MacPhail speaks @ 4:30 Phone Press Conference

[AlBumbry]

Ok here's scenario:

It's Winter of 2008. Bedard has just gone down with a shoulder injury in 2008 that will sideline him for the 2009 season. He never signed an extension Tejada continued to decline in 2007 so the team kept him in hopes that he would pick in up in 2008 but he declined some more and they are now hanging on to him for draft picks in 2009. Hayden Penn was a complete bust in ST and was claimed on waivers after the O's tried outright him. Cabrera struggled in ST and during the first half of the season so the club moved him to the pen. He was lousy there and was demoted to AAA and never regained his form. Oh yeah and Tex just signed with the New York Yankees...

Looks pretty rosy doesn't it...

While we're playing make believe

Its Winter of 2008, Bedard has just extended his contract for 5 more years and was even better in 2008 than he was in 2007. Tejada somewhat regained his power stroke. Garrett Olson and Hayden Penn have met their expectations and the Orioles have just signed Teixera.

Looks pretty rosy doesn't it . . .

[Fan4Life]

Ok here's a scenario:

It's Winter of 2008. Bedard has just gone down with a shoulder injury in 2008 that will sideline him for the 2009 season. He never signed an extension Tejada continued to decline in 2007 so the team kept him in hopes that he would pick in up in 2008 but he declined some more and they are now hanging on to him for draft picks in 2009. Hayden Penn was a complete bust in ST and was claimed on waivers after the O's tried outright him. Cabrera struggled in ST and during the first half of the season so the club moved him to the pen. He was lousy there and was demoted to AAA and never regained his form. Oh yeah and Tex just signed with the New York Yankees...

Looks pretty rosy doesn't it...

You're hilarious... 4 minutes and counting... do we need to put you on a suicide watch?

[GoBirds05]

"You have to give up talent to get talent"

In our case our "Talent" you are speaking of is probably Tejada, Ray, Bedard, Guthrie, Roberts, Markakis

Lets go one by one

Tejada- just back from injury, not at all at his peak trade value, i only saw us matching up with the angels...

Ray- hurt

Bedard- best pitcher in baseball (if not top 5), you CANT get enough of a return from him unless you are getting say Crawford and Upton/Kazmir, or a Ryan Braun type.. not going to happen..

Guthrie- WHY trade him? If hes just found it, hes probably not hit his ceiling yet, and dirt cheap... no reason to trade

Roberts- maybe the best leadoff hitter in the game, but from another thread, def top 10, leadoff hitters arent easy to come by, and when they are the fan favorite, you may be one of few who could get a package to appease you (and you are talkin about making the fans happy)

Markakis- our Tejada of 2 years ago, our Ripken of the last 2 decades..he gets the loudest cheers from the fans when announcing the lineups, and have u seen his numbers? btw its his 2nd yr after a quick minor league tour...still cheap and with a bunch of years

So...maybe we can contend sooner than you think? Bedard Guthrie are a hell of a 1-2 probably the best in the AL right now, can we find a 3-4-5 from Loewen, Cabrera, Burres, Olson, and Penn (or Benson/Free agent)! Omgosh yes! And liz!

Rotation: Set Bullpen: Ray, Bradford, Walker (three great set pieces)

Patterson is coming around, he is only 28 I think, most players start to really put it together at 27, maybe hes refinding himself...

Wieters is close to the majors already! and we havent signed him...possible September callup next year! Guy is a lefthanded fluid hitter, and a right handed bomber...with a solid arm...we are set there

Plethera of LF options next year, and the winter is always better to trade especially with new guy in MacPhail

Trembley is the man

and oh yea, Reimold has been out all year, dont jump that ship so fast...

So yea, you are makin a mess of nothing...

As for seeing the "plan"...what teams do you know show the fans their "plan"...tampa knows what their team will be doing this offseason, they knew they were going to get wheeler (and do what with him!?)....the Red Sox knew they would push for Gagne and trade Gabbard? What will they do this offseason then, whats their plan? Thats examples of bad and good teams...the fans dont know THE PLAN!

Its baseball, and i love this game, stop bein a critic of everything and have fun, its a game

[Hallas]

I don't want a "fun" team I want to see a "winning" team. I want to see a plan for the future. What the heck is the plan because it sure seems like they missed a golden opportunity to get started! We can't build through FA and nobody wants to take our dreck. We've got to trade talent to get talent. Good lord its so simple, why can't our FO see it?

Because the FO understands something that you clearly don't; the cost of losing 110 games in a season for future development is very steep, and the benefit of future success is too slim. This is especially true when you consider that the O's are improving somewhat currently, and seem to be playing much, much better baseball with Trembley at the helm. You can't just throw those gains away for prospects unless the talent you receive back helps you (or at least, won't kill you) at the major-league level.

This isn't your normal Keeper league where you can just pack it in and play for next year like it's a vacuum. It would be a public relations nightmare if the O's pack it in like that, and there's no guarantee that the O's would rebound with the prospects they've gained. Injuries, ineffectiveness, and bad luck can all make the trades look like disasters 3 years from now.

[El Gordo]

Ok here's a scenario:

It's Winter of 2008. Bedard has just gone down with a shoulder injury in 2008 that will sideline him for the 2009 season. He never signed an extension Tejada continued to decline in 2007 so the team kept him in hopes that he would pick in up in 2008 but he declined some more and they are now hanging on to him for draft picks in 2009. Hayden Penn was a complete bust in ST and was claimed on waivers after the O's tried outright him. Cabrera struggled in ST and during the first half of the season so the club moved him to the pen. He was lousy there and was demoted to AAA and never regained his form. Oh yeah and Tex just signed with the New York Yankees...

Looks pretty rosy doesn't it...

And you know this is going to happen. Actually I wasn't talking about things O's persay, but the fact that a number of people have been trying to tell you to get a grip. When that happens to me, I have to stop and think they might be seeing something about my behavior that I'm missing.

[square634]

I can't believe that people continue to follow a team that does nothing to give them pleasure except an excuse to B*****.all the time.

I'll tell you why I follow the team. I follow the team because I have had an emotional investment in their success since I can remember. I was raised to follow the Orioles; the first season I remember watching was the strike-shortened 1994 season when I was five years old. I get upset when the Orioles lose and, even now, I am very happy when they win. Perhaps I am a fool for letting my emotions be tied to a series of games, but I can't help it. I am not a bandwagon or fair-weather fan, and when I have tried to boycott the O's, I have failed and watched anyway. There is not very much I want more than for the Orioles to become winners. But they haven't gone about it the right way, and because I hate to see them lose, it makes me angry. I'm not going to be satisfied by their terrible decisions or records, and I won't be satisfied even if they reach mediocrity. So, why do you follow the team? So you can say that every move they make must be smart?

[Shopay]

Because the FO understands something that you clearly don't; the cost of losing 110 games in a season for future development is very steep, and the benefit of future success is too slim. This is especially true when you consider that the O's are improving somewhat currently, and seem to be playing much, much better baseball with Trembley at the helm. You can't just throw those gains away for prospects unless the talent you receive back helps you (or at least, won't kill you) at the major-league level.

This isn't your normal Keeper league where you can just pack it in and play for next year like it's a vacuum. It would be a public relations nightmare if the O's pack it in like that, and there's no guarantee that the O's would rebound with the prospects they've gained. Injuries, ineffectiveness, and bad luck can all make the trades look like disasters 3 years from now.

Nice post Hallas and so true.

[mcgraw238]

I just can't believe that people continue to defend the Orioles after they have done basically the same things for 10 years and been losers the whole time.

Some of us happen to be a little excited that we have new front office leadership that happens to have two World Series rings to his credit and many believe is IN CHARGE in the warehouse, a very solid starting pitching staff with added depth in the minors, an exciting young player in Markakis, an all-star 2b, and a farm system that has shown improvement under Joe Jordan.

Whether that's a defense I don't know. Also, it is clear we have some bad contracts that are going to be tough to move.

I hope that this team continues to play well and somehow manages to finish with a winning record. I believe a finish over .500 will create much needed goodwill in attracting free agents and in the retention of our own guys. Don't think that players around the league don't see that we have the makings of a very good starting pitching staff.

[orioles119]

Its baseball, and i love this game, stop bein a critic of everything and have fun, its a game

This is what many forget. Wait for JTrea81 and his posse (NMS, mikezpen) to come and flame you.

[baltimorebirds]

maybe we signed weiters

[JTrea81]

Because the FO understands something that you clearly don't; the cost of losing 110 games in a season for future development is very steep, and the benefit of future success is too slim. This is especially true when you consider that the O's are improving somewhat currently, and seem to be playing much, much better baseball with Trembley at the helm. You can't just throw those gains away for prospects unless the talent you receive back helps you (or at least, won't kill you) at the major-league level.

This isn't your normal Keeper league where you can just pack it in and play for next year like it's a vacuum. It would be a public relations nightmare if the O's pack it in like that, and there's no guarantee that the O's would rebound with the prospects they've gained. Injuries, ineffectiveness, and bad luck can all make the trades look like disasters 3 years from now.

It's not like the Orioles have much of a fanbase to lose anymore. Why not try something different? The plan (if there was one) of the Flanagan era has not worked. We seem to be still on that plan...

[bgtimber75]

I can't believe that people continue to follow a team that does nothing to give them pleasure except an excuse to B*****.all the time.

Jokes don't give you pleasure? I've been laughing at them for years. Loads of pleasure.

[HarCoCy]

Can I hear this online?

YES!

They do stream the Anita Marks show and it is on right now.

[square634]

Some of us happen to be a little excited that we have new front office leadership that happens to have two World Series rings to his credit and many believe is IN CHARGE in the warehouse, a very solid starting pitching staff with added depth in the minors, an exciting young player in Markakis, an all-star 2b, and a farm system that has shown improvement under Joe Jordan.

Isn't it a commentary of just how bad the Orioles have been that you are excited about a new front office? We have had three or four of those, and none of them has produced something truly exciting - a playoff or world series run. And some good young players and an improving pitching staff? It's about time, but obviously it's not enough. And, yes, we do have bad contracts that are hard to move, because the FO has shown general incompetence! I'll wait to see Macphail make some smart moves before I get optimistic, and I will only get excited when we are playing in October.

[Hallas]

It's not like the Orioles have much of a fanbase to lose anymore. Why not try something different? The plan (if there was one) of the Flanagan era has not worked. We seem to be still on that plan...

The 2.5 million people that buy tickets would beg to differ. The O's still could go down further. It's unthinkable, yes, but the Devil Rays, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh are all teams that are further down in AAAA hell than the Orioles. While the O's certainly have moves they can (and should) make, purposely sinking the O's down to the level of those teams, even if only temporarily, is something I would never condone.

edit: I'll add that if the O's sucked more, then it'd be easier for me to be okay with blowing it up. But the O's have some pieces that could be part of a contender in '09 or (with a lot of luck) '08.