Andy MacPhail - Disappointing GM

[Crazysilver03]

And what FAs did he bring in during that time?

People that continue to bring up that he signs his own are missing the point...No one is saying that is the issue...The issue is will he go out and spend big dollars for a player that isn't on his team? Or, will he trade a package of young players for a premium bat/pitcher?

Off the top of my head, I don't think he has ever done either of these things.

BTW, AM is in a much different situation now than he was before...He ain't in the NL central anymore.

Then how did MacPhail acquire Lee and Aramis. He had to give up players to get them.

[Mike B]

Now where is the guarantee that if we go with all homegrown players at various points of their development, that we will win 80-85 games in the AL East? Don't say Tampa because we don't have an "Orioles" to beat up on like they did.

We need to sign premium FAs to get us to 80-85 wins IMO because there is no guarantee that we will reach that mark with all homegrown, young cheap talent.

And I make this crtique because never in the history of MacPhail's tenure overseeing a team was he aggressive in pursuing premium FA talent even when the Cubs needed pieces to put them over the top for the playoffs. He never added that premium bat or arm, choosing to go with lesser pieces.

The track record isn't there.

You are a broken record. You rehash the same arguments at least once a month. A few points. IMO, you can never focus too much on pitching. If your pitching stinks, it effects every aspect of the game. 2. Very few,major free agents are going to come here until we stop the bleeding and the way to do that is develop pitching. 3. AM did not win a championship in Chicago but he most certainly left it better than he found it. Stop acting like he created a Syd Thrift Oriole situation. It is very true that the Cubs never got over the top but he got them to within a choke job of the World Series. 4. Wining and dining, are you kidding, that may work for a guy with limited options but they could have taken that arrogant first baseman to breakfast, lunch and dinner every day for a month and he was still winding up in the overpaying capital of the world. 5. As for premium pitchers, I am not sure the Orioles could take too many Pavano, Schmidt, Hampton, Zito etc type busts. 5. It is too simplistic and not fair to the Rays to say they got where they are because they beat up the Orioles. They developed talent and now should be trying to land the big guns to get them over the top. If we get to that point, and AM does not augment the team then you can complain and I am sure you will. Augmenting this group with a major free agent signing is sort of like hanging the Mona Lisa in the Bus Station.

[freethebirds]

And it's amazing to me how much speculation there is that MacPhail will suddenly change the way he's pursued premium FAs.

It's all conjecture really.

Except I'm not deifying McPhail for something I don't know in the way that you are crucifying him for something that you have essentially made up. I just really appreciate what he has done, and what we can verify he has done (Bedard trade, signing Wieters, DR Academy-which I've been to personally).

If it's just conjecture, then how are you so sure he's been disappointing? Your argument is weak at best.

[Crazysilver03]

It was either going to be Matusz or Waters. Pauley isn't on the 40. And we know what to expect from Liz. Patton and Arrieta were ruled out because of their AAA performance. I guess giving Matusz a few starts doesn't hurt his development, but AM would tell you he would have rather not be put in that situation at the beginning of the year.

You make fair points, my argument is that things changed though, and it just wasnt injuries.

At the beginning of the year, I don't think anyone envisioned Matusz putting up a sub 2.00 ERA in Bowie over 9 starts, while going nearly 40 straight innings without giving up an earned run. We knew he was good, but I definitely didnt think he would be that good. Matusz's performance changed MacPhail's mind and calling Matusz up became a real possibility only in the last month or so.

[Sports Guy]

He traded for two guys that turned into premium bats---Aramis Ramirez and Derrick Lee. Why isn't that just as good, if not better, than spending money on guys in free agency that provide similar production. He didn't have to spend a ton of money on big bats because he found them another way.

That is what you want a GM to do.

That's fine...I am all for him taking advantage of a situation where a team is trying to dump a player that will soon be too expensive for them...You know, like Rios..Oh wait, he passed on that.

Well, maybe Hardy?

Who out there fits that description? Pittsburgh has traded everyone...Oakland is basically all young and cheap...Florida has Hanley and that's about it.

So, what teams out there could the Orioles take advantage of in that way and then, on top of that, what players from those teams?

[tywright]

Huff's trade value was never high. If it was, he would've been claimed in August last year.

Nobody was giving up any significant talent for him in the offseason. MacPhail didn't screw up anything there.

Huff clearing waivers last year was pretty surprising despite his $10.1MM contract and limited defensive abilities.

[Mike B]

I agree with this 100%. MacPhail is performing like an average GM and while he's improved us immensely, we were far in a hole.

And to get back to the playoffs in 2011, we realistically need to look at what MacPhail isn't doing that he needs to do to get us there.

J.P. Riccardi said it best:

And right now even with the young talent pool that we have, there is no guarantee that we will be great.

Good old JP may very well be available in the off season.

[baltfan]

That's fine...I am all for him taking advantage of a situation where a team is trying to dump a player that will soon be too expensive for them...You know, like Rios..Oh wait, he passed on that.

Well, maybe Hardy?

Who out there fits that description? Pittsburgh has traded everyone...Oakland is basically all young and cheap...Florida has Hanley and that's about it.

So, what teams out there could the Orioles take advantage of in that way and then, on top of that, what players from those teams?

He passed on Rios because we have a nice young outfield with a very good 4th outfielder. Do you think he would have passed on Rios if he played 1st or 3rd?

[Sports Guy]

Then how did MacPhail acquire Lee and Aramis. He had to give up players to get them.

He didn't really trade a lot of good young talent for them though.

And that's fine but that wasn't what I meant...I just meant the idea of trading some of our top young talent and obtaining an upper echelon player.

[Sports Guy]

He passed on Rios because we have a nice young outfield with a very good 4th outfielder. Do you think he would have passed on Rios if he played 1st or 3rd?

He passed on Rios because of his price tag.

We could have easily found room for Rios on the team.

[Crazysilver03]

That's fine...I am all for him taking advantage of a situation where a team is trying to dump a player that will soon be too expensive for them...You know, like Rios..Oh wait, he passed on that.

Since you are a major Pie supporter, would you have been fine with releasing Pie to claim Rios?

[BRobinsonfan]

1) However, he does not seem as willing to go after FA talent on the level that Cashman or Epstein (who control our two strongest rivals) does.

MSK

Question for you. How does he "go after FA talent on the level that Cashman or Epstein" when he doesn't have a budget on the level of Cashman and Epstein to do it with?

[Fan4Life]

That's fine...I am all for him taking advantage of a situation where a team is trying to dump a player that will soon be too expensive for them...You know, like Rios..Oh wait, he passed on that.

Well, maybe Hardy?

Who out there fits that description? Pittsburgh has traded everyone...Oakland is basically all young and cheap...Florida has Hanley and that's about it.

So, what teams out there could the Orioles take advantage of in that way and then, on top of that, what players from those teams?

Helton? LOL... sorry... there aren't a lot of options....

[hatepaste]

That's fine...I am all for him taking advantage of a situation where a team is trying to dump a player that will soon be too expensive for them...You know, like Rios..Oh wait, he passed on that.

Well, maybe Hardy?

Who out there fits that description? Pittsburgh has traded everyone...Oakland is basically all young and cheap...Florida has Hanley and that's about it.

So, what teams out there could the Orioles take advantage of in that way and then, on top of that, what players from those teams?

Rios? Are you kidding me? Where does he play? And besides 70 million on his contract? No thank you.

[bird watcher]

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