Andrew Miller DL'd with Forearm Strain

[DrungoHazewood]

If it was me?

I'd be damn happy to be making 3.2 million this year after almost having my career destroyed by a shoulder injury.

I'd also realize that saves are a stupid stat and that pitching in high leverage situations in the 7-8th innings help my team win just as much as closing does.

I am sure the greedy part in me would be a bit upset that my future arbitration awards will be diminished but I'd get over it.

I doubt that's really true. If you're a competitive, high-paid athlete who is seen by well... thousands... of people every few nights closing out victories and doing it well, you're not going to be thrilled when your team takes your job away and gives it to someone else. You're just not. You do have some kind of an ego, pretty much everyone does. I'd be angry. Maybe it wouldn't effect the job I did, maybe it would push me to do better, but I'd be throwing stuff and cursing.

[Sanfran327]

I think it's obvious that the O's would be a handful of wins better right now if they'd signed Cruz and Miller. But just a handful, in what may be the most productive parts of their twin four-year, nearly $100M total commitments.

Sure. I think I've been pretty consistent in my belief that we made the right decisions regarding Cruz and Miller. And yeah, it's not about reveling in another player's injury or slump, it's feeling good about not spending that kind of money on a team that really can't make that kind of a commitment to those two particular players.

[DrungoHazewood]

I am guessing if you go back and check that even in a best case scenario it wouldn't make that much of an impact. The bats haven't been outscoring what the starting pitching has been allowing.

Right. Saying he's the difference in 4-5 games (and accounting for no negatives) means over a full year he's more valuable than Babe Ruth or Barry Bonds.

[Can_of_corn]

Human beings are not fond of losing their jobs after doing them very well. I would assume that front offices take that into account, even if it isn't a primary factor in decisions. Luckily this doesn't come up much as most teams have multiple holes to fill, and limited resources, so they don't usually prioritize signing a star at a position where they already have a star.

He wouldn't be "losing his job", his job is to pitch out of the bullpen. His role on the team would change but his job wouldn't. You have never had your role in your job shifted in a lateral manner?

[mdbdotcom]

He wouldn't be "losing his job", his job is to pitch out of the bullpen. His role on the team would change but his job wouldn't. You have never had your role in your job shifted in a lateral manner?

Given the difference in anticipated remuneration between setup guys and closers, I'd hardly call it a lateral move.

[Can_of_corn]

I doubt that's really true. If you're a competitive, high-paid athlete who is seen by well... thousands... of people every few nights closing out victories and doing it well, you're not going to be thrilled when your team takes your job away and gives it to someone else. You're just not. You do have some kind of an ego, pretty much everyone does. I'd be angry. Maybe it wouldn't effect the job I did, maybe it would push me to do better, but I'd be throwing stuff and cursing.

He said if it was me.

I'm not a competitive, high-paid athlete who is seen by thousands.

I'm a dude in my 40's that would be very grateful for anything close to the situation Britton would hypothetically be finding himself in.

Considering that Britton was nearly out of baseball a few years ago I would hope that he would have some perspective on how lucky he is. Remember he wasn't even a lock to make the team last year.

[Phantom]

P.S. -- in other news, Nelson Cruz has a .618 OPS over his last 17 games, during which time he has 1 HR and 5 RBI.

Next you're going to be telling me that judging 4 year contracts a third of a season into them is a bad idea!

[weams]

Right. Saying he's the difference in 4-5 games (and accounting for no negatives) means over a full year he's more valuable than Babe Ruth or Barry Bonds.

It's why the season is long. The game is the game. It gives and it takes.

[DrungoHazewood]

He wouldn't be "losing his job", his job is to pitch out of the bullpen. His role on the team would change but his job wouldn't. You have never had your role in your job shifted in a lateral manner?

You and I might wish that all relievers just see their jobs as pitching out of the bullpen, but that doesn't make it so. If you're pitching the 9th and then you're not, it's a demotion.

[weams]

He said if it was me.

I'm not a competitive, high-paid athlete who is seen by thousands.

I'm a dude in my 40's that would be very grateful for anything close to the situation Britton would hypothetically be finding himself in.

Considering that Britton was nearly out of baseball a few years ago I would hope that he would have some perspective on how lucky he is. Remember he wasn't even a lock to make the team last year.

Scott Boras sees the dream though. Yes he does.

[Can_of_corn]

Given the difference in anticipated remuneration between setup guys and closers, I'd hardly call it a lateral move.

I don't know of any arbitration equivalents that we can compare. Do you?

[weams]

You and I might wish that all relievers just see their jobs as pitching out of the bullpen, but that doesn't make it so. If you're pitching the 9th and then you're not, it's a demotion.

Unfortunately you are very very right.

[DrungoHazewood]

He said if it was me.

I'm not a competitive, high-paid athlete who is seen by thousands.

I'm a dude in my 40's that would be very grateful for anything close to the situation Britton would hypothetically be finding himself in.

Considering that Britton was nearly out of baseball a few years ago I would hope that he would have some perspective on how lucky he is. Remember he wasn't even a lock to make the team last year.

I am not in Britton's head, but I would think that a guy who's worked quite hard to get where he is and was nearly cut from the team last year would be extra motivated to keep his job at the top of the O's pen, and might be extra-disappointed by what he'd surely see as yet another setback in this career.

[weams]

The 2015 budget impact of signing Cruz/Miller is really the part of the equation that I choose to ignore. Not because it isn't a real thing but because I felt that it was a one year issue given the contracts coming off the books next year. But your point is a good one. likely the budget could not have included all the pieces involved.

I would have signed Cruz at his current contract (knowing full well that the last 2-3 years of it would likely make it a bad one) and I am pretty sure most people would trade his performance for Davis's at this point. I was all for signing Miller until he got 4/40. I was for signing Markakis at $8M ish.

I just thought they should take some significant risks for 2015. I will feel that way regardless of Cruz's results.

I would have signed Cruz too. And it would have been wrong.

[weams]

I am not in Britton's head, but I would think that a guy who's worked quite hard to get where he is and was nearly cut from the team last year would be extra motivated to keep his job at the top of the O's pen, and might be extra-disappointed by what he'd surely see as yet another setback in this career.

Especially when his job and his future money had been given to ANOTHER lefty that is almost NEVER healthy.