How much faith do you have in Elias to address the needs this month?

[interloper]

What's the vibe? 

[LookitsPuck]

Vibe is very high.

New owner that is on the tail end of his honeymoon phase, 1st place in the AL East with similar holes as last year when the team got swept in the playoffs, but actually worse off with the bullpen, but with the Yankees actually great and the ability to spend/trade a ton to pass the O's. Also, say what you will, but Elias whiffed tremendously during the trade deadline last year. There needs to be an atonement there. 

[interloper]

Just now, LookitsPuck said:

Vibe is very high.

New owner that is on the tail end of his honeymoon phase, 1st place in the AL East with similar holes as last year when the team got swept in the playoffs, but actually worse off with the bullpen, but with the Yankees actually great and the ability to spend/trade a ton to pass the O's. Also, say what you will, but Elias whiffed tremendously during the trade deadline last year. There needs to be an atonement there. 

I like the optimism! I went with option 2, but I have had moments of more optimism and also less. So I thought it would be interesting to see where people are right now. 

I agree that he cannot have another deadline like last year or, god forbid, worse. Anything is possible, though. 

[Aristotelian]

Seems like Elias is always one step below the fan base but maybe things will be different with Rubenstein. I hope for at least a medium splash. I have confidence we won't pull a Glenn Davis type of deal and get robbed but we may not get the Crochet/Skubal level ace.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

12 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Seems like Elias is always one step below the fan base but maybe things will be different with Rubenstein. I hope for at least a medium splash. I have confidence we won't pull a Glenn Davis type of deal and get robbed but we may not get the Crochet/Skubal level ace.

I don't really want to see an all in trade given the risk involved with picking up any pitcher in the game right now. I want to see if veteran players on a big contract are an option now with Rubenstein.

A player like Max Scherzer should be on the table as a means to add another viable starting pitcher. I have to think under Angelos a player like Scherzer would be too expensive and a nonstarter. I'd rather pay $$$ for some high priced veterans over giving up top prospects for one pitcher that you pray doesn't get a sore elbow. 

[royalstillman]

I think Elias will not be willing to trade Kjerstad,Mayo,Basallo or Holliday,and I don't blame him.What can be had for what is left prospect wise I'll put my trust in him. I definitely liked what I saw in Ecreg yesterday.I honestly don't know what it would take to get him.

[theobird]

I have complete faith that Elias will not unload top prospects to do anything. I think he may still make a splash by dealing a vet or two that he is comfortable replacing with the young talent pipeline he has built. I could also see this group adding a veteran like Max Scherzer. But I will be shocked if he deals from the Holiday, basallo, mayo, Kjerstad types. 

 

[LookitsPuck]

15 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

I don't really want to see an all in trade given the risk involved with picking up any pitcher in the game right now. I want to see if veteran players on a big contract are an option now with Rubenstein.

A player like Max Scherzer should be on the table as a means to add another viable starting pitcher. I have to think under Angelos a player like Scherzer would be too expensive and a nonstarter. I'd rather pay $$$ for some high priced veterans over giving up top prospects for one pitcher that you pray doesn't get a sore elbow. 

Scherzer would be an Angelos target because the Rangers only owe a fraction of his salary, so it’d even be less than that. Think the Rangers were on the hook for like $22-23m, so he’d be around $11-12m on the books for the O’s.

[Orioles0615]

I don’t have much confidence  because I think he will try to go the way of catch lightning in a bottle again like last year with Fuji and Flaherty 

[HowAboutThat]

Is last year what he chose to do? Or was it what he was forced to do given the limitations imposed on him?

Of course, nobody knows, but it is possible that Mike’s personal game is to try and find unexpected solutions. The Lopez and Mancini trades, finding Suarez and several of our successful relievers, O’Hearn, Urias, Mateo all waiver claims, can only be counted as unexpected victories. Flaherty and Fuji are among his uncommon failures. So there is precedent.

Mike certainly doesn’t want to waste any assets, but I’m confident that he doesn’t want to spend them at all unless he has to.

I think I am the only vote for him doing nothing and I certainly hope I’m wrong, but it certainly can be argued that he is confident that more waiver claims, or “down ballot voting” will get him enough to continue the momentum he wants.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

8 minutes ago, LookitsPuck said:

Scherzer would be an Angelos target because the Rangers only owe a fraction of his salary, so it’d even be less than that. Think the Rangers were on the hook for like $22-23m, so he’d be around $11-12m on the books for the O’s.

I don't see Angelos agreeing to $11M for a half season of Scherzer.

[Sports Guy]

Total faith 

[Moose Milligan]

I’m at a solid 65% of feeling like he’ll do something significant. 
 

100% confident that he won’t stand pat, that’s for sure. What he brings in remains to be seen. 

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I’m at a solid 65% of feeling like he’ll do something significant. 
 

100% confident that he won’t stand pat, that’s for sure. What he brings in remains to be seen. 

I think he does more than last year but he won't make a really big deal.

[CaptainRedbeard]

I have total faith that he will get a SP and a RP, and those will be without trading any of the top 3 prospects. And the only player Kjerstad could go for is Crochet. (I don’t think Skubal will even be available, and even if the Tigers listen on him he won’t be dealt.)

What I don’t have total faith in is how good those SP and RP will be. I think the trade deadline is very unpredictable, and Elias is not the type to overpay to get Option A. He’s more likely to get outbid on Option A and pivot to Options B, C or D at better value, and that all has to happen very quickly in a compressed timeframe right before the deadline.

So if things don’t break right they easily could end up with some underwhelming guys like last year.