2019 O's: Where service time is king

[backwardsk]

20 minutes ago, OrioleDog said:

I am thrilled as a fan!

I will note as an observer of teams hoarding their assets that the push/pull with this is they are sending Luis Urias back to AAA.  He's also someone good enough the club is probably interested in an extra year, and is going to fly under the radar amid the crush of good press they are going to get for this.  Nicely played, Dave Cameron. 

I would have been extra-impressed with their all-in future-is-now posture if they cut Kinsler and kept Tatis and Urias together.  Whether its now or June, Urias is probably going to scuffle some acclimating himself but if you want him good for an aspirational wildcard chase this September, you have to pay that tax sometime this year.

They could probably use Straily.

I think they can make a legitimate claim that Kinsler gives them a better chance to win now, along with Tatis.  And that's what they're trying to do, compete.  Unlike half of baseball.  They should get Straily and they should have signed Gio.

[Moose Milligan]

32 minutes ago, backwardsk said:

I think they can make a legitimate claim that Kinsler gives them a better chance to win now, along with Tatis.  And that's what they're trying to do, compete.  Unlike half of baseball.  They should get Straily and they should have signed Gio.

I don't know if half of baseball isn't trying to compete.  I think in the post-Moneyball era, teams have gotten a lot smarter about how to build.  Either you're viewed as a contender or you're building towards it, no one wants to be in the middle.  

[backwardsk]

6 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I don't know if half of baseball isn't trying to compete.  I think in the post-Moneyball era, teams have gotten a lot smarter about how to build.  Either you're viewed as a contender or you're building towards it, no one wants to be in the middle.  

Baltimore, Toronto, Detroit, Kansas City, Chicago WS, Seattle, Texas, Miami, Pittsburgh, Arizona, San Francisco.  Can you make a case that any of those teams are trying to win in 2019?  Did any of these successful 2018 do anything to make their teams better in 2019: Cleveland, Tampa, Colorado?  

Okay that's only 14, but I believe I'm being generous with Oakland and Cincinnati.  What's LAAAA doing?

[Just Regular]

12 minutes ago, backwardsk said:

Baltimore, Toronto, Detroit, Kansas City, Chicago WS, Seattle, Texas, Miami, Pittsburgh, Arizona, San Francisco.  Can you make a case that any of those teams are trying to win in 2019?  Did any of these successful 2018 do anything to make their teams better in 2019: Cleveland, Tampa, Colorado?  

Okay that's only 14, but I believe I'm being generous with Oakland and Cincinnati.  What's LAAAA doing?

LAA is 100% trying - gave Matt Harvey, Trevor Cahill and Cody Allen Cobb/Cashner type money even before Trout extension.  White Sox wanted to be the Padres, and Pirates added last summer.  Cleveland/Tampa/Colorado aren't not trying for who they are.  Pittsburgh did lose so much equity in the Cole/Archer trades I could see them going full Marlins in their division.

I agree on the other 9, and am rooting for Toronto/Texas/Seattle/Arizona to have good first halves to keep the Orioles summer sale market a little less cluttered.

[Moose Milligan]

44 minutes ago, backwardsk said:

Baltimore, Toronto, Detroit, Kansas City, Chicago WS, Seattle, Texas, Miami, Pittsburgh, Arizona, San Francisco.  Can you make a case that any of those teams are trying to win in 2019?  Did any of these successful 2018 do anything to make their teams better in 2019: Cleveland, Tampa, Colorado?  

Okay that's only 14, but I believe I'm being generous with Oakland and Cincinnati.  What's LAAAA doing?

Well, some teams have to be the bitch.  Some teams have to be in 4th place or last place.  

I think what we're talking about is the illusion of competition, which doesn't mean much.  Say a team like the Other Sox went out and spent a bunch of money this offseason, like they tried to do with Manny...and picked up some other players as well.  Would we really consider them trying to compete?  Or would we be like, "Wtf are the Other Sox doing?  They're terrible, and then they just signed Manny?  Do they think they can compete?"

I mean, before the popularity of the phrase "tanking" came into the sports lexicon over the past few years, what was a team like the 2003 Orioles doing?  It was just mired in mediocrity with no direction.  

The Orioles didn't do anything to make themselves better on the field for 2019 and we're all happy with that because we got Elias and Sig and his analytics.  So we're positioning ourselves to get better and other teams are doing the same.   Just because teams didn't go out and get players for 2019 doesn't mean they didn't get better.

[OFFNY]

3 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

 

Well, some teams have to be the bitch.

 

o

 

That's what you said about the Cubs, in October of 2015.

I thought that that was an excellent post.

 

o

On 10/13/2015 at 7:25 PM, Moose Milligan said:

 

I can't root for the Cubs.

Someone has to be baseball's b#@$%. Baseball fans got a deluge of entitled moron fans when the Red Sox broke "The Curse" and just became arrogant fartbags that everyone else hates to be around. Had ANYONE outside of Chicago heard of the stupid "Billy Goat Curse" before 2003? The tag-along game that they have to play next to Red Sox fans is ridiculous. I'm watching this game tonight and I've already seen the alive Belushi and John Cusack. Eddie Vedder. Ugh, celebrity fans. What's next, some dumb rom-com about two idiot 20 somethings who fall in love on Waveland Avenue the night the Cubs win the World Series? We've been here before.

I've never liked the Cubs. I've never liked how much attention they've received for just being THE CUBS. How come major media outlets give the Cubs SO much attention just for being losers? "When will the Cubs turn around?" "Is this the year for the Cubs?" It happens every damn spring. Hey, how about some love for the Padres or the Brewers? What, no one loves them? I guess if you're in a major media market you get more exposure for being a loser.

Loveable losers? No one likes a loser. I'm parroting the intro to the Patton movie here...but really, who likes a loser?

I'm sorry, I just can't get behind it. I admittedly rooted for the Sox back in 2004 because I was 23 at the time and thought it was the cool thing to do. They were beating the Yankees and erasing history!! Jump on the bandwagon!! It's the cool thing to do! I bought into it and I've regretted it ever since. I think every sports fan has a dark moment or two in their closet, this one is definitely mine.

I was 23 and didn't know any better. I feel awful for adding karmic energy that helped propel the Sox into the Series for a sweep of the Cardinals.

Before you get all high and mighty and go "But Moose! This is history! It's the CUBS! They haven't won since 1908!!" I want you to ask yourself one thing:

Ask yourself if you had the chance to go back to 2004 and somehow have an influence on the Sox/Yankees series to make the Sox lose and never get to the World Series, would you do it? Because if they don't win in 2004 they probably don't keep the band together and win in 2007. Would you do it? Would you re-write history so that David Cruz, Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon never won a World Series? Would you re-write history so that the dickbag Sox fans that invaded Camden Yards for so many years after would have no leg to stand on?

Because if you're rooting for the Cubs, that's what you're rooting for here.

 

 

 

 

[wildcard]

5 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

Well, some teams have to be the bitch.  Some teams have to be in 4th place or last place.  

I think what we're talking about is the illusion of competition, which doesn't mean much.  Say a team like the Other Sox went out and spent a bunch of money this offseason, like they tried to do with Manny...and picked up some other players as well.  Would we really consider them trying to compete?  Or would we be like, "Wtf are the Other Sox doing?  They're terrible, and then they just signed Manny?  Do they think they can compete?"

I mean, before the popularity of the phrase "tanking" came into the sports lexicon over the past few years, what was a team like the 2003 Orioles doing?  It was just mired in mediocrity with no direction.  

The Orioles didn't do anything to make themselves better on the field for 2019 and we're all happy with that because we got Elias and Sig and his analytics.  So we're positioning ourselves to get better and other teams are doing the same.   Just because teams didn't go out and get players for 2019 doesn't mean they didn't get better.

This season  the O's should  be a better defensive team

[Moose Milligan]

40 minutes ago, wildcard said:

This season  the O's should  be a better defensive team

You're right, they should.  I'm not saying it wasn't a focus, it certainly seemed to be.  But man, practically anything would have been an upgrade over last years defense.  I mean, getting Mancini to DH is a big upgrade.

[Moose Milligan]

2 hours ago, OFFNY said:

o

 

That's what you said about the Cubs, in October of 2015.

I thought that that was an excellent post.

 

o

 

 

 

Well, it's a rule in life.  Someone has to be the bitch.

I felt that way about the Cubs, still do.  Maybe they're not as insufferable because we don't have to see them every year but still.

[weams]

20 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

  I mean, getting Mancini to DH is a big upgrade.

Huge difference.