What is the first thing you want the O's to do this off season?

[mdbdotcom]

21 minutes ago, Obando said:

Jerry Coleman, on the Bmore Opinionated podcast, indicated recently that he heard whispers that John & Lou Angelos would be publicly addressing the future of the organization sometime in September, but he didn’t have any details to provide, only that he heard this was possibly going to happen.  Since then, I haven’t heard any updates about this from Jerry or reports from any other local or national media sources saying they are hearing the same thing.

I think we’d all agree that it would be great to hear something directly from ownership about the team/organization’s future, including what the plans are for the GM & manager moving forward.  However, I’m not holding my breath based on how the team (and specifically ownership) has historically handled matters like this.  But if in fact John & Lou do release a public statement, do an interview with a media member, or hold a press conference about the future plans of the organization, I think it’s safe to say the ownership has turned a new leaf for the better, as all we fans want is transparency and to know that ownership has a plan.

Here’s to hoping we hear something soon, one way or the other.  With so much uncertainty surrounding this team’s future, it would be very refreshing to hear something directly from the horse’s mouth about the plan moving forward, whether that means keeping the status quo at GM & manager or embarking on interviews immediately to find a new GM that will have full authority to hire his own manager and oversee the rebuild of the team as he sees fit.  Let’s hope it’s the latter and not the former, as keeping the status quo would be the definition of insanity after a season like this.

I can't imagine that they would announce they are replacing anyone during the season. I'm hoping for an October 1 announcement that Buck has been released from his contract (which runs through October) and that Duquette will have complete authority to hire the new manager. If they announce that they are replacing Duquette as well, I could live with that. It all just needs to begin as soon as the season ends to give us the greatest opportunity of hiring the best people available.

[Obando]

You are probably right that, at this point, they will just wait to make any announcements until the season is over.  Since Buck & Dan’s contracts both expire at the end of October, they will probably just let them run out or announce extensions for one or both of them.  If they keep only one, I hope it’s  DD instead of Buck.  It would be insanity to keep them both, and I don’t think they will.  I love what Buck did for this organization early on, but his act has worn thin, and at this point, he’s doing more damage than good by sticking around.  At least with DD, it would allow him free reign to hire his own manager and oversee the rebuild in his vision (assuming no interference by John & Lou, unlike Peter).  But I, like you, would also be fine with them letting DD go and hiring a new GM, preferably a young, up and coming guy that operates like a modern GM does, with a strong background in analytics and good communication skills.  My personal vote would go to Amiel Sawdaye of the Diamondbacks (and formerly Red Sox), but I think they should cast a wide net if they decide to start fresh at GM.

[Greg Pappas]

19 minutes ago, Obando said:

........ My personal vote would go to Amiel Sawdaye of the Diamondbacks (and formerly Red Sox), but I think they should cast a wide net if they decide to start fresh at GM.

Yes, he'd be an excellent candidate. A former graduate of the University of Maryland, he was raised in Baltimore and he grew up an O's fan.

Here's a nice write up about him from AZCentral.com in March of 2017: 

Quote

Amiel Sawdaye

Position: Assistant General Manager.

Age: 39.

Amiel Sawdaye stood out during his years with the Red Sox for the way he helped modernize their front office, embracing new ways of thinking without snubbing the old guard.

He also stood out in the boxing ring.

A staple of the Fenway Park executive offices from the Theo Epstein days were sets of boxing gloves and headgear, which tended to come out after particularly gruesome losses. Sawdaye, who stands about 5-8 and is slight of build, laughed off the notion that he was any good, but he didn’t deny his willingness to lace 'em up.

“It was our way of letting off steam after a bad loss or a three-game losing streak,” Sawdaye said. “I wasn’t afraid to get in the ring, you can say that.”

Raised in Baltimore by parents of Middle Eastern decent, Sawdaye grew up an Orioles fan. His dad took him and his brother to Camden Yards, where the boys would explain to their father, a soccer fan, what was happening on the field.

After graduating in 1999 from University of Maryland with a degree in information systems, Sawdaye went to work for General Electric. He was a project manager for a now defunct e-commerce business. It was a good job, but Sawdaye’s heart wasn’t in it.

He’d always loved baseball, so he sent his resume around and called a bunch of teams. He happened to get the right person on the phone with the Red Sox, who passed him along to someone in scouting. They were looking for an intern in amateur scouting. He started in June 2002, five months before Epstein was hired as GM.

As he worked behind the scenes to revamp the Red Sox scouting processes, he steadily progressed, first to assistant, then to assistant director and eventually to scouting director, a position he held from 2010-14. He oversaw the Red Sox’s impactful 2011 draft that included the selections of Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Blake Swihart, among others.

Sawdaye says his time in Boston, during which the Red Sox won three World Series, taught him the importance of culture in a front office. He said Epstein believed good ideas could come from anywhere, and he created an atmosphere in which everyone was encouraged to participate.

“I think by doing that he was able to get a lot of people to want to come work there,” Sawdaye said. “Really good people, smart, like-minded in some ways, but not afraid to have opinions. He valued that.”

After Mike Hazen left for the Diamondbacks, Sawdaye was considered to be his successor as second-in-command to Dave Dombrowski with the Red Sox. But he wound up joining Hazen in Arizona, where he’ll oversee amateur and international scouting while also being involved with the major league club.

“I think he has sort of an entrepreneurial-type mindset as a builder,” Hazen said of Sawdaye, “and as he puts people together in terms of managing a staff and overseeing departments. He has the desire to innovate in a lot of ways.”

 

[atomic]

Sell the team.  The sons have been invisible while the team becomes a laughing stock.  Even the people on this board have stopped watching. 

[panick]

16 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

I am not sure this fanbase who has had third basemen like Brooks and Cal could stand to see 20+ errors coming out of 3rd base.  

If they stick him there and keep him there, my man Bobby Dickerson better be hitting a ton of grounders to him each day.

I thought Mountcastle's problem was throwing. Is he a bad fielder too?

[OriolesMagic83]

The first thing the O's should do is either fire or extend Duquette.  I don't think he's the best GM, but I'm not sure the O's can get someone better.  Second thing should be firing Buck.  Buck has lost the clubhouse, has a strong preference for veterans and meddles in front office decisions.  These are 3 things a rebuilding club doesn't need.

[atomic]

Change the team name to the Bad News Bears.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, atomic said:

Change the team name to the Bad News Bears.

Angelos isn't going to pay the rights fees.

[TheDeau52]

Reimburse me for my 2018 mlb.tv subscription.

[LA2]

11 hours ago, Greg Pappas said:

Yes, he'd be an excellent candidate. A former graduate of the University of Maryland, he was raised in Baltimore and he grew up an O's fan.

Here's a nice write up about him from AZCentral.com in March of 2017: 

 

He sounds very promising for the Os, but that also the Dbacks wd do a lot to keep him.

[LA2]

On 9/7/2018 at 5:41 PM, Moose Milligan said:

I am not sure this fanbase who has had third basemen like Brooks and Cal and Manny could stand to see 20+ errors coming out of 3rd base.  

If they stick him there and keep him there, my man Bobby Dickerson better be hitting a ton of grounders to him each day.

FTFY.

[LA2]

On 9/7/2018 at 5:29 PM, Moose Milligan said:

Figure out the Davis situation.  Hopefully by getting rid of him.

 

 

DFA Davis.

[theobird]

First move, hire a new GM. Give that new GM full authority, and get out of his way. This whole staff, top to bottom needs to go and the Orioles need a fresh start with all new leadership from the front office all the way down to the coaching staff.

[Satyr3206]

4 minutes ago, theobird said:

First move, hire a new GM. Give that new GM full authority, and get out of his way. This whole staff, top to bottom needs to go and the Orioles need a fresh start with all new leadership from the front office all the way down to the coaching staff.

I would keep DD. My biggest fear is they let everyone go and the job goes to Brady by default. With the reputation about Ownership, it might be hard to get a viable option.

[tntoriole]

12 hours ago, Greg Pappas said:

Yes, he'd be an excellent candidate. A former graduate of the University of Maryland, he was raised in Baltimore and he grew up an O's fan.

Here's a nice write up about him from AZCentral.com in March of 2017: 

 

This would be a fantastic choice!  We need a guy like this...and an Oriole fan growing up to boot!