Elias' mental shift

[Rbiggs2525]

I do not see a shift at all. I got really excited after the trade to say these are new times. Then I realized this could all have been done with Angelos continuing ownership. This was just a much better Jack Flaherty deal. We went into the off-season saying 30-40 million was reasonable expectation to add to payroll. They met that barrier with Kimbrel and Burnes. A multi year contract or extension would make me finally say the philosophy has changed. 

[forphase1]

1 hour ago, sportsfan8703 said:

We gotta do something with Mullins. EBJ needs more than one year in the minors. Why mess around and trade Mullins after this season, rely on a reasonable stop gap FA on a 1 year deal, then have EBJ develop fast?  That’s a lot of stuff that has to go right for us when we’re trying to win a WS. 

3/42ish  willing to go 3/45

Why Mullins does it - He’s only made around 7 million his whole career through his OD age of 29.5. I’m sure he wasn’t living large at Campbell either. He mitigates some risk by taking 40+ million guaranteed. 7 million before taxes. Has he bought the big house yet?

Why we do it - Stability while trying to win divisions and the WS. We can allow EBJ two years to develop in the minors. We still likely trade Mullins after the 2nd year of the deal. Risk mitigation. 

It’s cute to want to win with all of our players in pre arb or arb, but that was broken with the Kimbrel signing. It’s not like I’m suggesting extending Hays or Santa. I’m willing to pay for the premium position of CF and where the nearest depth is likely in A+ to begin the season. It’s a “luxury” a team chasing a WS can afford. 

I disagree.  Mullins is not someone I'm overly interested in signing to an extension, and certainly not with 2 years of control left.  He is slowing down, he's starting to miss more time due to injuries and his OBP has dropped from .360 in his awesome career year to .318 in '22 and only .305 last year.  HIS OPS stayed the same as he hit for a bit more power (15 HR in 404 AB versus 16 HR in 608 AB the past 2 years).  I like Mullins, but I'm not sure I want him as our starting CF in 3 years.  

[Orioles West]

I don’t see a “mental shift” either.

Elias has had to do a lot of his work with very finite resources (particularly with total team payroll). So he rebuilt the farm and now has more than one way to improve the big league roster. He built up to this opportunity versus a perceived ‘shift’ or change of heart — to get a chance to trade for needs without having to tap into long term FA contracts. 

It’s also why Elias is a GM and I’m a fan — because I love having the best minor league system on the planet and I would probably be overprotective of those ‘potential’ resources. However, I did know this day was coming, and I think we will see more trades over the next couple of years to grab needed veteran help, as was always intended.

[Bemorewins]

6 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

The mental shift factors into extension talks too. Like what to do with Mullins. Would Mullins let us buy out 1-2 of his FA years for some guaranteed money. Something like a 3/36 deal right now. Mullins only gives up 1 year for some cheddar right now. 

I agree in that if we are going to build a perineal contender then extensions are a must. I think retention of key/star players is also how you grow your fanbase. You need to have results PLUS people the average fan can root for/connect with/follow/be invested in.

I’m just not sure Mullins is the right guy for that. If Bradley Jr develops in the next 2 years. It could be an 80/20 principal situation. Henderson/Rutschman/Holliday are your irreplaceable guys who should be retained IMO.

[Warehouse]

Kyle Goon (Baltimore Banner): “Throughout these years you’ve been so disciplined and guarded about protecting your top prospects and young guys with talent. Does this deal in a way feel like a marker for a shift in the organization and looking more to the present than future than you have in years past?”

Mike Elias: “I don’t see it that way whatsoever.”

[SilverRocket]

I don't think Elias has had a mental shift at all. I think there's been a shift in circumstances causing the front office to start caring more about immediate wins, but I would argue Darell Hernaiz for Cole Irvin was the sign of that.

[Moose Milligan]

I don’t see it as some mental shift at all. Everyone knows that he was going to have to trade prospects at some point. Pretending that he saw some kind of light and shifted his focus or philosophy is silly. 

[Ripken]

16 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I don’t see it as some mental shift at all. Everyone knows that he was going to have to trade prospects at some point. Pretending that he saw some kind of light and shifted his focus or philosophy is silly. 

Right.  The thread is dumb.

[wildcard]

I understand what Elias is saying.  He doesn't see it as a shift in mentality because he has always been building to trying to win the World Series with his moves.  I agree.

However this is the first time he has traded a player that is not blocked for a veteran.   Hall had a future with the O's.   In the pen in 2024 and maybe in the rotation in 2025.   Elias gave up Hall's future with the O's for one year of Burnes.   

As a GM Elias has guarded his young talented players.   Holding on to them.  This trade was a different mindset.   Give up part of the O's future for one year of a veteran player.  I am not  saying its a bad move.  I am saying its something Elias has not done before.

[Moose Milligan]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

I understand what Elias is saying.  He doesn't see it as a shift in mentality because he has always been building to trying to win the World Series with his moves.  I agree.

However this is the first time he has traded a player that is not blocked for a veteran.   Hall had a future with the O's.   In the pen in 2024 and maybe in the rotation in 2025.   Elias gave up Hall's future with the O's for one year of Burnes.   

As a GM Elias has guarded his young talented players.   Holding on to them.  This trade was a different mindset.   Give up part of the O's future for one year of a veteran player.  I am not  saying its a bad move.  I am saying its something Elias has not done before.

Whatever you say, WC. 

[emmett16]

I don’t see a mental shift.  I see a guy making long term plans and executing that plan.  They develop all their players to help the club in performance or as currency.  I don’t see that changing.  Only difference  now is they have a larger arsenal of productive players they can use or trade.  

Edited February 4 by emmett16

[Can_of_corn]

2 hours ago, wildcard said:

I understand what Elias is saying.  He doesn't see it as a shift in mentality because he has always been building to trying to win the World Series with his moves.  I agree.

However this is the first time he has traded a player that is not blocked for a veteran.   Hall had a future with the O's.   In the pen in 2024 and maybe in the rotation in 2025.   Elias gave up Hall's future with the O's for one year of Burnes.   

As a GM Elias has guarded his young talented players.   Holding on to them.  This trade was a different mindset.   Give up part of the O's future for one year of a veteran player.  I am not  saying its a bad move.  I am saying its something Elias has not done before.

Tanner Scott wasn't blocked.

[wildcard]

31 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Tanner Scott wasn't blocked.

Tanner Scott was not a young player traded for a veteran.  He was a 27 year old traded for younger players.

[RZNJ]

Elias is just saying that circumstances have changed.  Whatever.  Something has changed.

Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias disagreed when a reporter suggested yesterday that his acquisition of ace pitcher Corbin Burnes from the Brewers may represent a shift in the O's organization.

Where once the O’s seemed reluctant to part with prospects, this time they traded two of them and a draft pick to get the 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner.

“I don’t see it that way whatsoever,” said Elias. “The methods that we have applied to rebuild the team, are being applied with all our decision making in baseball operations. The whole time, even when our team was losing a lot of games, I was talking about making decisions oriented toward enhancing our playoff possibilities. And at that time, our playoff possibilities were in the future, and now we’ve won the AL East. That front loads a lot of stuff into the present, but we’re still going to keep an eye on the future to keep the organization healthy.“

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Tanner Scott was not a young player traded for a veteran.  He was a 27 year old traded for younger players.

Which isn't something you said before.

But that's OK, we are used to you pivoting.