Connolly: Don’t see the Os going beyond 2-3 years

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, waroriole said:

The goal is to make the playoffs. Considering they won 83 games, it’s not a high bar. 

83 wins, two of the top five or so prospects in MLB ready to play in the majors and no contracts on the books past 2023.

One would think that he shouldn't be writing off the division crown on December 7th.

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

What would cause anybody to actually believe that these are competitive offers? Like everyone else is signing, but the unsigned don't want to sign? Come on! We know the real reason they haven't accepted these "offers" is because they are low ball. The Orioles are going right back to being a laughing stock.

Do you guys think the players on the team don't see this especially after how they operated in the middle of a playoff race last season and think, "as soon as I can, I'm gone"? Why would good players want to be here and have to deal with a non-competitive management and ownership?

The wall of course.

[Orioles0615]

Imagine the shit storm if we lost 100 games last year like we were supposed to. 

[waroriole]

MLB really should be looking into forcing a sale. 

[Bemorewins]

7 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Winning at Moneyball is the ultimate accomplishment for a GM. If he pulls it off he is legendary. If he fails, he had his hands tied while the other guys merely bought their championships. He may not get a kickback but I am sure is getting positive reinforcement from ownership and making a name for himself in the business.

I did have my hopes up for a pivot, if not a 180. But if he is taking his bearings from Tampa there may never be a pivot. Then again, Tampa is the upside case that this approach can work. 

If Tampa is the model, I'm not onboard at all. I can only imagine the frustration of the 5 Rays fans knowing that they have an owner and management group that is committed to them being good, but never good enough.

That model is toxic for fans. Which to think of it, we mind as well adopt it since the Orioles seem committed to doing everything they can to hurt their fanbase and keeping people from being excited about them.

It can be spun in any way by those who choose to hold on to hope, but punting on free agency is self-sabotage. There are only so many ways that you can improve your team and you are eliminating a big one for no rational reason. It's not like they don't have the money.

[RZNJ]

14 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Not really.

If you take him at face value he's saying they are aiming for a Wild Card.

Isn’t being a wildcard team the same as making the playoffs?

[Es4M11]

1 minute ago, waroriole said:

MLB really should be looking into forcing a sale. 

I would completely forgive Manfred for all his BS if he could expedite getting this franchise into the hands of a quality ownership group. It would be just the best.

So done with the Angelos family. Just wish they would give it up and go away.

 

[Bemorewins]

7 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

The wall of course.

Ha Ha ... Seriously though what do you guys think Henderson, Rutchsman, Rodriguez, even Holiday think about this? They have friends in the game, they talk.

I just don't see a scenario where this ends well. Like I said, I'm not very sure that Elias won't look for a way out when the time comes.

[Pickles]

It's overreaction time of the year.  Saying "The goal is to make the playoffs" is not a concession of anything.  

[Aristotelian]

10 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

Everything that you said is true. But it is the cost of doing business in baseball.

For all those advocating for this approach claiming we are copying and pasting the Astros approach, I ask you this: What impact do you think this will have on the fanbase and on the Orioles standing in the community? 

I'm just thinking if I as a "diehard" am reacting this way, I wonder how those who already felt alienated by the past or unwilling to trust the Orioles to do the right thing and their fandom has died or waned or for those young people who will only embrace supporting things that are relevant and/or successful; I wonder how this type of garbage helps the organization reconnect with more fans?

I wonder if all of the goodwill that was built back and regained has been lost by this unforced error? Whether it is ownership (which I am almost certain it is) or whether it's Elias who decided to punt on improving the team at the cost of loosing no current talent; the results I am afraid will not be good.

The Orioles can't continue to treat their fanbase this way. It's not a model for longterm viability. 

I don't know, he has succeeded in bringing the O's back to a winning record and created a pipeline of talent for the future. That is pretty good for the fanbase. Overspending on FA's might be good for a year or two but remember that is how we got in this mess, spending on fan favorites like Davis and Trumbo instead of making hard choices to retool or rebuild. I'd like to see Elias pivot a little more but I also gotta like his discipline. Fundamentally I think he is on the right track.

PS People are expecting Houston because that's where he came from but if I'm not mistaken the only references he has made have been to Tampa. I think Elias will spend but more likely on guys like Adley and Gunnar where we have some leverage to get team friendly deals rather than on the open market where we are at a competitive disadvantage.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

2 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Isn’t being a wildcard team the same as making the playoffs?

Saying that your goal is to make the playoffs is normal and fine.

Saying "we don't believe we can win the division" in the first week of December when you allegedly plan on improving an 83 win team is rather eyebrow-raising.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

2 minutes ago, Pickles said:

It's overreaction time of the year.  Saying "The goal is to make the playoffs" is not a concession of anything.  

See

Just now, DrinkinWithFermi said:

Saying that your goal is to make the playoffs is normal and fine.

Saying "we don't believe we can win the division" in the first week of December when you allegedly plan on improving an 83 win team is rather eyebrow-raising.

 

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Pickles said:

It's overreaction time of the year.  Saying "The goal is to make the playoffs" is not a concession of anything.  

Sounds like he's pretty much conceded the AL East title.

[Pickles]

1 minute ago, DrinkinWithFermi said:

See

 

I haven't seen that quote.  Can you show me that qoute from Elias?

[Es4M11]

Just now, Can_of_corn said:

Sounds like he's pretty much conceded the AL East title.

Well if he trots our current rotation out there, he definitely is.