Fangraphs: Tanking, in the MLB

[weams]

Dan has many times emphasized the importance of a good farm system. Of course, he also has made it clear that one function of a farm system is to provide tradeable assets.

I agree with Stotle, we've wandered a bit too far into "win now" mode the last couple of years, and haven't gotten a very good return on the assets we traded away.

Yeah, I am still ok until we have a losing season again.

[Can_of_corn]

Yeah, I am still ok until we have a losing season again.

So it was touch and go there the last week of the season eh?

[weams]

So it was touch and go there the last week of the season eh?

Yep. It was. We aren't losers. And we under performed our Pythagorean.

[Frobby]

Yeah, I am still ok until we have a losing season again.

Keep trading away good future assets and it is just a matter of time before the team starts to lose. We came within one game of a losing season last year, and had to win our last six to avoid a losing record. If we have another season just like 2015, I won't be very happy about it. The unusually low threshold for getting a wild card spot last year made our seasonseem somewhat competitive, but we spent an awful lot of time as a sub-.500 team:

April - 6 games

May - 24 games

June - 10 games

July - 6 games

August - 6 games

September - 29 games

[hoosiers]

Dan has many times emphasized the importance of a good farm system. Of course, he also has made it clear that one function of a farm system is to provide tradeable assets.

I agree with Stotle, we've wandered a bit too far into "win now" mode the last couple of years, and haven't gotten a very good return on the assets we traded away.

It's been pretty lonely here advocating that our FO was selling out on our future.

It didn't have to be like this.

Our GM inherited a whole bunch of assets. Didn't trade ANY assets near their peak value and has forfeited and traded a bunch of high draft picks. During this time, about half the league or more gorged themselves with international signings deeming their haul worth of paying substantial penalties while we have been trading away international slots and staying within a low budget. At this point, unless DD makes some credible moves to strength the farm system by dealing veterans, it seems like things won't get better until our next GM.

DD's been talking about obp and strengthening the farm system since he was hired and it's all been a bunch of hot air completely unsupportable by his actual actions.

[Can_of_corn]

It's been pretty lonely here advocating that our FO was selling out on our future.

It didn't have to be like this.

Our GM inherited a whole bunch of assets. Didn't trade ANY assets near their peak value and has forfeited and traded a bunch of high draft picks. During this time, about half the league or more gorged themselves with international signings deeming their haul worth of paying substantial penalties while we have been trading away international slots and staying within a low budget. At this point, unless DD makes some credible moves to strength the farm system by dealing veterans, it seems like things won't get better until our next GM.

DD's been talking about obp and strengthening the farm system since he was hired and it's all been a bunch of hot air completely unsupportable by his actual actions.

It has?

[hoosiers]

Buck and Duquette never indicated that they were playing a long game at any point. Did they?

DD has indicated he would strengthen the farm system. Kind of in disbelief that you would say that he didn't.

[Can_of_corn]

DD has indicated he would strengthen the farm system. Kind of in disbelief that you would say that he didn't.

Has anyone in the last 50 years moved into a GM position and not said they would strengthen the farm system?

[hoosiers]

Has anyone in the last 50 years moved into a GM position and not said they would strengthen the farm system?

This is research you should do on your own instead of asking me to do it for you.

[hoosiers]

Buck and Duquette never indicated that they were playing a long game at any point. Did they?

http://www.sbnation.com/2011/11/8/2548019/orioles-gm-dan-duquette-press-conference

What DD said when hired with some points about how he left the BoSox farm system and we can see the deterioration in the Os system. There has been no credible effort to build a top farm system to compete year in and year out.

[Orioles4Life21]

This is research you should do on your own instead of asking me to do it for you.

You should research what a rhetorical question is.

[hoosiers]

You should research what a rhetorical question is.

Ha ha. From the guy who obviously is dealing with a broken sarcasm meter.

[Frobby]

It has?

hoosiers has been bringing it pretty strong on this issue beginning in the summer of 2013. I haven't agreed with him on certain transactions, but I have on some, and time has confirmed a lot of what he said. And we are now at the point where the consequences are starting to be felt.

[Can_of_corn]

hoosiers has been bringing it pretty strong on this issue beginning in the summer of 2013. I haven't agreed with him on certain transactions, but I have on some, and time has confirmed a lot of what he said. And we are now at the point where the consequences are starting to be felt.

My point is they were hardly a lone voice in the wilderness. With the exception of the Miller trade I have been opposed to pretty much every short term move Dan has made. There hasn't been a shortage of others.

[Stotle]

My point is they were hardly a lone voice in the wilderness. With the exception of the Miller trade I have been opposed to pretty much every short term move Dan has made. There hasn't been a shortage of others.

I tend to agree with hoosiers/frobby. The mentality on the board has been largely indifferent or complimentary of the front office, and folks questioning the front office tend to be shrugged off. I also agree you have questioned the front office frequently. I didn't take his "pretty lonely" statement as indicating he was the only one -- just a minority voice.