What adjustments do you think AM will make to contend in this division?

[Sports Guy]

I said before there's a difference between having a plan and executing it to success.

Unanswerable? Really? This from a guy who seems to have plenty of answers such as :

We don't have any solid indications about PA's direction in re payroll. We do see payroll slashed from $93 mil in '07 to $67 million in '09. It remains to be seen if '10 payroll will reach the level of 2009. I'm not saying I disagree with eliminating deadweight from the payroll. But it's not *apparent* that some of the payroll cuts were solely of MacPhail's direction.

As predictable as sunrise, the romantic fairytale of Andy doing what his dad did. "And they all lived happily ever after."

How did his dad do rebuilding the Yankees after he left Baltimore? Never mind.

I could be wrong, and will happily admit it if it ever comes to pass. In the meantime, I'm basing my beliefs on his track record, not his dad's.

Yea, bringing up what AM's dad did is a joke but its rshack's "best argument", so he likes to run with it.

[El Gordo]

AM has said the time will come when we need to spend on FA and/or trade some surplus SP, to get where we need to go. He has done what he has said he would do so far, and given me no reason to doubt him. As to his failure to spend in his prior situations, it should be noted that in both cases he was dealing with penny pinching ownerships, and working within strict financial limits. He has said that PA is willng to spend here, so again I have no reason to doubt that. IMO there are some prominent naysayers here, who have become invested in their position as critics of the FO. It has been an easy pose to adopt given the disfunction of previous FO's. I think what worries them is the fact that AM does not exhibit these same symptoms of disfunction and if he proves to be successful they will be left without their comfortable pose. That would compel them do adopt a new one, and given the limited imagination that they have shown IMO, that could prove difficult.

[Sports Guy]

AM has said the time will come when we need to spend on FA and/or trade some surplus SP, to get where we need to go. He has done what he has said he would do so far, and given me no reason to doubt him. As to his failure to spend in his prior situations, it should be noted that in both cases he was dealing with penny pinching ownerships, and working within strict financial limits. He has said that PA is willng to spend here, so again I have no reason to doubt that. IMO there are some prominent naysayers here, who have become invested in their position as critics of the FO. It has been an easy pose to adopt given the disfunction of previous FO's. I think what worries them is the fact that AM does not exhibit these same symptoms of disfunction and if he proves to be successful they will be left without their comfortable pose. That would compel them do adopt a new one, and given the limited imagination that they have shown IMO, that could prove difficult.

I have ZERO doubt that he will spend some money...I think anyone who doubts that is a fool.

But the question is, will he spend the big dollars on a FA?

Will he spend 100+million on a big time FA first baseman?

Will he spend big on a FA pitcher?

Or will his signings be more of a the Aubrey Huff type signings...2-4 year deals for 10 million a year or less?

[TonySoprano]

Yea, people bringing up what he did in those situations are wrong IMO.

They show that he can build through the farm system and make good trades...But the has to do so much more to contend in this division.

That's what I am getting at in this thread...Will he deviate from his philosophies to do what it takes or will he stick to his usually ways of doing things?

Again, I submit that going with the youth is the right thing to do. Markakis is the first indication that some talent must be retained. So far, so good.

To contend in this division, he needs to spend on hitting and pitching.

He says that we will "not get any meaningful starting pitching through free agency." If any of his "cavalry" does not live up to the hype, will he deviate from plan and buy pitching? I doubt it. He might as well have "grow the arms, buy the bats" tattooed on him. I suspect he'll keep going back to the farm for pitching, and be prepared to take his lumps accordingly, as 2009 was a prime example.

[El Gordo]

I have ZERO doubt that he will spend some money...I think anyone who doubts that is a fool.

But the question is, will he spend the big dollars on a FA?

Will he spend 100+million on a big time FA first baseman?

Will he spend big on a FA pitcher?

Or will his signings be more of a the Aubrey Huff type signings...2-4 year deals for 10 million a year or less?

OF course if it is necessary. Is it your opinion that these things are absolutely necessary in order for the team to succeed? It can't be a 900 OPS 1B, it has to be a $100 mil 1B. I would think that if that is the only way to aquire what we need, he will spend the money. Why wouldn't he. But if a guy like Strieby or Blanks is availablle why not give that a shot. Howard, Fielder, AGonz weren't always $100 mil. 1B. They were prospects once that somebody took a chance on.

[mweb]

I have ZERO doubt that he will spend some money...I think anyone who doubts that is a fool.

But the question is, will he spend the big dollars on a FA?

Will he spend 100+million on a big time FA first baseman?

Will he spend big on a FA pitcher?

Or will his signings be more of a the Aubrey Huff type signings...2-4 year deals for 10 million a year or less?

He may spend 100+ million on a first baseman or he may go get a guy like Dunn, Pena, or Lee. Those guys would likely be in between the two options you laid out(100+ million and Huff type deal).

I doubt he will spend big on a FA pitcher, but that probably depends on how the team does.

[Sports Guy]

OF course if it is necessary. Is it your opinion that these things are absolutely necessary in order for the team to succeed? It can't be a 900 OPS 1B, it has to be a $100 mil 1B. I would think that if that is the only way to aquire what we need, he will spend the money. Why wouldn't he. But if a guy like Strieby or Blanks is availablle why not give that a shot. Howard, Fielder, AGonz weren't always $100 mil. 1B. They were prospects once that somebody took a chance on.

Look, I don't really want him to spend that kind of money MOST OF THE TIME.

I prefer your suggestion...Go get a good young first baseman.

My point is this....The Orioles have to add premium talent...To get that talent, they need to spend big dollars or trade some of AM's precious inventory, which isn't exactly that deep right now, to obtain those types of players.

I am not sure I see AM doing either of those things, at least not yet.

Now, I do think if we were deeper, perhaps even next year, that he would consider a 3-5 player package but not right now.

And I don't see him ever being a big time FA spender...Only way he lands an upper echelon FA is if there is a Vlad or Miggy bargain out there...Barring that, it ain't happening IMO.(and I am not neccassarily saying that is wrong)

[RShack]

Unanswerable? Really? This from a guy who seems to have plenty of answers such as :

What part of "everybody's just guessing, including me and including you" don't you understand?

You even quoted it, but evidently you didn't bother to read it.

As predictable as sunrise, the romantic fairytale of Andy doing what his dad did. "And they all lived happily ever after."

How did his dad do rebuilding the Yankees after he left Baltimore? Never mind.

What does that have to do with the price of eggs?

How his Dad did in NY has zero to do with what he accomplished in BAL, and has even less to do with what AM's job is here.

Yea, bringing up what AM's dad did is a joke but its rshack's "best argument", so he likes to run with it.

Oh, goodie, it's a tag-team match with both Soprano and SG. What's the matter with you guys? I swear, neither one of you is capable of having a discussion without going off track and being snide about something. Do you disagree that AM's job is to build the Baltimore Orioles franchise so it's good all the time? Of course you don't. You know that's exactly what his job is. Who is the only guy to have done that before? AM's father, that's who. Ergo, AM's job is to do what his father did, just updated for modern times. Disagreeing with that is saying that you don't want the franchise to be reconstructed to be good all the time.

Whether AM will succeed at it remains to be seen, and that's true no matter how much you think you know how he's supposedly gonna fail. But, succeed or fail, that's exactly what his job is. Why you guys keep denying that is beyond me. It's a perfect example of you trying to start arguments about nothing. I don't see why you can't just admit that his job is to make the franchise good all the time again, he's proceeding fine so far, and that it's an open question whether he will succeed.

As for it being a romantic story, if he pulls if off and succeeds, that's exactly what it will be. The media will be all over it, everybody in Baltimore will love it, AM will get his ticket to Cooperstown punched, and PA's dismal legacy will be redeemed. It will be a story everybody is thrilled about. Except of course SG, who will find a way to take credit for it, while claiming it was really no big deal, and saying anybody could have done it if only they simply followed orders from SG's GM-headquarters at the jewelry store.

[TonySoprano]

Oh, goodie, it's a tag-team match with both Soprano and SG.

Since most of your matches, including this thread, involve a tag-team partner named El Gordo, are you afraid of the 2 on 2 competition?

But, succeed or fail, that's exactly what his job is. Why you guys keep denying that is beyond me.

No one is denying that *is* his job. I raise doubts that he'll succeed at it. See the difference?

It's a perfect example of you trying to start arguments about nothing.

Your modus operandi, nice job of projection there.

I don't see why you can't just admit that his job is to make the franchise good all the time again, he's proceeding fine so far, and that it's an open question whether he will succeed.

Who said it wasn't an open question? From the beginning I said, "Andy may get us to a winning season, and may even get us to the playoffs one year. I have real doubts that he'll be able to build long-term, sustainable success, particularly in this division."

[Sports Guy]

What part of "everybody's just guessing, including me and including you" don't you understand?

You even quoted it, but evidently you didn't bother to read it.

What does that have to do with the price of eggs?

How his Dad did in NY has zero to do with what he accomplished in BAL, and has even less to do with what AM's job is here.

Oh, goodie, it's a tag-team match with both Soprano and SG. What's the matter with you guys? I swear, neither one of you is capable of having a discussion without going off track and being snide about something. Do you disagree that AM's job is to build the Baltimore Orioles franchise so it's good all the time? Of course you don't. You know that's exactly what his job is. Who is the only guy to have done that before? AM's father, that's who. Ergo, AM's job is to do what his father did, just updated for modern times. Disagreeing with that is saying that you don't want the franchise to be reconstructed to be good all the time.

Whether AM will succeed at it remains to be seen, and that's true no matter how much you think you know how he's supposedly gonna fail. But, succeed or fail, that's exactly what his job is. Why you guys keep denying that is beyond me. It's a perfect example of you trying to start arguments about nothing. I don't see why you can't just admit that his job is to make the franchise good all the time again, he's proceeding fine so far, and that it's an open question whether he will succeed.

As for it being a romantic story, if he pulls if off and succeeds, that's exactly what it will be. The media will be all over it, everybody will in Baltimore will love it, AM will get his ticket to Cooperstown punched, and PA's dismal legacy will be redeemed. It will be a story everybody is thrilled about. Except of course SG, who will find a way to take credit for it, while claiming it was really no big deal, and saying anybody could have done it if only they simply followed orders from SG's GM-headquarters at the jewelry store.

Why bring up what his dad did?

What not what Shuerholz did?

You have this belief that he will do it because his dad did..at least that is the perception I get from you because you always mention it.

[Mackus]

I think he'll make full use of all of his resources. If Angelos is really going to be able to open up the purse strings, and we can go to a $110-120M payroll eventually, that he'll spend as much of it as he needs to.

[Lucky Jim]

I think he'll make full use of all of his resources. If Angelos is really going to be able to open up the purse strings, and we can go to a $110-120M payroll eventually, that he'll spend as much of it as he needs to.

Agreed.

Letters.

[BaltimoreTerp]

I can't think of what ruins a thread more: appearances by Trea and Oldfan, or a three-way SG-Shack-TonyS battle.

Neither one leads to a good debate. And the sad part in this case is that all three have legitimate points, but all three are either too smug or too focused on warring with the others.

[theobird]

I can't think of what ruins a thread more: appearances by Trea and Oldfan, or a three-way SG-Shack-TonyS battle.

Neither one leads to a good debate. And the sad part in this case is that all three have legitimate points, but all three are either too smug or too focused on warring with the others.

I really enjoy these mini-series, tag team battle royals. They are great entertainment if you just relax and enjoy them. You are right, all of them make valid points. I find it really interesting to see which tag team I am more closely aligned with. Not that it really matters, or makes one team more/less correct than the others. 9 times out of 10, my baseball/Oriole philosophy parallel's the Shack/Gordo team. I find that interesting. I wonder what the reason is for the divide. Is it age? Is it occupation? None of the above? I just find it interesting. At the end of the day, even when I am personally involved in one of these little spats, I smile and move on knowing that my adversary for the day is still an Oriole Fan. And so, even though he is obviously wrong:), he/she can't really be that bad.

[Lucky Jim]

I really enjoy these mini-series, tag team battle royals. They are great entertainment if you just relax and enjoy them. You are right, all of them make valid points. I find it really interesting to see which tag team I am more closely aligned with. Not that it really matters, or makes one team more/less correct than the others. 9 times out of 10, my baseball/Oriole philosophy parallel's the Shack/Gordo team. I find that interesting. I wonder what the reason is for the divide. Is it age? Is it occupation? None of the above? I just find it interesting. At the end of the day, even when I am personally involved in one of these little spats, I smile and move on knowing that my adversary for the day is still an Oriole Fan. And so, even though he is obviously wrong:), he/she can't really be that bad.

Enough of that new age #$%^. Just because you're too lazy to carry a grudge doesn't mean the rest of us are.