If Elias does very little at the deadline...

[Greg Pappas]

At the deadline last year Elias dealt Lopez and Mancini in moves that look quite shrewd in retrospect. Thus far this season he's added a promising reliever in Fujinami., who was an under-the-radar guy with a big arm and control issues.  He may fizzle out or cement himself as a vital piece to the pen.  The results have been mixed, but he looks like he could work out well.

Yet, what if Elias does very little before Tuesday's deadline, such as acquiring a solid reliever for a prospect or two that isn't currently rated a blue-chipper, but nothing else?  Would you be upset or assume he did his best but the cost was too high?

[interloper]

The "solid reliever" I wouldn't be mad at. It doesn't have to be a Hader or a Bednar, but it has to be much, much more reliable than a Fujinami. 

The lack of SP I think you would absolutely have grounds to be upset about. It would be pretty negligent to not supplement a rotation full of guys who are at career-high innings, and they've noted that fact, so, yeah. 

I think there's a good chance they get a SP that annoys the absolute piss out of Orioles fans. Someone with a bad ERA that wasn't on anybody's radar, something like that. Hopefully Elias is not operating in that mode ahead of a possible World Series push. 

[Aristotelian]

I try not to get upset about things I cannot control. I would also try to understand the logic of moves or non-moves before assuming they are wrong. One factor would be what we would have to give up to beat the winning packages.

[interloper]

2 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

I try not to get upset about things I cannot control. I would also try to understand the logic of moves or non-moves before assuming they are wrong. One factor would be what we would have to give up to beat the winning packages.

The good news about the Elias team is there is always some kind of logic. We might not always agree about it, but we can be sure there was due diligence and data and decisions were made in a well-thought-out manner. So I'm always giving them at least a little benefit of the doubt if there's a move I don't like. 

I just think that since they've talked so much about innings that to not pick up a SP would certainly come off as risky, if nothing else. You have Means, sure, but he's still a month out and an enormous question mark. Other than that you have... Irvin and... Zimmermann? Unless you want to start dipping into untested rookies like Rom. 

[Billy F-Face3]

I just don't see that many difference makers out there and the players I have any amount of interest in (like Snell, Hader, Stroman) are just 2 month rentals. Definitely not something worth forfeiting years of control of a top 50 prospect over.

At the same time we can only play so many prospects and it would be negligent to fail to clean the pipes or add any difference makers in what is set up to be one of the most successful records in the history of Orioles baseball.

They need a Frank Robinson type of trade, but there are no Frank Robinson types available worth spending on. 

Their best hope is a cost effective/cost efficient respectible reliever. 

The strategy with Elias seems to hoard mediocer talent and just keep shuffling the deck over the season. "Quantity is it's own quality",  ...seems to be the philosophy. 

Maybe we see Wells attempt to fill the void in the Bullpen for stability with Irvin, Grayson, or Voth stabilizing the rotation.

Maybe he intends to dip into his bag of toys and hope his old toys can be cleaned up for some new shine. Not a great strategy, but it seems like the recent history/pattern of behavior.

[Three Run Homer]

To me the bare minimum is that he acquires a relief pitcher that a championship-caliber team could comfortably slot in the 8th inning.    That's a clear need and it shouldn't require a king's ransom, although it will require sacrificing talent. 

I concede that the cost of a starting pitcher that's a clear upgrade over what we have now (someone like Eduardo Rodriguez, say) is likely to be very steep, and I won't be too upset if Elias doesn't pull off that kind of trade.   I'm not sure what the point would be of adding someone like Lance Lynn.  

[vab]

From 110 losses to the best record in the AL in two years? Elias gets the benefit of all doubts from me. 

[G54377]

We need another bullpen arm, someone with experience. I'm thinkin we need an outfielder too, because the Mullins/Hicks combo is dicey to depend on right now and moving forward. Hicks with both his injury and regression, and Mullins with the cloudiness surrounding his own injury.

[Moose Milligan]

2 minutes ago, vab said:

From 110 losses to the best record in the AL in two years? Elias gets the benefit of all doubts from me. 

I'm inclined to agree, however the season isn't over yet.  And we're not watching the same team if you think that there isn't room for improvement.

Two months ago I would have said that the rotation should be the main focus but as it stands today, it's obvious that the bullpen needs a major boost.  

I'm not sure if Elias can swing a trade for a good bullpen piece or two but if he doesn't I'll be slightly disappointed.  

[tntoriole]

5 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

I just don't see that many difference makers out there and the players I have any amount of interest in (like Snell, Hader, Stroman) are just 2 month rentals. Definitely not something worth forfeiting years of control of a top 50 prospect over.

At the same time we can only play so many prospects and it would be negligent to fail to clean the pipes or add any difference makers in what is set up to be one of the most successful records in the history of Orioles baseball.

They need a Frank Robinson type of trade, but there are no Frank Robinson types available worth spending on. 

Their best hope is a cost effective/cost efficient respectible reliever. 

The strategy with Elias seems to hoard mediocer talent and just keep shuffling the deck over the season. "Quantity is it's own quality",  ...seems to be the philosophy. 

Maybe we see Wells attempt to fill the void in the Bullpen for stability with Irvin, Grayson, or Voth stabilizing the rotation.

Maybe he intends to dip into his bag of toys and hope his old toys can be cleaned up for some new shine. Not a great strategy, but it seems like the recent history/pattern of behavior.

And Frank Robinson came in return for Milt Pappas who was 26 , and at  26 already with 5 straight seasons as an excellent starter for the Orioles including AllStar that season of 1965 before winter trade.   Although it has always been seen in lopsided ways, the reality is that a completely cost controlled TOR pitcher at 26 was what was needed in that trade. 

[tntoriole]

I am totally fine with trusting Elias and his staff’s judgment for now and next five years. 
If no trade, I will do what I do.. root for the Os every game till the end.

 

[Moose Milligan]

2 minutes ago, tntoriole said:

And Frank Robinson came in return for Milt Pappas who was 26 , and at  26 already with 5 straight seasons as an excellent starter for the Orioles including AllStar that season of 1965 before winter trade.   Although it has always been seen in lopsided ways, the reality is that a completely cost controlled TOR pitcher at 26 was what was needed in that trade. 

Not totally a fair comparison as free agency didn't exist back then.  But I won't continue to pick nits like @Can_of_corn

[G54377]

I think there is a middle ground between a Fuji level option and a Hader going all in option. That's the sweet spot to me. I trust we can identify an established bullpen arm (preferably a lefty) that would only cost a Stowers and a Prieto. Or something like that. 

[RZNJ]

35 minutes ago, Greg Pappas said:

At the deadline last year Elias dealt Lopez and Mancini in moves that look quite shrewd in retrospect. Thus far this season he's added a promising reliever in Fujinami., who was an under-the-radar guy with a big arm and control issues.  He may fizzle out or cement himself as a vital piece to the pen.  The results have been mixed, but he looks like he could work out well.

Yet, what if Elias does very little before Tuesday's deadline, such as acquiring a solid reliever for a prospect or two that isn't currently rated a blue-chipper, but nothing else?  Would you be upset or assume he did his best but the cost was too high?

I would not be upset and assume he thought the acquisition not cost effective.   There is no magic bullet that is going to get us a WS but certainly ways to increase our chances.  I’m interested to see what he does but I’m also not going to cry if Fujinami is the only move.   I doubt that’s the case though.  Elias is talking the talk so I do expect something more significant than Fuji.  Be shocked if it’s one of the name starters but could be.

[Gurgi]

I kind of think Elias is cheap.  So his idea of "buying" at the deadline is probably not our idea of buying.