Ok, so now what?

[Big Mac]

The Orioles have to at all costs somehow lock up Matt Wieters, I don't care if the Orioles have to fire MacPhail for it to happen, but Wieters must have some FA years bought out and a LT deal.

He is going to be the next big thing, and possibly the next Teixeira if the Orioles aren't careful...

I agree, give him a Longoria-type contract after he comes up this year.

[Birds of B'more]

Why?

Because we didn't sign Tex?

We can sign him for a reasonable offer, like Rios. He is starting a family and probably wants to stay here.

In a small way, yes. He just saw a player handed $180 million in arguably the worst economy since the Great Depression. At the same time he just saw his own team make a half-hearted effort to sign the aforementioned player, despite the fact that he is an All-Star at a need position and has hometown ties. So the question is, what possible good reason does Markakis have not to wait 3 more years.....first, to see if the Orioles really are building to become competitive and perhaps someday be willing to offer huge money to a star player; and second, to let other teams bid on him and likely cash in big time himself?

[ChaosLex]

Why?

Because we didn't sign Tex?

We can sign him for a reasonable offer, like Rios. He is starting a family and probably wants to stay here.

You should be happy! We can go after all that "stellar" pitching that's on the market now!!! Isn't that what you wanted?

[SBOriole]

The Orioles have to at all costs somehow lock up Matt Wieters, I don't care if the Orioles have to fire MacPhail for it to happen, but Wieters must have some FA years bought out and a LT deal.

He is going to be the next big thing, and possibly the next Teixeira if the Orioles aren't careful...

If it is not done then I am strongly thinking that there is a conspiracy to drive this team out of existence.

[Napoleon Solo]

You can sell Kakes on what's coming up through the system. Once B-Rob is gone, Kakes is King in Baltimore. Sell him on that. This franchise is going places and he can be the quiet leader at the helm.

And if he goes there's Wieters who, by all accounts, is an extremely impressive person and leader.

Damn that is a lot of pressure you are placing on a kid that hasn't even taken a ML pitch.

[Moose Milligan]

Move the team to Indianapolis....I'm driving

:laughlol::rofl::laughlol::rofl:

Miller192 wins the thread!

[PaulBako]

You should be happy! We can after all that "stellar" pitching that's on the market now!!!

Will you please stop with all of this crap?

I know we didn't sign Tex, but what you and some other people have been saying is getting me and other posters mad.

[3 o's bro's]

1. Offer Markakis a deal from 6-8 years at a very good value. Let him know that you want to retain him, but you need a commitment. If he rejects, trade him.
2. If Markakis signs, offer Roberts a contract that is reasonable like 4/45 or something. If Markakis doesn't sign, trade Roberts. If Roberts rejects the offer, trade him.
3. If we end up trading Roberts or Markakis, Huff, Sherrill, and Scott must be traded. If Roberts and Markakis extend, give thought to extending Huff for two more years if he can be had for a reasonable price.
4. Screw the crappy replacement level pitchers. Put Olson, Liz, Penn, Albers, Patton, Hernandez, and Bergeson out there this year and see who sinks and who swims.
5. Promote Arrieta and Matusz as soon as you think they are ready to compete without it hurting their progress.
6. Draft every single hard-to-sign player available in the amateur draft and throw the money at them that isn't being spent on ML payroll.
7. Build the best facilities in the game in the areas where baseball is taking off like Brazil.

Couldn't agree more. As we all know pitching is what we need the most. We hit well with Huff, Mora, etc for goodness sake.

[YaBoyTopher]

Everybody just needs to take a deep breath an realize that this is what the Yankees do, its no big deal they do this all the time. How many WS have they won recently? they have had the highest payroll all of these years and havent won them all.

The Rays last year had one of the smallest payrolls in baseball. They built from within and they almost won it all, And they have a young team with lasting power. The same can be said about the Phillies, for the most part they have built from within and they have a small payroll compared to the Yanks.

We should all be looking at the Rays and Phillies as examples of what the Orioles can become in the near future and stop wishing the Orioles were the Yankee JRs.

[PaulBako]

Everybody just needs to take a deep breath an realize that this is what the Yankees do, its no big deal they do this all the time. How many WS have they won recently? they have had the highest payroll all of these years and havent won them all.

The Rays last year had one of the smallest payrolls in baseball. They built from within and they almost won it all, And they have a young team with lasting power. The same can be said about the Phillies, for the most part they have built from within and they have a small payroll compared to the Yanks.

We should all be looking at the Rays and Phillies as examples of what the Orioles can become in the near future and stop wishing the Orioles were the Yankee JRs.

I couldn't agree more. Great post.

[ChaosLex]

Will you please stop with all of this crap?

I know we didn't sign Tex, but what you and some other people have been saying is getting me and other posters mad.

Well, then stop trolling me.

[Stotle]

Know what SG? I'm gonna go out on a limb and disagree with you that Nick extends.

Nick has just seen what can happen to your bank account when you hit the FA market in your late 20's. He's spent three seasons toiling on a horrible ballclub. He has no better idea if Matsuz/Arrieta/Tillman will pan out than the rest of us. He has no idea if this team will EVER compete...just like the rest of us.

I'm sure Nick has been promised that we'll build around him...essentially the same pitch that Tex got to come here.

If we extend Nick, he'll do the smart thing and request an opt out so he can be free after his 28/29 season if this "rebuilding" project is failing.

Mark my words, Nick Markakis will have his day on the free agent market. It could be anywhere from two to five years from now, but he will have it.

It's just my hope that the Orioles have unscrewed themselves by then so he'll think about sticking around rather than bolting up the coast as soon as he possibly can.

Respectfully, I partially disagree. I think if he doesn't extend with BAL, he gets traded to ATL for a very nice package and ends up extending there for a very solid deal as the new "foundation" of the franchise (replacing Chipper).

[geschinger]

It doesn't appear Dunn is on our radar...Maybe he will be but I doubt it and even if he is, I am going to guess that DC or maybe even Boston outbid us for him anyway.

So, where does this team go now?

BRob maybe gets traded if a good enough offer is there but I think the overall direction is going to keep building the foundation, brick by brick. Slow and steady progress that will eventually pay off with a team that can compete for the long haul. I don't expect 2009 to be a successful season in the W-L column but one that will be huge in setting us up for 2010 and 2011.

[bird watcher]

Respectfully, I partially disagree. I think if he doesn't extend with BAL, he gets traded to ATL for a very nice package and ends up extending there for a very solid deal as the new "foundation" of the franchise (replacing Chipper).

What makes you bring up Atlanta?

I agree that trading Markakis should be explored now. If he can bring back 3-4 potential studs he should be let go. Maybe this is why AM was looking at Pie?

We really have no choice now but to linger in mediocrity or make wholesale changes akin to the marlins of the past.

[OsandRavens787]

It doesn't appear Dunn is on our radar...Maybe he will be but I doubt it and even if he is, I am going to guess that DC or maybe even Boston outbid us for him anyway.

So, where does this team go now?

Do they trade BRob? Huff? Mora(if he allows it)?

I still say Nick gets extended...I still think the Orioles will sign 2 crappy starting pitchers just to appease the fans and say that they addressed pitching but beyond those things, I have no idea.

We were willing to give 20 million to Tex...So, obviously the money is there for us to do some big things.

LOL... how pathetic... what "big things," exactly? Tim Redding? Braden Looper? Yeah, that's the trick, MacFAIL... gimme a break. I'll watch this team ONLY for Matt Wieters, Nick Markakis and Adam Jones (and B-Rob, but he is most likely gone)...