On the field, would you say it's our top priority to upgrade the starting staff?

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, Pickles said:

Yes, the old "caring about winning" by making your team demonstrably worse.  You've been making those arguments for a couple of years now.  They do not gain in persuasion.  

Kremer had a 100 ERA+ and a 1.5 fWAR last year but trading him and replacing him with better and higher upside pitchers make us much worse? That’s an incredibly dumb statement.

[dystopia]

15 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Means is better than him and Kremer as your third best starter is pretty awful if you have actual WS hopes…of course, if you don’t care about winning I can see why this doesn’t bother you,

So why not just get another starter and have Kremer be the 5th starter? 

[Sports Guy]

Just now, dystopia said:

So why not just get another starter and have Kremer be the 5th starter? 

We could and if they do that, that’s fine…but I have explained my reasonings for that a lot and don’t feel like getting back into it.

[Pickles]

Just now, dystopia said:

So why not just get another starter and have Kremer be the 5th starter? 

Don't ask logical questions.

We must trade Kremer.  That will improve our team.

That's the conclusion.  Now we just have to muster the "facts" to support that.

[ChicagoTerp]

Yes, but a 2-3-4 type bat is not far behind.

[RVAOsFan]

4 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I think we still have them.

I would still like to add 3 pitchers…Stephenson, one starter that is a #3 or better and a young starter with high upside.

Some kind of combo of Stephenson, Cease/Valdez/Bieber/Luzardo/Burnes and ECab/Woo/Miller/giants ML ready pitching prospect, etc…

For me, that’s ideal.

I don't think anyone around here would be upset by this but is it realistic?  Everyone is saying Holiday, Bassallo and Mayo are off limits in trades.  What are you thinking we will have to give up to land those 2 starting pitchers you want?'

Sorry I know this doesn't need to turn into another hypothetical trade thread. 

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, RVAOsFan said:

I don't think anyone around here would be upset by this but is it realistic?  Everyone is saying Holiday, Bassallo and Mayo are off limits in trades.  What are you thinking we will have to give up to land those 2 starting pitchers you want?'

Sorry I know this doesn't need to turn into another hypothetical trade thread. 

Why would it not be realistic?

We know we can trade for one of the established starters and we likely can use ML pieces to get the other young starter…This team is loaded with assets to get all of that done…plus, whatever they get in trade for Kremer could help replenish things… not to mention the 3 high picks they are about to use.

Edited December 29, 2023 by Sports Guy

[NCRaven]

Outside of Ohtani, since signed by the Dodgers, I'm not sure that there was/is an available bat that I would want blocking our young position players.

Edited December 29, 2023 by NCRaven

[Sports Guy]

Just now, NCRaven said:

Outside of Ohtani, since signed by the Dodgers, I'm not sure that there is bat that was/is available that I would want blocking our young position players.

I don’t even want the guys on our own team here blocking those guys. 
 

[Sports Guy]

44 minutes ago, dystopia said:

So why not just get another starter and have Kremer be the 5th starter? 

I will say this…most teams doesn’t have 5 starters better than Kremer…but most teams don’t have the resources and need to make upgrades in the staff the way the Os do.  So, I would rather take advantage of that before Kremer likely sees a decline in his stats.

[Moose Milligan]

1 hour ago, Pickles said:

I think the starting pitching argument is stronger because if you upgrade the rotation you simultaneously upgrade the bullpen.

Yep, I don't disagree.  

[Oriole1940]

2 hours ago, Greg Pappas said:

I agree but have read plenty of posts that point to other priorities.  I suspect a strong majority of votes will be Yes, but wanted those with differing opinions to express how they see it here.

I voted Yes, but the ever elusive Moo Bat is still missing IMO. Got an Oriole Trivia book for Christmas and what has been true, seems like, forever.  is still true.  Reading in detail Steady Eddies stats  once again,  made me realize all over again, just how lacking we have been for sooo  long  in the real MOO bat  So come on Santa, just this one gift before OD 2024.  

[Three Run Homer]

I voted no.  A top starting pitcher is an important priority, but I think it is even more important to clear the decks to make room for all of the major-league ready talent currently at AAA:  Holliday, Ortiz, Mayo, Norby, Cowser and Kjerstad (as well as Westburg, and Basallo will join this group before long).   

We will have to trade a couple of this group to get a top starting pitcher, but that will still leave several who should be spending most or all of 2024 in Baltimore.  Making that happen will require an  aggressive effort to liquidate some of the incumbents who are blocking the way--Mateo, Urias, Mountcastle, Santander and Hays.   

If any of the young players I've listed above spend most or all of 2024 tearing things up at Norfolk, I would consider that to be a failure on the part of the front office.  

[Sports Guy]

18 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Yep, I don't disagree.  

Is there actually any evidence that is true or is that one of those “it sounds good, so I’m going to say it” cliches?

[wildcard]

SG is playing Monopoly.   Realty went right out the window.  What is the chance Elias makes three moves like SG is suggesting?

Edited December 29, 2023 by wildcard