Which free agent would you spend alot of money on this offseason?

[AZRon]

I pursue only the following types of free agents:

A: Multi-year contracts

1) Probable HOF'ers only --

if pitchers, must be starters and on their first free agency

if position players, should be on their first free agency and, if not, must certainly have a couple of years of juice left

No Konerko's, Soriano's, or Carlos Lee's; ARod and Ichiro are OK

will take a risk on a probable HOF'er returning after missing extended time because of injury if that player is no older than just past "prime age" and meets the low cost/high risk profile

2) Former All-Star, in prime years, returning after missing extended time because of injury if that player meets the low cost/high risk profile

No Payton's or Huff's

B: Single-year contracts with or without club option year(s)

I pursue these players only if:

they have played, at least, at All-Star level within the past two years

and they play a position for which we have no returning MLB player who has proven to be an above average performer at that position

and we have no worthy prospect at AA or AAA

[Leitch]

I pursue only the following types of free agents:

A: Multi-year contracts

1) Probable HOF'ers only --

if pitchers, must be starters and on their first free agency

if position players, should be on their first free agency and, if not, must certainly have a couple of years of juice left

No Konerko's, Soriano's, or Carlos Lee's; ARod and Ichiro are OK

will take a risk on a probable HOF'er returning after missing extended time because of injury if that player is no older than just past "prime age" and meets the low cost/high risk profile

2) Former All-Star, in prime years, returning after missing extended time because of injury if that player meets the low cost/high risk profile

No Payton's or Huff's

B: Single-year contracts with or without club option year(s)

I pursue these players only if:

they have played, at least, at All-Star level within the past two years

and they play a position for which we have no returning MLB player who has proven to be an above average performer at that position

and we have no worthy prospect at AA or AAA

So, basically, no free agents.

[Dipper9]

He doesn't average 40/120 in the prime of his career w/the Yankees albeit it's close. It's asking a bit much to think he'd average anywhere near that from age 33-43. He'll be a damn good player for a while but I'll pass if it means paying him $20+m into his 40s.

You don't want Teixiera. You don't want A-Rod. Just out of curiosity, who DO you want to help the Birds?

[geschinger]

You don't want Teixiera. You don't want A-Rod. Just out of curiosity, who DO you want to help the Birds?

I'd make a run at Tex in free agency but for the most part my philosophy would be to avoid free agency - it is just about the worst way to try and build a winner. If we were a 90 win team and adding a big free agent away from being a legitimate playoff team it would be different. I think trying to bring high ceiling *young* talent is the key to the Orioles getting back to being a consistent winner. I don't think we can get there committing big money to players near the end of their peak years.

[rolliefingers]

I'd make a run at Tex in free agency but for the most part my philosophy would be to avoid free agency - it is just about the worst way to try and build a winner. If we were a 90 win team and adding a big free agent away from being a legitimate playoff team it would be different. I think trying to bring high ceiling *young* talent is the key to the Orioles getting back to being a consistent winner. I don't think we can get there committing big money to players near the end of their peak years.

Well, sure. But aside from drafting well (and possibly maybe perhaps tanking it a little next year to finally get a #1 pick), what do you suggest? We don't have an awful lot to trade.

[geschinger]

Well, sure. But aside from drafting well (and possibly maybe perhaps tanking it a little next year to finally get a #1 pick), what do you suggest? We don't have an awful lot to trade.

There are some marketable pieces. Explore what kind of package one can get for Roberts / Bedard / Tejada etc... At the deadline see if we can get something from a team in need of a reliever like a Walker. If that doesn't work, explore working the system by trying to acquire players in the final year of their contracts and speed up the development of the system by giving Jordan a handful of extra picks instead of setting the system back by taking picks away from him. It's definately not an overnight fix but I think we're dreaming if we think this team is one or two free agents away from being a contender.

[rolliefingers]

There are some marketable pieces. Explore what kind of package one can get for Roberts / Bedard / Tejada etc... At the deadline see if we can get something from a team in need of a reliever like a Walker. If that doesn't work, explore working the system by trying to acquire players in the final year of their contracts and speed up the development of the system by giving Jordan a handful of extra picks instead of setting the system back by taking picks away from him. It's definately not an overnight fix but I think we're dreaming if we think this team is one or two free agents away from being a contender.

I agree with you that that's a better way to go in the long term, but that's going to take a good four years to bear fruit.

[geschinger]

I agree with you that that's a better way to go in the long term, but that's going to take a good four years to bear fruit.

I don't know that it would take 4 years but it definately would take more time. If the goal is to reach the post season, I'm not sure adding a big name free agent or two will ever bear fruit. We are too far away with a roster too full of players at or near the downside of their careers.

[AZRon]

So, basically, no free agents.

.... ARod and Ichiro are OK ....

I'd have pursued ARod on his first free agency also

I have no philosophical preference for or bias against free agents

I believe that, unless you can afford to eat any and all of your big $ mistakes (ala George Steinbrenner), you have to play the game by my suggested rules

Do you believe otherwise?

[Chollie Eckman]

My guess would be that in a single year, ARod alone might boost attendance by a couple thousand per game, tops.

10,000 is like 4 or 5 times too high an estimate.

Now over many years of continued winning, I could see a more dramatic uptick in attendance, but even then only a fraction would be attributable to ARod.

FWIW, here's what attendance in Arlington did; ARod years in bold:

1999 2,774,501

2000 2,800,147

2001 2,831,021

2002 2,352,397

2003 2,094,394

2004 2,513,685

2005 2,486,925

Basically no change the year he came, then a gradual decline while he was there, followed by an uptick the year after he left.

There is a lot more room for an increase in attendance HERE than there. 2500x81 games is a 202,500 increase. Is that all you think attendance would increase?

[rolliefingers]

There is a lot more room for an increase in attendance HERE than there. 2500x81 games is a 202,500 increase. Is that all you think attendance would increase?

But they didn't sell out there. Why would they here?

[Chollie Eckman]

But they didn't sell out there. Why would they here?

I'm not saying that they would sell out. I am saying that team would be better and in a baseball contender starved city the attendance figures would rise more than 200k over a season. I think Dave (just guessing) thinks the team would be more of the same (ie. under .500). I don't.

I would hazzard a guess that most posters would go to a lot more games if they were winning regularly than they do now.

[eddie83]

But they didn't sell out there. Why would they here?

I have no idea if it would be 10,000 a game but it would be more of a benefit than a couple of thousand. First off Texas, (Dallas, Ft Worth area) isn't as good of a baseball town as Baltimore.They don't have anything close to the history we do. In Texas not only are the Cowboys big but so is high school football and without question college football. In Dallas they also have the Stars in the NHL, and the Mavericks in the NBA who both had very good teams while Arod was there. Other than the Ravens who own the town right now what else is there in sports that people care about? The Terps are popular but College Park is a DC suburb. I think Arod coming here would be a huge deal and keep in mind MASN's TV ratings would be much higher with a player of Arod's quality which in turn would equal more money. I think it would have a huge impact.

[isestrex]

I see no reason to invest heavily in a CF. I think the only reason everyone is so eager to pounce on that position this off season is because the market seems to yield an unusual amount this year. Andruw Jones will not help the Birds. Ichrio alone, will not help the birds. Torri Hunter might help a little bit but all this is beside the point. Sign Patterson for cheap, bat him ninth, train Markakis to one day take over in the distant future. There. A cheap easy way to solve CF.

Now moving on....

A-Rod and Tex???

Has everyone taken optimism pills? How about unrealistic juice? If this team kept Tejada, Roberts and Bedard and then added Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira this team would be unstoppable. We would sell out every game (I would buy season tickets for sure) and finishing .500 would be horrible disappointment.

MacPhail is not this type of GM. It won't happen.

[wildcard]

After looking over the FA market and realizing that it is likely to be crazy again and, most if not all, of the FA are flawed, I would:

1) Seriously try to trade for Teixiera. Hopefully that can happen without trading Bedard or Guthrie.

2) Try trade for Murton or sign Byrnes for LF.

3) Go after Rowand for center on a short term contract. 2yrs and an option.

4) I think Hunter is going to get too much money and he is likely to return about a 800 OPS. That is not worth $12-15M

5) Jones with the year he is having and the conditioning problems that have been discussed just does not sound very good.

Cameron and Dye are too old to build around. Dye may not want to play left.

The Reds would have to crazy to let Dunn walk and he would be really bad in left. He is another DH and who knows if he can sit and hit. It is a pretty hard thing to do.

I would really like to see the O's move Payton and Millar at the trade deadline. They can probably get something decent back. If they can't they stay.

Huff and Gibbons probably are not going anywhere because of their contracts.

I think Mora is on the verge of redeeming himself. At least that is what I hope. He is at 790 OPS and climbing.

I would not trade Miggy unless I am knocked over by an offer which is not likely. Miggy and Tex back to back in the heart of an order would be tough. Add Roberts and Markakis and the O's really have something.

Can it be done? I don't know. Boras is tough. Texas will want some pitching the O's don't want to give. Its a hard one.