MacPhail: Savior or not?

[Lucky Jim]

I remember reading somewhere that Angelos had to come in and offer an extra million to get the deal done. I think AM was stuck at 5, and Angelos made it 6 at the final hour.

Eh. That's no big deal - in fact, it could've just been a show. I don't think that million would have been the difference.

[TJ Wrangler]

Eh. That's no big deal - in fact, it could've just been a show. I don't think that million would have been the difference.

Regardless, he's been worth the investment so far. I like the idea of having a potential best catcher ever.

[geschinger]

I believe Angelos had to overstep him to get the deal done. I can't complain on that one though.

That is contradictory to what I've read about the signing. I thought in the end it was handled beautifully... There was zero chance when push came to shove that Boras was going to turn down a signing bonus that high for a catcher. I do think it's possible we might have even signed if for a little less if we played hardball.

This is a very good point. Now, in the context of TBOPACY's post, we can see how this is shaping up.

AM knows he's not a 200MPH guy. But rebuilding the organization isn't a 200MPH job. It's a methodical one. So, it makes sense that AM thinks his job here is one that is relatively short-term. When the organization is rebuilt, and it comes time to make quicker decisions, he'll be ready to hand over an organization that is efficient, risk-diversified, and capable of sustaining in the long-term.

I don't think baseball is ever a 200 MPH job. I agree that he's probably a short-termer but I don't think we ever need to get away from a methodical approach. That kind of approach will serve this organization well even if it doesn't make it the most exciting offseason club for fans to follow.

[Sports Guy]

I think this is right, to a point. I have little fault with his moves so far, and thus think there's positive evidence.

Being a savior isn't AM's M.O.

Why do you think AM said this offseason that not getting Tex will hurt them(paraphrasing the exact quote)?

He said it because he knows that getting Tex is the quickest way for them to contend quickly. That should be obvious.

Otherwise, we are going to have to hope that AM can make several moves to put us into contention...There is no reason, at this point, to think he is going to get sveral moves done.

I mean, look at the pitching he is targeting..Outside of Kawakami, there is nothing but garbage, yet he is pursuing it. That's not good decision making.

Everybody is ready to bow to AM's greatness if we get Tex but at the end of the day, he may have very little to do with it.

[Lucky Jim]

That is contradictory to what I've read about the signing. I thought in the end it was handled beautifully... There was zero chance when push came to shove that Boras was going to turn down a signing bonus that high for a catcher. I do think it's possible we might have even signed if for a little less if we played hardball.

I don't think baseball is ever a 200 MPH job. I agree that he's probably a short-termer but I don't think we ever need to get away from a methodical approach. That kind of approach will serve this organization well even if it doesn't make it the most exciting offseason club for fans to follow.

I think the key is being able to delegate responsibility enough that you can get a number of small things done while maintaining focus on the high profile ones.

This offseason, they've seemed to do that pretty well. The Teix stuff really hasn't stopped them from getting all sorts of peripheral things accomplished.

But saying that Bedard/Tejada/Tex should go faster isn't right, I agree. The only real issue is Roberts: we just don't know what happened. But Roberts is a strange case. Let's hope he remains anomalous.

[TakebackOPACY]

I believe Angelos had to overstep him to get the deal done. I can't complain on that one though.

I'm doubtful about that, due to the final numbers. And, frankly, being able to walk away is the only way to negotiate. If the other side doesn't think you can, then you've already lost.

We had all the leverage with Wieters in that situation - there was no way he was going back to college with that kind of money on the table.

Yup, the reports (if you believe them) were that the O's were at $6m and Boras was still closer to the original $10m he sought. The O's thought they were going to lose him, but didn't go up any more. Boras called at 11:40pm, facing a midnight deadline, to accept the $6m deal.

[TJ Wrangler]

Everybody is ready to bow to AM's greatness if we get Tex but at the end of the day, he may have very little to do with it.

From what I've heard, he is more of a detriment to getting Tex than an asset.

[Lucky Jim]

Why do you think AM said this offseason that not getting Tex will hurt them(paraphrasing the exact quote)?

He said it because he knows that getting Tex is the quickest way for them to contend quickly. That should be obvious.

Otherwise, we are going to have to hope that AM can make several moves to put us into contention...There is no reason, at this point, to think he is going to get sveral moves done.

I mean, look at the pitching he is targeting..Outside of Kawakami, there is nothing but garbage, yet he is pursuing it. That's not good decision making.

Everybody is ready to bow to AM's greatness if we get Tex but at the end of the day, he may have very little to do with it.

Frankly, I don't know what he's targeted and what he's done. I also don't know to what extent his behavior is strategic.

He hasn't made a "bad decision" by "pursuing" anything if he's just talking about potential terms with a handful of folks.

When he signs them to a bad deal, he's made a bad decision.

[Lucky Jim]

From what I've heard, he is more of a detriment to getting Tex than an asset.

Well, that's hardly surprising from your source.

[Shopay]

I'm doubtful about that, due to the final numbers. And, frankly, being able to walk away is the only way to negotiate. If the other side doesn't think you can, then you've already lost.

We had all the leverage with Wieters in that situation - there was no way he was going back to college with that kind of money on the table.

Absolutely Jim. IMO, the Wieters negotiations were handled very well by the O's. Boras was going to wait to the last minute regardless of how much money the O's had on the table. That's how Boras works -- loot at the Tex mess right now.

[Sports Guy]

Frankly, I don't know what he's targeted and what he's done. I also don't know to what extent his behavior is strategic.

He hasn't made a "bad decision" by "pursuing" anything if he's just talking about potential terms with a handful of folks.

When he signs them to a bad deal, he's made a bad decision.

I consider it poor decision making to even target guys like Looper, Redding, etc...

To me, that backs up the idea of poor baseball knowledge.

I am not saying he has a lack of knowledge, i don't really know...But I certainly can see why someone would doubt it.

[geschinger]

Why do you think AM said this offseason that not getting Tex will hurt them(paraphrasing the exact quote)?

He said it because he knows that getting Tex is the quickest way for them to contend quickly. That should be obvious.

It's not nearly as black and white as you are trying to portray it. It has also been mentioned that the Teix sweepstakes have gone past the point where MacPhail would prefer to walk away. If true, if we're painting in broad strokes in black and white couldn't we say that he would walk away because he knows that signing Teix for that kind of a contract makes it more difficult to build a contender? Just as obvious, no?

[TJ Wrangler]

Well, that's hardly surprising from your source.

lol...I guess thats true. I'm hearing that AM is reluctant to raise the initial offer, which is a killer considering I've been told a deal of 8/170+ should be enough to get him to come home.

[Sports Guy]

Well, that's hardly surprising from your source.

Of course, if Belkast's source is right and PA has taken over the negotiations, maybe this is why.

[Sports Guy]

It's not nearly as black and white as you are trying to portray it. It has also been mentioned that the Teix sweepstakes have gone past the point where MacPhail would prefer to walk away. If true, if we're painting in broad strokes in black and white couldn't we say that he would walk away because he knows that signing Teix for that kind of a contract makes it more difficult to build a contender? Just as obvious, no?

If 1-2 million per season is what is going to stand in the way of AM building a contender, then he should be fired right now.