (no, not really). I might have signed Morales for two but I would be OK with Delmon for one. Matusz for Travis Snider would have been good if that was really possible.

Actually, I am ok with DD and Buck letting it play out and looking for other options through the opening of spring training.

[Crazysilver03]

Justin Masterson. He'd become our ace immediately. You make room by trading Norris and/or Gonzalez for some prospects or maybe relief help. LaRoche, contrary to anything I've ever said before, would make alot of sense right now as well.

Did you watch Masterson in 2014? No way he is our "ace immediately. "

[weams]

Did you watch Masterson in 2014? No way he is our "ace immediately. "

He immediately makes Ubaldo our Ace. Among ex Cleveland pitchers. Well maybe T.J.

[oriole]

Did you watch Masterson in 2014? No way he is our "ace immediately. "

I don't care what he did last year, he is better than everyone on our staff except maybe Gausman if he takes a big step forward. Bookmark the page and get back to me next year and we'll see.

[millertime]

In the "do nothing" thread, there was an interesting post challenging the critics of the O's offseason to say what specifically they would have done differently.

So here's your chance. What free agent should the O's have signed, assuming that we would have to pay the same years and dollars? What trade should they have made, assuming we would have had to give up comparable talent?

To get the ball rolling: I think we should have traded for Michael Saunders. Coming into his prime, good outfielder, has potential for power and OBP, moving from a terrible hitters park; does have an injury history Seattle traded him to the Jays for J.A. Happ, so I think it's reasonable to think that we could have gotten him for Bud Norris or Miguel Gonzalez.

Easy...

1. I would've been fine with letting Cruz and Markakis walk but I absolutely would've paid Miller the money to stay leaving us with a killer bullpen.

2. I would've made a trade with the Dodgers. Either Bundy and another prospect (not named Gausman or Hunter) for Kemp and $25-$30 towards his contract or Chen or Gonzalez for Ethier and the Dodgers eat some of his contract.

3. I would've found a way to make a trade for Dexter Fowler. I can't imagine the Astros would've demanded a King's ransom for him and he fills 2 needs (solid OFer and leadoff hitter).

4. I would've signed or traded for a backup catcher...perhaps Wellington Castillo.

Funny thing is...all of these moves were possible while not sending our payroll through the roof or depleting our farm system and we would be much, MUCH improved from last year. I still believe the Orioles window for the World Series is THIS year. After this year, chances are Davis and Wieters are gone as well and we stumble back into mediocrity. Just my opinion.

[crawjo]

If the Orioles could afford to sign both Markakis and Cruz to the amounts they were offered, I would have pooled that money to go after one of the top free agent starting pitchers. Probably couldn't have gotten Lester, but I would be making a play for Scherzer right now. To me, the goal has to be to win a championship, and the Orioles are in a position to do that. But I think we need an ace starting pitcher and another bullpen arm.

[weams]

If the Orioles could afford to sign both Markakis and Cruz to the amounts they were offered, I would have pooled that money to go after one of the top free agent starting pitchers. Probably couldn't have gotten Lester, but I would be making a play for Scherzer right now. To me, the goal has to be to win a championship, and the Orioles are in a position to do that. But I think we need an ace starting pitcher and another bullpen arm.

You have reason to believe that we were able to spend 26 million a year plus the 12 for Davis?

[BohKnowsBmore]

Easy...

1. I would've been fine with letting Cruz and Markakis walk but I absolutely would've paid Miller the money to stay leaving us with a killer bullpen.

2. I would've made a trade with the Dodgers. Either Bundy and another prospect (not named Gausman or Hunter) for Kemp and $25-$30 towards his contract or Chen or Gonzalez for Ethier and the Dodgers eat some of his contract.

3. I would've found a way to make a trade for Dexter Fowler. I can't imagine the Astros would've demanded a King's ransom for him and he fills 2 needs (solid OFer and leadoff hitter).

4. I would've signed or traded for a backup catcher...perhaps Wellington Castillo.

Funny thing is...all of these moves were possible while not sending our payroll through the roof or depleting our farm system and we would be much, MUCH improved from last year. I still believe the Orioles window for the World Series is THIS year. After this year, chances are Davis and Wieters are gone as well and we stumble back into mediocrity. Just my opinion.

I think the point of the thread was signings or trades that did happen.

[Ruzious]

I would definitely have paid Cruz.

I might have tried a Ubaldo for Ethier trade to replace Markakis. (I don't think we could have gotten Cespedes reasonably.)

I would have given (and they still could) a low base/high incentives contract to either Medlen or Beachy of the Braves.

[Singleton]

I would have traded a C prospect for Antonio Bastardo and tried to trade Norris and a prospect or 2 for Cespedes. I liked the trades for Ike Davis, Adam Lind and Brandon Moss earlier, too.

We get one of these threads every year to defend our approach.

The big miss to me seems like Saunders. We have better than Happ to offer and he would fill a need.

I would make the Norris trade above but suspect the Sox would prefer Porcello. I'd def be interested in Moss. Makes me wonder if the medicals are worse than we know. Ike Davis could make some sense. Lind went for not much either.

I like Justin Masterson as a buy low. Wade Miley went for very little. I would have been in the discussion for Smardz but not sure if a package around Schoop would work.

I would certainly be dangling Norris coming of his best year (and probably a sell high).

I would have steered very clear of Matt Kemp but would have considered J. Heyward. Would be tough to give up Gausman (who i think is better than S. Miller.) Could we have gotten him for Bundy and Miguel? Maybe not.

Melky at 3 years is ...not horrible.... though he may end up going for more. I like Aoki for 2 years. I like 2 years of Morse quite a bit.

There are lots of options out there.

[weams]

We get one of these threads every year to defend our approach.

The big miss to me seems like Saunders. We have better than Happ to offer and he would fill a need.

I would make the Norris trade above but suspect the Sox would prefer Porcello. I'd def be interested in Moss. Makes me wonder if the medicals are worse than we know. Ike Davis could make some sense. Lind went for not much either.

I like Justin Masterson as a buy low. Wade Miley went for very little. I would have been in the discussion for Smardz but not sure if a package around Schoop would work.

I would certainly be dangling Norris coming of his best year (and probably a sell high).

I would have steered very clear of Matt Kemp but would have considered J. Heyward. Would be tough to give up Gausman (who i think is better than S. Miller.) Could we have gotten him for Bundy and Miguel? Maybe not.

Melky at 3 years is ...not horrible.... though he may end up going for more. I like Aoki for 2 years. I like 2 years of Morse quite a bit.

There are lots of options out there.

There are a lot of options. I was not on the Cruz bandwagon last year,but it sure worked out well despite my negativity.

[jsn5688]

Couple of moves that I would be interested in...

1. Sign Melky Cabrera to play right field and hit lead off for us. Like his average and ability to switch hit.

2. Move Chen to get the other corner outfield position filled. Would really like Justin Upton. Swap expiring contracts. Would throw in additional prospects to make the deal possible.

3. Would have tried to sign Justin Masterson. I am betting on a big rebound for him. Could easily be our #2 or #3 pitcher by All star break.

[El Gordo]

This roster doesn't need revamping it needs tweaking and massaging. None of the Winter Meeting moves fall into that category. I would like to have signed Neshek(always liked the guy, don't know why we let him go) but there are still plenty of RP arms to be had. I'm happy if we sign Morse, Aoki, and a RP who gets outs from both sides of the plate.

[weams]

Swap expiring contracts. .

Is that basketball terminology? Or is it a derivative term that you are applying here?