A few tidbits.....

[SteveA]

C'mon bb, you don't fall for that stuff do you? He has played on really good teams. He got traded to the Red Sox mid-2004 and they won the WS with a ton of other great players.

Then he signed with the Angels, who had a ton of other great players.

Then this year he went to the White Sox, who had a bunch of other guys who had great years.

Look, at one point and time, I loved Orlando Cabrera. I thought he was one of the best defensive shortstops I'd ever seen and thought he was incredibly underrated.

However, at this point, I just can't see how it would benefit the O's to give him a 2 or 3 year deal, probably lose a pick, and watch him hit well-below average and regress back to being an average shortstop.

So if Orlando Cabrera is below your acceptable standard for a shorstop for us to acquire for next year.....we likely won't get anyone better. Are you ready for another year of Castro/Fahey/Hernandez?

I think as a 2 or 3 year stopgap so that we actually have a major league ballplayer at the shortstop position until we can develop one or come up with one any other way....Cabrera is very acceptable.

[YardBirds13]

So if Orlando Cabrera is below your acceptable standard for a shorstop for us to acquire for next year.....we likely won't get anyone better. Are you ready for another year of Castro/Fahey/Hernandez?

I think as a 2 or 3 year stopgap so that we actually have a major league ballplayer at the shortstop position until we can develop one or come up with one any other way....Cabrera is very acceptable.

No. We need to acquire a young shortstop with potential. Or, if you are going to spend money, at least do it on Rafael Furcal who still hits a little bit and is 3 years younger.

Cabrera hasn't has an OPS over .750 since 2005. This year it was at .710. His defense is already in decline, and we would be getting him for his 34, 35, and maybe age 36 years? He also made 9M dollars this year. No way he is taking a paycut to come here.

So basically, you want to pay Orlando Cabrera 10M dollars a year, for 3 or 4 years, to put up an OPS around .725 or so, and play defense that is nowhere near where it was 3 or 4 years ago?? No thanks.

[Crazysilver03]

Reference RPs, just plain idiotic to give out guaranteed (and likely multi-year) contracts to a couple of relievers this offseason. Adding relief pitchers should not be within the top 10 of offseason priorities.

Just for reference's sake, BB said they would acquire via trade, not sign to a contract.

[YardBirds13]

If he comes to Baltimore and their offseason answers are to add Byrd, Garland, a couple of FA relievers, and offer Teixeira a ridiculously low contract, then I'd be willing to bet that Cabrera's "history" of playing on winning teams will come to an abrupt halt.

That is the type of off-season that got us into this whole mess.

It's basically the anti-last years offseason, which was a step in the right direction.

Look I can stand getting Byrd if he is a cheap one year deal, maybe two. Garland is going to be too expensive for what he will give you. And my thoughts are clear on Cabrera.

The thought that they could get all three of them absolutely terrifies me. It makes me more afraid that the O's could consider that a successful off-season.

[WEAVERMAN]

If this is all true, then the bloom is definitely off the MacPhail rose for me.

Reference SPs, the problem with adding a Kyle Lohse (especially on a two-year deal) is that those kinds of pitchers don't normally work out, and when they do work out in year 1, the pitcher typically returns to his normal self after that. You also have to consider Duncan's history with turning around Lohse-type pitchers. If Kranitz had the same reputation I'd feel a lot better about it. I just hate the idea of going after back of the rotation, low-walk (and more than likely low-K) pitchers.

Reference RPs, just plain idiotic to give out guaranteed (and likely multi-year) contracts to a couple of relievers this offseason. Adding relief pitchers should not be within the top 10 of offseason priorities.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall so that I can see the dumbfounded look on the face of Boras and Teixeira when they receive that offer.

Reference SS, signing Cabrera to anything more than a one-year deal would be beyond idiotic. You don't think that maybe the reason Cabrera wins everywhere he goes is because he always ends up on good teams? If he comes to Baltimore and their offseason answers are to add Byrd, Garland, a couple of FA relievers, and offer Teixeira a ridiculously low contract, then I'd be willing to bet that Cabrera's "history" of playing on winning teams will come to an abrupt halt.

Great point regarding Lohse and starting pitchers of his ilk, 1970.

[Tank]

Thanks for the info BB.

[Tank]

So he did, I stand corrected.

For reference's sake, giving up actual talent for a couple of relievers may be an even worse idea than signing them as FAs - unless they're young and good. And if they're young, then the Orioles likely won't want to add them as they obviously no longer trust young relievers.

When I read BB's post, I was thinking we would look for some undervalued relievers that we like as throw ins. At least thats what I hope.

[YardBirds13]

I can probably live with Byrd for one year, but definitely no more. I've run his numbers, I fully expect him to post an ERA in the high 4's next year if he pitches for the Orioles, unless they improve their infield defense a heckuva lot.

Yeah, I mean Byrd isn't a guy I want, but on a one-year deal as a stop-gap, just to get through some innings early next year until the young guys can get a shot, wouldn't be bad at all for me.

Garland would be awful though, because I would assume he would get a 3 or 4 year deal.

[YardBirds13]

Either way, I will still ask the same question - why?

The only relievers they should be looking to add should be those with options, so that they can at least stash them in AAA.

I stick by my statement that looking to add relievers shouldn't be high on the list of priorities.

I agree.

To me, the bullpen should actually be a strength next season.

With Sherrill and Johnson at the back end, hopefully Ray is back to full strength as well. Albers, if healthy, was great in the middle relief role. I still think Sarfate can be a good guy there as well, and you have guys like Bierd, Mickolio, Miller etc who can fill in.

Not to mention Liz (who I think ends up in the pen), and Baez (who knows what to expect from him) and you really have a ton of arms out there. I'm surprised that's something that they would be targeting.

[Tank]

Yeah, the bullpen shouldn't be a priority.

[ChaosLex]

If that is all they will offer for Tex, they should just not offer anything...What a complete joke of an offer.

I would have to agree. If this is what MacPhail offers for Tex, I'll legitimately wonder if he's the right man for the job.

[Tank]

I would have to agree. If this is what MacPhail offers for Tex, I'll legitimately wonder if he's the right man for the job.

Could be MacPhail wouldn't usually go after Tex, but he has orders to at least make an offer to look good to the fanbase.

[Sports Guy]

I agree with 1970...This sounds like a poor plan..for the most part.

[YardBirds13]

Could be MacPhail wouldn't usually go after Tex, but he has orders to at least make an offer to look good to the fanbase.

If the offer is where bb mentions his guy says it might be, it shouldn't look good to the fanbase. The fanbase should be embarrassed their team's front office thinks that is an acceptable offer.

[Tank]

If the offer is where bb mentions his guy says it might be, it shouldn't look good to the fanbase. The fanbase should be embarrassed their team's front office thinks that is an acceptable offer.

Just throwing it out there. We've seen it before.