Duquette's offseason, in hindsight

[LookitsPuck]

He's a smart GM, I doubt it's his objection, it's the owner's.

We'll never know. I'd like to.

[hoosiers]

The team construction, with the worst Os starting staff in memory, makes me want to vomit, but the team demolished some weak early opponents and has held up since then.

DD has hit on several guys with strong early returns. While Hammel and Norris ended up with overall mediocre contributinons, Cruz put up big numbers and returned back a draft pick. Trumbo is in a similar category IMO.

It has been difficult for me to reconcile so many poor moves since the DD hiring that appear to be more than offset at times by several extremely strong ones.

Separately, strange to see DD get credit for Fowler when few want to relive the near Balfour disaster.

All the while our farm system rots. Not how I would do it, but obviously, this season, my team would not be in first place.

[Frobby]

I

List of multi-year FA SP and what they signed for:

1. David Price - $217m, 7 years - 4.64 ERA

2. Zach Greinke - $207m, 6 years - 3.62 ERA

3. Johnny Cueto - $130m, 6 years - 2.47 ERA

4. Jordan Zimmermann - $110m, 5 years - 3.95 ERA

5. Jeff Samardzija - $90m, 5 years - 3.97 ERA

6. Wei-Yin Chen - $80m, 5 years - 4.83 ERA

7. Mike Leake - $80m, 5 years - 4.33 ERA

8. Ian Kennedy - $70m, 5 years - 3.97 ERA

9. Scott Kazmir - $48m, 3 years - 4.37 ERA

10. J.A. Happ - $36m, 3 years - 3.54 ERA

11. John Lackey - $32m, 2 years - 3.50 ERA

12. Yaisel Sierra - $30m, 6 years - not in the majors

13. Kenta Maeda - $25m, 8 years (+$20m posting fee) - 3.07 ERA

14. Marco Estrada - $26m, 2 years - 2.93 ERA

15. Yovani Gallardo - $22m, 2 years - 6.10 ERA

16. Mike Pelfrey - $16m, 2 years - 4.78 ERA

17. Chris Young, $12m, 2 years - 6.90 ERA

18. Mike Minor, $7.5m, 2 years - not in the majors

1 year contracts:

1. Brett Anderson - $15.8m - injured

2. Hisashi Iwakuma - $12m - 4.43 ERA

3. Bartolo Colon - $7.25m - 2.87 ERA

4. Doug Fister - $7m - 3.66 ERA

5. Rich Hill - $6m - 2.31 ERA

5. Colby Lewis - $6m - 3.21 ERA

6. Henderson Alvarez - $4.25m - injured

7. Mat Latos - $3m - 4.62 ERA

8. Bud Norris - $2.5m - 3.98 ERA

9. Ryan Vogelsong - $2m - 3.74 ERA

9. Alfredo Simon - $2m - 9.45 ERA

Nice list. It's amazing how few of these guys are producing.

[atomic]

I wanted Happ. He is the one that could have been had. And I certainly would have kept Miggy.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

YOu posted you wanted Happ before he was signed with the Blue Jays? As he had 4 1/2 bad years before having a really good second half last season. Gallardo had more than twice as much career WAR coming into this season and he is much younger.

[Larry18]

YOu posted you wanted Happ before he was signed with the Blue Jays? As he had 4 1/2 bad years before having a really good second half last season. Gallardo had more than twice as much career WAR coming into this season and he is much younger.

Happ's a lefty without a draft pick tied to him, I can see the attraction. I didn't want him but I can see why some would value him above Gallardo.

[Orange]

I wanted Maeda. I don't think the O's would commit 8 years to any SP at (virtually) any price though. Also, maybe he wanted to be on the West coast? Maybe he loves the Dodgers? Maybe it's L.A.? Not sure how much it would have taken to get him here, but I would have gone higher than the Dodgers.

That's it though. Looking at the options available and without the benefit of hindsight, I don't think I would have done anything differently. Maybe offered Fister 2/16.

I would have done whatever I could to bolster Norfolk's rotation though. I don't think there was ever enough upside there to have a chance to hit.

[twinedenter]

One of my major issue with Duquette is the fact that seemingly everyone he has traded for, prior to this year, is no longer in the organization. Not to mention the fact that he has emptied the farm with both hands.

O'Day deal for example. When Duquette traded for Miller, I like the deal. Miller was outstanding. Then he went FA and Duquette screamed too expensive. Then, he signs O'Day for a very similar contract, this off-season.

[Redskins Rick]

One of my major issue with Duquette is the fact that seemingly everyone he has traded for, prior to this year, is no longer in the organization. Not to mention the fact that he has emptied the farm with both hands.

O'Day deal for example. When Duquette traded for Miller, I like the deal. Miller was outstanding. Then he went FA and Duquette screamed too expensive. Then, he signs O'Day for a very similar contract, this off-season.

Miller wanted a 4th year, and that DD didn't want to give, so its hard to say that ODay is similar to Miler's contract.

Miller also wanted to compete for the closer job, and that wasn't going to happen here in Baltimore.

DD didn't empty the farm system.

[waroriole]

I would not say "absolutely awful" on Gonzo. His ERA is looking good after just pitching 7 shutout innings, but his peripherals are still pretty bad and his ERA was over 5 a couple starts ago. 6.6 K/9, 3.9 BB/9, 1.39 WHIP. He seems to be alternating between looking good for a couple starts and then getting torched.

Meanwhile we got to try out some organization guys in the 5th spot making the MLB minimum. These are guys that we needed to see and still may pan out.

Gallardo is a bigger disaster thus far, although you are right that he has time to turn it around.

Gonzo has always out pitched his peripherals.

[crawjo]

Gonzo has always out pitched his peripherals.

Not last year, or at least, not much.

[Phantom]

Gonzo has always out pitched his peripherals.

100% untrue.

[twinedenter]

Miller wanted a 4th year, and that DD didn't want to give, so its hard to say that ODay is similar to Miler's contract.

Miller also wanted to compete for the closer job, and that wasn't going to happen here in Baltimore.

DD didn't empty the farm system.

-O'Day got 4 years! The fact that Duquette gave O'day 4 years makes your point invalid.

-That's a hypothesis on your part.

-DD didn't empty the farm system? 4 starting pitcher prospects in 2 years, 3 of which are starting in the big leagues right now. Point made. O's farm system = #27

I prefer to judge Duquette on his whole body of work. 2015 looks solid. 2014 however, was a complete disaster and has to be evaluated when determining how adept a GM Duquette is.

[Redskins Rick]

-O'Day got 4 years! The fact that Duquette gave O'day 4 years makes your point invalid.

-That's a hypothesis on your part.

-DD didn't empty the farm system? 4 starting pitcher prospects in 2 years, 3 of which are starting in the big leagues right now. Point made. O's farm system = #27

I prefer to judge Duquette on his whole body of work. 2015 looks solid. 2014 however, was a complete disaster and has to be evaluated when determining how adept a GM Duquette is.

Sorry, thought O'Day did a 3 year deal. Maybe DD felt he could keep one of the other, and chose to keep O'Day?"

I believe Ed Rod is back in AAA? Isn't he?

Shouldn't 5 years of winning baseball, be used to support a good job by the GM?

Davis with the Brewers, so who are the other 2 SP that are starting in the big leagues?

[Frobby]

Sorry, thought O'Day did a 3 year deal. Maybe DD felt he could keep one of the other, and chose to keep O'Day

Could be one of two things (or both):

1. The continuing skyrocketing cost of pitching between 2015 and 2016 made Duquette change his mind about the value of a strong bullpen arm.

2. The fact that O'Day is a clubhouse leader who has performed well in Baltimore for several years may have come into play.

[Phantom]

Could be one of two things (or both):

1. The continuing skyrocketing cost of pitching between 2015 and 2016 made Duquette change his mind about the value of a strong bullpen arm.

2. The fact that O'Day is a clubhouse leader who has performed well in Baltimore for several years may have come into play.

Oday also had a longer track record of dominance. People forget that miller really struggled with health and control before 2014.