It might be time to go full 76ers mode down the stretch.

[winkies]

Most of them aren't.

Or are you just talking about the Cardinals?

That is the model. I like the Rays as well. The Pirates have done some good things. I like what the Mets are currently doing too with their pitching development. The Mets are big market, but still built through the draft with pitching.

[Can_of_corn]

That is the model. I like the Rays as well. The Pirates have done some good things. I like what the Mets are currently doing too with their pitching development. The Mets are big market, but still built through the draft with pitching.

The Rays are kinda meh right now, they can develop pitching but not hitting.

Pirates have done some good things, bit early to say they have had sustained success.

The Mets made out like bandits in the Dickey trade and this is their first good year in a while.

[weams]

How are most mid market and small market teams sustaining success?

By staying or getting real bad for an extended run. And remember, the new Draft system and the new International system are very youthful. No real data on how those model work to the point to determine the next opportunity for smaller teams.

[weams]

The Rays are kinda meh right now, they can develop pitching but not hitting.

Pirates have done some good things, bit early to say they have had sustained success.

The Mets made out like bandits in the Dickey trade and this is their first good year in a while.

Pirates have Rene Gayo. He's quite the murky character. Mets are also a huge market team. They did lose money with Madoff claw-back on ill gotten gains though.

[winkies]

The Rays are kinda meh right now, they can develop pitching but not hitting.

Pirates have done some good things, bit early to say they have had sustained success.

The Mets made out like bandits in the Dickey trade and this is their first good year in a while.

As an O's fan I'm extremely envious of the seasons the Rays have had for the past 7-8 years.

[Can_of_corn]

As an O's fan I'm extremely envious of the seasons the Rays have had for the past 7-8 years.

No one should ever be jealous of what the Rays have.

[weams]

As an O's fan I'm extremely envious of the seasons the Rays have had for the past 7-8 years.

Were you envious of the ten in absolute last place before that? Were you envious of the fact that they had to sell EVERY one of their upcoming free agents even if it meant they could never really go for the brass ring?

[Rockford]

Pirates have Rene Gayo. He's quite the murky character. Mets are also a huge market team. They did lose money with Madoff claw-back on ill gotten gains though.

Has Gayo been connected to any specific shady activity? Or is it Pittsburgh's recent success in Latin America that has you suspicious? I realize the book "Big Data Baseball" probably went overboard praising Gayo as being a superior worker to everyone else.

[weams]

That is the model. I like the Rays as well. The Pirates have done some good things. I like what the Mets are currently doing too with their pitching development. The Mets are big market, but still built through the draft with pitching.

Cardinals are not a model, they are a crown jewel. And their espionage cost them their draft guy.

[weams]

Has Gayo been connected to any specific shady activity? Or is it Pittsburgh's recent success in Latin America that has you suspicious? I realize the book "Big Data Baseball" probably went overboard praising Gayo as being a superior worker to everyone else.

Gayo was all over the Dominican scandals. All over. I have no issue with the Pirates. Just Gayo. And any of the exploiters.

He obviously was portrayed as shady here. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1885335/

[Can_of_corn]

Gayo was all over the Dominican scandals. All over. I have no issue with the Pirates. Just Gayo. And any of the exploiters.

He obviously was portrayed as shady here. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1885335/

I'm still not a fan of Poitevint.

[OriolesMagic83]

And do you have any evidence of the O's leaving draft money on the table since the changes in the draft?

(Obviously they did this season due to O's second round pick allegedly having an issue with his physical but all early indications were he would be signed.)

When is the last time the O's even went cheap in the draft? When they picked Nick in the first round?

I would say Hobgood was a cheap pick. No one even had him in the top half of the first round. Why would any team go for signability with a top 5 pick?

[SteveO]

I would say Hobgood was a cheap pick. No one even had him in the top half of the first round. Why would any team go for signability with a top 5 pick?

Hobgood would be the only pick that anyone could question if it was about money IMO

Given the fact that its a lone case, I am more apt to believe that the Orioles just liked him, saw him as signable and not likely to be there next pick.

There is no evidence they go cheap with the draft, none. If they did, MW, Matusz, Bundy, KG, Machado...none of them would have been drafted there were less expensive options.

[Can_of_corn]

I would say Hobgood was a cheap pick. No one even had him in the top half of the first round. Why would any team go for signability with a top 5 pick?

You would be wrong. O's spent 8.8 million on that draft including giving a million each to a couple late rounders.

[sportsfan8703]

You would be wrong. O's spent 8.8 million on that draft including giving a million each to a couple late rounders.

Great point. Obviously we've all seen the Sano documentary. Who thinks we were anywhere near signing him? The O's actually do spend money in the draft. You can't fault them for that. Plus we've gotten good results out of Caracau. We've spent money in the Asian market and we've gambled with Cuban defectors. So it's pretty obvious that we just have that Dominican policy.

As for the rest of the season, what's are rotation? We have the off day. Buck talked about wanting to give some starters more rest. Today was like a ST game. Are we finally going to use the all short stint reliever strategy in a few games? We certainly have the bullpen arms. It might be a great way to get them all some IP. It's not like we're getting QS's from the "Rotation".