No deals per Olney

[J.D.]

This is a MUCH better deal for Pittsburgh than Brignac & Niemann, IMO.

Agreed. They're getting a much better haul out of this. I'm kinda surprised that L.A. made a play for another outfielder, since they have 30 or so of them, but I guess they feel Manny helps them win the NL West this year. I can't say that they're wrong.

[J.D.]

No one really wanted Sherrill either. Most teams said they did, but no one came up with anything worthwhile from what I heard.

That's pretty much what I figured was the case. Thanks, elsid. I'm glad he's still around.

[Lucky Jim]

If being reasonable is "harping", then fine, I'm harping.

There is nothing whatsoever about it that's "necessary" if you don't get guys you actually want.

Saying it's somehow "necessary" just proves the point about it being action for the sake of action.

Plus, I don't believe your story about Huff's value being at an all-time high has any merit whatsoever.

None. Nada. Zip. Same thing for Sherrill.

Just because people keep saying it on a message board, that doesn't mean it's true.

You have no information that tells you their actual value is particularly high right now. None.

You just think it is, that's all. That doesn't make it true.

This tracks what I'm saying. But I've tried to explain it in a way that's not just blithely contradictory.

[Pedro Cerrano]

If being reasonable is "harping", then fine, I'm harping.

There is nothing whatsoever about it that's "necessary" if you don't get guys you actually want.

Saying it's somehow "necessary" just proves the point about it being action for the sake of action.

Plus, I don't believe your story about Huff's value being at an all-time high has any merit whatsoever.

None. Nada. Zip. Same thing for Sherrill.

Just because people keep saying it on a message board, that doesn't mean it's true.

You have no information that tells you their actual value is particularly high right now. None.

You just think it is, that's all. That doesn't make it true.

So the fact that his numbers are much higher than they have been the last few years and the fact that he is reaching an age where most MLB players decline is pure speculation on my part?

[ChaosLex]

I don't always take this condescending tone with you. I actually VERY RARELY take a condescending tone with you. I take this condescending tone with you when you start posting things that make assumptions that you don't know to be true and cast aspersions on the organization that aren't deserved. I expect more from you than that. Some of these people I don't expect much from. I do from you.

BTW, it isn't personal. I think you're a helluva good guy.

You don't think MacPhail drags his feet at all? For the most part I like Andy, but he's not perfect. Heck, even bigbird says of him, "paper... plastic... paper... plastic... paper... plastic..."

BTW, I like you're a good guy too. Just very argumentative.

[Shopay]

No one really wanted Sherrill either. Most teams said they did, but no one came up with anything worthwhile from what I heard.

Thanks elsid. That should help some on this thread reconcile AM's lack of action the last few days, at least as it pertains to your brother.

[RShack]

So the fact that his numbers are much higher than they have been the last few years and the fact that he is reaching an age where most MLB players decline is pure speculation on my part?

No, what's pure speculation on your part is that those 2 things actually determine value.

They don't. Except on a message board.

Huff keeps hitting for the rest of the year, his value could be way, way higher than it is right now. Or not.

Same basic idea for Sherrill.

You act like there's some easy player-numbers-based formula for this. That just ain't so. It's a myth.

[24fps]

Well we won't have LaRoche to kick around here any more.:laughlol:

I'm reaching for the champagne as we speak....

Actually, I thought he was worth a low-price gamble - considerably less than what some folks were tossing around, though. Someone humorously suggested Bradford straight-up and I seriously think that would be about right. Anyway, we'll see.

The Dodgers spent not to play him. I'm curious about why.

[ChaosLex]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I think I'm taking a 2-month vacation from these boards when Teixeira hits free agency. :laughlol:

[Lucky Jim]

You don't think MacPhail drags his feet at all? For the most part I like Andy, but he's not perfect. Heck, even bigbird says of him, "paper... plastic... paper... plastic... paper... plastic..."

BTW, I like you're a good guy too. Just very argumentative.

Bigbird routinely harps on AM's "flaws." Not sure if the "even" is supposed to reference that as objective support, but he's far from objective.

[Old#5fan]

Who the hell cares?

The guys who preceeding him were pathetically bad...Are we supposed to pat him on the back for being better than the absolute worst?

Look, AM has this team going in the right direction, anyone denying that is a fool.

But many of you are happy with the couple of trades he did and are satisfied with just him doing that.

I don't think any of you realize how far away we are...I mean, in the time I have been on this website, every freakin year the same arguments are held...The only difference in the names on the jersey. And every year it is the same people saying the same things...We are close...Just sign this guy or that guy...Blah blah blah.

At some point, people are going to look up and say, my god we have had 15 straight losing seasons...What happened?

Wow, I have to sort of agree with you here. IMO the starting pitching other than Guthrie is light years away from even hope of developing into what this team has lacked for 10 years and that is enough solid starting pitching. McPhail has made zero strides in doing that so far and that is the biggest need bar none.

[Big Mac]

Wow, I have to sort of agree with you here. IMO the starting pitching other than Guthrie is light years away from even hope of developing into what this team has lacked for 10 years and that is enough solid starting pitching. McPhail has made zero strides in doing that so far and that is the biggest need bar none.

I really believe Garrett Olson is going to be a solid ML starter by next season.

[Three Run Homer]

If we weren't offered anything better than Emilio Bonifacio for Sherrill or Huff then AM did the right thing holding on to them. Sherrill may not be a great closer but at worst he'll be a valuable setup man for a few years. Huff is a legitimate power hitter and there's nothing wrong with winning some games the rest of this season and next season.

I'm disappointed that we weren't able to get someone like Ivan DeJesus to address our SS problem, but to be fair, the Pirates had to trade Jason Bay, who is a more valuable player than Huff, to get a package that to my eyes has just one really good prospect (Laroche)...the market just wasn't favoring sellers this year for whatever reason. Makes me all the happier we were able to get what we did for Bedard and Tejada.

[clapdiddy]

Wow, I have to sort of agree with you here. IMO the starting pitching other than Guthrie is light years away from even hope of developing into what this team has lacked for 10 years and that is enough solid starting pitching. McPhail has made zero strides in doing that so far and that is the biggest need bar none.

Uh-oh....SG and Oldfan agreeing on something. There's something in the air!

:mwahaha:

[Three Run Homer]

Wow, I have to sort of agree with you here. IMO the starting pitching other than Guthrie is light years away from even hope of developing into what this team has lacked for 10 years and that is enough solid starting pitching. McPhail has made zero strides in doing that so far and that is the biggest need bar none.

To be fair, MacPhail did approve the drafting of Matusz, when I and a lot of other folks on the board were screaming for Justin Smoak or another hitter. At the time of the Tejada trade, Troy Patton also looked like a good candidate for the rotation, and he may yet become one.

But I agree that the O's starting pitching is a long way from being competitive, and that it will take a lot of good luck on the injury and player development front to be able to address that weakness solely from within over the next 3-4 seasons.