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

[jcbarr]

You don't buy a world series with free agents unless you are the Florida Marlins. More often then not the big time free agent signings don't really end up helping the teams all that much. In fact if you look over the years and do your research you will see that they often hurt teams more than they help. The key to our team is timely offense and playing good defense. Mix in some home runs and a few good stretches where some of our yournger guys get hot and you have a 96 win team. On paper, we are not a better team, but I think we have just as good a chance to win the division. Davis can't play any worse, and if he does well then we end saving some money when we let him go at the end of the year. Our pitching may not be lights out, but our starters consistently give us a chance to win the game which is all we could every ask for. If the bullpen stays strong then we have a shot.

[MurphDogg]

You don't buy a world series with free agents unless you are the Florida Marlins.

And nobody is the Florida Marlins anymore.

[Three Run Homer]

I'm only mildly disappointed, if that. People need to keep in mind that we essentially made our first offseason move last August, when we traded for De Aza. De Aza will be at least the long side of a platoon, and will get a chance to bounce back against lefties. I think De Aza and his platoon partner are capable of reproducing Markakis' production.

Nelson Cruz is a big loss to the offense, but between Snider and more playing time for Delmon Young and Steve Pearce I think we can replace 70 percent of his offense at a fraction of the cost it would have taken to keep him.

I never thought Miller would stay, but we did sign a decent situational lefty and we got a rule V guy (Jason Garcia) and a minor league free agent (Dane De La Rosa) that could make an impact in the bullpen.

My only question is why we haven't traded our surplus of starting pitching yet. But if someone gets hurt in spring training that will look like a genius move as well.

[SamsHorn]

I think we have a top 10 roster from top to bottom, a HOF manager, and as much depth as we had last year. Can't wait for the season and for all of you sky-is-falling doubters to jump back on the bandwagon when we dominate in the AL east again.

[Bradysburns]

Five years ago, I would have been climbing the walls with this offseason. It has been pretty boring on the surface. But I think I have learned from watching DD. I honestly have not been excited about a single offseason since he got here. He's made depth moves, bargain moves, under-the-radar moves.

I had no idea who Wei Yin Chen was before we signed him, and didn't care much after we signed him. I wasn't thrilled with the Cruz signing when it happened. Same with Norris, Young, Pearce... I would assume at least one of these signings (probably Snider) will shine this year, much brighter than one might expect.

My point is, I don't care about the offseason half as much as I used to. And that's a very, very good thing.

I bet we'll make the playoffs again this year.

[Stotle]

I don't particularly fault Baltimore for not making significant moves -- the organization is in a tough spot with payroll and limited trade options in the minors. If Jimenez wasn't on the books then a signing of Scherzer or a trade for Hamels would have made a world of sense. Boy was that an unfortunate signing.

I do think based on where the team is now I'd be comfortable gutting the farm if it meant bringing in MLB talent that will help for this year and next. Plenty of opportunity to build back up and I'd want to strike while the division is still in flux. Danger that Toronto and Boston get good quickly based on the talent they'll be promoting over the next two seasons.

Heaney would have been interesting...

[Barnaby Graves]

I think we have a top 10 roster from top to bottom, a HOF manager, and as much depth as we had last year. Can't wait for the season and for all of you sky-is-falling doubters to jump back on the bandwagon when we dominate in the AL east again.

Agreed my man.

[Bahama O's Fan]

I'm only mildly disappointed, if that. People need to keep in mind that we essentially made our first offseason move last August, when we traded for De Aza. De Aza will be at least the long side of a platoon, and will get a chance to bounce back against lefties. I think De Aza and his platoon partner are capable of reproducing Markakis' production.

Nelson Cruz is a big loss to the offense, but between Snider and more playing time for Delmon Young and Steve Pearce I think we can replace 70 percent of his offense at a fraction of the cost it would have taken to keep him.

I never thought Miller would stay, but we did sign a decent situational lefty and we got a rule V guy (Jason Garcia) and a minor league free agent (Dane De La Rosa) that could make an impact in the bullpen.

My only question is why we haven't traded our surplus of starting pitching yet. But if someone gets hurt in spring training that will look like a genius move as well.

I think the first statement is correct, like the previous offseason when we traded for Norris. Those moves were made to help that season, but also for the season afterwards. To all that are hating on the offseason, just look at the team we put out on the field to beat the Tigers and the team we will have to start the season. You cannot tell me our team now is at least even, if not better than that team. Snider/Pearce for Markakis in RF, Machado for Flaherty at 3B, Davis for Pearce at 1B (allowing him to play somewhere else), Wieters for Joseph behind the plate and Young/Snider at DH for Cruz.

[Say O!]

There are definitely a few spring training moves to be made on the pitching front. Surplus of starters, bullpen with a few rule V guys...I bet DD gets creative and works a trade or two, though likely subtracting a MLB roster guy from the O's and acquiring minor league prospects.

[Guest rochester]

If they would have signed Cruz or Markakis, then Matusz and another contract (my bet is Norris) would have been moved.

Agree... and with all the FA's next year, signing Nick and Cruz signed for 4 years each would have hurt any chance of keeping any of them. I think next year's issues and the arb raises did not leave much room to do anything.

[tntoriole]

I like the offseason strategy. I like taking the odds that Machado, Wieters, Davis, Hardy power will rebound. I think the big surprises that will decide between a 90 win season and 97 wins could be Schoop, Jiminez rebound and Gausman emergence. I like the team. All other ALEast teams have just as many or more questions than we do.

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[tntoriole]

I do think not putting the QO on Nick was sloppy and sentimental and a mistake. I think Buck was ok with it because he wanted Nick to get a good deal for himself and I think DD was afraid Nick would take the QO and didn't want him at that price tag with all the arbitration cases.

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[AdamK]

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.

There's still time for the Matusz deal to not turn into a small pumpkin if he gets dealt. What's a few million anyway when it's not our couch cushions is coming out of. Let's see how the new bullpen kids impress.

UJ's production is* going to start to feel like value soon too**.

*could

**Pending

[VeveJones007]

Davis.

Same net result. I wonder what the returns would have been for Norris vs. Davis.

[VeveJones007]

I don't particularly fault Baltimore for not making significant moves -- the organization is in a tough spot with payroll and limited trade options in the minors. If Jimenez wasn't on the books then a signing of Scherzer or a trade for Hamels would have made a world of sense. Boy was that an unfortunate signing.

I do think based on where the team is now I'd be comfortable gutting the farm if it meant bringing in MLB talent that will help for this year and next. Plenty of opportunity to build back up and I'd want to strike while the division is still in flux. Danger that Toronto and Boston get good quickly based on the talent they'll be promoting over the next two seasons.

Heaney would have been interesting...

Baltimore is still the best team in the division without "gutting the farm" or making a big move like Scherzer or Hamels. Sometimes the conservative approach is best. I'll take this roster, the farm intact, and 2016's flexibility.