Orioles acquired RHP Odrisamer Despaigne

[BradyBunch]

I'd prefer to print out actual playoff tickets. But then again I'm not insensitive and actually show remorse towards people who, such as myself, haven't seen the Orioles win a World Series in their lifetime.

Well let's be honest here.. we've been close to the "promise land" 3 times in 20 years. Bad luck followed in those ALCS. It happens. Also remember, at least you aren't a Cubs fan it's be 71 years for them.

[weams]

Well let's be honest here.. we've been close to the "promise land" 3 times in 20 years. Bad luck followed in those ALCS. It happens. Also remember, at least you aren't a Cubs fan it's be 71 years for them.

I'd hate to be a Cubs fan.

[eddie83]

What if we're the new Cubs?

All I want is Jackson and Latos. Fowler would be a bonus. Get rid of Matusz ASAP for whatever you can get. It's not like I'm asking for a lot here.

Have to wonder if Jackson is trying to find a CF job to maximize his potential earnings for next season. At this point I would be open to Latos although he is a head case.

[Tx Oriole]

You must've missed the part where I said depth signings are fine. I said it like 4 times.

1. The offseason started very well and Dan thought the best bookend was Efren Navarro and Despaigne, two guys who should not touch the 25 man roster other than in the event of injury or September call ups. This frustrates me. That =\= I wanted them to sign Price, Davis, Upton, AND Cespedes (as an aside, good luck finding someone that wouldn't sign up for that cost not considered).

2. I'm sick of Duquette presenting depth signings as impact moves that are going to push us over the top. They're AAAA players. MLB bench players at best. Stop treating your fanbase like idiots; we are not.

3. I strongly dislike just about everything about how he is running this team.

He is like the other GM's. Mr. Angelos has tied his hands.

[BradyBunch]

1. The offseason started very well and Dan thought the best bookend was Efren Navarro and Despaigne, two guys who should not touch the 25 man roster other than in the event of injury or September call ups. This frustrates me. That =\= I wanted them to sign Price, Davis, Upton, AND Cespedes (as an aside, good luck finding someone that wouldn't sign up for that cost not considered).

I want what you are are smoking if you thought Price, Davis, Upton and Cespedes were gonna be signed by the Orioles. Orioles don't do more then 4 years with pitchers and if you signed (which we did) Davis.. Upton and Cespedes were off the table the minute Wieters took the QO.

[weams]

I want what you are are smoking if you thought Price, Davis, Upton and Cespedes were gonna be signed by the Orioles. Orioles don't do more then 4 years with pitchers and if you signed (which we did) Davis.. Upton and Cespedes were off the table the minute Wieters took the QO.

The Orioles don't give a first baseman 161 million either.

[CaptainRedbeard]

Sounds like it is addition protection against failing to sign or trade for anyone else to me.

I sure hope so. It's getting awfully close to spring training though. It certainly doesn't bode well for adding Cashner, considering that if we were going to do that it'd probably be all in one trade.

[DrungoHazewood]

What if we're the new Cubs?

Then that would have almost nothing to do with the team's leadership today. The Cubs have turned over front offices, rosters, coaches, development philosophies, economic models... everything imaginable dozens of times since they last won the Series. You're saying that what happened in 1928 had a profound impact on the Cubs' fortunes of 1940-2010.

All I want is Jackson and Latos. Fowler would be a bonus. Get rid of Matusz ASAP for whatever you can get. It's not like I'm asking for a lot here.

Jackson moves the playoff odds by a fraction of a percent. Latos something similar. Matusz' subtraction probably not at all. Fowler might be worth a couple wins. If the O's are a 81-win team now, they're maybe an 85-win team after your moves. Their odds of winning the World Series probably would go from 5% to 6%, or thereabouts. And they'd lose a very valuable #14 draft pick, setting the team's farm system back once again.

[eddie83]

I think the headcase label for him is a tad unfair. It seems like a majority of his issues were due to clubhouse dysfunction, which wouldn't be an issue here.

His wife went on a solid Twitter rampage after he got traded to Miami, but that wouldn't deter me from trying to sign him.

There is plenty of chatter about him. Once again one of the strengths of this team is Buck and I am sure the Orioles have done their homework on him. By far he has the highest ceiling of what is left but there is a reason he is still out there.

I have always thought that in general pitchers try to avoid the AL East when trying to reestablish their value. Small parks with good hitting teams.

[weams]

Then that would have almost nothing to do with the team's leadership today. The Cubs have turned over front offices, rosters, coaches, development philosophies, economic models... everything imaginable dozens of times since they last won the Series. You're saying that what happened in 1928 had a profound impact on the Cubs' fortunes of 1940-2010.

The Cubs had...Andy MacPhail.

[BradyBunch]

What if we're the new Cubs?

We aren't even close.

Cubs are a major market team that spends way too much on pitchers who are past their prime. They are gonna be paying Lester $25m a year until he's 37. Arrieta is gonna be on the wrong side of 30 next year. Lackey is getting $16m and he's 37. Cubs don't have youthful pitching that's under long term control.

Cubs have a window of last year and maybe this year with their staff. Orioles have created a window with the signing of Davis, Jones, Machado, Schoop and it's youth pitching to go another 3 more years.

Cubs will have to rebuild their staff in the next year or two.

All I want is Jackson and Latos. Fowler would be a bonus. Get rid of Matusz ASAP for whatever you can get. It's not like I'm asking for a lot here.

All you want? Well if you want it, let's make it happen.

Matusz isn't going anywhere until next year unless it's getting a Starter. He's a LOOGY with an ERA+ above 100 (and 142 last year). He also tends to own certain players. Certain players we face 19 times a year.

[TouchemAll]

Sounds like it is addition protection against failing to sign or trade for anyone else to me.

Yep Matusz to the rotation I can't wait. :rofl:

[Frobby]

Like this trade alot. Picking up a swingman / 5th starter candidate with 3 options for a minor leaguer nobody on this board has even heard of (which says alot about how much of a non-prospect he is) is a great move.

However, I see this as a really bad sign that we're not going to add a legitimate starter. I know he's optionable and doesn't take up a 25 man roster spot, but it's more fuel for the fire that we're considering just going with internal options. Particularly since we're trading with the Padres, which makes me feel like we have talked with them about Cashner but they decided a deal wasn't going to be reached so they settled for Despaigne. So it's hard to be excited right now.

I don't think this trade makes it any more or less likely that we are going to add a legitimate starter. First, I already had come to the conclusion that it was unlikely we were going to add a legitimate starter. At this point, if we do, I will consider it a pleasant surprise. But second, I don't think adding Despaigne changes the odds. He's cheap and optionable and his availability was a matter of opportunity when the Padres signed Rodney, not some master plan of Duquette's to acquire the guy. I do agree that it seems unlikely that the Padres are dealing Cashner to us.

[Just Regular]

Non-Phillies category, the Padres were the worst fielding team last year in the NL by a decent margin.

My inner armchair psychologist thinks Shields's K, BB and HR rates were so high last year because he didn't want balls in play to those bozos.

Middlebrooks and Gyorko as shortstops were just gratuitous.

I think the Orioles think defense is a bigger piece of the run prevention pie than most teams, so am not surprised they'd give a guy like this an opportunity.

[wildcard]

I am sure that the O's would like their 3rd round draft choice, 6' 6" Mike Wright to take his 96 mph fastball and earn the #5 starter job. But earn it is what he will have to do.

Wright has struggled at every level before doing well. A ball, AA and AAA. The O's hope that he follows that pattern and turns last years struggles in the majors to success with the O's.

Now the O's have 6 guys battling in ST for the fifth starter. Wright, Worley, Wilson, Despaigne, McFarland and Matusz. 4 of them have options. I don't expect another major move for another starter.