Brittany Ghiroli on frustration in O's locker room

[olehippi]

Because he would have cost Davis and the pick we get for Davis. And he will be an anchor like Hardy shortly.

Maybe..... but the question should be asked whether Cruz, and maybe Markakis, being "anchors" - probably not next year, but the last two years of their contracts - have been worth it if the Orioles were on their way to the playoffs, and maybe a World Series, again this year? IMO, we had one more year, maybe two if we were lucky, in that playoff window and I think the Orioles blew it.

I believe signing Cruz and maybe Markakis, wouldn't have affected the situation with Davis, Wieters, and Chen because we weren't going to re-sign them anyway.

[SeaBird]

No quotes. Just theories and speculation. I expect better of Britt.

I am sure the guys miss Markakis and Cruz. But they are big boys paid well to play professional baseball. And no veterans? That is ridiculous. Jones, Davis, Wieters, JJ, O'Day, Ubaldo. If they miss Markakis and Cruz it is for their production.

I disagree. She's there every day. Sometimes you learn a lot just by watching.

[Babypowder]

Maybe..... but the question should be asked whether Cruz, and maybe Markakis, being "anchors" - probably not next year, but the last two years of their contracts - have been worth it if the Orioles were on their way to the playoffs, and maybe a World Series, again this year? We had one more year, maybe two if we were lucky, in that playoff window and I think the Orioles blew it.

I believe signing Cruz and maybe Markakis, wouldn't have affected the situation with Davis, Wieters, and Chen because we weren't going to re-sign them anyway.

He's saying it affected Davis this year. As in they may have non-tendered Davis if they decided to sign Cruz. Adding Cruz and Markakis means you have to shave their combined salary off of THIS years payroll. Davis may have been a casualty.

[ReclaimTheCrown]

Yes, I read it. I meant Britt needs to bring some quotes or evidence. She provided none.

I would offer that its likely a case of speaking off the record to a reporter. Speaking on background. Happens quite a bit. I don't think it's fair to assume that because she isn't naming sources or providing quotes, that it's bunk.

[Frobby]

I would offer that its likely a case of speaking off the record to a reporter. Speaking on background. Happens quite a bit. I don't think it's fair to assume that because she isn't naming sources or providing quotes, that it's bunk.

I don't discount what she is saying. I'm sure a calm, steady guy like Markakis is a good person to have in a clubhouse when the team is struggling, and I think Cruz was a good guy in the clubhouse as well. I'm sure the other players would have liked to have kept those guys. And I am sure the Orioles considered those factors when they made their decisions.

[Going Underground]

Yes, I read it. I meant Britt needs to bring some quotes or evidence. She provided none.

As a beat reporter I don't think she would name names. She would never get spoken to again.

[Aristotelian]

You dont think Cruz's 39 HR's, 82 RBI's and .314 BA, with a .980 OPS wouldnt have helped this team? Hard to see that as a real waste of money.

No. We are 5.5 games out of the second wildcard. The SPs have been flat out bad. We have been playing from behind virtually every game in August. Even if Nelson gets us into the wild card game, we simply do not have the pitching to go all the way. If you want to go all-in, you sign Scherzer. That is not happening.

Four words. The Window is Closing.

I don't really subscribe to the window concept. If you go all in this year on somebody like Cruz, you are compromising the long term future of the organization. Then the window becomes self-fulfilling and we don't see the light of day again for another 14 years. This way, the option is always there to retool or rebuild.

[islandecho]

This is exactly, Exactly, EXACTLY what others (me?) talked about last winter. It was said that losing Miller, Cruz, and Markakis, and doing nothing to replace them, went far beyond just the numbers. It went to the swagger, the confidence, the very core of the team and it's belief that they were the best team out there. It gave hitters extreme confidence knowing that Cruz was there, ready to hit one out at anytime. No pressure. It gave pitchers confidence knowing that all they had to do was get to the 6th inning or so and the bullpen, led by Miller, was there to shut the door. No pressure. As an athlete, confidence is EVERYTHING.

Not replacing these guys? It basically told the players that no matter how much they try, the FO was not going to support them in their quest for a WS title. It placed a HUGE black cloud over the season before it even began. People were poo poo'd by some on this site for suggesting such a thing. People were bashed, made to feel ingnorant. Some were even banned.

Who's right now?

[Fan4Life]

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2015/08/31/brittany-ghiroli-on-possible-frustration-in-the-orioles-locker-room/

Ghiroli writes about Orioles locker room and the frustration felt with the loss of Cruz and Markakis and the FO failure to replace them. I doubt that the pure sabermatricians will take very much stock in this. Yes, the Orioles players are professionals but they are human beings with human feelings. And it does affect their game despite their efforts.

Could't agree more with some of this. I'm not going to argue my point but if Cruz was on this team, regardless of what fangraphs says, we'd have 6-8 more wins. Now, that's not an endorsement of his contract, merely my opinion on what, among many, the primary difference is this season from last season.

[Babypowder]

As a beat reporter I don't think she would name names. She would never get spoken to again.

Obviously. Lots of reporters use quotes without naming sources, especially in baseball.

[Tx Oriole]

THis can't be...losing Cruz was no big deal and those who think so are just complainers:)

As for Kakes, I LOVED kakes but there is no way he is worth that kind of money.

And neither was Cruz. I liked him. But the cost was too much.

I am sure the season is frustrating for the team. But those

two players would not have made that big a difference. IMO

[Sanfran327]

I don't discount what she is saying. I'm sure a calm, steady guy like Markakis is a good person to have in a clubhouse when the team is struggling, and I think Cruz was a good guy in the clubhouse as well. I'm sure the other players would have liked to have kept those guys. And I am sure the Orioles considered those factors when they made their decisions.

All of this. Absolutely. The FO was put between a rock and a hard place last offseason. Tough decisions were made, and perhaps they were the right ones (financially, almost certainly).

I think more than anything, we're learning (maybe it's just me) how much of a long shot it was to repeat last year's success when there was almost no way to keep such huge pieces.

[Going Underground]

Obviously. Lots of reporters use quotes without naming sources, especially in baseball.

i know but this was a radio interview and not a print article. I hope she puts down her thoughts on paper and elaborates on what see said. Can't put my finger on it does not mean much.

[Babypowder]

Could't agree more with some of this. I'm not going to argue my point but if Cruz was on this team, regardless of what fangraphs says, we'd have 6-8 more wins. Now, that's not an endorsement of his contract, merely my opinion on what, among many, the primary difference is this season from last season.

If Nelson Cruz were here, world hunger would be eradicated.

[Sanfran327]

If Nelson Cruz were here, world hunger would be eradicated.

LOL. Making the world a better place one ignorant post at a time.