Now we know why no big FA dollars spent

[mdbdotcom]

It could take a small fortune to sign all the supplementary draft picks they get for Davis, Wieters, Norris, and Chen.

[tntoriole]

I think that the Orioles would look to go back to the type of expenditure and management that brought them 14 consecutive losing seasons. Don't you?

No, but they may wrongly fancy themselves as being able to be Athletics. As I pointed out in the previous analysis of budget expenditures, very few of the winning teams just keep going up in their payrolls. All clubs, except the Yankees, go through years where they are the beneficiary of players who are talented and winning, but are still cost controlled and the successful teams ride those years to the max, and then they push the budget some for a year or two to keep some of their core, but then their budget cycles back down when they have a bunch of players in free agent years and they are recalibrating. The key to our success will be how far down ownership cycles the budget, the success of the farm and the draft picks that we get and trades we make this year and next.

[oriole]

I am doubtful that this will be the sequence of events. More likely they will view spending the amount they did this year as a necessary evil but excessive and will not see that same amount as being necessarily "available to spend" in next winter's budget. Particularly if they do not have a playoff season this year.

I'm not going to pretend like I know what's going to happen. Walker and Lavarnway could turn into legit major league players or Davis and Wieters could compete for league MVP... the O's could also lower payroll next year and still have money to spend. Seems to me they can't approach every off-season like this one and just go in house especially when so much money is coming off the books.

[Enjoy Terror]

There will be room in payroll and a lot of pressure from fans to keep some type of fan favorite. I agree that it'll likely be one of Wieters or Davis unless they both have monster years or completely tank.

The Oakland A's are a case study in running a business where ignoring what your customers want is the whole philosophy... and in the last 15 seasons have 8 playoff appearances and finished 3rd or worse only three times. Personally, I'd beg for that kind of consistency with the Orioles. They need to retain some sort of baseball mind that knows when to cut bait and how. I personally don't care about fan favorites.

And I'm personally not a fan of the fact that we are going into 2015 with the same exact team as 2014 (minus Markakis and Cruz, plus Machado and Wieters, I suppose). They really needed to shake it up and realize the farm system is completely depleted.

[Oriole1940]

The money they OVERSPENT on the ones signed so far would have gone a ways in keeping some proven, much sought after talent ( judged by how quickly they were gobbled up) by three different teams. Then again, maybe all three teams were wrong and O's were right. We will know that answer this Summer.

[Can_of_corn]

The money they OVERSPENT on the ones signed so far would have gone a ways in keeping some proven, much sought after talent ( judged by how quickly they were gobbled up) by three different teams. Then again, maybe all three teams were wrong and O's were right. We will know that answer this Summer.

Because everyone is just raving about the Braves offseason.

[oriole]

The Oakland A's are a case study in running a business where ignoring what your customers want is the whole philosophy... and in the last 15 seasons have 8 playoff appearances and finished 3rd or worse only three times. Personally, I'd beg for that kind of consistency with the Orioles. They need to retain some sort of baseball mind that knows when to cut bait and how. I personally don't care about fan favorites.

And I'm personally not a fan of the fact that we are going into 2015 with the same exact team as 2014 (minus Markakis and Cruz, plus Machado and Wieters, I suppose). They really needed to shake it up and realize the farm system is completely depleted.

Not every winning team is created equal. I never said sign stupid contracts but extend good players to contracts that reflect their production and if you're filling holes you may as well go with players that have been apart of the upswing as long as it makes sense. That may or may not be an option.

[Can_of_corn]

Not every winning team is created equal. I never said sign stupid contracts but extend good players to contracts that reflect their production and if you're filling holes you may as well go with players that have been apart of the upswing as long as it makes sense. That may or may not be an option.

Do you think the contracts any of the three FA received reflected their likely future production?

[OriolesMagic83]

It could take a small fortune to sign all the supplementary draft picks they get for Davis, Wieters, Norris, and Chen.

Good thing Angelos has a large fortune.

[oriole]

Do you think the contracts any of the three FA received reflected their likely future production?

Maybe, maybe not. I'm not a fortune teller. Let me know if I'm wrong (it happens frequently) but if you're implying that the O's will or should only target players that they'll be cost controlled and productive then I wouldn't argue that obviously. That's not easy to do though. I'm just saying there is money to spend next year and keeping core players should be on the top of the list if it makes sense. If they need a 1B and are willing to sign someone to a big contract and Davis has a 2012-esque year then why wouldn't you explore signing Davis?

[weams]

Maybe, maybe not. I'm not a fortune teller. Let me know if I'm wrong (it happens frequently) but if you're implying that the O's will or should only target players that they'll be cost controlled and productive then I wouldn't argue that obviously. That's not easy to do though. I'm just saying there is money to spend next year and keeping core players should be on the top of the list if it makes sense. If they need a 1B and are willing to sign someone to a big contract and Davis has a 2012-esque year then why wouldn't you explore signing Davis?

The Orioles should only target and sign players that will provide surplus value. Always. Now, if the players they sign get injured or under produce their projections I have no bad feelings towards the front office.

[OsLuvrInKy]

No, but they may wrongly fancy themselves as being able to be Athletics. As I pointed out in the previous analysis of budget expenditures, very few of the winning teams just keep going up in their payrolls. All clubs, except the Yankees, go through years where they are the beneficiary of players who are talented and winning, but are still cost controlled and the successful teams ride those years to the max, and then they push the budget some for a year or two to keep some of their core, but then their budget cycles back down when they have a bunch of players in free agent years and they are recalibrating. The key to our success will be how far down ownership cycles the budget, the success of the farm and the draft picks that we get and trades we make this year and next.

The bolded is going to be the key to this teams future success.

[TheBorioles]

Window slams shut?

Jones, Machado, Hardy, Gausman, Bundy, plus some cash to spend. I love the way this team is set up. I just don't get the people that say this is it.

Plus three potential comp picks after QOs to Wieters, Davis, and Chen. This team is built for the future.

[weams]

Plus three potential comp picks after QOs to Wieters, Davis, and Chen. This team is built for the future.

No qualifying offer to Bud Norris?

[Can_of_corn]

No qualifying offer to Bud Norris?

I have no idea what Colorado is going to do.