FanFest December 12

[orioles119]

What a difference a day makes. We were talking that the Heyward signing was going to crash the market. Now doom and gloom has set in. We truly are a fickle bunch.

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[Can_of_corn]

Fanfest! Gotta love it.

At least they don't appear to be lying.

[Can_of_corn]

Opt outs don't work for the O's, 16-year-old Latin American ballplayers don't work for the O's ...

Signed,

muskets, cannon balls and buggy whips.

Posting doesn't seem to work for them either.

[Es4M11]

Tendering Matusz, extending Hardy, trading for Parra.

The process should already be underway.

Yea, totally agree there. I was thinking more recently.

I guess the organization felt they had to at least give the 2015 team a fighting chance - had to bring back Hardy or bring in an equivalent (in 2014 thinking). Matusz doesn't hurt too much, but point taken. The Parra trade was plain stupid. I don't care if the Orioles valued Davies or not, they could have saved that bullet for a different trade.

[Can_of_corn]

Any guesses as to why opt outs don't work for Pete?

I don't think Pete even knows what an opt out is.

But if it does come from him I will go with "sanctity of a contract" or "interferes with long term allocation of funds".

[NATTYBO's]

Any guesses as to why opt outs don't work for Pete?

Just a guess here but opt outs work largely in the player favor. If you do well you come back in 3 years and hold your team for ransom

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[mdbdotcom]

They went from building up everyone's expectations a week ago to saying they had donation buckets to help pay for players today. I'm a pretty optimistic fan, and I find that chilling.

There are still plenty of players out there to improve the team from what it is now, and I'd be fine if they picked up Alvarado or Carter, Venable, and a decent starter, but it seems like they went to a lot of trouble to blow up a big balloon and then let out all the air just a few days later.

What a weird way to communicate with your fans.

[turtlebowl]

Any guesses as to why opt outs don't work for Pete?

I'm sure that is a Pete thing. Why have a contract that allows a player to get out of it if it benefits them.

In many ways I agree. That does seem to be the trend though with the long term contracts.

[El Gordo]

They went from building up everyone's expectations a week ago to saying they had donation buckets to help pay for players today. I'm a pretty optimistic fan, and I find that chilling.

There are still plenty of players out there to improve the team from what it is now, and I'd be fine if they picked up Alvarado or Carter, Venable, and a decent starter, but it seems like they went to a lot of trouble to blow up a big balloon and then let out all the air just a few days later.

What a weird way to communicate with your fans.

I'm sure Buck didn't mean it the way it's being taken but I bet he sure wishes he could take it back.

[weams]

Sitting 800 miles away here...

Is it possible the "donation bucket" comment was a backhanded way of telling CD that he's being greedy rather than a clumsy joke? I really, really want to stay upbeat about the offseason, but reading through this thread isn't helping at all.

It wasn't clumsy. It might have been a shot to Davis. I think mostly he was talking about the inexpensive fan experience in Baltimore as opposed to even close competitors.

[Can_of_corn]

Just a guess here but opt outs work largely in the player favor. If you do well you come back in 3 years and hold your team for ransom

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Do they?

The Yanks would have been much better off if they had let Arod and CC walk when they opted out.

The opt out didn't hurt the team, the team misreading how to go forward when the player opted out hurt the team.

[mdbdotcom]

I'm sure Buck didn't mean it the way it's being taken but I bet he sure wishes he could take it back.

I'm sure it came across as a very funny joke, but underlying the joke is the reality that these guys will cost more than they expected to pay.

[weams]

I'm sure that is a Pete thing. Why have a contract that allows a player to get out of it if it benefits them.

In many ways I agree. That does seem to be the trend though with the long term contracts.

Dan said it is all player and no club. No benefit either way to the club. Says we won't do it. Say he hopes it doesn't end up being the rule rather than the exception.

[mdbdotcom]

It wasn't clumsy. It might have been a shot to Davis. I think mostly he was talking about the inexpensive fan experience in Baltimore as opposed to even close competitors.

It reminded me of efforts in Cincinnati to raise money to sign Pete Rose before he left for Philly. If you want Davis, put your money in this bucket. If you want Upton, put your money in this bucket.

[turtlebowl]

Dan said it is all player and no club. No benefit either way to the club. Says we won't do it. Say he hopes it doesn't end up being the rule rather than the exception.

I agree with the sentiment. Still worry about an organization that works in absolutes. No opt outs, no posting fees no big priced foreign amateur signings. If other organizations are doings things that are working, you may need to adapt