“Liftoff - Perhaps a Bit Misunderstood “

[NCRaven]

My feeling on "lift off" has been similar to Frobby's.  We are now at the point of being able to sustain a competitive team into the future, built largely on homegrown talent with a boost from key trades and free agents - not necessarily jumping into the deep end of the free agent pool.  Having said that, it is still disappointing that we will leave San Diego without a single major league player acquired during the winter meetings (Gibson agreed before the meetings).  I admit to refreshing MLBTradeRumors far too often.  But, I fully expected us to come away with more than fringy minor league signings to show for the FO's efforts.

Edited December 7, 2022 by NCRaven

[DocJJ]

Maybe Elias was referring to this liftoff:

[Orioles0615]

51 minutes ago, interloper said:

It's December 7. You are judging the offseason on December 7. 

People keep saying this but are massively failing at reading between the lines. Could they do something of note still? Of course, but the everything is pointing to them not, and going about as business as usual 

[interloper]

1 minute ago, Orioles0615 said:

People keep saying this but are massively failing at reading between the lines. Could they do something of note still? Of course, but the everything is pointing to them not, and going about as business as usual 

They may do nothing in the end, but nothing about how they're going about it reads business as usual to me. 

It's aggressive out there, and maybe they miss out, I don't know. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried. That's my nature as an O's fan. But I refuse to get on a message board and proclaim the sky to be falling during the winter meetings. I've been doing this too long to be that kind of baseball fan. It's the same fan that complains about every minor league signing, as if the AAA team can somehow operate without baseball players. 

IMO, Elias and his team are out there aggressively trying to land some smart deals. They're pitching their team, they're in the agents' ears, they've got offers on the table. If they miss out, it will be some combination of a) the player just wants to go elsewhere to a team they perceive to be closer to winning and b) the money wasn't enough. Neither of those things are on Elias and his team at the winter meetings. They just aren't. 

[Can_of_corn]

I don't care if he doesn't try or if he tries and fails.

At the end of the day I care about results.

Does it probably fall on ownership more than management?

Sure.

But I'd like to watch the Orioles in the playoffs.

It's a result driven field.

If it's August and the O's are 10 games out of the last wildcard I won't care that Elias tried really hard to get deals done.

 

[Number5]

2 hours ago, interloper said:

It's December 7. You are judging the offseason on December 7. 

A date that will live in infamy.

[Redskins Rick]

Just now, Number5 said:

A date that will live in infamy.

Very True.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, NCRaven said:

My feeling on "lift off" has been similar to Frobby's.  We are now at the point of being able to sustain a competitive team into the future, built largely on homegrown talent with a boost from key trades and free agents - not necessarily jumping into the deep end of the free agent pool.  Having said that, it is still disappointing that we will leave San Diego without a single major league player acquired during the winter meetings (Gibson agreed before the meetings).  I admit to refreshing MLBTradeRumors far too often.  But, I fully expected us to come away with more than fringy minor league signings to show for the FO's efforts.

I care more about who we’ve acquired by the end of the offseason than the end of the Winter Meetings.   It would have been fun to sign someone the last 3-4 days, but last I checked, spring training was still more than two months away.  Still plenty of time for Elias to find the right fit.  

Edited December 7, 2022 by Frobby

[Redskins Rick]

Just now, Frobby said:

I care more about who we’ve acquired by the end of the offseason than the end of the Winter Meetings.   It would have been fun to sign someone the last 3-4 days, but last I checked, spring training was still more than two months away.  Still plenty of time for Elias to find the right fit.  

Your right, its more about whom they get and not when they sign them. Lots of time for Elias to act.

Just not having warm fuzzies on what his targets are.

[sportsfan8703]

I’d like to see us get a vet bat that can work the count, and help set the tone for the young guys. Michael Brantley would be ideal, but he’s injury prone and might take a 2/20 deal to bring in.

[interloper]

3 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

I’d like to see us get a vet bat that can work the count, and help set the tone for the young guys. Michael Brantley would be ideal, but he’s injury prone and might take a 2/20 deal to bring in.

Agree, I tend to think it's a bigger need than is advertised. People might forget just how much the offense disappeared for long stretches last year. Not that one veteran bat solves that, but there's definitely room in the lineup or the bench (and the dugout) for a guy like Brantley, etc. 

[NCRaven]

29 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I care more about who we’ve acquired by the end of the offseason than the end of the Winter Meetings.   It would have been fun to sign someone the last 3-4 days, but last I checked, spring training was still more than two months away.  Still plenty of time for Elias to find the right fit.  

I didn’t say that the off season was disappointing, just the last four days.  I would be willing to bet most of us hoped for something more.  Like not getting that Red Ryder BB gun I wanted for Christmas.  

[Es4M11]

The off-season is not over yet, there's still tim.... yada yada

This is a disappointing result for the fan base. Mike Elias said this team was going to be aggressive in Free Agency, I don't think it's unfair to expect results after his comments made on various occasions. The organization has cut salary to the bone for 4 years straight, no one is asking the Orioles to spend like the Yankees, but the least they could do is show some good faith to their fan base and sign a few qualified major leaguers. If they don't have the money then sell the f*****g team already. The club wants fans to come out and spend money at the stadium, well the Orioles need to meet the fan base halfway -- and this isn't it.

Seems more and more like we are going the Tampa method of doing things, which is fine I guess, but I expect this team to be able to spend a little when the timing is right. And I can't help but feel this club is just totally forgoing a major avenue of improvement strictly because they are being cheap -- after pocketing every spare penny for the past 4 years. It's B.S.

Rant over

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Es4M11 said:

The off-season is not over yet, there's still tim.... yada yada

This is a disappointing result for the fan base. Mike Elias said this team was going to be aggressive in Free Agency, I don't think it's unfair to expect results after his comments made on various occasions. The organization has cut salary to the bone for 4 years straight, no one is asking the Orioles to spend like the Yankees, but the least they could do is show some good faith to their fan base and sign a few qualified major leaguers. If they don't have the money then sell the f*****g team already. The club wants fans to come out and spend money at the stadium, well the Orioles need to meet the fan base halfway -- and this isn't it.

Seems more and more like we are going the Tampa method of doing things, which is fine I guess, but I expect this team to be able to spend a little when the timing is right. And I can't help but feel this club is just totally forgoing a major avenue of improvement strictly because they are being cheap -- after pocketing every spare penny for the past 4 years. It's B.S.

Rant over

Or extend one of their own.

That'd be cool (probably, unless it's Tate).

[Es4M11]

3 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Or extend one of their own.

That'd be cool (probably, unless it's Tate).

Anything to show that they are actually invested in the Major League product. All I see is money going in the Angelos family pockets, and very little coming back out.

If the Angelos family is no longer capable of taking on the financial burdens of the big league club they need to get the hell out of the way. End of story.