MacPhail's worst move for the Orioles

[Sports Guy]

I think the Bradford/Walker/Baez catastrophe tells us all we need to know about Duquette - and we shouldn't pretend that was all Flanagan's doing.

And how do we know that PA didn't instruct him to go out and spend on relief pitching?

Again, I don't disagree with you but I think it is pretty naive to dismiss the idea that PA lets AM do what he wants and didn't allow that with anyone else.

Now, overall AM is smarter and has a better plan than those guys did so ultimately, I am 100% sure we are in better shape with him vs Duq but that doesn't mean Duq couldn't have been better under other circumstances either.

The bottom line with AM is this...He is doing a great job of building a foundation and getting us to a level where we should be able to start to contend soon...The question is, can he get us over that next hump?

Everyone assumes the answer is yes but he has to prove it first.

He has to prove that he is willing to do what it takes to put the best team in baseball on the field...because that is what the Orioles have to be.

[Sports Guy]

I think the other thing to remember about Duq is the presence of Flanagan...How much did he do? How much did Duq do?

Who the hell knows.

Whatever the answer is, we are better off now...thats for sure.

[TonySoprano]

Yep, they did what every team does - let their Scouting Director do his job. Interesting concept..

Did you ever hear the one about how we drafted Wade Townsend?

P.S. Who drafted Markakis?