Rasmus to Astros... our offseason is horrible

[Austin]

You guys are such marks for the Orioles front office. It's astounding really.

Assuming Duquette is a professional who will do his job is just common sense. His promotion to Blue Jays CEO isn't a foregone conclusion and I'm sure he'd rather not burn his bridges here while that's still up in the air.

[Crazysilver03]

Duh, I know there's a 248 page thread on DD leaving.

I came back to this thread because people had responded to what I'd said and today this news just happened to hit the scene. People wondered why I felt the way I do about the offseason.

Well... this is why. And all the speculation that he's "for the Orioles" should go right out the door along with him.

You guys are such marks for the Orioles front office. It's astounding really.

MSK

Hahaha. A "mark" for the FO? Wow you really don't have touch with reality.

[Austin]

A lone voice of reason in a sea of front office fans. Yes.

MSK

Keep fighting that good fight, MSK. Maybe someday we can all hate the Orioles as much as you do.

[Crazysilver03]

A lone voice of reason in a sea of front office fans. Yes.

MSK

Are you sure you aren't Steve Jankowski using a different handle? You are really so full of yourself that you think you are someone special on a message board about baseball?

[waroriole]

Hahaha. A "mark" for the FO? Wow you really don't have touch with reality.

Yes he does. He is just a troll trying to get you guys riled up. And he's succeeding.

[MemorialStadKid]

Yes he does. He is just a troll trying to get you guys riled up. And he's succeeding.

Right. I'm a troll.

What have I presented here that isn't reality?

DD should have done a better job with this offseason. Can you honestly say that he's done a bang-up job preparing the Orioles for 2015? Seriously? In all honesty, you think this team is ready to go?

He's ready to go get out of here and take the Toronto gig. Why else would he have performed so horribly?

I'll wait for the non-response to that very fair question.

MSK

[MemorialStadKid]

Keep fighting that good fight, MSK. Maybe someday we can all hate the Orioles as much as you do.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAA

That's a good one.

I hate the Orioles.

Quite the opposite. I love this team. I want to see them WIN. They aren't being set up to win. When the GM is being openly courted by a division rival and there's uncertainty all offseason about his job and the team hasn't been improved, I think there's a problem.

Clearly, none of you do.

MSK

[Rene88]

Right. I'm a troll.

What have I presented here that isn't reality?

DD should have done a better job with this offseason. Can you honestly say that he's done a bang-up job preparing the Orioles for 2015? Seriously? In all honesty, you think this team is ready to go?

He's ready to go get out of here and take the Toronto gig. Why else would he have performed so horribly?

I'll wait for the non-response to that very fair question.

MSK

Just for the record, I don't think you are a "troll". I appreciate you taking the time to post sir. Most opinions on here are very similar, it is like reading Roch's blog really, so someone willing to speak their mind, criticize the lack of movement and hold some accountable is refreshing. Thank you.

[Crazysilver03]

As many have said, this offseason could have gone better. But you are clamoring for upgrades that aren't necessary. They already have a LF in DeAza. The team has plenty of bullpen depth. You just are upset that we lost Miller and expect to be able to find someone as good which is unlikely. The team wasn't kept out of the WS due to starting pitching.

The only true position the Orioles should have upgraded is RF but there are internal candidates.

[Crazysilver03]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAA

That's a good one.

I hate the Orioles.

Quite the opposite. I love this team. I want to see them WIN. They aren't being set up to win. When the GM is being openly courted by a division rival and there's uncertainty all offseason about his job and the team hasn't been improved, I think there's a problem.

Clearly, none of you do.

MSK

So the hundreds of people on this site talking about Orioles "clearly don't want them to win" because we aren't as upset as you? Got it.

[Rene88]

As many have said, this offseason could have gone better. But you are clamoring for upgrades that aren't necessary. They already have a LF in DeAza. The team has plenty of bullpen depth. You just are upset that we lost Miller and expect to be able to find someone as good which is unlikely. The team wasn't kept out of the WS due to starting pitching.

The only true position the Orioles should have upgraded is RF but there are internal candidates.

Really? You aren't the least bit concerned about not replacing Cruz' power? None? Sure, I will give you the OF and internal candidates (don't agree, but feasible), but the power is the problem. Nobody internal unless all the stars align and nobody gets hurt, everyone rebounds...this isn't fantasy land though, those things usually don't happen.

THis isn't a bad team, but the question is, are we trying to win or just keep pace with the pack?

[Austin]

Right. I'm a troll.

What have I presented here that isn't reality?

You've presented the idea that DD isn't committed to helping the Orioles as fact. There's nothing to support this statement except that this off-season hasn't lived up to your expectations.

DD should have done a better job with this offseason. Can you honestly say that he's done a bang-up job preparing the Orioles for 2015? Seriously? In all honesty, you think this team is ready to go?

Not to speak for the rest of the board but yes, I think most of us think this team can compete as-is. Meanwhile, you've been a broken record for years even though the Orioles have been consistently good for three years. Look at your comments from the off-season prior to 2014.

[MurphDogg]

Right. I'm a troll.

What have I presented here that isn't reality?

He's ready to go get out of here and take the Toronto gig. Why else would he have performed so horribly?

This. This is everyone's issue. Every move Duquette has made has been defensible. Every single one. If the Toronto situation didn't exist and he had made the same moves, I would be fine with him. I think they should have signed Aoki for more than he got, but supposedly he turned down a bigger deal. He shouldn't have signed Markakis to the deal that he signed for, nor should he have signed Rasmus or Cruz to the deals they got. Right player, right price. The Orioles won 96 games last year. I think they will be fine.

[Austin]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAA

That's a good one.

I hate the Orioles.

Quite the opposite. I love this team. I want to see them WIN. They aren't being set up to win. When the GM is being openly courted by a division rival and there's uncertainty all offseason about his job and the team hasn't been improved, I think there's a problem.

Clearly, none of you do.

MSK

If you want to see them win so bad then why are you still *****ing three years into the best era of Orioles baseball since a lot of us were born? What more will it take for you to trust the O's FO to do their jobs?

The fact that you literally said "none of you" want to see the Orioles win means that you are a troll. Like, that is the definition of trolling.

[Crazysilver03]

Really? You aren't the least bit concerned about not replacing Cruz' power? None? Sure, I will give you the OF and internal candidates (don't agree, but feasible), but the power is the problem. Nobody internal unless all the stars align and nobody gets hurt, everyone rebounds...this isn't fantasy land though, those things usually don't happen.

THis isn't a bad team, but the question is, are we trying to win or just keep pace with the pack?

The problem with worrying about replacing Cruz and Miller is that they had career years. I doubt anyone would have expected the performance received by both.