A Nightmare Future

[weams]

Be very careful for what you wish for. Orioles fans.

With Lee and teammate Ryan Howard, the Phillies now have a potential 100-loss team with two $25 million players nobody wants.

136 Million Dollar Payroll distribution.

[Enjoy Terror]

It's apples and oranges to an extent, but the Ravens are a model franchise of letting players go and building through the draft and UDFA. If the Orioles intend to be the franchise that refuses to invest long term in their players, they had better have top of the line scouting to supplement the stream of players from the farm.

[tntoriole]

Be very careful for what you wish for. Orioles fans.

136 Million Dollar Payroll distribution.

Fortunately, Dan is not Ruben Amaro.

[Can_of_corn]

It's apples and oranges to an extent, but the Ravens are a model franchise of letting players go and building through the draft and UDFA. If the Orioles intend to be the franchise that refuses to invest long term in their players, they had better have top of the line scouting to supplement the stream of players from the farm.

They don't refuse, they are selective.

[weams]

If the Orioles intend to be the franchise that refuses to invest long term in their players, they had better have top of the line scouting to supplement the stream of players from the farm.

As opposed to an aggressive GM in the FA market and Early Extension? I do agree, if you are going to use the draft and develop model, you need to have top employees.

[ArtVanDelay]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12448236/cliff-lee-philadelphia-phillies-says-surgery-end-season-possibly-career

Cliff Lee's career may be over. The Phillies sure look dumb for not trading him when they had the chance.

"Basically, if I have the surgery, this season will be done, possibly my career, I guess," Lee said. "I don't know. We'll have to see."

[Enjoy Terror]

They don't refuse, they are selective.

Well, if my daughter said "I don't want to eat these vegetables" as opposed to "I don't want to eat any vegetables", I'd still consider that a refusal. And I'd still be angry about it.

Every thing happens in real time, and if you aren't putting players on your team that you feel comfortable committing to long term, then what are you doing behind the scenes? How is the 22nd rated farm system in baseball preparing for a mass exodus of 11-14 players next year?

[weams]

How is the 22nd rated farm system in baseball preparing for a mass exodus of 11-14 players next year?

By adding 13 top 100 draft picks in the next 18 months?

" I prefer more tender and youthful vegetables, steamed and not boiled soft. I'd eat them."

[tntoriole]

It's apples and oranges to an extent, but the Ravens are a model franchise of letting players go and building through the draft and UDFA. If the Orioles intend to be the franchise that refuses to invest long term in their players, they had better have top of the line scouting to supplement the stream of players from the farm.

I think the Orioles will seek to extend Manny and Chris Tillman to add to Jones as the core long term players (through 2018-19). Beyond that, it will be pre-arb, arb eligible, draft, deep depth and maybe an occasional free agent. But you have to let your pre arb and arbitration players play out to see if any of them become truly good enough to add to your core.

[Enjoy Terror]

By adding 13 top 100 draft picks in the next 18 months?

" I prefer more tender and youthful vegetables, steamed and not boiled soft. I'd eat them."

Adding 13 draft picks NOW isn't preparation for next year's reality that without resigning a couple players or dipping in free agency, the Orioles aren't looking good on paper.

[Can_of_corn]

Adding 13 draft picks NOW isn't preparation for next year's reality that without resigning a couple players or dipping in free agency, the Orioles aren't looking good on paper.

You roll the dice when the window is open then you rebuild.

If you try and pry the window open bad things happen.

[ArtVanDelay]

Adding 13 draft picks NOW isn't preparation for next year's reality that without resigning a couple players or dipping in free agency, the Orioles aren't looking good on paper.

Machado, Jones, Schoop, Hardy, Tillman, Gausman, Bundy, Gonzalez, Britton, maybe Harvey. Still an excellent core for 2016. And we know DD will make necessary additions (if he's still here).

[weams]

You roll the dice when the window is open then you rebuild.

If you try and pry the window open bad things happen.

And when you nail it open, the winter gets mighty cold. I believe a competitive team can be made that does not include any of those 11 players. Without exceeding 125 million dollars in payroll. Or signing any FA that costs a darft pick.

[tntoriole]

Adding 13 draft picks NOW isn't preparation for next year's reality that without resigning a couple players or dipping in free agency, the Orioles aren't looking good on paper.

Per all the stats prediction sheets, we haven't looked good on paper for the last three years. Let's see how it plays out this year. Maybe all the guys walking have big years (and that means we likely win the World Series this year) or maybe some of them stink it up, or get hurt at which point their value goes every which way. Buck and Dan have done this for a long time. They know what it looks like and realize that there are UNPREDICTABLE variables that will become obvious as the season plays out that will enable them to best decide next winter's approach. For example, nobody knew at this time last year that Nelson Cruz would hit 40 homers and that Chris Davis would hit under .200. Similarly, it may be that a guy like Garcia burns it up in the pen and maybe DOD or Tommy Hunter has a down turn this year. Maybe you then keep Garcia and let the others walk. Maybe Steve Pearce has figured it out and we make a run at him as a free agent or maybe he goes back to being the before 2014 Steve Pearce and he will not be very expensive (or as valuable). If all the guys who are in their walk years have great years, we are in the Series this year for sure. If they don't, then their offseason prices become significantly more reasonable. Maybe by as early as 2016 we are looking at a young core of Tillman, Gausman, Bundy, Harvey which perhaps could become a monster group (you just never can know for sure).

[weams]

Machado, Jones, Schoop, Hardy, Tillman, Gausman, Bundy, Gonzalez, Britton, maybe Harvey. Still an excellent core for 2016. And we know DD will make necessary additions (if he's still here).

Almanzar, Reimold, Alvarez, Urrutia, Walker, Yastrzemski, Jon Keller, Ryan Lavarnway, Travis Snider, T.J. McFarland, Everth Cabrera, Jason Garcia.