I believe Justin Morneau is the answer at 1st if we don't resign Davis.

[25 Nuggets]

There was another former all-star-caliber first baseman with red flags that the orioles signed from Coors Field. His name was Garrett Atkins. Now the difference is, Atkins struggled before changing teams. Morneau has been a much more consistent hitter. Still, the ghost of Atkins is there.

[sportsfan8703]

Pay for Quality. Keep Davis and Pearce. If we're going to dumpster dive it needs to be on milb deals.

[Roll Tide]

Pay for Quality. Keep Davis and Pearce. If we're going to dumpster dive it needs to be on milb deals.

I hear you about Davis...what doesn't make sense to me is the Pearce part of your statement. Pearce hot .218 in around 300 at bats.

[sportsfan8703]

I hear you about Davis...what doesn't make sense to me is the Pearce part of your statement. Pearce hot .218 in around 300 at bats.

I believe in Pearce the way I believe in Gonzo. I think they were just hurt last year. Pearce always has those darn wrist injuries. Pearce has power. Which is at a premium. Is sneaky athletic. Has the rare RH "pretty" swing, and is super coordinated. Actually picked up middle IF during a season. Meanwhile a "toolsy" guy like Parades can't find a position. But I like Parades too. I'm not a homer with them.

What killed us last year is that we were always hanging on by a thread on a daily bases. Guys couldn't go on the DL and stay on the DL long enough to be healed. This happened with Pearce, Tillman and Gonzo. I think all there performances suffered because of our lack of quality depth. This year our staple of AAA hitters have one more year experience. So that helps. But realistically we need to bring Pearce, Davis, and O'day back. And add two more SP's and two more OF's.

I'm not talking about adding expensive FA's. Give me Jaso and Hoes for offense. Then sign guys on small prove it deals, possibly even not mlb deals, like Matt Latos and Alfredo Simon. This team doesn't need a back hoe it needs a rake. Just this year don't spend money on crappy depth. Pay the minimum. Basically follow the same plan DD and Buck have had the last 4 years. Have a dominant bullpen and rotate arms to carry the mediocre SP. Balance it out with strong lineup and defense. It's been a good formula so far. Problem with last year is that we had too many guys making mid level deals on offense that were bums and after our starting 5 in our rotation we had no depth in AAA. However, I think Worley is going to be that guy that makes 10-15 starts this year when our rotation guys need to go on the DL.

[Creamsicle]

...If we're going to dumpster dive it needs to be on milb deals.

Agree, esp when it comes to hitting ("Man I'd Like to Bat")

[abbott]

No No No. Build from within. and only sign free agent starters to bridge the gap until the team is ready to compete with homegrown, salary controlled players. Then suplement with the occassional veteran.

This team is not a DH or position player away. Bring up the Bowie kids who won it last year. They were the cream of the minors. AA is where the young studs are AAA is for aging minor leaguers and injury replacements.

[El Gordo]

No No No. Build from within. and only sign free agent starters to bridge the gap until the team is ready to compete with homegrown, salary controlled players. Then suplement with the occassional veteran.

This team is not a DH or position player away. Bring up the Bowie kids who won it last year. They were the cream of the minors. AA is where the young studs are AAA is for aging minor leaguers and injury replacements.

Right trade Manny, Schoop, etc,. and restock the farm. We'll be ready to go in 3-4 years.

[Creamsicle]

^ LOL good one, Gord.

[Roll Tide]

Right trade Manny, Schoop, etc,. and restock the farm. We'll be ready to go in 3-4 years.

i agree ...if they arent resigning our guys and Weams is anywhere close on the approach then this is the correct path and not a joke.

[DrungoHazewood]

This team is not a DH or position player away. Bring up the Bowie kids who won it last year. They were the cream of the minors. AA is where the young studs are AAA is for aging minor leaguers and injury replacements.

I think Mancini, Bundy, and Givens are the only players who spent a significant amount of time with 2015 Baysox with a reasonable chance of a MLB career. Winning a minor league pennant usually has little correlation to future MLB production.

[DrungoHazewood]

i agree ...if they arent resigning our guys and Weams is anywhere close on the approach then this is the correct path and not a joke.

Why wouldn't you just extend them instead of trading them for a bunch of players who probably won't be that good in 3, 4, 5 years? Even if you traded Manny for the equivalent of Jones, Tillman, and Flat Breezy you might do better to just keep Manny. On the field, I suppose the financial side is debatable.

[Roll Tide]

Why wouldn't you just extend them instead of trading them for a bunch of players who probably won't be that good in 3, 4, 5 years? Even if you traded Manny for the equivalent of Jones, Tillman, and Flat Breezy you might do better to just keep Manny. On the field, I suppose the financial side is debatable.

I'd want more for Manny than that! I think the idea that trading all of our guys Jones, Manny, Schoop, Britton should yield a number of quality prospects. If the Orioles do what has been suggested why on earth will Jones and Manny want to stay?

[DrungoHazewood]

I'd want more for Manny than that! I think the idea that trading all of our guys Jones, Manny, Schoop, Britton should yield a number of quality prospects. If the Orioles do what has been suggested why on earth will Jones and Manny want to stay?

1) You might want more than that, but you're almost certainly not going to get a lot more than that. The O's have won the Bedard trade 40-3 or something like that. You simply can't expect to get much more value than that. If you trade Manny it's overwhelmingly likely that no single player in the deal will even approach being as good as Manny. Trading a young player on a HOF track is almost always a poor idea. Jones, Schoop, and Britton have some surplus value but you probably won't get anything like a Bedard haul from any of them, you might approach that from the combination if you're lucky.

2) I don't think the Orioles have any intention of just signing a bunch of retreads and buy-low guys and Rule 5 guys this offseason. If that's really the case nobody would want to be here. My assumption is that they make some reasonable moves and try their best to get Manny extended for a long time.

[abbott]

Right trade Manny, Schoop, etc,. and restock the farm. We'll be ready to go in 3-4 years.

i never said trade. I said don't sign veteran free agents who are passed their prime.

Keep Manny and Schoop. If Jones can bring a young starter I would advocate tha. There is no other position player that an All Star caliber player who is under contract

[Roll Tide]

1) You might want more than that, but you're almost certainly not going to get a lot more than that. The O's have won the Bedard trade 40-3 or something like that. You simply can't expect to get much more value than that. If you trade Manny it's overwhelmingly likely that no single player in the deal will even approach being as good as Manny. Trading a young player on a HOF track is almost always a poor idea. Jones, Schoop, and Britton have some surplus value but you probably won't get anything like a Bedard haul from any of them, you might approach that from the combination if you're lucky.

2) I don't think the Orioles have any intention of just signing a bunch of retreads and buy-low guys and Rule 5 guys this offseason. If that's really the case nobody would want to be here. My assumption is that they make some reasonable moves and try their best to get Manny extended for a long time.

The list of guys that Weams mentioned in his thread fit the category. I've seen nothing from the Orioles since the 90s that tells me they are interested in the top tier players. They will targets guys getting little interest elsewhere. They might get a decent player like they did with Nelson Cruz but it will be at a bargain.

Not saying it's not okay to get a bargain just that it can't be all you do.