Orioles Spend 250k of their International Money ( Report that it was $750k)

[Frobby]

9 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

It certainly looks worse now than it did two days ago.

You mean because of the fact that we traded away some of our slot allocation?

I look at it this way.   At one point we clearly had much more slot allocation available than anyone else.   Then the Yankees and Marlins (?) suddenly started acquiring slots and suddenly our margin wasn’t so big.    So, we acquired enough to put other teams well out of reach.    Maybe some of the teams that had been gathering slots then spent some of them in the ensuing weeks, so now we have more than we need to tie down VVM and our other main targets.     So, now we can let some go, even though it was important to have them a few weeks ago.    Does that make sense?   Needless to say, I am speculating on a possible scenario, not stating it as a fact.  

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Frobby said:

You mean because of the fact that we traded away some of our slot allocation?

I look at it this way.   At one point we clearly had much more slot allocation available than anyone else.   Then the Yankees and Marlins (?) suddenly started acquiring slots and suddenly our margin wasn’t so big.    So, we acquired enough to put other teams well out of reach.    Maybe some of the teams that had been gathering slots then spent some of them in the ensuing weeks, so now we have more than we need to tie down VVM and our other main targets.     So, now we can let some go, even though it was important to have them a few weeks ago.    Does that make sense?   Needless to say, I am speculating on a possible scenario, not stating it as a fact.  

Our margin was always significantly larger than the Yankees.

What I don't understand is even if we are not planning to use the 750K what advantage is it to trade it now?  The slot position is good until next July.  What if another Cuban comes over in January?  What if something odd happens in one of the Asian leagues?  What if some kid in the Dominican hits a growth spurt and starts throwing 4 MPH faster?

You have to admit the guy they traded for is as close to nothing as you can get.

Old- Check

No draft pedigree- Check

Didn't excel at his level- Check

Has repeated a level- Check

Has no defensive value- Check

Frankly I would have rather they thrown the slots away next July than use them in such a manner.

 

[sportsfan8703]

10 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Our margin was always significantly larger than the Yankees.

What I don't understand is even if we are not planning to use the 750K what advantage is it to trade it now?  The slot position is good until next July.  What if another Cuban comes over in January?  What if something odd happens in one of the Asian leagues?  What if some kid in the Dominican hits a growth spurt and starts throwing 4 MPH faster?

You have to admit the guy they traded for is as close to nothing as you can get.

Old- Check

No draft pedigree- Check

Didn't excel at his level- Check

Has repeated a level- Check

Has no defensive value- Check

Frankly I would have rather they thrown the slots away next July than use them in such a manner.

 

Somehow we had to salary dump even our international slot money. We chose not to spend the $750k and we traded that for a guy who has already received his 10k signing bonus from 2017 and is in the league that pays the least over here. We turned spending 750k into a guy making $1,100 a month. Which the season is over with. 

We literally dumped it for nothing. Hopefully it was at least a favor to the Phillies for something. 

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Somehow we had to salary dump even our international slot money. We chose not to spend the $750k and we traded that for a guy who has already received his 10k signing bonus from 2017 and is in the league that pays the least over here. We turned spending 750k into a guy making $1,100 a month. Which the season is over with. 

We literally dumped it for nothing. Hopefully it was at least a favor to the Phillies for something. 

Pretty good chance he's out of the organization next spring.

[Frobby]

10 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Our margin was always significantly larger than the Yankees.

What I don't understand is even if we are not planning to use the 750K what advantage is it to trade it now?  The slot position is good until next July.  What if another Cuban comes over in January?  What if something odd happens in one of the Asian leagues?  What if some kid in the Dominican hits a growth spurt and starts throwing 4 MPH faster?

You have to admit the guy they traded for is as close to nothing as you can get.

Old- Check

No draft pedigree- Check

Didn't excel at his level- Check

Has repeated a level- Check

Has no defensive value- Check

Frankly I would have rather they thrown the slots away next July than use them in such a manner.

 

All extremely good points regarding the Zoellner trade.    I’ve looked at it from every angle I can think of and don’t really see the point of it, either.   Now let’s hope the guy jumps three levels next year and excels.     Or at least, gives us back the incriminating photos he took of Dan Duquette.    

I still think my explanation of why we got the slots in the Gausman deal and then decided we didn’t need them all to accomplish our objectives may make some sense.   But like I said, it’s pure speculation.   

[Frobby]

5 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Pretty good chance he's out of the organization next spring.

I tend to doubt it.    There had to be  some reason to do this deal, and the O’s would look a bit silly if they released him that quickly.    

[weams]

56 minutes ago, Ruzious said:

Jay Payton was a 5th OFer type that wouldn't make the difference between a pork chop and a sardine sandwich.  Gausman is worth more than his salary and still has 2 more years of controllability.  There was no hurry to trade him, and unless they actually use that international slot "money", the O's blew that trade badly.  Gausman's salary was not a detriment to his trade value in any way.    

Ok. I see. Well, if the ORioles get VV we will both agree on this. 

[weams]

1 hour ago, Ruzious said:

 There was no hurry to trade him, and unless they actually use that international slot "money", the O's blew that trade badly.  Gausman's salary was not a detriment to his trade value in any way.    

No one liked Kevin Gausman more than I did. The Orioles will not be good while he was under control. They all break. They capped the downside as opposed to riding the upside. It's a strategy. Maybe a bold one. What if he stayed here all season. Nothing to show but his brand new tattoo.
But it's a real beauty.

 

[Can_of_corn]

10 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I tend to doubt it.    There had to be  some reason to do this deal, and the O’s would look a bit silly if they released him that quickly.    

You think anyone other than a handful of us here would even notice?

What non-prospects from the GCL were released or retired between the end of the 2017 season and the start of the 2018 minor league season?

[Can_of_corn]

17 minutes ago, Frobby said:

All extremely good points regarding the Zoellner trade.    I’ve looked at it from every angle I can think of and don’t really see the point of it, either.   Now let’s hope the guy jumps three levels next year and excels.     Or at least, gives us back the incriminating photos he took of Dan Duquette.    

I still think my explanation of why we got the slots in the Gausman deal and then decided we didn’t need them all to accomplish our objectives may make some sense.   But like I said, it’s pure speculation.   

Even if that is true, and it may very well be, why spend that unneeded asset on Zoellner and why do it now?  And why 750K and not 250K?

[weams]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

You think anyone other than a handful of us here would even notice?

What non-prospects from the GCL were released or retired between the end of the 2017 season and the start of the 2018 minor league season?

I remember the trade with Atlanta when we got back a pitcher that you knew would never get out of AA. I went and watched him twice hoping he would look like something. A hidden talent. It was a salary dump deal for Matusz.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/05/orioles-trade-brian-matusz.html

[Br10n]

Dan Connolly.....

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette wants to make two things clear about Monday’s trade that sent $750,000 in international bonus slots to the Philadelphia Phillies for minor league infielder Jack Zoellner.

One, the Orioles liked Zoellner. A lot. They scouted him this summer while putting an intense spotlight on the Phillies’ farm system and Duquette believes Zoellner adds an element of plate discipline that the organization needs and covets.

Secondly, the decision to trade international bonus slots is not contrary to the club’s message from earlier this summer that it is putting an emphasis on international development. On the contrary, Duquette says, this is exactly what he said he would do when the Orioles acquired $2.75 million in the slots in two separate trades with the Atlanta Braves in July.

“It gives us the ability to add international players and also acquire additional players from other organizations,” Duquette said.

[weams]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

Was two of them. 

You mean the one where they gave up the draft pick too?

[Frobby]

4 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Even if that is true, and it may very well be, why spend that unneeded asset on Zoellner and why do it now?  And why 750K and not 250K?

Like I said, I don’t really understand the Zoellner deal.   Maybe there’s something else going on that doesn’t meet the eye.   Beats me.

[Can_of_corn]

Does he think that having Zoellner on the roster is someone going to improve the plate disciple of the actual prospects on the team?  Is he going to be a player/coach?