Are we really smarter?

[Guest]

I wouldn't have given Cruz three years. His contract makes it that much harder to compete in 2016 - on. Maybe in 2015.

I think what Cruz gives you the next 2 years is worth overpaying for.

[DrungoHazewood]

Well I'll be completely honest. While a championship is nice, its not the end all to me. I just want a fun team that constantly wins more than anything... I'd rather have a team that wins 90+ games each year over a 10 year period instead of winning a championship and then being a 75 win team afterwards from going all in.

If all I cared about was championships, then watching sports wouldn't be fun at all since you'd be disappointed every year.

You know how everywhere in the country like 5% or 10% of the people are Yankee/Red Sox fans? They're the ones who believe that sports is only about championships.

[DrungoHazewood]

I think what Cruz gives you the next 2 years is worth overpaying for.

I think it's maybe 50% likely that Cruz falls off by half this year. And is out of baseball in three years. This is a guy who turns 35 in July and was worth less than two wins three of the last four years.

[Frobby]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>3) Can we finally acknowledge that David Glass's penurious reputation is outdated? A payroll of $115M is even more than I had hoped for.</p>— Rany Jazayerli (@jazayerli) <a href="

">December 17, 2014</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Then you add Kris deal. It's at 120m right now i was off by 5m.

OK, the list I saw didn't have Rios or Volquez so that does put them in the $115 mm range. I agree we should be able to spend more than the Royals, though they did earn a nice slug of one-time income by reaching the World Series that we didn't have.

[JR Oriole]

Well I'll be completely honest. While a championship is nice, its not the end all to me. I just want a fun team that constantly wins more than anything... I'd rather have a team that wins 90+ games each year over a 10 year period instead of winning a championship and then being a 75 win team afterwards from going all in.

If all I cared about was championships, then watching sports wouldn't be fun at all since you'd be disappointed every year.

We have not won a championship since I was 8 years old and barely old enough to remember it. I want one title....not asking for a lot, just ONE.

[Guest]

Who the heck is Rany Jazayerli, and why should I accept his say-so? Here's what I'm looking at; tell me what it's missing: http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/2014-payroll-salaries.shtml Morales and Medlen are on there. I'm not a Royals fan so I don't follow their every move. I know they didn't re-sign Shields ($13.5 mm last year) or Butler ($8 mm).

I give up man look it up it's not hard the payroll is at 120m.

[Beast]

That's the thing stop with these cheap 1 year deals and you don't have this problem.

Since you later say you would have dealt for Upton, I take this to mean that your plan is to only go for expensive 1 year deals? You do realize that you're ranting without thinking, don't you? That's your prerogative, of course, just as it is for others to not take you seriously.

[DrungoHazewood]

We have not won a championship since I was 8 years old and barely old enough to remember it. I want one title....not asking for a lot, just ONE.

You do realize that an average team wins the Series once every 30 years, right?

[BohKnowsBmore]

The point, and I think you get it, is that it should not be surprising nor should it be unacceptable for the casual fan to be somewhat upset with how this offseason has played out.

Well, if those who are making these points want to wrap themselves in the "casual fan" mantle, then that's their prerogative. Generally, these comments seem to be framed in a manner that suggests they are looking for a level of discussion that exceeds that of someone who isn't as deeply in tune with the workings of the FO or MLB as a whole. I don't begrudge a "casual fan" feeling irked or worried about the offseason, but I would also expect a "casual fan" without an agenda to understand some of the points made by some of the more level-headed posters on the OH whose knowledge exceeds that of a "casual fan."

[TheDirtyBird]

We have not won a championship since I was 8 years old and barely old enough to remember it. I want one title....not asking for a lot, just ONE.

I wasn't alive for any of them, I don't even recall last time I watched a WS game at all. I'd also like one. You play sports to win

[Orioles West]

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

Playoffs are more fun, no doubt. I'd love to see at least one more World Series banner in my lifetime, but I will have to admit, I wouldn't hang my head at 85 wins. Looking at what the Dodgers, Yankees and Red Sox spend, it brings joy to see the Orioles be competitive in the unbalanced market. A winning season is what I require of my O's, everything beyond that is gravy at this point.

-Don

[Guest]

Keep going down. It is between 112-115 right now.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/11/projected-arbitration-salaries-for-2015.html

plus

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/11/projected-arbitration-salaries-for-2015.html

Note that Volquez's deal is in there, but the amount doesn't show in 2015 so you have to add 10M.

They said not done yet so it will get up to 120m.

[JR Oriole]

You do realize that an average team wins the Series once every 30 years, right?

I sure do. So we are 31 years and counting. I also realize that the average team makes the World Series every 15 years. We are 31 years and counting there. The average team wins the division every 5 years. Until last year, we were 16 years and counting there. I am not sure averages mean very much when SF Giants fans have had the pleasure of enjoying 3 championships in 5 seasons.

[DrungoHazewood]

I wasn't alive for any of them, I don't even recall last time I watched a WS game at all. I'd also like one. You play sports to win

Yes, everyone does. Even the other teams playing the Orioles. The Cubs play to win. And the Mariners. Rangers. Sometimes even the Marlins. Do we deserve Championships more than they do? If not, then expect one about every 30 years. I guess that's an argument for contracting about 25 teams, so you get to drink champagne every five years. But then you have to share with Nats and Phillies and Pirates fans and drive farther to games.

[LoyalBirdFan]

Where is the thread that talks about our 96 win Orioles team and the players that we do have?

I'm still waiting for the TOR thread, anyone for Cliff Lee this year?