List of Remaining Free Agents-Who Do You Want?

[webbrick2010]

Perhaps he's not lazy

His MO of never making significant trades (ML player at position of strength bullpen for ML player of need COF), offering a contract to every arb eligible player (see Matusz), while extending no pre FA players, and signing FA's late in the Winter early Spring that have been left available by all of the rest of ML baseball doesn't look to me like a guy that is working all that hard.

For years he has talked about OF'ers, OBP, leadoff hitters, and improving the starting rotation.

I don't see that he has done anything in this area... oh except for giving away Davies, trading a future Cy Young for nothing... etc.

He has maintained an aging core that was present before he arrived, decimated the minor league system and pushed the payroll to top 10

[Bahama O's Fan]

I believe the cost of doing the things he has mentioned has been out of our price range. I really think Dan is the up before anyone else and staying later than anyone else type of person. He's done what no other GM could do with Angelos as an owner in years-produce a consistent winner. I believe that took a lot of work.

[El Gordo]

What about Marlon Byrd? Even at 38 he was still an above average defender at the corners and his RH bat is still good. Used sparingly he could be productive.

[POR]

12 minutes ago, El Gordo said:

What about Marlon Byrd? Even at 38 he was still an above average defender at the corners and his RH bat is still good. Used sparingly he could be productive.

Unless something changed, Byrd retired when he got his second steroid suspension last year.  Regardless he would not be eligible until June.

[El Gordo]

1 minute ago, POR said:

Unless something changed, Byrd retired when he got his second steroid suspension last year.  Regardless he would not be eligible until June.

Did not know that. What about Gutierrez? His D might be good if used sparingly.

[El Gordo]

If they sign Bourn, which I'm against, Kim plays LF with Bourn as a defensive replacement/PR, Joey and Smith in RF and Trumbo DH.

[Enjoy Terror]

I like Jake Elmore as a AAA guy. Young dude who can replace Flaherty if need be.

[Rene88]

Jason Hammel to KC.

screw the Pats

[MDtransplant757]

57 minutes ago, Rene88 said:

Jason Hammel to KC.

screw the Pats

2/16. Screw the pats as well, mi amigo

[Number5]

17 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Any outfielder probably knocks Mancini off the Roster.    Any LH hitting outfielder likely makes Kim a full time Left fielder (not so good) and Trumbo the full time DH (good).     This next acquisition, assuming there is one, tells us a lot about Dan's thinking on the eventual makeup of the team.   So far, everything he's said and done lead me to believe that the plan is Kim/Rickard in LF, Trumbo/Smith in RF and Mancini DHing when Trumbo plays RF against LHP.   Actions speak louder than words.    In this case, Dan's words (talking Mancini up) and actions align.

Until I see something seriously contradict the above, I'm assuming that is the plan.

I agree with everything you've said here.  Going with either Tavarez or Bourn would force the Orioles to sink or swim with Kim as the everyday LF, and I just don't see Dan and Buck painting themselves into that corner.  Mancini as the DH vs. LHP seems the most logical probability right now.  Oddly, Roster Resource keeps listing Walker as the RF vs. LHP, which seems far less likely to me than taking Mancini north.  The realistic free agent possibilities are pretty much all gone.  Pagan is still out there, but hitting vs. LHP is his weak side, and he is likely to cost more than would make sense for what the Orioles need right now.  Signing Wieters to split both the catching and DH vs. LHP duties with Castillo is a remote possibility that would allow the Orioles to either go with Tavarez or sign Bourn as the defensive replacement outfielder/pinch runner type that folks are talking about.  Nothing Dan has said seems to point in that direction, though, and the cost would likely be too high.  Of course, an unforeseen trade could change things, but as of now, I think you've hit the nail on the head.

[PaulFolk]

22 hours ago, webbrick2010 said:

Perhaps he's not lazy

His MO of never making significant trades (ML player at position of strength bullpen for ML player of need COF), offering a contract to every arb eligible player (see Matusz), while extending no pre FA players, and signing FA's late in the Winter early Spring that have been left available by all of the rest of ML baseball doesn't look to me like a guy that is working all that hard.

For years he has talked about OF'ers, OBP, leadoff hitters, and improving the starting rotation.

I don't see that he has done anything in this area... oh except for giving away Davies, trading a future Cy Young for nothing... etc.

He has maintained an aging core that was present before he arrived, decimated the minor league system and pushed the payroll to top 10

Give me a break. Calling any major league GM "lazy" is absurd. There are good GMs and bad GMs, and we can debate which side of the line Duquette falls on, but "lazy" is a terrible and disrespectful characterization.

The Orioles have made it clear that a big part of their strategy is to look for cheaper options on the FA market, and often those options don't come around until January or February. Again, you can debate whether it's a good strategy, but that doesn't make it lazy.

You seem to think that Duquette just sits around goofing off and watching TV all winter, and then in February he's like, "Oh crap! I forgot to sign players!" and just scrambles at the last minute. This isn't some kid procrastinating on a school project.

[MDtransplant757]

6 minutes ago, PaulFolk said:

Give me a break. Calling any major league GM "lazy" is absurd. There are good GMs and bad GMs, and we can debate which side of the line Duquette falls on, but "lazy" is a terrible and disrespectful characterization.

The Orioles have made it clear that a big part of their strategy is to look for cheaper options on the FA market, and often those options don't come around until January or February. Again, you can debate whether it's a good strategy, but that doesn't make it lazy.

You seem to think that Duquette just sits around goofing off and watching TV all winter, and then in February he's like, "Oh crap! I forgot to sign players!" and just scrambles at the last minute. This isn't some kid procrastinating on a school project.

It's thought out and methodical. You can tell. That and I think DD is a genius GM. 

[Frobby]

22 hours ago, webbrick2010 said:

Perhaps he's not lazy

His MO of never making significant trades (ML player at position of strength bullpen for ML player of need COF), offering a contract to every arb eligible player (see Matusz), while extending no pre FA players, and signing FA's late in the Winter early Spring that have been left available by all of the rest of ML baseball doesn't look to me like a guy that is working all that hard.

For years he has talked about OF'ers, OBP, leadoff hitters, and improving the starting rotation.

I don't see that he has done anything in this area.

Seems to me that trading Gallardo for Smith was the type of trade you described -- traded from depth and got an OF who helps address the OBP issue.

Almost every point you make about DD's shortcomings (not just in this post, but generally) has some validity, but your refusal to give him even one iota of credit for bringing 5 years of .500+ baseball and three playoff appearances to Baltimore after 14 years of horrible baseball makes it difficult to take your posts seriously.     

[MDtransplant757]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

Seems to me that trading Gallardo for Smith was the type of trade you described -- traded from depth and got an OF who helps address the OBP issue.

Almost every point you make about DD's shortcomings (not just in this post, but generally) has some validity, but your refusal to give him even one iota of credit for bringing 5 years of .500+ baseball and three playoff appearances to Baltimore after 14 years of horrible baseball makes it difficult to take your posts seriously.     

It's because people think MacPhail was the savior and while technically built the core and does deserve credit, look who DD brought in to help add to it. Cruz, Pearce, McClouth, Trumbo, etc. Andy would have never done pickups like that. 

[OFFNY]

22 hours ago, webbrick2010 said:

 

Perhaps he's not lazy

His MO of never making significant trades (ML player at position of strength bullpen for ML player of need COF), offering a contract to every arb eligible player (see Matusz), while extending no pre FA players, and signing FA's late in the Winter early Spring that have been left available by all of the rest of ML baseball doesn't look to me like a guy that is working all that hard.

For years he has talked about OF'ers, OBP, leadoff hitters, and improving the starting rotation.

I don't see that he has done anything in this area... oh except for giving away Davies, trading a future Cy Young for nothing... etc.

He has maintained an aging core that was present before he arrived, decimated the minor league system and pushed the payroll to top 10

 

15 minutes ago, Frobby said:

 

Seems to me that trading Gallardo for Smith was the type of trade you described -- traded from depth and got an OF who helps address the OBP issue.

Almost every point you make about DD's shortcomings (not just in this post, but generally) has some validity, but your refusal to give him even one iota of credit for bringing 5 years of .500+ baseball and three playoff appearances to Baltimore after 14 years of horrible baseball makes it difficult to take your posts seriously.     

 

11 minutes ago, MDtransplant757 said:

 

It's because people think MacPhail was the savior and while technically built the core and does deserve credit, look who DD brought in to help add to it. Cruz, Pearce, McClouth, Trumbo, etc. Andy would have never done pickups like that. 

o

 

Actually, it's because webbrick is being webbrick.