Andy MacPhail - Disappointing GM

[blueberryale77]

No all that really matters is that not that he didn't sign the player, rather his poor attempt and lack of aggressiveness in trying to sign said player, and how that fits the profile and track record of his tenure in other organizations.

I think (and genuinely hope) he was not aggressive because he only wanted to sign said player if the terms were within reason for a team in the stage of rebuilding the O's were in. Once it became apparent that not only would the player not give MacPhail's team a hometown discount, but he'd prefer to play for a larger market team and would probably require an even bigger offer from the Orioles than he would from them, MacPhail wisely backed off. He could have handled it better by quickly making it unequivocally clear that he was backing out when he decided to do so rather than leaving an offer on the table that had no chance of success but gave the fans who wanted Teixeira some hope that it would eventually be increased, but the end result was the right one. He didn't mortgage the future to appease the angry fans desperate for a big splash.

[hatepaste]

It's still the lowest amount total. We offered the most per year to Vlad too, but it wasn't the total highest dollar amount.

What makes you think he will spend that money? I'm going off of track record. All those who think he'll change the way he does things are basing their opinons on hopes and dreams.

Weren't the Cubs up for sale the last year or two MacPhail was in Chicago? Or was that after he left. I don't know for sure. Either way, I remember hearing about the Cubs reluctance to spend money (from ownership) for several years in a row.

And the overall thought at the time was that Lee and Guerrero both used the Orioles to get more money elsewhere.

[JTrea81]

It's just absurd how much speculation goes into your critique of MacPhail.

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.

[Fiver]

This thread is now 3.5 times longer than the 'Magnificent GM' thread. Anyone surprised? :laughlol:

[vab]

MacPhail - magnificent GM - all facts.

MacPhail - disappointing GM - all speculation.

Enough said.

[hatepaste]

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.

Like I said before. He was in small market Minnesota, no surprises there.

Also, when he was in Chicago he was GM for 2 years of his reign. How do we know the reluctance to spend money from him? How do we know it didn't come from ownership? What about Hendry?

[tywright]

Alright since this a thread about our "disappointing" GM, I would like to say I was disappointed he didn't sign Randy Wolf instead of Eaton. And that we didn't trade Huff last offseason when his value was at its highest and then didn't sign Dunn as a FA.

[Mackus]

Right, Beckett was a trade along with Mike Lowell and we see how that all worked out.

But when it came time to extend Beckett in 2006, the Red Sox didn't hesitate about spending money to keep an elite-level pitcher.

And as far as FA pitching goes, Andy Pettite seems to be working out fine.

MSK

Please try to understand my posts before responding. I said some pitchers work out ok, but they are few and far between. I also said big FA deals. Andy Pettitte is signed to a 1/$5.5M deal, that's not very big. His deal with the Astros did work out, though. There are some examples, but there are far more examples of guys like Carlos Silva signed to a 4/$48M deal that don't work out. Or Barry Zito. You can go ahead and keep pointing out the exceptions to the rule, but they are just that, the exceptions.

At some point you need to take a risk and sign a guy, but unless you are a fool you must recognize that we are clearly not at that point right now.

Beckett signed an extension. If MacPhail refuses to extend whatever of our pitchers develop because of this "buy bats grow arms" philosophy I'll be upset, but he very obviously is not going to do that. He'll extend our guys if they are performing (unless we have similarly talented guys in the pipeline). He'll extend a couple guys, trade a couple, and let others walk and fill in with newly developed talent.

If you're not going to read and understand what I'm saying, which is very simple, please stop responding. I have no desire to bounce this very simple, logical thought process off a brick wall who refuses to acknowledge my main points and keeps pointing out things like "what about Josh Beckett". I've never interpreted you to be that before, but you're being incredibly obtuse in this thread.

[hatepaste]

Alright since this a thread about our "disappointing" GM, I would like to say I was disappointed he didn't sign Randy Wolf instead of Eaton. And that we didn't trade Huff last offseason when his value was at its highest and then didn't sign Dunn as a FA.

Wolf would get killed in the AL east.

And I wish someone actually wanted to trade for Huff. I believe there were no takers.

[MemorialStadKid]

While you're looking into that crystal ball could you tell me some Power Ball numbers to look out for?

06 08 13 36 47 52

I want my cut if you win.

MSK

[Satyr3206]

Please try to understand my posts before responding. I said some pitchers work out ok, but they are few and far between. I also said big FA deals. Andy Pettitte is signed to a 1/$5.5M deal, that's not very big. His deal with the Astros did work out, though. There are some examples, but there are far more examples of guys like Carlos Silva signed to a 4/$48M deal that don't work out. Or Barry Zito. You can go ahead and keep pointing out the exceptions to the rule, but they are just that, the exceptions.

At some point you need to take a risk and sign a guy, but unless you are a fool you must recognize that we are clearly not at that point right now.

Beckett signed an extension. If MacPhail refuses to extend whatever of our pitchers develop because of this "buy bats grow arms" philosophy I'll be upset, but he very obviously is not going to do that. He'll extend our guys if they are performing (unless we have similarly talented guys in the pipeline). He'll extend a couple guys, trade a couple, and let others walk and fill in with newly developed talent.

If you're not going to read and understand what I'm saying, which is very simple, please stop responding. I have no desire to bounce this very simple, logical thought process off a brick wall who refuses to acknowledge my main points and keeps pointing out things like "what about Josh Beckett". I've never interpreted you to be that before, but you're being incredibly obtuse in this thread.

Like the Warden in Shawshank. And we know what happened to him.:rofl:

[Crazysilver03]

ARE YOU INSANE?

Do you honestly believe we will come close to signing Fielder, Howard or Pujols?

If we sign ANY of those guys, and feel free to put this in stone, I WILL RUN ONTO THE FIELD AT OPACY in the middle of the ALCS and eat my shoe on the pitcher's mound.

The reasons why this is impossible are that we won't sign an elite-level bat and we won't be in the ALCS then either. Fielder will either end up on the Dodgers, Giants or White Sox. Howard will end up on the Rangers, Angels or Braves. And Pujols will be a DH for Boston or the Yanks.

These are my predictions. And while I might be wrong, one prediction will come true, if AM is still GM by 2011, there is no way in hell he will persuade them to come to Baltimore.

MSK

I dont really understand why you need such as brash tone to your thread. It makes your point even less unvalidated.

For the record, no, I am not insane. Nor am I drinking the orange kool-aid. I do like me some fruit punch though.

[tywright]

Wolf would get killed in the AL east.

And I wish someone actually wanted to trade for Huff. I believe there were no takers.

Well I suspect he would have been killed in the AL East, but we also play about 55% of our games against other divisions. And he would have also helped up from having to call up Matusz too early.

Oh there were takers for Huff at $8MM prior to this season, which just didn't hear about it publicly. AM needed the power bat and didn't foresee a huge decline so that's why he didn't pursue a trade.

[WebLink21]

The real question is would JTrea have had these concerns if they would have signed Tex?

That's easy. The answer is no. It all went south for him when we didn't sign Tex. He believes we had a chance to sign him and no matter what anyone says, he will always believe that. He did such a good job of convincing himself for so long that Tex was coming here the minute he became a free agent that I think a little part of him died the day he signed with the Yankees. Even though people continuously tell him that we really did not have a chance, he will never accept it and will rehash it over and over.....and over again.

[Crazysilver03]

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.

Much like your wine and dine comments.