Duquette on Re-signing Davis and Offseason Priorities

[Slappy]

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2015/10/os-dan-duquette-on-chance-to-re-sign-davis-offseason-priorities-and-more.html

Can the Orioles even afford to re-sign Davis?

"We have a very competitive market and we fund our payroll about in the middle and we have some flexibility in our payroll for next year. So the answer to that question is I believe yes. I believe yes," Duquette said.

There are some that feel the Orioles will need to increase their payroll to improve their team. I asked Duquette if that was going to happen and if the club needed to add payroll to get back to contending?

"The thing that the Orioles need to do to get back to 90-some wins is have a better pitching staff," he said. "We scored the same number of runs as last year. But we gave up 89 more going into (Sunday's) game. To get back to where we need to be to get to the playoffs, we're going to have to improve our pitching staff.

I think this is in line with what a lot of us have been saying/thinking. Pitching, not offense, was the real issue this past year. Duquette's priorities seem to be in the right place.

At the same time, I'm encouraged that he really sounds sincere about trying to re-sign Davis. He never sounded that way about Cruz, or even Markakis for that matter. If we do lose Davis, offense would become an issue again. We should have some advantages: familiar atmosphere and surroundings, good ballpark, relationship with coaches. We should also have a good $45-50 million freeing up this offseason, so we do have some money to spend.

Gonna be interesting.

[TouchemAll]

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2015/10/os-dan-duquette-on-chance-to-re-sign-davis-offseason-priorities-and-more.html

I think this is in line with what a lot of us have been saying/thinking. Pitching, not offense, was the real issue this past year. Duquette's priorities seem to be in the right place.

At the same time, I'm encouraged that he really sounds sincere about trying to re-sign Davis. He never sounded that way about Cruz, or even Markakis for that matter. If we do lose Davis, offense would become an issue again. We should have some advantages: familiar atmosphere and surroundings, good ballpark, relationship with coaches. We should also have a good $45-50 million freeing up this offseason, so we do have some money to spend.

Gonna be interesting.

OK I'll be 1st NO WAY, NO HOW do the O's choke up what it will take.

Will be glad to be wrong also.

[Aristotelian]

We scored the same number of runs as last year.

I looked that up and it is true. We actually scored 8 more runs this year, but our ranking fell because the league average went up by 33 runs.

I do agree that pitching has to be the priority. We have spent a lot of time on the board worrying about how to replace Davis, but I am even more concerned about upgrading - not replacing - Chen.

[nate22]

We're going to have to improve our pitching a hell of a lot to compensate for the offense we're losing.

[Bahama O's Fan]

We also don't have to give up a draft pick for Davis.

[Going Underground]

From the Sun:

“He’s had a great year and he’s been a great player for us, so obviously, we’d like to have him back,” Duquette said. “Whether we can do that in the market, that remains to be seen, but we’re going to try.”

“We always field a very competitive team in Baltimore and we extend our resources to get our payroll as high as we can get it and still keep it affordable for our fans. So that’s what we’re going to do. I don’t know where the market is going, but I know we can field a competitive team next year.”

We have a lot of work to do this offseason because we want our team to compete and contend next year,” Duquette said. “Hopefully we have solid enough talent that we can add people in the offseason to where we need to add.”

Following the Orioles’ 9-4 season-finale win, Davis – who is represented by Scott Boras – said he’s open to listening to offers from Duquette.

“I think letting the season play out, letting teams finish before everything gets out,” Davis said. “I haven’t talked to my agent or Dan. We may have talks before then. We may not. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m kind of all ears right now. It’s the first time I’ve gone through this. There’s a lot of unexpected things coming my way, but I’m open.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-dan-duquette-re-signing-chris-davis-top-priority-20151004-story.html

[Ripken]

We may have scored the same number of runs this year as last... but we're not going to score that many again without signing Davis and/or some real bat(s). And, if we spend on offense, I don't know where the money for real pitching improvements comes from.

[El Gordo]

Two question. 1)Do you think we can afford Davis. a)Yes our payroll is about middle so I think we can. 2) Do we need to increase the payroll to contend. a) We need to improve the SP to contend. Taken together you might read that as; Yes we can afford Davis it looks like the pay roll will stay about mid league, but SP is our priority. So if payroll is increased it will be for SP, not Davis?

[berettafan]

Maybe if we just make a policy that says all tickets to Toronto purchased by front office employees will be paid for out of the employee's pocket.

Same for long distance calls to Toronto.

That oughta leave some money in the budget for Davis!

[Frobby]

We may have scored the same number of runs this year as last... but we're not going to score that many again without signing Davis and/or some real bat(s). And, if we spend on offense, I don't know where the money for real pitching improvements comes from.

I agree we need to sign a very good bat if we don't re-sign Davis, or our offense will be well below average next year. Letting Davis walk and filling in with iffy guys isn't likely to yield good results.

As to the pitching, I wish we had Eduardo Rodriguez and Zach Davies to add to our rotation candidates.

[weams]

We also don't have to give up a draft pick for Davis.

Yes we do. He brings back a 1a when he signs elsewhere.

[nate22]

If they are able to resign Davis but choose to spend "Davis" money on starting pitching, they better look at top of the rotation guys.

[Bahama O's Fan]

Yes we do. He brings back a 1a when he signs elsewhere.

We don't actually "lose", we don't have to give up a pick, we will not be missing a first round pick, if we resign Davis. Some other teams will and that might influence what they offer him.

[tntoriole]

I agree we need to sign a very good bat if we don't re-sign Davis, or our offense will be well below average next year. Letting Davis walk and filling in with iffy guys isn't likely to yield good results.

As to the pitching, I wish we had Eduardo Rodriguez and Zach Davies to add to our rotation candidates.

Or Jake Arrieta of the 22 wins and 1.77 ERA...good grief. We are not going to meet a Scott Boras contract for a guy who has led the majors in homeruns two of the last three years. It just is not happening. Funny, on the YES network broadcast yesterday, it was a constant given from both announcers that Davis is gone, the Orioles do not do these contracts, they won't spend the money, there is his last at bat in an Orioles uniform..etc. Unfortunately, I agree with them. I think they will let 1b be a Walker/Mancini contest and seek to cut budget from this year, but I hope I am wrong.

[25 Nuggets]

We scored the same number of runs as last year.

I looked that up and it is true. We actually scored 8 more runs this year, but our ranking fell because the league average went up by 33 runs.

I do agree that pitching has to be the priority. We have spent a lot of time on the board worrying about how to replace Davis, but I am even more concerned about upgrading - not replacing - Chen.

This is significant. Sabermetricians said to expect an offensive rebound this season. If an offense scored the same number of runs, they went backwards relative to league average.

2014: 106 OPS+, 4.35 R/G, 6th in the AL (4.18)

2015: 96 OPS+, 4.40 R/G, 7th in the AL (4.39)

Without Davis, or someone like him, I believe the offense will be very much a problem next year. Not to mention, and I keep pointing this out, the lineup as is, is way too right handed. Although some of the batters have good splits vs RHP, overall it doesn't look good.

Improving the starting pitching staff is also very important, but the team can't afford to regress on O either.