Why do we "the fans" think we get it but the FO doesn't?

[millertime]

With the trade deadline now here, I personally am very frustrated...actually more stumped than anything...as to what in the world Duquette and the FO is thinking. The Orioles have 3 possible directions they could go...

1. Go for it all this year and make an IMPACT trade or two.

2. Realize that they don't have a chance at the World Series this year nor are they likely to resign Davis, Wieters, Chen and O'Day and become sellers and try and get some good prospects for those guys and focus on 2016 and beyond.

3. Stand pat and do basically nothing.

Of the 3 directions, the one that makes the LEAST sense is to stand pat and yet, I guess I shouldn't be surprised, it sure seems like that is what we are going to do. I am by no means an expert on FO operations or how to run a team...I am simply an avid Orioles fan like most of us on here but it drives me nuts that Duquette and the people in the FO are paid more money than I could ever dream of making to understand that you have to choose the right direction for the club and it sure as hell seems like they don't know how to do that.

This team, as currently constructed, is worse than last years team and without making an IMPACT trade or two, will be lucky to make the playoffs. I certainly hope they do but I am a realist. All the other teams vying for playoff spots sure seem to be making a lot of moves to improve their team because they get it. If the Orioles don't want to go that route, fine...I totally respect that but if they are not going to go that route, then the next LOGICAL thing to do would become sellers. The Tigers are doing it and they are trading away players they can't resign next year and building for the future.

For the O's to just stand pat is asinine in my opinion. As much as I would love to see them resign Davis, Wieters, Chen, O'Day, etc. we know they are not going to and they all could net us some really nice prospects if we were to trade them but it sure doesn't seem like DD and the FO get that. I understand that we could get supplemental draft picks by giving them qualifying offers but lets be real...what are the odds that the players we draft with those supplemental picks turn out to be anything? I'd much rather trade for known prospects that we KNOW could help us in the future.

Sorry for the rant but I just don't understand the thought process of our FO. You want to go all in and try and win it this year and makes some splashy trades? Cool...I'm down with that. You want to realize that our playoff chances are slim and that we have some valuable trade chips that we aren't going to resign them and trade them for prospect that will help us in the future? Cool...I'm down with that too. Just don't sit by idly and do nothing! That is the worst direction you could choose. Please prove me wrong.

Am I crazy for feeling/thinking this way? If I am, I know some of you "elder posters" will put me in my place.

[Baldimore, hon]

Nope, you're not crazy. I very much agree with this sentiment. I'm firmly in the "trade away our FA (Chen, Wieters, Davis, and O'Day) for the best prospects you can get" camp. But, I understand the trade away some impact prospects for some IMPACT players (non-rental) camp also. I do prefer the stand pat camp over the trade impact prospects for rental camp, which feels like what the front office seems to want to do (of course, this is baseless as of now, just a gut-feeling I have).

On a side note, anyone else wish MacPhail were our GM for the next 24 hours? I think he'd sell and get some real talent in return and I'm not ecstatic over the possibility that we'll get raked over the coals for Ben Revere.

[Rich Mac]

With the trade deadline now here, I personally am very frustrated...actually more stumped than anything...as to what in the world Duquette and the FO is thinking. The Orioles have 3 possible directions they could go...

1. Go for it all this year and make an IMPACT trade or two.

2. Realize that they don't have a chance at the World Series this year nor are they likely to resign Davis, Wieters, Chen and O'Day and become sellers and try and get some good prospects for those guys and focus on 2016 and beyond.

3. Stand pat and do basically nothing.

Of the 3 directions, the one that makes the LEAST sense is to stand pat and yet, I guess I shouldn't be surprised, it sure seems like that is what we are going to do. I am by no means an expert on FO operations or how to run a team...I am simply an avid Orioles fan like most of us on here but it drives me nuts that Duquette and the people in the FO are paid more money than I could ever dream of making to understand that you have to choose the right direction for the club and it sure as hell seems like they don't know how to do that.

This team, as currently constructed, is worse than last years team and without making an IMPACT trade or two, will be lucky to make the playoffs. I certainly hope they do but I am a realist. All the other teams vying for playoff spots sure seem to be making a lot of moves to improve their team because they get it. If the Orioles don't want to go that route, fine...I totally respect that but if they are not going to go that route, then the next LOGICAL thing to do would become sellers. The Tigers are doing it and they are trading away players they can't resign next year and building for the future.

For the O's to just stand pat is asinine in my opinion. As much as I would love to see them resign Davis, Wieters, Chen, O'Day, etc. we know they are not going to and they all could net us some really nice prospects if we were to trade them but it sure doesn't seem like DD and the FO get that. I understand that we could get supplemental draft picks by giving them qualifying offers but lets be real...what are the odds that the players we draft with those supplemental picks turn out to be anything? I'd much rather trade for known prospects that we KNOW could help us in the future.

Sorry for the rant but I just don't understand the thought process of our FO. You want to go all in and try and win it this year and makes some splashy trades? Cool...I'm down with that. You want to realize that our playoff chances are slim and that we have some valuable trade chips that we aren't going to resign them and trade them for prospect that will help us in the future? Cool...I'm down with that too. Just don't sit by idly and do nothing! That is the worst direction you could choose. Please prove me wrong.

Am I crazy for feeling/thinking this way? If I am, I know some of you "elder posters" will put me in my place.

I believe that DD has the priorities in the order that you listed. I am still leaning towards 2, 3, and then 1. Although I am prepared, and hope, to eat crow by the end of the season.

You just have to remember that buying and selling isn't always that easy. It takes two to tango. You want to buy, but everyone asks too much. You want to sell, but everyone offers too little. Sometimes you end up with option number 3 because it's the most prudent decision under the circumstances.

[mrpennybags]

For a while I was leaning toward standing pat. My rough reasoning:

1. We're actually pretty close to a Wild Card spot (2 games)

2. All the players we might realistically trade are free agents to be and might as well just take the draft picks.

3. The farm is pretty thin.

But considering the quantity of trades that have gone down and the value the sellers have been reaping, I think selling might be the wisest choice. With so many quality players moved already, the contenders who haven't loaded up may be feeling the pressure with less trade options.

But really who knows? I assumed this deadline would be muted because trading for FAs now loses the draft-pick compensation. But the trade market has been gangbusters.

It's academic of course; this team ain't selling.

[scOtt]

:rofl: Yeah... WE know more!

[hoosiers]

IMO, it is only logical that teams in the best competitive position give up the most prospects to enhance their chances. Couple that with the fact that our GM has gutted our farm system trading for the likes of Bud Norris, Scott Feldman and rental players, any major deal is going to leave the Os with absolutely nothing in the minors.

At the same time, I do not believe a GM can bail on a team, manager and fans that is so close to the WC. I am hopeful that DD is looking to acquire quality players relatively cheaply after most other teams have made their moves.

IMO, a big factor in all of this from my perspective is the remaining schedule. If our schedule is much tougher than other teams pursuing the WC spots, then it would give me pause about giving up much at the deadline and might make me a seller. I do not believe our schedule looks easy, but I haven't seen an analysis of whether it is difficult or not.

[El Gordo]

You just can't bail when you are only 2G back in the WC. And you can't go all in if you don't have the farm system. So standing pat is all that is left.

[mdbdotcom]

I think there's another option: make modest upgrades in positions of need to improve the chances of making the playoffs without giving up too much. What constitutes "too much" is open for debate, but I think this is the route the O's are taking, and I expect we will have one or more additions by tonight's game.

[JR Oriole]

I was thinking about this exact thing yesterday and I think what bothers me the most is that I have no visual evidence that the FO is doing any actual work. They almost seem like that guy in your office whose computer faces the wall so you can't see how little work he is actually doing. At least the players who make millions on the field are visible at their jobs. This winter, as we just let Cruz, Miller, and Markakis walk, I wasn't sure that anyone was actually earning their paycheck in the FO. I have to assume that they are working, and the reality is that our FO is just an amazingly slow and boring operation to watch from the outside. For very patient, non-visual fans, this is fine. I am neither of those things so I would love to see actual activity and life in the warehouse.

[Braydog 9]

THANK YOU! Finally, someone said it. I've been thinking it for years. I know so much more about baseball/baseball personnel and understand it way better than the Front Office.

Coincidentally, I also know and understand:

(1) More about bullpen management and setting lineups than Buck.

(2) More about he 3-4 defense than John Harbaugh.

(3) More about foreign policy, taxation, and governance than Barack Obama, every former president, and every current and former member of congress.

(4) More about constitutional law than the Supreme Court.

(5) More about elves than Santa Clause.

(6) More about golf than my course's pro (I'm telling you, my 30 handicap is simply due to a combination of terrible luck, bad equipment, and a looney tunes conspiracy).

(7) More about computers than Bill Gates.

(8) More about my health than my doctor (you want me to exercise moderately AND eat somewhat healthy?! Slow your roll, buddy).

(9) More about the moon than Neil

Armstrong.

(10) And, finally, more about everything than my parents (but I particularly did from the time I was about 12 until the time I was about 24).

That feels good to get off my chest.

Signed,

Message Board Poster No. 98375860498

[wildcard]

It's a little late to turn seller 14 hours before the deadline.

Yes now we that the knowledge that the Astros and Jays went all in. We can project how that helped their chances and hurt the O's chances. But to be sellers Dan probably had to do that a week ago before the competitors made their moves.

[kaerts111]

Why do we "the fans" get it but the FO doesn't?

The closer one gets to the core of the Jet-Set the less likely you'll find someone that will admit error.

Case in point Delmon Young: career .280 hitter and outfielder who led assists on the team is DFA'd and released. Now what gives? Snider, Reimold, Pearce, and Parm are upgrades? - no way man. Let's admit fault, say we were wrong and let's get him back on the team.

Btw, did any one else cringe to think Delmon would have undoubtedly tied the game pinch hitting last night? - (when Reimold was at bat in the bottom of the ninth with a Joseph on 3rd, 2 outs and trailing by one)

[mdbdotcom]

Why do we "the fans" get it but the FO doesn't?

The closer one gets to the core of the Jet-Set the less likely you'll find someone that will admit error.

Case in point Delmon Young: career .280 hitter and outfielder who led assists on the team is DFA'd and released. Now what gives? Snider, Reimold, Pearce, and Parm are upgrades? - no way man. Let's admit fault, say we were wrong and let's get him back on the team.

Btw, did any one else cringe to think Delmon would have undoubtedly tied the game pinch hitting last night? - (when Reimold was at bat in the bottom of the ninth with a Joseph on 3rd, 2 outs and trailing by one)

Alejandro De Aza with the Red Sox:

298/.348/.500 .848 OPS 130 OPS+

Oops.

[osfan83]

Alejandro De Aza with the Red Sox:

298/.348/.500 .848 OPS 130 OPS+

Oops.

WE really need to go after that guy....I think De Aza would solve our LF problem.

[weams]

Why do we "the fans" get it but the FO doesn't?

The closer one gets to the core of the Jet-Set the less likely you'll find someone that will admit error.

Case in point Delmon Young: career .280 hitter and outfielder who led assists on the team is DFA'd and released. Now what gives? Snider, Reimold, Pearce, and Parm are upgrades? - no way man. Let's admit fault, say we were wrong and let's get him back on the team.

Btw, did any one else cringe to think Delmon would have undoubtedly tied the game pinch hitting last night? - (when Reimold was at bat in the bottom of the ninth with a Joseph on 3rd, 2 outs and trailing by one)

Delmon would have tied it. But I think that was the eighth.