Waiving/non-tendering Villar: pro or con?

[weams]

2 hours ago, theocean said:

I agree with you - the goal is to create a system that can sustain a winner over a long period of time. I think the Orioles really should be looking at the Cardinals as a franchise to emulate, given they have similar markets.

But, I really disagree with what I bolded. 1998-2011 was so terrible because the front office was poorly managed and just straight up made terrible decisions. There aren't only two alternatives here: either tank or sign the 2020 version of Jay Payton.

Free Agency is really advantageous to teams right now. There's no reason why the O's can't spend a relatively small amount of money to make the team much better - and then also have new assets to trade for prospects. That's something I think Elias should be doing, instead of throwing away $800,000 at the Nate Karns of the world.

The Orioles are not interested in supplying a mediocre team on the field at a cost this season. They are looking to cut all costs. The Orioles were never taxpayer funded. And Stadiums can be leased to the highest bidders. I am sure the Orioles will pay more in the next negotiation with the stadium authority. 

[Enjoy Terror]

27 minutes ago, theocean said:

To start, teams play in taxpayer funded stadiums. Minute Maid Park specially was built with $180M in public funds, which was 68% of the total cost. So, no, it's not like a typical corporation. There's an expectation that a baseball team holds up to their side of the bargain. There's an expectation that the team is supposed to provide an economic stimulus in return for that taxpayer money. 

They do. They drive people downtown to the city that they made a tacit agreement with.  They fill parking lots, restaurants, buses and taxis, hotels, bars, all of it. The quid pro quo is that Luhnow keeps the team in Houston and the city provides the stadium. There's no agreement or "expectation" that all profit is re-invested for "economic stimulus".

Zero. None.  You are mistaken. Business venture, not a charity.

[linedrive]

Very disappointed with this move. We can't keep our best player because he's too expensive, and we can't get rid of our worst player because he's too expensive... 

Sure, Villar has his faults, but he was exciting to watch, and it seemed like he wanted to stay. I guess this is another reason why they cancelled FanFest. They knew moves like this would deflate fan excitement. 

[weams]

6 minutes ago, linedrive said:

I guess this is another reason why they cancelled FanFest. They knew moves like this would deflate fan excitement. 

I had suggested this at the time. Half measures availed us nothing. 

[weams]

Wait until they trade Trey after the tailgate. 

[bobmc]

Just now, weams said:

Wait until they trade Trey after the tailgate. 

LOL - I was thinking the same thing.  If they go nuts over a "rental" like JV, what will Trey's loss mean?  

[weams]

1 minute ago, bobmc said:

LOL - I was thinking the same thing.  If they go nuts over a "rental" like JV, what will Trey's loss mean?  

What if we don't get two top 100's!

[Legend_Of_Joey]

4 minutes ago, weams said:

Wait until they trade Trey after the tailgate. 

 

1 minute ago, bobmc said:

LOL - I was thinking the same thing.  If they go nuts over a "rental" like JV, what will Trey's loss mean?  

Tony really might have to shut the site down for a bit if that happens and Elias might want to just teleconference to the fans.

[bobmc]

1 minute ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

 

Tony really might have to shut the site down for a bit if that happens and Elias might want to just teleconference to the fans.

I hope that @Tony-OH is still enjoying his margaritas at Siesta Key.  

[El Gordo]

On 11/27/2019 at 9:16 PM, Philip said:

I’m a bit unclear on the motive. Ten million isn’t nothing, but the difference between what it and what the Orioles were willing to pay can’t any be any more than the guaranteed 3 mill they gave Chris Tillman to throw 30+ embarrassing innings.

On the other hand, it’s quite clear that no one else wanted him under the same financial constraints, so it’s obvious that the team is correct. Villar ISNT worth ten million. Else someone would give it to him. The waiver gamble, as I understand it, is that a team WILL give it to him, because claiming him off waivers means they claim the arbitration obligations too, right?(if that’s NOT right please LMK.)

So, Occam’s Razor says they are hoping to resign him at a much lower wage, because letting him go for nothing to save a couple mill is illogical. But they are willing to risk losing him completely and this move makes it clear to his agent how the wind blows.

I’m pretty sure Elias laid some ground rules when he took the job and being cheap just to be cheap is one of his dealbreakers.

So I’m willing to wait and see what happens.

BTW this probably guarantees an infielder Rule 5 pick 

This makes some sense too me.

[gtown]

4 hours ago, Enjoy Terror said:

Uh it’s profit. Why do they need to spend all the money they’ve saved?

I think that is my (and others') point. The money they would save on Villar is profit. It's not being re-allocated to help the team, nor will it be spent later when they are competitive.

I don't think it's too much to ask to get something in return for a quality player currently in his prime.

[weams]

4 minutes ago, gtown said:

I don't think it's too much to ask to get something in return for a quality player currently in his prime.

The league evidently thinks he is not in his 10.4 million dollar prime. 

[gtown]

Just now, weams said:

The league evidently thinks he is not in his 10.4 million dollar prime. 

Which is why you trade him at the deadline and not in the offseason when teams have other potential options at 2B.

[weams]

1 minute ago, gtown said:

Which is why you trade him at the deadline and not in the offseason when teams have other potential options at 2B.

Which deadline. Next year? What if he is bad or injured? 

[gtown]

Just now, weams said:

Which deadline. Next year? What if he is bad or injured? 

So the worst case scenario--getting nothing--is exactly the same as losing him for nothing now.