Rasmus to Astros... our offseason is horrible

[PA724_Oriole]

Chris Davis hit 26 homers last year in 127 games. He's a threat to hit 30 home runs at his absolute worst.

At his absolute worst, really?

Even if you're right. 30 HRs while hitting .200 most of the season is nothing to be proud our optimistic about.

[MurphDogg]

Many of these arguments remain the same since the dark times.

It's clear as day that we shouldn't put all our eggs in the "Chris Davis, Wieters, Machado will rebound" basket. Yet, that's the basis of our 2015 offensive and defensive strategy.

That's why I say DD has failed to improve this team.

It's not complicated, but folks will argue against the reality of our chances til the cows come home.

MSK

The difference is that the role of a GM of a 96 win team isn't necessarily to improve the team. It is to keep the team together as much as possible when arbitration and free agency raise the cost of the 96 win team to over $150M ($115M estimated payroll +$37M made by Cruz, Markakis and Miller) with a $120 million budget.

[MurphDogg]

At his absolute worst, really?

Even if you're right. 30 HRs while hitting .200 most of the season is nothing to be proud our optimistic about.

You think last season wasn't Davis at his worst?

[PA724_Oriole]

Many of these arguments remain the same since the dark times.

It's clear as day that we shouldn't put all our eggs in the "Chris Davis, Wieters, Machado will rebound" basket. Yet, that's the basis of our 2015 offensive and defensive strategy.

That's why I say DD has failed to improve this team.

It's not complicated, but folks will argue against the reality of our chances til the cows come home.

MSK

Yea. Funny how I've been saying this all off season long, yet just recently you argued with me in a recent thread about some of these same things?

That's all I try to be. Is a realist. I don't try to be overly optimistic, or utterly pessimistic. I'd rather expect a 80 win team and be thrilled if they outperform, rather than expecting a 90 win team and being disappointed if they only win 80. But I get blasted by most for not having high hopes like most.

[CA-ORIOLE]

The difference is that the role of a GM of a 96 win team isn't necessarily to improve the team. It is to keep the team together as much as possible when arbitration and free agency raise the cost of the 96 win team to over $150M ($115M estimated payroll +$37M made by Cruz, Markakis and Miller) with a $120 million budget.

Yeah, fat chance that logic like that will sink in.

[waroriole]

You think last season wasn't Davis at his worst?

He could get in a fight with Manny and Jones and cost them the season. Or, he could spike their drinks with steroids so they test positive and get suspended.

[PA724_Oriole]

You think last season wasn't Davis at his worst?

Side he's been an Oriole, yes.

And while being a Ranger, he only played over 100 games once (113), in his second year in 2009. So considering ppl are acting like he had a down year by only playing 127 games. Yes that was his worst year.

[PA724_Oriole]

But if he hasn't learned to hit to the other side of the field,I think he could be worse, if that's what you're asking.

[TheDirtyBird]

What upsets me, is the ppl who think Davis, Machado, and Wieters all come back healthy and playing at ALL STAR lvls, are the same ppl who find it a crock that Yankee players can do the same.

In a nutshell, hypocrites. Or very biased ppl.

I'd like to add its highly possible that Toronto gets its stuff together for the whole season and boston (with its new additions) is a strong team. I say this because it's similar to us assuming the best case scenarios for our squad

[scOtt]

How?

DD has done an awful job this offseason.

It's your opinion that he's done anything worth considering "decent."

In any case, let's see how this soap opera plays out.

MSK

He's done exactly what he's done every year. Dumpster diving and under the radar moves. We disagree on what what needed to be done. Fine. What you disproved was you said regardless of circumstances you'd finish one job to the best of your ability before taking another. Because you're a professional. Are you saying DD is not a professional? Are you saying he's shady and devious?

[MemorialStadKid]

He's done exactly what he's done every year. Dumpster diving and under the radar moves. We disagree on what what needed to be done. Fine. What you disproved was you said regardless of circumstances you'd finish one job to the best of your ability before taking another. Because you're a professional. Are you saying DD is not a professional? Are you saying he's shady and devious?

We can't answer this because none of us (to my knowledge) knows DD on a personal level. He comes across as a solid individual who does his job with seriousness and care.

The real question I have is how long in advance did he know about the Toronto job and how much did that affect his approach to this offseason?

I've never said he deliberately tanked the Orioles for 2015, I'm saying that the potential job offer was a major distraction (as it certainly is) and that he might not have been fully concentrating on improving the Orioles if he knew that he was going to be going to a division rival.

If I take on a contract and some "better" gig is offered by a third party, I let that third party know of my contractual obligations and the timeline of when I'd be available. I don't try to get out of my current gig and I certainly won't shortchange my current boss just so I could get to the new gig as quick as possible.

DD's performance this offseason is even worse than last year's. We've signed a lot of minor league depth and... well... nothing else.

I'm tired of discussing whether or not Davis, Wieters and Machado will become our saviors next season, what I do know is that our roster is incomplete and there's a serious chance that we won't be able to contend in 2015 because of that.

DD has NOT improved the Orioles for 2015.

MSK

[Birdmaniac]

Duquette needs to address this situation with Toronto and actually he should have done that over a month ago. As it stand right now if the players perform to their norms we are most likely a fringe wild card team. We have a good chance this year if we make some moves to improve.

Bringing in more of these aaaa players isn't going to be good enough. Orioles ownership and upper management gets a d minus for this offseason so far.

[Three Run Homer]

I remain puzzled and frustrated by the argument that, because Machado and Wieters are returning from injury, it doesn't matter that we are probably going to get substandard production from our corner outfielders and DH.

You have nine lineup slots, and if you want to be successful you try to get good production from all nine slots. When you pencil in David Lough and Dariel Alvarez for RF and decide it's ok if they combine for a .650 OPS because Machado and Wieters are coming back, you are just giving up runs, outs and baseball games.

I could understand the reluctance to invest in a long-term solution for corner outfield if the O's had some hot outfield prospect rocketing up their system. But they don't. Dariel Alvarez and Mike Yastrzemski are the best they've got, and most people outside the organization regard them as fringe prospects.

Does anybody think that David Lough and Alejandro De Aza are long term solutions? Delmon Young is a nice bench guy and Steve Pearce was a great story in 2014. Does anybody think that they will stay healthy and productive for 600 at bats in 2015?

[xian4]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>marlins are getting ichiro, as <a href="https://twitter.com/CraigMish">@CraigMish</a> reported</p>— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="

">January 23, 2015</a></blockquote>

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

[Three Run Homer]

Long term solutions that have certainty costs lots of money or player value in return. Colby Rasmus didn't guarantee us production for 500 AB's either. I am comfortable risking Pearce, De Aza, and Lough between LF and RF. I am skeptical of Delmon Young over 400-500 AB's.

My preference would be to DH Pearce against RHP's and platoon him in RF against LHP with Lough as his platoon mate. Young could DH against LHP. I have more faith in David Lough with a more prominent role in RF than Delmon Young at DH.

I agree that Rasmus is hardly a sure thing, but at least he has some upside--he has the talent to be an impact player and has had a couple of great seasons in his career. Maybe with the right coaching and some maturity the could become a consistent force.

Some combination of Pearce, Young and De Aza can probably provide enough production at LF and DH for the coming season, but Lough and Alvarez to me don't offer enough with the bat to justify a lot of playing time in a corner outfield slot. David Lough is the new Sam Fuld.