For all the people who said they would reserve their judgement...

[Mayor McCheese]

Maybe you should start a thread about that subject instead of hijacking this one. This thread has a well defined subject.

So all replies should somehow address only the OP. Jeessh lighten up dude.

[joe42]

I'm Thrilled to have Wesley Wright, Travis Snider, Manny Machado, Matt Wieters, and Dylan Bundy ready to help this season.

Same here. Like our team, and like our chances. Would have loved to have resigned Miller and will miss the production that Cruz gave us. But definitly not disappointed. Very optimistic.

[MurphDogg]

What about all the compensation picks we will have in 2016.

Yep, that will definitely help build up the farm system and could be used in trades, but any players taken then likely wouldn't help on the field until at least 2018 if not later.

[Ohfan67]

I didn't expect a lot, but I'm still disappointed. I expected a more significant trade or two, I expected some hard decisions to be made regarding salary investment in players like Matusz, etc. This offseason was inactive and not very creative. I still think a starter may be moved during spring training to bring in a significant position player, but certainly the offseason was dull. Unfortunately the ridiculous blue jays situation may have gotten in the way a bit. Hoping for a better, more creative spring.

[Mayor McCheese]

Yep, that will definitely help build up the farm system and could be used in trades, but any players taken then likely wouldn't help on the field until at least 2018 if not later.

Thats true but I would think between all the picks we have in 2015 and 2016, we may be willing to move a prospect next offseason.

[Babypowder]

I'm only mildly disappointed. I certainly wouldn't have advocated bringing back Markakis, Cruz, or Miller for their respective deals. There weren't really any significant free agents I would have liked signing. I have smaller issues though. Markakis should have been given a QO. I would have liked more smaller moves too. Michael Saunders would have been a good target for example. I also would have been happier had they non-tendered Matusz (or moved him) and were looking to move De Aza. I'd also support looking to sell on Norris or Gonzalez. I'm fine with bringing Young back but their utilization plans concern me. I suppose that's not really an offseason concern.

For those people super disappointed, I'd like to see more actual suggestions instead of pointless hand-wringing. So what would you have done instead?

[Reboulet'sStache]

The loss of Cruz, to me, is HUGE.The guy was not irreplaceable, but vital to this offense. Miller's loss was big but not devastating to the bullpen. Nick figured to go.Too much money and not enough of a bat.All told this team is NOT better unless all the guys who were either out last year or underachieved have great years and stay

healthy. Thats a lot to expect. Also, the pitching stayed relatively healthy last year,and this year the Orioles need to hope that Ubaldo bounces back or Bundy is close to ready. You have to figure Chen and maybe Gonzo have off years because their stuff just isn't overpowering and the league could catch up to them. I understand why D.D. didn't do more, and there may be self imposed budget restraints, but simply put:THIS IS NOT A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM.

I would agree that this team is probably not as good as last year's, although some combination of improvement from Davis, Machado, Schoop, and adding Wieters, could make it better. But I don't think having a good off-season, and getting worse, are necessarily mutually exclusive. Like a team that realizes it needs to sell, and gets great young players in return. Probably a worse team than the previous year, but a great off-season. The O's need to develop the farm, avoid big contracts that produce diminishing returns, and acquire lottery ticket type players they can get for relatively cheap, but might give them big returns. That's going to be our only formula for sustainable success. There really is no other way. And that's exactly what we did this off-season.

[weams]

I'm only mildly disappointed. I certainly wouldn't have advocated bringing back Markakis, Cruz, or Miller for their respective deals. There weren't really any significant free agents I would have liked signing. I have smaller issues though. Markakis should have been given a QO. I would have liked more smaller moves too. Michael Saunders would have been a good target for example. I also would have been happier had they non-tendered Matusz (or moved him) and were looking to move De Aza. I'd also support looking to sell on Norris or Gonzalez. I'm fine with bringing Young back but their utilization plans concern me. I suppose that's not really an offseason concern.

For those people super disappointed, I'd like to see more actual suggestions instead of pointless hand-wringing. So what would you have done instead?

With his neck uncertainty, do you think Nick would have taken the 15.3?

[Babypowder]

With his neck uncertainty, do you think Nick would have taken the 15.3?

Hard to imagine he would have if there was anything close to what he got on the table.

[Ohfan67]

P.s. If money is really this tight, then it makes some of the moves like keeping Matusz and signing Ubaldo look even dumber. The arbitration raises were predictable increases in salary.

[Mayor McCheese]

With his neck uncertainty, do you think Nick would have taken the 15.3?

I don't think he would have wanted the pressure of another contract year. If he was offered a QO he would have declined it but I think the Orioles knew it could lower his value, so they did what was right and decline to offer one.

If his production & range decreased again in 2015, I would think he may be lucky to get a 3/$21MM-$24MM deal, therefore, only earning $36.3MM-$39.3MM over 4 years.

He ended up with a 4/44

[scOtt]

All is well!

cue Animal House clip...

[25 Nuggets]

simply put:THIS IS NOT A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM.

The Giants didn't look even close to a championship team last season. One good starting pitcher, the closer benched, the center fielder injured, problems at second base, a team OPS+ of 99 and a team ERA+ of 100. But they fixed a lot by the end of the season, squeaked into the playoffs and went from there. The Orioles have every chance to do that too.

[duffaphonic]

Great off season. No dumb moves and really not many needs to fill. The Os have solid starters, sound pen, reliable bench and a plan. Once again their Norfolk team will be ready for injured replacements. I'm looking for an World Series in Baltimore.

[VeveJones007]

I'm fine with the offseason since I went in knowing we wouldn't have much money to spend because of all the arbitration raises. And I don't like giving long free agent contracts to players on the wrong side of 30 either, so most of the free agents out there didn't appeal to me. I would have let go all 3 of our big free agents as well.

Its not sexy but given the budget we're working with, its about all you can hope for.

This is the truth.

I'm just going to be blunt. If you're "disappointed" by the O's offseason because they didn't make major acquisitions, then you're ignorant about the realities a baseball team faces in Baltimore.