Winter Meetings 2017

[weams]

http://www.milb.com/milb/events/wintermeetings.jsp

The 2017 Baseball Winter Meetings will take place Dec. 10-14, at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Great place to vacation with your teenage kids and have them run into players and media. 

Learn about the industry. Watch people text. 

Agenda and events.

It's in Vegas next year. 

Post info, comments, rumors, and signings here.

[weams]

[Frobby]

I never did stop by last year when they were at the Gaylord National just outside DC.     We’ll see if the O’s are actually active — needing several starting pitchers, they should be.

[TommyPickles]

It feels like we never do much at the Winter Meetings. Would really love to see the Os ink a decent starter this year. Grab Chatwood from the FA pile and then start working on a trade. We're stockpiling bullpen arms, hopefully with that in mind.

[Roll Tide]

17 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I never did stop by last year when they were at the Gaylord National just outside DC.     We’ll see if the O’s are actually active — needing several starting pitchers, they should be.

Yep...hopefully they won't wait for the market to percolate 

[mdbdotcom]

Anticipated O's highlights:

• Announcement of Rule 5 pick(s) on the 14th
• Statement that we have a couple of irons in the fire and expect a trade to happen in the next week or so (which won't)
• Reports of productive conversations with player agents, laying the groundwork for signings that won't happen

This isn't criticism, it's just what we do at the winter meetings every year. If anything else happens I'll be surprised.

[weams]

I fully expect the Orioles to sign Two MLB starters, Two MLB relievers. And Trade Two MLB relievers and possibly Manny. 

[weams]

Just now, weams said:

I fully expect the Orioles to sign Two MLB starters, Two MLB relievers. And Trade Two MLB relievers and possibly Manny. 

And an Outfielder. Left-handed. 

[Frobby]

45 minutes ago, mdbdotcom said:

Anticipated O's highlights:

• Announcement of Rule 5 pick(s) on the 14th
• Statement that we have a couple of irons in the fire and expect a trade to happen in the next week or so (which won't)
• Reports of productive conversations with player agents, laying the groundwork for signings that won't happen

This isn't criticism, it's just what we do at the winter meetings every year. If anything else happens I'll be surprised.

I agree that’s our norm.    And frankly, often I’ve been fine with that.    But I don’t think we can afford to wait until January to sign a pitcher this time around.    It’s too glaring of a need.  

[mdbdotcom]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

I agree that’s our norm.    And frankly, often I’ve been fine with that.    But I don’t think we can afford to wait until January to sign a pitcher this time around.    It’s too glaring of a need.  

Fanfest is January 27th. That's the unofficial deadline for the first major move.

[wildcard]

1 hour ago, weams said:

I fully expect the Orioles to sign Two MLB starters, Two MLB relievers. And Trade Two MLB relievers and possibly Manny. 

Interesting comment.  Especially the trade two relievers.

They are not trading Givens or Castro.   Bleier and Hart have no trade value.  So you are saying the O's will trade two of Britton, Brach and/or O'Day.?    That will be tough to do and contend.  I could see them trading one.

Can't see them trading Manny and contending.

Signing two MLB starters.  Sure.  But which two.   Is it Chatwood and Vargas?  Or is it Gonzo and Fiers?

Sign a lefthand outfielder.  Yes I think they made re-sign Smith.

 

 

 

[wildcard]

18 minutes ago, mdbdotcom said:

Fanfest is January 27th. That's the unofficial deadline for the first major move.

So here is a question for you.  Is Dan Duquette's back to the wall?   Does he have to move faster this off season?

Dan just had his first losing season as an Oriole.   He doesn't want to have two in a row.   Not with is contract expiring.  It will hurt his chances of extending  as O's VP of Ops as well as hurt him on the market.  He may still get a job but may not get the salary increase he very much wants.

So does that mean he has to get quality starters to have the O's win in 2018?  And does he have to act early in the off season to get them?  He probably has 40m to  spend plus the 12.5m he has from Trumbo's contract.   How soon do you see him signing  or trading for starters?

 

[Frobby]

6 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Interesting comment.  Especially the trade two relievers.

They are not trading Givens or Castro.   Bleier and Hart have no trade value.  So you are say the O's will trade two of Britton, Brach and/or O'Day.?    That will be tough to do and contend.  I could see them trading one.

Can't see them trading Manny and contending.

There really are two choices here.   Spend what it takes to adequately address the starting pitching, or start a rebuild and trade away assets.   

In option one, we really are still sort of taking a long shot that involves us hoping to make the playoffs with a wild card berth, and then getting hot at the right time.   We aren’t going to be one of the best 2-3 teams in the AL no matter what we do.    But, if we adequately addressed the starting pitching, we’d have a reasonable puncher’s chance.   

I don’t see that trading our best relievers helps us get to the playoffs in 2018, even if that helped us acquire a decent starting pitcher.    So to me, trading them this winter means we’re rebuilding, and in that scenario, we may as well go all in and trade Manny.

[foxfield]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

There really are two choices here.   Spend what it takes to adequately address the starting pitching, or start a rebuild and trade away assets.   

In option one, we really are still sort of taking a long shot that involves us hoping to make the playoffs with a wild card berth, and then getting hot at the right time.   We aren’t going to be one of the best 2-3 teams in the AL no matter what we do.    But, if we adequately addressed the starting pitching, we’d have a reasonable puncher’s chance.   

I don’t see that trading our best relievers helps us get to the playoffs in 2018, even if that helped us acquire a decent starting pitcher.    So to me, trading them this winter means we’re rebuilding, and in that scenario, we may as well go all in and trade Manny.

I think this is exactly right.  While the O's are not far from being what they were say in 2015, the league has improved significantly and so in option one above, I think it really is a long shot to make the playoffs with a wild card.  I think your second scenario may well be the best.  Defining moments for GM I think.... 

[PaulFolk]

1 hour ago, weams said:

I fully expect the Orioles to sign Two MLB starters, Two MLB relievers. And Trade Two MLB relievers and possibly Manny. 

I think you're setting your expectations a bit high. I'd be surprised if the Orioles did all those things this entire offseason, let alone during the winter meetings alone.