Are we really smarter?

[TheDirtyBird]

I'm not saying that we had to trade for or sign any of these big name guys, but if we don't make the playoffs next year and Weiters, Davis and Chen walk, will everyone still believe that our team is so much smarter?

[JR Oriole]

Nope. But I guess we will have to wait until after next season to make that determination.

Meanwhile, what is up with the Padres? Did they suddenly win the lottery or something?

[Guest]

I fear this is 2013 all over again.

[MurphDogg]

I fear this is 2013 all over again.

Based on what? There was a ton of evidence that the 2012 team greatly overperformed. That evidence simply doesn't exist with the 2014 team.

[Palmoripken]

To me, it's about building a long term model. My early Orioles memories are of the mid 90's teams that had loads of star power but little MiL depth so once guys like Alomar, Palmeiro, and others left via FA or retirement ala Cal there weren't people waiting in the wings and we all remember 1998-2011 and I guess that's why I am patient towards Dan given the results since 2012. I don't need or necessarily want the team to win the FA game. The FO takes a lot of mocking for the physicals but they honestly weren't wrong about Balfour and there did come up problems with Kemp.. I said it another way in a thread Frobby did about 100M contracts, I want us to be the team that creates 100M talent more so than the team that goes after it. So, no not making the playoffs in 2015 and Wieters/Davis leaving won't prove that Duquette isn't smart.

[wildcard]

I'm not saying that we had to trade for or sign any of these big name guys, but if we don't make the playoffs next year and Weiters, Davis and Chen walk, will everyone still believe that our team is so much smarter?

This is an on going process for Dan Duquette. He will spend 10m or so to fill out the team. He will spend a few million in July. Remember he got Miller for 633K for two months plus a minor leaguer. There is a wave of players that will probably begin the year at AAA, some of which will to be ready for 2016. Walker, Alvarez, Bundy, M Wright, Davies, T Berry, Drake are just a few that might to on the team next. There will be players on this years team that will be leaving but that frees up money to spend to sign or trade for other players.

As long as Dan and Buck stay with the O's they will put together competitive teams.

[33rdst]

I don't know if we need to be "smarter". But we have to be smart. Which means doing more with less. Translated it means that we have to get more players who give us Miguel Gonzalez production for the money then players that give us Nick Markakis production. BTW I love Markakis.

[waroriole]

It's obnoxious. Like 1% of this freaking board has any damn perspective or foresight or patience.

I think it's a small minority that are clueless like this, but they don't talk about anything else.

[Guest]

Baltimore Orioles

Dammit, Orioles.

For the third straight offseason -- and I didn't really check the offseasons before that, either -- the Orioles made it through the Winter Meetings without a major move. So far, it's Wesley Wright and only Wesley Wright, and that just happened. Nick Markakis is gone. Delmon Young is gone. Cruz is with the Mariners. As of now, the top first baseman on their depth chart is Christian Walker, who had a .335 on-base percentage in Triple-A last year. The Orioles thought they were going to bring Markakis back on a four-year deal. Instead, they're looking at Steve Pearce, everyday right fielder, and Alejandro De Aza, leadoff hitter.

Their needs are obvious: At least one more corner player. Could be a left fielder, right fielder, or a first baseman. If the Orioles want to keep Chris Davis in the field, their options are wide open for a DH. If they start the season with this permutation, it will be stunning. There just aren't as many options as there once were, of course. Michael Morse is gone, Melky Cabrera was never a serious consideration, Billy Butler signed early, the White Sox scooped up Adam LaRoche ... it's starting to look like it's trade or bust for the Orioles.

Bringing Delmon back and waiting for March wouldn't be much of an offseason plan. That isn't what the Orioles are going to do, right?

Right?

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2014/12/18/7416643/mlb-rumors-free-agents-trades-rangers-giants-nationals-orioles

[terps19]

I fear this is 2013 all over again.

I know I fear another winning season too :eektf:

[Stotle]

I just don't understand the incessant hand wringing. Would you have felt better better if we spend our 10-18M on a player the day after free agency started and then sat on the sidelines for the remainder of the offseason? Either way, we have 10-18M to spend. Period. I'd rather wait because the best bang for that money is likely to be available later when the demand is lower. Supply and demand isn't thst complicated.

I think it is more comforting, generally, to see a team taking actions because it is evidence that there is an actual plan. The perception, rightly or wrongly, when your signings take place in January/February is that you are less concerned with the particular player you get than you are the price of that player.

The counter is obviously if you don't like the players/cost of the big free agents then you simply aren't going to be involved. But exit payroll from 2014 and projected payroll for 2015 is irrelevant -- you have four months to move payroll via trade, and we see teams do that every year.

It doesn't make one response right or wrong, but it seems a little off base to act like fans are foolish to prefer they see their favorite team making proactive rooms indicative of a plan laid out for the off-season. Again, I'm not saying Baltimore doesn't have a plan, or that it's not a good plan. But the everyday fan can only go by the actions they see, no?

[Guest]

I know I fear another winning season too :eektf:

No playoffs. Cool you win 85 games again what does that get you?

[TouchemAll]

I'm not saying that we had to trade for or sign any of these big name guys, but if we don't make the playoffs next year and Weiters, Davis and Chen walk, will everyone still believe that our team is so much smarter?

Ask me next September

[stomperspc]

I fear this is 2013 all over again.

If your big fear is that we will be an 85-win team that is in playoff contention until the last week and a half of the season, then I'd say the Orioles are doing pretty well.

[TheDirtyBird]

I think it's a small minority that are clueless like this, but they don't talk about anything else.

"Clueless" is going a bit far don't you think?

I can acknowledge that DD and Buck have managed this team well the pat few years and we have had renewed success.

With that I also think it's naive not to acknowledge 2012 was crazy and we won more games than we certainly should have. 2013 we missed the playoffs, and yes this 2014 team was great and I loved every minute of it, but to what degree I'm not sure, but we greatly benefited from the early problems of the Rays. The Jays got hit by a meteor mid season, and the Yanks/Sox just weren't any good.

I'm not panicking or saying we won't be competitive, if I came off that way my mistake. This is a chat forum so pepper chat about a number of topics. I also don't think it's wrong to want a team that was close to the word series to replace production, prepare for the player losses next offseason and to dare to be better.