Jerry Crasnick ESPN Article on the Orioles

[Deadwood Fan]

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23998521/mlb-charge-rebuilding-baltimore-orioles-trade-deadline

[ShaneDawg85]

I literally face-palmed at the mere suggestion of Dempsey, Bordick, or Billy Ripken as managerial candidates.  Even if their names were just thrown out or people are "spit balling" them as candidates, the idea of any of them in the dugout is at its best uninspiring to say the least, and at its worst, I'm struggling to find the word.  Mostly this applies to Dempsey who I have an unabashed disdain for.  I'd take Bordick on the staff if all parties involved wanted him there because the man knows defense and they can't possibly do worse.

[TonySoprano]

Quote

Jon Heyman of Fancred recently mentioned Rick Dempsey, Mike Bordick and Billy Ripken as potential options if Showalter goes. A source said the Orioles were merely spitballing those names and none has been approached or is under active consideration.

Here's my response to Heyman

 

[Moose Milligan]

Quote

 

• In his expanded role, Louis Angelos attends quarterly owners meetings and keeps an eye on industry trends and the operating models of other franchises. The Orioles have watched the dynamics in Minnesota, where the Twins have gone with a two-pronged decision-making tandem of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, and in Philadelphia, where Andy MacPhail and a band of former Baltimore front-office execs have helped the Phillies return to contention with a focus on analytics.

Still, there's skepticism in the industry as to whether the Orioles would hire a rising, young executive with an analytics background and give him the power to make sweeping changes. "That seems out of their wheelhouse,'' one big-league executive said. The Orioles' relationship with the commissioner's office is also strained because of the MASN dispute, so it's unlikely the Angelos brothers will be picking up the phone and bouncing ideas off Rob Manfred anytime soon.

 

 

 

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THE ANGELOS BROTHERS do not give interviews, and Anderson has tried to maintain a low profile, so the Orioles are not exactly adept at delivering a cohesive message. Inevitably, the silence from the top leaves the organization rife for industry rumor and long-standing perceptions. Two of the most prevalent: The Orioles' structure is a recipe for inertia as decisions move up the chain, and free-agent signings and trades are always harder for the O's to consummate because of the exacting nature of their "Navy SEAL" physicals.

"There are 30 ownership groups, and they all have their quirks," the GM for another MLB club said. "I think some things are overblown. But I do think there's something to be said for the ominous nature of their medical reviews. It's like, 'There's no way we're getting this guy to the Orioles.' If your guy sneezes, you're like, 'Oh my god, we can write them off.' That's the bigger complication."

 

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In a perfect world, Brady Anderson would be a perfect buffer. He is bright, well-read, engaging and inquisitive in a Gabe Kapler sort of way. Anderson has an interest in everything from analytics to nutrition to numerous other innovations to improve player performance, and he has maintained a workable rapport with both Showalter and Duquette.

"I've always had a constructive relationship with Brady," Duquette said. "He's passionate about the Orioles, and he's passionate about a couple of areas in particular where he does a good job."

The question is: Which areas? Anderson is a confidant of ownership, but he also has an office adjacent to the weight room and works out with the players. He's involved in player evaluations and contract negotiations, but he isn't in a position where he's publicly accountable for decisions or has to answer to the media for them.

 

 

 

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Sources say Duquette has grown increasingly frustrated with some of the limitations and organizational decisions that have hamstrung him in recent years. Peter Angelos drove the decisions to sign Chris Davis to a $161 million deal and re-sign Mark Trumbo to a $37.5 million extension in January 2017. The 2018 Orioles lack speed, they rank third in the American League in strikeouts, and they're last among MLB clubs with minus-81 defensive runs saved.

The O's operate with one of the smallest scouting and analytics contingents in the majors, and they've done next to nothing in the international realm. In 2011, Duquette brought in longtime international scouting guru Fred Ferreira, aka "the shark of the Caribbean," to mine Latin America for the Orioles. But the Angelos family was too skeptical of Ferreira and his scouts to invest any money in bonuses, and the team allowed Ferreira's contract to lapse over the winter. While Louis and John Angelos are committed to spending more money internationally, the process will take time, and the Orioles are clearly behind the curve.

 

 

[LocoChris]

Bordick as manager would put the team to sleep. Moreso than they are already.

[Moose Milligan]

Based on that last part I quoted, I get a sinking feeling that the Angelos kids are going to do anything different.  

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Billy Ripken might not be a bad choice.  Dempsey and Bordick?  Hard pass.

[Moose Milligan]

I don't get how Billy Ripken fits in at all.  

[Camden_yardbird]

What I get out of this is that the next GM better have a personality and communication skills to succeed.  You are stuck with what you got vis-a-vis the owners with Brady as their baseball guy.  The way things have evolved it sounds like Duquettes skills just don't fit the need.  You need someone who will communicate and sell the team on the two things they do poorly (international spending and analytics) and will keep things organized. 

[Camden_yardbird]

Whenever an article mentions former players of the team as that teams potential manager you might as well strike the whole paragraph and put in:

"We have no clue who the next manager will be but here are some former players who are still baseball in some capacity."

Its BS lip service.  It has no value.

[allquixotic]

I didn't finish reading the article, but aside from some outlandish recommendations for manager, I don't think it really says anything new. We in the community have known all of this since April, at least, if not even the offseason.

One thing I don't think this club even fathoms or realizes in any way is that fans (informed by media and insiders, but even individual fans in isolation) tend to know more about this ballclub than the management knows. We have had some very sound suggestions and have identified very real problems, while they continue to march ahead silently, "steady as she goes", not reacting to (or not listening to) information they receive identifying major issues with their strategy.

In the information age, they need to either start listening to their fans, or at the very least, reacting to stimuli from their environment. They seem completely inert to any and all external voices, factors, or even the inevitable progression of time. It's like there's nothing that can occur in their environment that causes them to make a change that actually has any impact whatsoever.

Or maybe they are constantly, intensively analyzing everything behind the scenes, to the point that they're stuck in over-analysis paralysis. Second-guessing themselves, 5000th-guessing themselves, to the point where the window they had to do something impactful is long expired. An example is the failure to trade Manny. He should've been gone before the calendar said May, and here it is after the 4th of July. I'm pretty sure literally any of the other 29 management/ownership teams in MLB would've traded him much earlier and therefore gotten a much better package for him. Whatever we get now is going to reflect the value of getting a top-end player... for 3 months. Which isn't a lot, doesn't matter if that player is Mike Trout, Manny Machado or Babe Ruth.

That's what bothers me most about the O's. Their reaction times to anything seem to come with about a 6 month lag. It didn't use to be this way, even with the current regime. Remember when we DFA'ed Arrieta mid-season? Remember when we signed Andrew Miller to help us get into and through the playoffs? We used to pull the trigger when the O's fanbase had been practically rioting in the streets for the trigger to be pulled for a couple weeks at most.

Now we're looking at 3+ months of yelling and screaming, not just by O's fans, but by every single pundit and baseball analyst out there, telling them exactly what to do. And what are they actually doing? What is being done to improve their situation?

Exactly nothing. And with each passing day, the value of our free agent trade chips melts away. It's like they're asleep at the wheel. At this point I really do wonder if DD and Buck are intentionally trying to destroy this team out of malice.

[atomic]

"There are 30 ownership groups, and they all have their quirks," the GM for another MLB club said. "I think some things are overblown. But I do think there's something to be said for the ominous nature of their medical reviews. It's like, 'There's no way we're getting this guy to the Orioles.' If your guy sneezes, you're like, 'Oh my god, we can write them off.' That's the bigger complication."

Sources say Duquette has grown increasingly frustrated with some of the limitations and organizational decisions that have hamstrung him in recent years. Peter Angelos drove the decisions to sign Chris Davis to a $161 million deal and re-sign Mark Trumbo to a $37.5 million extension in January 2017. The 2018 Orioles lack speed, they rank third in the American League in strikeouts, and they're last among MLB clubs with minus-81 defensive runs saved.

Sounds like DD has no power and Ownership is pushing the signing of DH guys who only hit home runs.  Maybe ownership should start giving interviews.  The wait and see approach is going to drive fans away and they will hard to get back.  

[atomic]

In 2011, Duquette brought in longtime international scouting guru Fred Ferreira, aka "the shark of the Caribbean," to mine Latin America for the Orioles. But the Angelos family was too skeptical of Ferreira and his scouts to invest any money in bonuses, and the team allowed Ferreira's contract to lapse over the winter. 

 

Our goal should be new ownership.  I mean how much more do you need to know.  

[Can_of_corn]

22 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I don't get how Billy Ripken fits in at all.  

It's the last name, just like some folks think Mike Yastrzemski is a prospect.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, atomic said:

In 2011, Duquette brought in longtime international scouting guru Fred Ferreira, aka "the shark of the Caribbean," to mine Latin America for the Orioles. But the Angelos family was too skeptical of Ferreira and his scouts to invest any money in bonuses, and the team allowed Ferreira's contract to lapse over the winter. 

 

Our goal should be new ownership.  I mean how much more do you need to know.  

How's that working out for the Marlins?