Mike Elias On the Verge

[wildcard]

Good interview with Mike.  Covers a lot  of ground.  Here is a very condensed  version of some of the questions and answers but there is much, much more detail and questions in the video at the bottom.

Question:  How do you balance signing veterans vs  prospects?

Mike:  Our priority has been to build up the talent in the organization.   One of the ways to do that is through waiver claims like Mateo and Cole Sulser. We have to leave room on the 26 and 40 man rosters to give those players playing time to see whether they can help.  We have limited resources and had to spend on infrastructure, expanding personnel and significant draft pools. We have kept the priorities were they need to be which is laying the foundation for the next 20 years and getting as much future value into our farm system as possible. We will continue to balance forever in that we are never going to mortgage the future. Never going to go all in totally on the present or the future ever again.   Its shown to be possible in Cleveland, the Brewers, Rays and the Astros.

Question:  How will we know when its time to flip the switch and spend?

Mike:  I think this year is going to be a big step towards that.   We will see how Cedric, Hays, Mountcastle  and Santander progress. Additionally we hope to graduate 5 of out top 10 prospects.  Once we have the internal evaluation that our playoff odds are escalating we will place our chips on that because we want to get to the playoff as soon as possible.

Question:  Do you see the O's trading prospects at some point?

Mike:  Yes, I do.   The way the Rule 5 Draft is set up we can't keep all these guys.  I can see a time when we package two or three of these prospects for a starting pitcher.

Question:  We have seen players like Gunnar and Westburg moved up a level late in the season.  Is that deliberate and will we see it in the future.

Mike:  Yes. we like to move guys that have earned it up to next level late in the season because it gives them a taste of what they will be seeing the next season.  I think our promotion strategy is conservative on the front end but when someone is doing well at a level we want to get them out of there.  We are slow to take risks but  we want to keep them challenged.

Question:   What do you think of the up coming draft?

Mike: We feel good about it.  Its a really deep draft at the front end for position players. This is going to be one of the biggest drafts in Orioles history. 

 

 

[Sports Guy]

I appreciate that Bob asked the question about not spending now but the answer was bs and would have loved to have heard a follow up to it.

[Moose Milligan]

I kind of want to listen/watch but at the same time he's the master of saying everything while giving away nothing.  And that's fine, I mean he's not about to blather state secrets to three guys in their respective basements.  

I appreciate the condensed version, @wildcard

[oldfan]

After Adley, Bradish, GRod and Hall, who do you think is the 5th prospect Elias thinks could be brought up? At the time he might have figured Westburg.

[NelsonCruuuuuz]

Love this:

Mike:  Yes, I do.   The way the Rule 5 Draft is set up we can't keep all these guys.  I can see a time when we package two or three of these prospects for a starting pitcher.
 

Strongly dislike draft comments, take Jones.

[wildcard]

6 hours ago, oldfan said:

After Adley, Bradish, GRod and Hall, who do you think is the 5th prospect Elias thinks could be brought up? At the time he might have figured Westburg.

Maybe Stowers  since he spent time in AAA in 2021.

[Jagwar]

8 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

I appreciate that Bob asked the question about not spending now but the answer was bs and would have loved to have heard a follow up to it.

What follow up question would you have wanted asked?

[sportsfan8703]

45 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Maybe Stowers  since he spent time in AAA in 2021.

I’m thinking Stowers is up after the trade deadline. So if he’s saying 5 of our top 10 will graduate, that would be AR, GR, Stowers, Bradish, and one of Hall/Vavra. 
 

The 40 man has a lot of players that could easily be DFAd after this season. We’re not in a crunch at the moment. 
 

This recent stretch has shown me we’re a year behind where I thought we would be. Especially with the Means injury. Our best case scenario now is to hope that Mancini, Santander, and Lyles, are all playing really well and bring back some unexpectedly good returns. 

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, Jagwar said:

What follow up question would you have wanted asked?

Something along the lines of, the team recent spent 170M on the ML payroll and did have some money into the other aspects of things (albeit not as much as we do now), so why not spend more on the ML product when the team has shown they can?

His answer was that they treating everything as one budget.  Payroll, international signings, technology, the DR complex, etc…that’s bullish!t to begin with but let’s even say go with that nonsense.  Those things only cost so much money.  It’s not like you are paying scouts millions of dollars.  You aren’t spend anything close to that 170M level when your team payroll is and has been next to nothing.

So they are definitely leaving a lot of money on the table and they definitely can spend more.  I would have liked to have seen that point pressed.

I think the interview was fine and I know those guys are excited to get it and rightfully so.  But it was a lot of ass kissing and softball type questions.  They aren’t going to press him because they want him and others on again and I get that.  It makes sense but still, I would have liked to have seen a little more there on that aspect of things.

[sportsfan8703]

Mike Elias is on the verge… of making a move, getting a raise, gauging interest for a sell off, laughing in our faces?  What’s he on the verge of?

Edited May 16, 2022 by sportsfan8703

[Jammer7]

7 hours ago, NelsonCruuuuuz said:

Love this:

Mike:  Yes, I do.   The way the Rule 5 Draft is set up we can't keep all these guys.  I can see a time when we package two or three of these prospects for a starting pitcher.
 

Strongly dislike draft comments, take Jones.

Two months before the draft, what did you expect him to say? Things can change very quickly. Major injuries, circumstances off the field, pop up players, etc… can all happen. What if Jones suddenly comes down with, say Myocarditis before the draft? Do you advocate taking him #1 if you think he’ll miss a year, or maybe never play again? 

Look, there is absolutely no reason to say what you are going to do right now, if they actually even know yet. Bargaining position for Jones would only be strengthened if you go out and tell the world that you are taking him.

We, as fans, want to know everything. Some think we are entitled to it. We are not. GM’s are well paid to tell us almost nothing, until something actually happens. There are very good reasons for it. 

[Jammer7]

21 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Something along the lines of, the team recent spent 170M on the ML payroll and did have some money into the other aspects of things (albeit not as much as we do now), so why not spend more on the ML product when the team has shown they can?

His answer was that they treating everything as one budget.  Payroll, international signings, technology, the DR complex, etc…that’s bullish!t to begin with but let’s even say go with that nonsense.  Those things only cost so much money.  It’s not like you are paying scouts millions of dollars.  You aren’t spend anything close to that 170M level when your team payroll is and has been next to nothing.

So they are definitely leaving a lot of money on the table and they definitely can spend more.  I would have liked to have seen that point pressed.

I think the interview was fine and I know those guys are excited to get it and rightfully so.  But it was a lot of ass kissing and softball type questions.  They aren’t going to press him because they want him and others on again and I get that.  It makes sense but still, I would have liked to have seen a little more there on that aspect of things.

The reason DD spent the money you mentioned was because they were in a competitive cycle. They robbed the entire organization of assets to support the ML team. Thus, the mess that Elias inherited and the awful teams we have had to endure.

Budgets have a lot more to them than what you make it sound like. For instance, what does it cost to provide housing for all minor league players? Maybe around $2-3 million for the season? Picking high in the draft and extra picks have this draft budget at what, $17 million? These things add up. 

He could have spent a bit more, sure. That is not the model they developed. They stuck to their plan, and it looks like we are just about to come out of those dark days. A few recent injuries and the lineup is awful again. But the Orioles are not cellar dwellers anymore. Not contenders, lol, but not at the bottom either. 

[Sports Guy]

15 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

The reason DD spent the money you mentioned was because they were in a competitive cycle. They robbed the entire organization of assets to support the ML team. Thus, the mess that Elias inherited and the awful teams we have had to endure.

Budgets have a lot more to them than what you make it sound like. For instance, what does it cost to provide housing for all minor league players? Maybe around $2-3 million for the season? Picking high in the draft and extra picks have this draft budget at what, $17 million? These things add up. 

He could have spent a bit more, sure. That is not the model they developed. They stuck to their plan, and it looks like we are just about to come out of those dark days. A few recent injuries and the lineup is awful again. But the Orioles are not cellar dwellers anymore. Not contenders, lol, but not at the bottom either. 

The team makes plenty of money.  Even if you want to argue that operating business expenses are all under one umbrella, which I don’t think they have ever done before and I question whether other teams do, they still have spent that money in the past.

The new money is more in the analytics, scouting, tech and international side of things..that’s not $100+M.  That’s the “cheap stuff”.

The Orioles are simply not spending more because ownership doesn’t want to.  They can dress it up, put a fancy rebuilding title on it and sell the fans on the overall plan but the bottom line is that ownership is choosing to be cheap with the ML product.

[sportsfan8703]

14 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

The reason DD spent the money you mentioned was because they were in a competitive cycle. They robbed the entire organization of assets to support the ML team. Thus, the mess that Elias inherited and the awful teams we have had to endure.

Budgets have a lot more to them than what you make it sound like. For instance, what does it cost to provide housing for all minor league players? Maybe around $2-3 million for the season? Picking high in the draft and extra picks have this draft budget at what, $17 million? These things add up. 

He could have spent a bit more, sure. That is not the model they developed. They stuck to their plan, and it looks like we are just about to come out of those dark days. A few recent injuries and the lineup is awful again. But the Orioles are not cellar dwellers anymore. Not contenders, lol, but not at the bottom either. 

I believe Hall, GR, and Stowers were all drafted by DD. So were Mountcastle, Hays, Mullins, Mancini, and Means. Santander in the rule 5. Etc….

Who has Elias really added with all the top picks?  AR, Gunnar, Mayo, Kjerstad, and Westburg. 

Pretty sure DD would’ve drafted AR or Witt. 

[wildcard]

19 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

I believe Hall, GR, and Stowers were all drafted by DD. So were Mountcastle, Hays, Mullins, Mancini, and Means. Santander in the rule 5. Etc….

Who has Elias really added with all the top picks?  AR, Gunnar, Mayo, Kjerstad, and Westburg. 

Pretty sure DD would’ve drafted AR or Witt. 

Elias drafted Stowers.