Can Mike Elias be as creative as Dan Duquette was in the 2011-2012 off season?

[wildcard]

In 2011 the O's won 69 games.  That off season they hired Dan Duquette.   In 2012 they won 93 games. Here are the moves made in that off season.

Signed 26 year  old Wei-Yin Chen 3/11.3m (from the Japanese League). In 2012 he went 12-11 with a 4.02 ERA

Signed 27 year old Miguel Gonzalez  out of the Mexico winter league after he went 5-0 with the 2.53 ERA.  He was a 6 year minor league FA out of the Red Sox system.  Paid the major league minimum.  In 2012 he went 9-4 with a 3.25 ERA.

Signed  FA 34 year old reliever Luis Ayala for 825K. In 2012 he went 5-5 with a 2.64 ERA.

Traded 33 year old Jeremy Guthrie (8.2M in 2012) for 29 year old .Jason Hammel (4.75M in 2012) and 32 year old Matt Lindstrom(3.6M in 2012).

Waiver Claim 29 year  reliever Darren O'Day (1.35M) Actually claimed by Showalter before Dan was hired.   Went 7-1, 2.28 ERA.

Sign FA 30 year old  3B Wilson Betemit (1M)  744 OPS in 2012

None of these are big financial commitments but they addressed the needs.  If Mike Elias could make these kind of moves for a SP, 2 RP,  one or two IF and a BUC the O's off season could be very successful.

 

 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Key question being are there pitchers playing overseas that have the potential to replicate or come close to what Miguel Gonzalez and Wei-Yin Chen did in 2012.

I don't see the Orioles of 2022 making the leap, but this would be a good offseason to start bring in some players that could contribute in 2023-25. It's going to take a couple years to bring in the players needed to move the Orioles from an AAAA roster to a winning MLB team. 

[wildcard]

18 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Key question being are there pitchers playing overseas that have the potential to replicate or come close to what Miguel Gonzalez and Wei-Yin Chen did in 2012.

I don't see the Orioles of 2022 making the leap, but this would be a good offseason to start bring in some players that could contribute in 2023-25. It's going to take a couple years to bring in the players needed to move the Orioles from an AAAA roster to a winning MLB team. 

Dan did not kick the ball down the road for two or three years.  He made moves to win  in his first year.   Elias will have two of the better starters in the league in Means and Grayson.  He has a bunch of 4 and 5 starting candidates.   He has outfielders, a catcher, a 1B and a DH.   He needs to supplement the IF and the relievers.  

If he is as creative as Dan he can make moves to get the team to make a big jump in 2022.   Will he?

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

2 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Dan did not kick the ball down the road for two or three years.  He made moves to win  in his first year.   Elias will have two of the better starters in the league in Means and Grayson.  He has a bunch of 4 and 5 starting candidates.   He has outfielders, a catcher, a 1B and a DH.   He needs to supplement the IF and the relievers.  

If he is as creative as Dan he can make moves to get the team to make a big jump in 2022.   Will he?

Have there been any hints that ownership will allow Elias to spend money on upgrading the roster? The Orioles have the potential to be decent in the next couple years, but it's going to require bringing in players from outside the organization. 

[Can_of_corn]

7 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Dan did not kick the ball down the road for two or three years.  He made moves to win  in his first year.   Elias will have two of the better starters in the league in Means and Grayson.  He has a bunch of 4 and 5 starting candidates.   He has outfielders, a catcher, a 1B and a DH.   He needs to supplement the IF and the relievers.  

If he is as creative as Dan he can make moves to get the team to make a big jump in 2022.   Will he?

Between service clock manipulation and a usage cap I wouldn't expect Grayson to make a huge impact in 2022.

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Have there been any hints that ownership will allow Elias to spend money on upgrading the roster? The Orioles have the potential to be decent in the next couple years, but it's going to require bringing in players from outside the organization. 

Elias has stated that the resources will be there when the time comes.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

Elias has stated that the resources will be there when the time comes.

I recall that, but I will believe it when I see it. 

[wildcard]

26 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Have there been any hints that ownership will allow Elias to spend money on upgrading the roster? The Orioles have the potential to be decent in the next couple years, but it's going to require bringing in players from outside the organization. 

Look at the moves Dan made in the OP.   They are not expensive.  Budget is not the issue.

[AnythingO's]

I think he potentially "can" but I believe the question you are really asking is "will" he be as creative. Is he ready to move forward with FA acquisitions in 2022? That is the big?????

[Aglets]

Looks like the Orioles 2012 payroll was over $80M.  Inflation issues notwithstanding..... in 2021 our payroll was like $45M to 50M.

Do you expect our payroll to basically double next year?

I do not.

It would be a surprise to me if it breaks 65M.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Aglets said:

Looks like the Orioles 2012 payroll was over $80M.  Inflation issues notwithstanding..... in 2021 our payroll was like $45M.

Do you expect our payroll to basically double next year?

I do not.

It would be a surprise to me if it breaks 65M.

It might decrease.

[Aristotelian]

Pretty tough. I don't think DD could replicate that haul more than once or twice per 100 offseasons, although Nelson Cruz for $8M in 2014 was also a stroke of genius.

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Pretty tough. I don't think DD could replicate that haul more than once or twice per 100 offseasons, although Nelson Cruz for $8M in 2014 was also a stroke of genius.

Cruz also cost a draft pick.

[glenn__davis]

13 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Pretty tough. I don't think DD could replicate that haul more than once or twice per 100 offseasons, although Nelson Cruz for $8M in 2014 was also a stroke of genius.

Right.  I'm not a Duquette-basher but it takes a significant amount of good fortune to have that type of offseason where he hit on almost everything.  

[fitzi22]

Can he, yes. Will he, no.  I don’t think he even wants to yet.  Maybe next offseason when we have a better idea of what we have in terms of prospects.  Elias has shown a nice ability to get quality prospects in return with the few trades has done.  I have always said that the Orioles will officially switch into a competitive gear when Elias starts trading some young talent away.  Until then we are non competitive for the most part and need to enjoy the very small victories we get throughout the year.  I expect this off-season to be no different than the last few.  The waiting game continues.  Think of the high draft picks and enjoy the milb box scores for another year.

Edited November 5, 2021 by fitzi22