Ok, so now what?

[Lucky Jim]

Someone posted an article on here during the season in which he was quoted as saying the Red Sox were his favorite team. Of course, I've also read he was a Braves fan.

I suspect that if they decide to trade him that it would be next offseason, and will happen should he refuse to sign an extension before then. If I were running the show, and he refused to allow me to buy out his first two FA seasons, that's what I'd do. And I would try like heck to trade him to the Braves in the hope that he'll sign long term with them and not the Yankees or Red Sox.

Way to mostly avoid the Teixeira chaos, 1970. We missed your sanity around here.

[clarence]

Sorry if someone has said this, didn't read the entire thread:

I think the front office will go into a panic mode due to public perception and do something stupid like offer BRob a Mora type deal, but probably more money and more years. They are going to think that resigning BRob will make the fans happy. Short-sighted and completely the wrong thing to do, so why am I so afraid it's what will happen.

I'm shopping everyone on the 25-man roster not named Jones. Of course, I have to be blown away to deal Markakis and Guthrie. What they could bring us, in my opinion, would be more valuable to us in 3-4 years than still having them around.

I don't think it is realistic at all to think we can be a .500 team until 2011 at the earliest. My bet would be 2012 if the young pitching stays healthy. Those first few seasons playing in the ALEast are going to require patience on our parts.

[Sports Guy]

I'm not saying they will or won't be, but how on earth do you come to that conclusion from this? Seems like an illogical conclusion to me.

The Orioles have proven time and time again that they aren't willing to go the extra mile to get a big name done(except Miggy and he was still cheap). They are always shocked at the market.

Tex was a guy they were going to go higher for than any player ever in this franchise's history.

There is no reason to think they will ever approach these figures again for another player. AM talked about how unique this way(Tex being from this area) and that is definitely why they offered more.

[Crazysilver03]

Sorry if someone has said this, didn't read the entire thread:

I think the front office will go into a panic mode due to public perception and do something stupid like offer BRob a Mora type deal, but probably more money and more years. They are going to think that resigning BRob will make the fans happy. Short-sighted and completely the wrong thing to do, so why am I so afraid it's what will happen.

I'm shopping everyone on the 25-man roster not named Jones. Of course, I have to be blown away to deal Markakis and Guthrie. What they could bring us, in my opinion, would be more valuable to us in 3-4 years than still having them around.

I don't think it is realistic at all to think we can be a .500 team until 2011 at the earliest. My bet would be 2012 if the young pitching stays healthy. Those first few seasons playing in the ALEast are going to require patience on our parts.

I highly doubt this. If anything, MacPhail is clever enough not to do this.

[Sports Guy]

If you trade Markakis this offseason, good luck trying to draw more than 1.7 million fans.

[clarence]

I highly doubt this. If anything, MacPhail is clever enough not to do this.

I hope you're right. I don't know how anyone can be sure what this organization is going to do anymore.

[Echoes]

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.

Yeah, I'm sure after today Markakis can't wait any longer for a chance to re-sign with the O's, heh.

I agree, I don't think he'll be coming back. He can likely get more money on the open market and can go to a winning team, that'd be hard to pass up. Not to mention, you have to figure Weiters will never be an Orioles past his first contract as well, no way does Boras let him re-sign with the O's before testing FA.

[ChaosLex]

If you trade Markakis this offseason, good luck trying to draw more than 1.7 million fans.

No offense, but I think you can give up on that already.

It's literally going to be a ghost town in Birdland this year. Well, with the exception of when the Skanks and Sux come to town.

[trueoriolesfan]

What we can do is go watch Ovechkin and the boys beat up on a New York Team

[geschinger]

The Orioles have proven time and time again that they aren't willing to go the extra mile to get a big name done(except Miggy and he was still cheap). They are always shocked at the market.

Tex was a guy they were going to go higher for than any player ever in this franchise's history.

There is no reason to think they will ever approach these figures again for another player. AM talked about how unique this way(Tex being from this area) and that is definitely why they offered more.

If we choose to get involved in the FA market a couple of years from now we'll be in fantastic shape to capitalize. All you have to do is look at market cycles to realize that we're at the end of a peak and about to head downwards until the next media deals are signed.

Jeter (190m) is to Tejada (72m) as Teix (180m) is to __________

There will be some great buying opportunities and we should hopefully have resources to capitalize if we choose to engage. You may not believe it now, but I think you'll find this non-move puts us in a great position down the line. We're going to have the opportunity to go after ___________ if we so choose at prices that are a fraction of the inflated contract Teix received.

[PaulBako]

No offense, but I think you can give up on that already.

It's literally going to be a ghost town in Birdland this year. Well, with the exception of when the Skanks and Sux come to town.

People won't come to see a nice baseball game as a family outing just because one player is not there?

[Cubsfan]

I like this line of thought. Since I was one of the first blow it uppers, I say lets get on with it. I would trade Huff and Sherrill to the Angels for Brandon Wood and Nick Adenhart. I would do your Scott to the Cubs for Pie, Hill and Marquis deal. I would put together a package centered around Roberts for Joey Votto. No Tex is not the end of the world. Lets get younger, cheaper and start this thing rolling.

The Angels won't make that deal and the Reds don't want or need Roberts because they have Phillips. I know PA wouldn't want Roberts in NY, but would the Yankees do a Swisher + Cano for Roberts deal?

[trueoriolesfan]

If we choose to get involved in the FA market a couple of years from now we'll be in fantastic shape to capitalize. All you have to do is look at market cycles to realize that we're at the end of a peak and about to head downwards until the next media deals are signed.

Jeter (190m) is to Tejada (72m) as Teix (180m) is to __________

There will be some great buying opportunities and we should hopefully have resources to capitalize if we choose to engage. You may not believe it now, but I think you'll find this non-move puts us in a great position down the line.

I just don't see how you can pay Jeter that much. It is time for MLB to put a cap in there.

[Wingman]

1. Trade Huff... He's at a "high point" in value and will not contribute anything to this team when it's ready to contend, while the prospects we trade him for probably will.

2. Trade Roberts... Save the money, build up the farm system.

3. Trade Mora and Walker for whatever you can get for them.

4. Don't sign any 2nd tier free agents... especially any that would cost you any draft picks.

5. Fill out the roster with guys that you haven't traded for, with guys like Guthrie... Unfullfilled potential/coming off injury/blocked players or other FA's to no more than 2 year, $3 million/year contracts. (Don't block the young guys)

6. Try to extend Markakis... No big deal if this gets done or not... Still a lot of time to go on this one but could be a good PR move considering the huge blow they've just suffered in this department.

7. Continue to invest in the Dominican/Overseas scouting.

8. Lower ticket prices... Things are going to be tough over the next year or so, so you need to keep the fanbase engaged. Sacrifice some short term financial gains for preserving some fan loyalty. (what's left of it)

[trueoriolesfan]

1. Trade Huff... He's at a "high point" in value and will not contribute anything to this team when it's ready to contend, while the prospects we trade him for probably will.

2. Trade Roberts... Save the money, build up the farm system.

3. Trade Mora and Walker for whatever you can get for them.

4. Don't sign any 2nd tier free agents... especially any that would cost you any draft picks.

5. Fill out the roster with guys that you haven't traded for, with guys like Guthrie... Unfullfilled potential/coming off injury/blocked players or other FA's to no more than 2 year, $3 million/year contracts. (Don't block the young guys)

6. Try to extend Markakis... No big deal if this gets done or not... Still a lot of time to go on this one but could be a good PR move considering the huge blow they've just suffered in this department.

7. Continue to invest in the Dominican/Overseas scouting.

8. Lower ticket prices... Things are going to be tough over the next year or so, so you need to keep the fanbase engaged. Sacrifice some short term financial gains for preserving some fan loyalty. (what's left of it)

9. Make sure you have any fans after all this if not buy some with the left over money.