No excuses now

[vab]

It doesn't make sense to pass on a Teixeira clone then if we weren't going after the man himself. Matusz is not the next coming of Koufax here. He's not even Clayton Kershaw. It just doesn't make sense to pass on Smoak unless you are planning on blocking him with Tex. Smoak could have been our alternative to Tex. The fact we passed on him just showed our cards...

I think they can just as easily trade from a surplus of pitching prospects to get a Smoak type of kid. And a Smoak type of kid who has actually done something in the high minors or majors. The bottom line is they're nowhere near close enough to contention to blow Teixiera type money on anybody. That's a last piece kind of deal.

[Frobby]

There's a Plan B to getting Tex.....trade some pitching surplus for some hitters. With Matusz in the fold that's easier to do.

[NewMarketSean]

I highly doubt the O's land Tex. Maybe Angelos pushes his chips into the middle of the table if the O's finish with a surprisingly decent record and leaves with his legacy being the guy who brought in another local star. But I still highly doubt it. They should look to do something this year by trading one of Guthrie or Cabrera and give as many guys a look at 1B as possible for the rest of the season. That is why guys like Botts and Phelps would have been helpful. Because I just don't see Tex coming here.

[JTrea81]

There's a Plan B to getting Tex.....trade some pitching surplus for some hitters. With Matusz in the fold that's easier to do.

Why wait until we got Matsuz? We haven't got an acceptable solution at 1B since Raffy left the first time. If we haven't traded for an acceptable solution in 9 1/2 years including a year that MacPhail has been in charge what makes you think we'll do so now? We've been saying trade pitching for hitting for years now and MacPhail only traded Bedard because he couldn't extend him...

MacPhail had no Plan B for SS when we didn't trade Roberts. I doubt he has a Plan B for Tex. The Orioles are focused on Tex 100% IMO and are going to be left hanging high and dry if he spurns us...

[Gurgi]

Isnt firstbase one of the easiest spots to fill? Rowell might end up there. Snyder could get it together.

I think SS is our biggest worry. That and pitching.

[BoysofArbutus]

The over reactions on this board are amazing. Tex is hardly a "must sign" and the idea that you'd give him A-Rod money is even more asanine.

Tex's 2008 numbers:

BA .272, 9 HRs, 42 RBIs, .360 OBP, 15 Dbls, 30 BBs, 33 Ks

Since his superstar 2005 season that saw him blast 43 HRs in the hitter-friendly confines of Arlington, TX, he's hit 33 home runs in 2006 and 30 in 2007. Throught 58 games, he's on pace to hit another 30 this year. Are these A-Rod numbers? Are these $25 mil + numbers? Not in the least. If Tex doesn't want to come here for between 17-20, then he can go elsewhere.

[JTrea81]

Isnt firstbase one of the easiest spots to fill? Rowell might end up there. Snyder could get it together.

I think SS is our biggest worry. That and pitching.

You can live with a weak bat at SS. You can't live with a weak bat at 1B. The Orioles are proof of that...

Look back at the 97 team. Bordick was the SS, but we had power at all the positions. We could trade for Jack Wilson as long as we had a guy who could hit 35 bombs and hit for AVG at 1B...

To answer your question. Yes 1B is easy to fix, but that's why its so aggravating that the Orioles haven't since Raffy left the first time. They had a chance to draft a possible solution and they passed, again...

[DrungoHazewood]

Why wait until we got Matsuz? We haven't got an acceptable solution at 1B since Raffy left the first time. If we haven't traded for an acceptable solution in 10 1/2 years including a year that MacPhail has been in charge what makes you think we'll do so now?

MacPhail had no Plan B for SS when we didn't trade Roberts. I doubt he has a Plan B for Tex. The Orioles are focused on Tex 100% IMO and are going to be left hanging high and dry if he spurns us...

For 9 1/2 years the GMs were inept, and MacPhail doesn't want to trade all of his chips for a first baseman when the team had about 12 big holes at the end of 2007.

You know, the O's haven't developed an All Star catcher in their entire history, so I'm going with the assumption that Weiters is a giant bust. I'll also assume that since MacPhail hasn't traded for a long-term solution at short in a year the Orioles are going to have AA fodder manning the position right up to the day of the Apocalypse.

[Slappy]

Isnt firstbase one of the easiest spots to fill? Rowell might end up there. Snyder could get it together.

I think SS is our biggest worry. That and pitching.

According to Bill James, 1B is the easiest position to find talent for. From his Primer:

# True shortage of talent almost never occurs at the left end of the defensive spectrum. (see note #2)

# Rightward shifts along the defensive spectrum almost never work. (see note #2)

[ - - 1B - LF - RF - 3B - CF - 2B - SS - C - - ]

with the basic premise being that positions at the right end of

the spectrum are more difficult than the positions at the left

end of the spectrum. Players can generally move from right

to left along the specturm successfully during their careers.

[Hooded Viper]

It doesn't make sense to pass on a Teixeira clone then if we weren't going after the man himself. Matusz is not the next coming of Koufax here. He's not even Clayton Kershaw. It just doesn't make sense to pass on Smoak unless you are planning on blocking him with Tex. Smoak could have been our alternative to Tex. The fact we passed on him just showed our cards...

Do you honestly believe the reteric that you write sometimes? No organization in baseball drafts based upon the potential free agents they MAY get in the offseason. This is an absurd statement.

Matusz is the consensus best pitcher in the draft. Smoak didn't even go in the top 10. What does that say?

Relax man, this FO knows what they are doing.

[Moose Milligan]

The over reactions on this board are amazing. Tex is hardly a "must sign" and the idea that you'd give him A-Rod money is even more asanine.

Tex's 2008 numbers:

BA .272, 9 HRs, 42 RBIs, .360 OBP, 15 Dbls, 30 BBs, 33 Ks

Since his superstar 2005 season that saw him blast 43 HRs in the hitter-friendly confines of Arlington, TX, he's hit 33 home runs in 2006 and 30 in 2007. Throught 58 games, he's on pace to hit another 30 this year. Are these A-Rod numbers? Are these $25 mil + numbers? Not in the least. If Tex doesn't want to come here for between 17-20, then he can go elsewhere.

Good thing the 2008 season ends tomorrow, isn't it?

He's not worth that amount of money, but we don't have anyone in the minors outside of Wieters that can has the potential to produce 30 homers. Markakis at his peak MIGHT be a 35 homerun guy. Time will tell.

Passing on Smoak would have given us a legit minor league bat who would be close to contributing.

Now we have to make a run at Tex to get a 1B big bat...who would you have rather had, Smoak for cheap comparitively or overpay for Tex?

Now do you understand why it was important to draft Smoak?

[Moose Milligan]

Do you honestly believe the reteric that you write sometimes? No organization in baseball drafts based upon the potential free agents they MAY get in the offseason. This is an absurd statement.

Matusz is the consensus best pitcher in the draft. Smoak didn't even go in the top 10. What does that say?

Relax man, this FO knows what they are doing.

Tony-OH said it in a post over in the draft section. Per his sources, if we pass on Smoak and draft Matusz it means we're going to go full out for Tex.

[JTrea81]

Do you honestly believe the reteric that you write sometimes? No organization in baseball drafts based upon the potential free agents they MAY get in the offseason. This is an absurd statement.

It appears Jordan met with Angelos and MacPhail this morning to do just that...

http://www.forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1347152&postcount=1

[Hooded Viper]

I have no doubt the O's are going to go hard after Tex. I have thought that since he was traded and refused to sign an extension with the Braves. That does not mean the O's passed up on Smoak because they believe they can get Tex. Having both players in your organization isn't a bad thing. You take the best player available in the draft and by all accounts Matusz was the best player availabe at 4. Again, Smoak didn't even go until number 11.

[Sports Guy]

I have no doubt the O's are going to go hard after Tex. I have thought that since he was traded and refused to sign an extension with the Braves. That does not mean the O's passed up on Smoak because they believe they can get Tex. Having both players in your organization isn't a bad thing. You take the best player available in the draft and by all accounts Matusz was the best player availabe at 4. Again, Smoak didn't even go until number 11.

No but it could mean that Jordan went for the pitcher because of that possibility...It could mean that they decided not to pay the big signing bonus for a guy that plays the same position of Tex.

Could mean they didn't want him in the organization because he is going to be a DH for us if land Tex.

Could mean many things...You can't dismiss this.

I continue to say it but I don't think you guys get how much PA wants Tex here.