Looper a Brewer, one year deal with option

[o'sfan2009]

Mulder wouldn't be bad IMO...an incentive based deal of course, but worth "throwing at the wall and seeing if it sticks"

[Sports Guy]

I think we need another starter form somewhere. We have Guthrie and an "inventory" full of question marks. Fixing the rotation was a top priority and we may not be any better than 2008.

Looper really wouldn't have changed this.

[bigbird]

Looper really wouldn't have changed this.

Sure he would have. He was better that anything we had last season except Guthrie. There is nothing to project that any player we have (except Koji) contending for a starting slot will get anywhere close to a 5.00 era. They all may well be very Olsenish.

[statman]

Pedro.....

I agree, I'm actually kinda surprised our name hasn't been mentioned with him. He's pitched in the AL East before, is obviously coming off injury and nearing the end of his career, but a 1 year deal shouldn't be too hard to accomplish with him.

[El Gordo]

Here is whats left..per MLBTR.

Kris Benson (33)

Paul Byrd (38) - Type B, offered arb

Tom Glavine (43)

Livan Hernandez (34)

Orlando Hernandez (43)

Chuck James (27)

Jon Lieber (39)

Rodrigo Lopez (33)

Pedro Martinez (37)

Mark Mulder (31)

Sidney Ponson (32)

Kenny Rogers (44)

Curt Schilling (42)

Ben Sheets (30) - Type A, offered arb

Kip Wells (32)

Wouldn't be surprised to see them kick sone of these tires.

[Sports Guy]

Sure he would have. He was better that anything we had last season except Guthrie. There is nothing to project that any player we have (except Koji) contending for a starting slot will get anywhere close to a 5.00 era. They all may well be very Olsenish.

Looper with a 4.75ish ERA and 190 IP would have been something but its not like he was worth a lot more wins over a guy like Pauley.

He isn't really that good..He was just a guy to eat innings for a few months and then re-evaluate things with the big 3 come mid season.

This is no loss at all and we should be happy that AM didn't cave to some silly contract to bring a subpar starter to Baltimore.

[SrMeowMeow]

It would have been nice, but I'm happy to give guys like Penn, Pauley and Hill the back three slots in the rotation. What can we lose?

[bigbird]

Looper with a 4.75ish ERA and 190 IP would have been something but its not like he was worth a lot more wins over a guy like Pauley.

He isn't really that good..He was just a guy to eat innings for a few months and then re-evaluate things with the big 3 come mid season.

This is no loss at all and we should be happy that AM didn't cave to some silly contract to bring a subpar starter to Baltimore.

The big issue is Looper will give you a solid 6-7 innings every start. We currently have no one to do that except Guthrie. The bullpen will be beat up once again.

[bigbird]

It would have been nice, but I'm happy to give guys like Penn, Pauley and Hill the back three slots in the rotation. What can we lose?

50 games + you bullpen?????

[Pruke]

How about the Gambler - Kenny Rogers - any chance he's got one more year in him???? Or has he 'folded'em' and 'walked away'?

[Art Wing]

Here is whats left..per MLBTR.

Kris Benson (33)

Paul Byrd (38) - Type B, offered arb

Tom Glavine (43)

Livan Hernandez (34)

Orlando Hernandez (43)

Chuck James (27)

Jon Lieber (39)

Rodrigo Lopez (33)

Pedro Martinez (37)

Mark Mulder (31)

Sidney Ponson (32)

Kenny Rogers (44)

Curt Schilling (42)

Ben Sheets (30) - Type A, offered arb

Kip Wells (32)

I'm trying to like someone on that list...:002_scry: I would hate to have Byrd but his old-school wind-up is fun to watch for just the novelty of it.

How much do people think Pedro would cost for a year if he seems serviceable in the WBC and would agree to come to lowly ol' Baltimore?

[Sports Guy]

The big issue is Looper will give you a solid 6-7 innings every start. We currently have no one to do that except Guthrie. The bullpen will be beat up once again.

Looper wouldn't have given us 6-7 solid innings every start.

His numbers scream a guy who would struggle in the AL.

So, for what you feel is the good of the team for 2009, you would have overpaid Looper to ensure him being here?

[El Gordo]

The big issue is Looper will give you a solid 6-7 innings every start. We currently have no one to do that except Guthrie. The bullpen will be beat up once again.

I agree but I think you should give up on this point. No one seems to be able to understand it. They keep talking in terms of wins and ERA. Then when half the OD pen is on the DL in Sept. they'll be blaming DT for mismanaging the bullpen.

[BRob51]

Looper wouldn't have given us 6-7 solid innings every start.

His numbers scream a guy who would struggle in the AL.

So, for what you feel is the good of the team for 2009, you would have overpaid Looper to ensure him being here?

I agree with SG. Give that rotation spot to guys out of options:

Guts

Uehara

Penn

Pauley

Hill

[Sports Guy]

I agree but I think you should give up on this point. No one seems to be able to understand it. They keep talking in terms of wins and ERA. Then when half the OD pen is on the DL in Sept. they'll be blaming DT for mismanaging the bullpen.

I am a lot less worried about burning out the pen because of the amount of long men we have out there.

A guy like Hendrickson should be able to easily handle 100 innings out of the pen.

We will also, at some point, have Albers out there..Perhaps Penn out there..Pauley, Hennessey, etc...

So yes, if the BP gets overworked and tired, it will likely be because DT is using it poorly.

BTW, if Hill bounces back, then he gives us the innings Looper would have.