Vargas to the Mets :(

[24fps]

1 hour ago, webbrick2010 said:

Amazing that these guys get paid what they do. Cashner, Vargas they stink. The shortage of ML starters is amazing.

I'd give some career minor leaguer 20 starts, take my lumps and lose 100+ games instead of flushing 16 million down the toilet to get maybe 150 innings of 5+ ERA and have the team lose 90 something games.

I have no interest in ever watching Cashner get lit up in an O's uniform, rather see Mike Wright get lit up for 15 million dollars less

You'll probably get half your wish.

[interloper]

42 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

Ugh. Now I'm really regretting that we missed out on Jaime Garcia. 

A good righty is better than a trash lefty. I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about what hand they throw with. Also, I really do believe in the Cortes hype, but I understand if people don't. 

[TommyPickles]

I hope we splurge for Lynn at this point, even though I was hating on him earlier in the offseason.

If not, I’d sign Tillman and Cahill and have them all compete for rotation spots.

Cahill is only 29, a former all star, dirt cheap, and could work out of the bullpen or as a #5 starter-type.

[jamalshw]

I'm happy Vargas isn't coming to the O's. His first half last year was encouraging, but the second half was terrible and he's getting up there in age. I would have preferred Garcia to Vargas. I'm hoping the Orioles are sill in on Cobb/Lynn, but doubt it. Honestly, I think the best case scenario for the other arm in Lackey.

[DrungoHazewood]

2 hours ago, Beef Supreme said:

The shortage of quality MLB starting pitchers is the reason why average starting pitchers are signed to multi-million dollar contracts.

The reason that average pitchers are signed to multi-million dollar contracts is that an average player on the free agent market is worth $8M per win (over replacement).  MLB brings in $8 or $9B a year, spends 40-something percent of that on salaries, has a setup where players are compensated on a fairly fixed rate up to six years of service time, and once you're a free agent you negotiate as big a piece of the pie as you can.

If the average starting pitcher could throw 300 innings to a 2.80 they might poach some dollars from relievers, since you wouldn't need as many.  But the average pitcher would still get paid like an average player. Pitchers are better than ever, but the game has evolved to a point where they're asked to throw all out for five or six innings instead of backing it off and trying to throw 8 or 9.  Combine that with juiced up balls and bats and you get an average starter going a little over five innings and giving up 2-3 runs.

[Beef Supreme]

I don't see how this contradicts what I said. The demand for starting pitchers being greater than the supply results in high-risk pitchers like Cashner, Vargas and Garcia being guaranteed $8MM per year despite being no guarantee of achieving 1 WAR each. The equation is more complicated than $8MM per WAR when teams sign starters.

[oriolediehard]

We really need to sign Cobb.  He is experienced in the AL East.  Lynn has pitched in AL.  We don't what Lynn can do?

[oriolediehard]

I meant Lynn has never pitched in the AL.

[weams]

3 hours ago, interloper said:

Here's who's left:

Brett Anderson

Jake Arrieta

Clay Buchholz

Trevor Cahill

Jesse Chavez

Alex Cobb

R.A. Dickey

Scott Feldman

Matt Garza

A.J. Griffin

Jeremy Hellickson

Ubaldo Jimenez

John Lackey

Francisco Liriano

Jeff Locke

Lance Lynn

Ricky Nolasco

Jake Peavy

Mike Pelfrey

Tyler Pill

Anibal Sanchez

Chris Smith

Chris Tillman

Cesar Valdez

Edinson Volquez

 

 

I think the bolded are either signed, out for 2018 or retired. 

[jtschrei]

I'll take Lackey and Tillman and be done. I would have liked Jaime Garcia on a 1-year deal, but Lackey can eat the same innings. 

We need to win about 45 games with our pen. I could see a rotation of Bundy, Gausman, Cashner, Lackey, and Tillman winning 45. We'll see. 

[25 Nuggets]

When you need bodies to fill in a void in your starting rotation, can't be picky about whether or not the guy is LH.  But you will want LH options in the pen.

If the Orioles sign appropriate guys and roll with an all RH rotation, so be it.

[25 Nuggets]

From Interloper's list:

Regardless of cost or bad relations, here's my personal board:

1. Jake Arrieta
2. Alex Cobb
3. Lance Lynn
4. John Lackey
5. Jesse Chavez
6. Chris Tillman
7. Trevor Cahill
8. Scott Feldman

Everyone else is completely off my radar.  It's bad.  Sure I can see the Orioles getting Tillman back... but if they don't land Cobb or Lynn, they really need to acquire a guy via trade.

[wildbillhiccup]

3 minutes ago, 25 Nuggets said:

From Interloper's list:

Regardless of cost or bad relations, here's my personal board:

1. Jake Arrieta
2. Alex Cobb
3. Lance Lynn
4. John Lackey
5. Jesse Chavez
6. Chris Tillman
7. Trevor Cahill
8. Scott Feldman

Everyone else is completely off my radar.  It's bad.  Sure I can see the Orioles getting Tillman back... but if they don't land Cobb or Lynn, they really need to acquire a guy via trade.

Wow, if the drop from Lynn to Lackey were an actual cliff you most certainly would not survive the fall. 

[wildbillhiccup]

30 minutes ago, jtschrei said:

I'll take Lackey and Tillman and be done. I would have liked Jaime Garcia on a 1-year deal, but Lackey can eat the same innings. 

We need to win about 45 games with our pen. I could see a rotation of Bundy, Gausman, Cashner, Lackey, and Tillman winning 45. We'll see. 

If they sign Lackey I'm not looking forward to having to adjust the tint on my TV every time he pitches so I'm not blinded by his obviously over whitened / bleached teeth. 

[SteveA]

Anibal Sanchez just signed with the Twins.   He got a spot on the 40 man, $2.5M but not guaranteed (I guess if he doesn't make the team he doesn't get it?).

Edinson Volquez, out all or most of this year with TJ surgery, just signed 2 year minor league deal with Texas.