Is the D-Rays line up better

[BaltimoreTerp]

You keep talking about making good free agent signings, the problem is we are locked in at most positions for 3 years. After this season, we lose Benson, Wright, Millar, Bako, and Patterson. Maybe we can upgrade at those positions but it is doubtful, meaning we will keep trotting out a sold but average line-up that wont spark any fear.

Benson, Wright, Millar, and Bako are nothing to lose. Patterson can be replaced either from inside the system with Reimold, if he is ready, or from outside, as Andruw Jones, Torii Hunter, and Aaron Rowand are projected to be available.

We don't need to "spark any fear" with our lineup; we just need it to score runs consistently.

That's the thing this lineup isn't going to do. They'll be up and down all year long.

[ShoelesJoe]

But what positions do we need "drastic" changes at?

It's not about drastic changes right now, it's about who's going to be playing for us in three years.

Who's our next third baseman after Mora retires?

Who's our SS when Miggy goes free agent in a few?

Who's our catcher when Ramon breaks down a couple years down the track?

Who mans first in 2010?

Left field?

Center?

DH?

Yes, some of those spots can be filled through expensive (and often inefficient) free agent signings. But if the O's don't adequately fill most of those starting positions from within our own system we're in for a world of hurt. We could be looking at the last nine years as the good old days.

[Sports Guy]

Sign Andruw Jones next year and Teixera for 2009 . Yes both. With MASN we can afford them. This team is leaving $25-30 million a year in attendance money on the table. We have a boatload of money coming off the books after 2009. Teixera alone would be worth millions to this team long term. Put a better team on the field with a local hero equals increased revenue. If we try to win with the current path and hope for our prospects we will be in trouble.

Jones is not worth the money.

[BaltimoreTerp]

It's not about drastic changes right now, it's about who's going to be playing for us in three years.

Who's our next third baseman after Mora retires?

Who's our SS when Miggy goes free agent in a few?

Who's our catcher when Ramon breaks down a couple years down the track?

Who mans first in 2010?

Left field?

Center?

DH?

Yes, some of those spots can be filled through expensive (and often inefficient) free agent signings. But if the O's don't adequately fill most of those starting positions from within our own system we're in for a world of hurt. We could be looking at the last nine years as the good old days.

Who's the Yankees' next third baseman when Rodriguez opts-out of his contract?

Who is the Yankees' next catcher when Posada is done (within the next couple years)?

Who is the Yankees' next first baseman, since Mientkiewicz/Phelps makes Aubrey Huff look like Boog Powell?

Who is the Yankees' outfield after Abreu, Damon, and Matsui (all 33)?

You can say this about a lot of teams, especially looking THREE YEARS down the line.

We could draft our own Longoria by then, and Rowell is probably here as well.

Three years is a long time in baseball, so to make absolute decisions now based on assumptions of what will happen at the end of this decade is not the way to work, unless you want to keep losing to that point.

[BaltimoreTerp]

The Orioles are at a crossroads. Either they try to find a way to buy themselves players like the Yankees. Or they need to develop players. We have 9 years of losing and we havent really developed anyone until last year. So they either blow it up this year and expect a couple more years of losing. Or they really open up their wallets. IMO

That is the issue.

Is it worth blowing up the team and going through 2-3 years of hell for the potential to win afterwards, especially when no one is willing to go to games anyway now?

Is it worth spending a lot of money on players that could easily not work out and hamstring the budget for half-a-decade, and still lose?

Of course, we could easily be the next Indians with the former, or Red Sox with the latter, as well. Which is why this is such a debate.

[SHAWN555]

Who's the Yankees' next third baseman when Rodriguez opts-out of his contract?

Who is the Yankees' next catcher when Posada is done (within the next couple years)?

Who is the Yankees' next first baseman, since Mientkiewicz/Phelps makes Aubrey Huff look like Boog Powell?

Who is the Yankees' outfield after Abreu, Damon, and Matsui (all 33)?

You can say this about a lot of teams, especially looking THREE YEARS down the line.

We could draft our own Longoria by then, and Rowell is probably here as well.

Three years is a long time in baseball, so to make absolute decisions now based on assumptions of what will happen at the end of this decade is not the way to work, unless you want to keep losing to that point.

i am not a yankee fan but if i was i would not be concerned about it. They have proven they will go out and get the right players to fill the holes. They also have had not gone thru 9 losing seasons. I do not feel as confident with the orioles front office decisions.

[BaltimO's35]

Well, since the general consensus is that the D-Rays will be tearing it up over the next few years, I hope they build a new stadium... I don't look forward to watching playoff games in that ugly monstrosity.

[TinCup]

Can't win if you can't pitch.

Course our team finds even other ways it can't win.

Like a very average offense that we are overhyping and overvaluing.

[RayFink1e]

Who's the Yankees' next third baseman when Rodriguez opts-out of his contract?

Who is the Yankees' next catcher when Posada is done (within the next couple years)?

Who is the Yankees' next first baseman, since Mientkiewicz/Phelps makes Aubrey Huff look like Boog Powell?

Who is the Yankees' outfield after Abreu, Damon, and Matsui (all 33)?

You can say this about a lot of teams, especially looking THREE YEARS down the line.

We could draft our own Longoria by then, and Rowell is probably here as well.

Three years is a long time in baseball, so to make absolute decisions now based on assumptions of what will happen at the end of this decade is not the way to work, unless you want to keep losing to that point.

Whoever is the best free agent at that posistion

[davearm]

But what positions do we need "drastic" changes at? Left field and first base? Center field if Patterson leaves (and Reimold can't replace him there) or DH if Huff doesn't hit?

We have needs, but we don't need to dump our entire starting lineup and start over; that would exacerbate the problem.

We need to make good free agent signings, and, if our pitchers keep developing in the minors, good trades. But we need to make improvements, not burn the place down and rebuild.

It seems to me that a club with a long streak of losing seasons like the O's have should be sitting down and trying to blueprint what the team will look like the next time they're playing in October. Which guys on the current team will still be starting, or playing key part-time roles? What will the rotation/bullpen/bench look like?

The fear I'd have as an O's fan is that the O's braintrust sees practically everyone on this year's team as being around for the O's next playoff run, when the reality is probably that virtually every spot in the lineup will turn over before that elusive playoff berth finally comes along. This team is at least a few years away, and the thirtysomethings and the journeymen will not be around by that time.

Deal the ones with value away now, and replace them with young guys that actually have a chance to contribute on the O's next contender.

[TinCup]

But what positions do we need "drastic" changes at? Left field and first base? Center field if Patterson leaves (and Reimold can't replace him there) or DH if Huff doesn't hit?

We have needs, but we don't need to dump our entire starting lineup and start over; that would exacerbate the problem.

We need to make good free agent signings, and, if our pitchers keep developing in the minors, good trades. But we need to make improvements, not burn the place down and rebuild.

BTerp, I find that you have fallen into that syndrome of "if you say it often enough, you believe it, (even though it is not true). You are so far in the woods of the O's that you can't see your way out.

Do we have some good young arms, well, kind of. But so far, all those heralded young arms are just that, heralded, unproven young arms. We have Loewn, Bedard, and DCab...and yet we are still losing now.

You don't want to blow things up? You want to make good free agent signings. and some good trades. So simple, just like that, eh?

Look at your 3B..getting older with each passing day. Production going down.

Look even at your HOF SS, MIggy. Getting older.

BRob...I love him but it looks like he will never be like he was before the injury.

1B, LF, CF, DH, Bench, Starting pitching......big issues still!

This offense is hugely overrated and painfuilly short on power.

Where are the positional players in the minors???

The Orioles have "mediocrity by design" down to a freaking science!!!

[BaltimoreTerp]

It seems to me that a club with a long streak of losing seasons like the O's have should be sitting down and trying to blueprint what the team will look like the next time they're playing in October. Which guys on the current team will still be starting, or playing key part-time roles? What will the rotation/bullpen/bench look like?

The fear I'd have as an O's fan is that the O's braintrust sees practically everyone on this year's team as being around for the O's next playoff run, when the reality is probably that virtually every spot in the lineup will turn over before that elusive playoff berth finally comes along. This team is at least a few years away, and the thirtysomethings and the journeymen will not be around by that time.

Deal the ones with value away now, and replace them with young guys that actually have a chance to contribute on the O's next contender.

Then again, they probably see that "elusive playoff berth" as not being far enough away to need to tear this team apart at this point.

And, depending on the moves they make (bold so that people might actually read it instead of ignoring it to jump all over the rest of what I will say), they might be right.

[TinCup]

And with hitters coming through the system and MASN money to spend on free agents, plus STILL having more pitching then the Rays, we could easily surpass their hitting within one or two years.

Errrr. wondering if after some thought, you'd want to retract this statement...you know like hitting the "recall message" command on MS Outlook?

[xKHx]

Honestly this is how I feel about the drays and all of their prospects. Once they finish above us and contend for the wild or get a winning record at the end of the year then get mad about how we don't have the drays line up that is all.

[DrungoHazewood]

Then again, they probably see that "elusive playoff berth" as not being far enough away to need to tear this team apart at this point.

And, depending on the moves they make (bold so that people might actually read it instead of ignoring it to jump all over the rest of what I will say), they might be right.

The '06-'07 offseason and the '07-'08 offseason won't be terribly different in terms of what needs to be accomplished. Last winter the O's had pretty large holes in LF, DH, backup catcher, the rotation and the pen. They had MASN in place, so they had money. They went out and got semi-long term fixes at bullpen. That's it.

Next winter they'll have holes in LF, CF, DH, backup catcher, probably in the rotation, and maybe several other positions now filled by older players like Mora and Hernandez. They'll have that same MASN money. What makes you think this is the year they finally make the right moves?

Right now you're one of about six people in the greater Baltimore-Washington metro area who gives them the benefit of the doubt.