Duquette's right: the demand for pitchers has been much higher than for batters

[Frobby]

The top 6 free agent pitchers have all signed, but only one of the top 6 hitters has signed. Of the ESPN top 49 players*, 19 of the 26 pitchers have been signed, while only 11 of the 23 hitters have signed. And 2 of those 11 hitters accepted QO's.

(* The ESPN "top 50" list only has 49 names on it! I drove myself crazy trying to reconcile my totals of their "top 50," before realizing that they have no player ranked no. 33. http://espn.go.com/mlb/freeagents/_/type/ranked)

So what's a GM to do?

[srock]

Maybe pitching is over valued right now. It's to do the opposite and buy bats. Try to win with an average rotation, plus bullpen, an a big offense.

Grow the arms, buy the bats.

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[Aristotelian]

Still should have signed Zimmerman or at least Kazmir in my opinion. The demand for pitching is high for a reason, because it is really important. Pitching was our Achilles Heel last year, and I suspect that it will be again this year. Tillman as a #1 is really not acceptable for a team that wants to contend.

[MDtransplant757]

Still should have signed Zimmerman or at least Kazmir in my opinion. The demand for pitching is high for a reason, because it is really important. Pitching was our Achilles Heel last year, and I suspect that it will be again this year. Tillman as a #1 is really not acceptable for a team that wants to contend.

There is still possibility for trades or signing Chen

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[Aristotelian]

There is still possibility for trades or signing Chen

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I would love to get Chen back, but you have a team that does not really value starting pitching and an agent who is committed to getting every single penny of market value (and then some) for his players. I would be shocked if he falls to the Orioles. Even so, that would just give us the same rotation that got us to .500 last year when we really need better.

[MDtransplant757]

I would love to get Chen back, but you have a team that does not really value starting pitching and an agent who is committed to getting every single penny of market value (and then some) for his players. I would be shocked if he falls to the Orioles. Even so, that would just give us the same rotation that got us to .500 last year when we really need better.

But the same rotation that got us everything and then some in 2014. I agree we need to spend on pitching, but I wouldn't mind having bounce back years on Tillman and gonzo with Chen

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[Frobby]

I would love to get Chen back, but you have a team that does not really value starting pitching and an agent who is committed to getting every single penny of market value (and then some) for his players. I would be shocked if he falls to the Orioles. Even so, that would just give us the same rotation that got us to .500 last year when we really need better.

We never figured to spend more on a pitcher than it would take to re-sign Chen, so an upgrade was never in the cards. We just have to hope for better performance from the returning starters, and a decent replacement for Chen. I'm optimistic about the former, not so optimistic about the latter.

[thezeroes]

I would love to get Chen back, but you have a team that does not really value starting pitching and an agent who is committed to getting every single penny of market value (and then some) for his players. I would be shocked if he falls to the Orioles. Even so, that would just give us the same rotation that got us to .500 last year when we really need better.

Minus the 11 throw away starts from Bud Norris.

[Aristotelian]

We never figured to spend more on a pitcher than it would take to re-sign Chen, so an upgrade was never in the cards. We just have to hope for better performance from the returning starters, and a decent replacement for Chen. I'm optimistic about the former, not so optimistic about the latter.

I don't understand why. We have $150M on hold for Davis and spent $32M on O'Day. We could have prioritized a pitcher and gotten someone in the Cueto-Zimmerman range with money left over. But you are right, it has never been this organization's MO to prioritize pitching.

[El Gordo]

We never figured to spend more on a pitcher than it would take to re-sign Chen, so an upgrade was never in the cards. We just have to hope for better performance from the returning starters, and a decent replacement for Chen. I'm optimistic about the former, not so optimistic about the latter.

I think Gausman replaces Chen and the FA replaces Norris.

[ArtVanDelay]

There is still possibility for trades or signing Chen

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We don't have the farm system to make a significant trade for a pitcher and we aren't signing Chen.

[Tx Oriole]

Still should have signed Zimmerman or at least Kazmir in my opinion. The demand for pitching is high for a reason, because it is really important. Pitching was our Achilles Heel last year, and I suspect that it will be again this year. Tillman as a #1 is really not acceptable for a team that wants to contend.

I wanted Kazmir.

[MDtransplant757]

We don't have the farm system to make a significant trade for a pitcher and we aren't signing Chen.

But we have a bullpen with more relievers than you can memorize in it

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[NATTYBO's]

The top 6 free agent pitchers have all signed, but only one of the top 6 hitters has signed. Of the ESPN top 49 players*, 19 of the 26 pitchers have been signed, while only 11 of the 23 hitters have signed. And 2 of those 11 hitters accepted QO's.

(* The ESPN "top 50" list only has 49 names on it! I drove myself crazy trying to reconcile my totals of their "top 50," before realizing that they have no player ranked no. 33. http://espn.go.com/mlb/freeagents/_/type/ranked)

So what's a GM to do?

For some reason I can't find a site that lists last year's FA contracts but I recall it being the complete opposite in which there was a premium on hitters

[Mayor McCheese]

Maybe pitching is over valued right now. It's to do the opposite and buy bats. Try to win with an average rotation, plus bullpen, an a big offense.

Grow the arms, buy the bats.

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I think having an average rotation is just a recipe for disaster. You do need a 1,2, and 3 - Your backend starters (4/5) can be your average type starters.