Schmuck Chimes in on O's Offseason

[Scrat1]

BTW, I hate the idea of them ruling out Reimold to DH...If you have Pie and with what he showed last year, Pie has to start a lot.

The idea of no in terms of moving Reimols is so short sighted.

Yeah I'm going to be quite disgusted if this is what happens. As I've pointed out before, Pie was more valuable than Reimold last year, and he played significantly less.

[Frobby]

This whole post is 100% spot on Jtrea...It just isn't realistic to think they can get a big bat without trading anyone of significance.

I don't disagree, but the best time to trade is when you have a surplus of talent at a position, so that the player you are trading has less value to you than to the team receiving him in the trade. We are just not quite in that position yet with our young pitchers. Maybe in a year or two, we will be, when we have an established good rotation and a couple of other guys who deserve a shot. But not yet, so I'm not ready to start guessing which of our young pitchers is the one we can part with in a trade. The only other surplus we have is in the OF, and I'm not sure there's enough there to acquire a truly big bat in a trade. I think a more likely move is to go after someone like Glaus and hope he has 1-2 big years left in him.

[JTrea81]

I don't disagree, but the best time to trade is when you have a surplus of talent at a position, so that the player you are trading has less value to you than to the team receiving him in the trade. We are just not quite in that position yet with our young pitchers. Maybe in a year or two, we will be, when we have an established good rotation and a couple of other guys who deserve a shot. But not yet, so I'm not ready to start guessing which of our young pitchers is the one we can part with in a trade. The only other surplus we have is in the OF, and I'm not sure there's enough there to acquire a truly big bat in a trade. I think a more likely move is to go after someone like Glaus and hope he has 1-2 big years left in him.

Sign Lackey or Wolf for example, and then you have a surplus. Or sign Holliday and then maybe Reimold or Jones becomes expendable.

We can create a surplus.

Imagine signing Holliday and Lackey and being able to put Tillman and Jones or Reimold in a package for another bat or arm.

[csgordos]

This whole post is 100% spot on Jtrea...It just isn't realistic to think they can get a big bat without trading anyone of significance.

I mean, in the past you have had the chance to obtain some expensive contracts as dumps...That doesn't really seem to be the case this year, at least in positions of need.

I keep thinking that AM would be a great poker player. I think he realizes that he has to trade somebody to get something back, but that there is no point in stating the obvious out there. Never start a negotiation in a point of weakness or with your best offer the first offer. Start low and see what happens. I am not sure he gets a middle of the order guy, but I would be shocked if he gets one without giving up somebody or multiple guys who we will debate if the person is worth it. I am still gun shy after the Glen Davis trade of looking for a premium bat and giving up 3-4 core players. It will be an interesting day and couple of years if we give up some young players for a middle of the order kind of player. Will give us a lot to debate in the future.

[Sports Guy]

I don't disagree, but the best time to trade is when you have a surplus of talent at a position, so that the player you are trading has less value to you than to the team receiving him in the trade. We are just not quite in that position yet with our young pitchers. Maybe in a year or two, we will be, when we have an established good rotation and a couple of other guys who deserve a shot. But not yet, so I'm not ready to start guessing which of our young pitchers is the one we can part with in a trade. The only other surplus we have is in the OF, and I'm not sure there's enough there to acquire a truly big bat in a trade. I think a more likely move is to go after someone like Glaus and hope he has 1-2 big years left in him.

I don't disagree...But it is poor of AM to come out and tell his fan base he plans on adding a big bat but doesn't want to pay a lot for one, either in terms of players or money.

Either be straight up and realistic or don't say anything at all...being unrealistic is poor.

[El Gordo]

I don't disagree...But it is poor of AM to come out and tell his fan base he plans on adding a big bat but doesn't want to pay a lot for one, either in terms of players or money.

Either be straight up and realistic or don't say anything at all...being unrealistic is poor.

When did he say this? Source? I recall him saying he will be shoppng for bats, but nothing about not wanting to spend much in terms of dollars, nor anything about them being impact bats. He did say he didn't think he needed to trade any of his core to accomplish this. Johnson, Vlad, Glaus, or Delgado would be the kind of bats he was talking about IMO.

[RShack]

MacPhail is either going to have to spend some major cash or trade off some of our young talent. Otherwise we are just going to keep on treading water.

It's not "treading water" to have a team that starts out with Bergesen, Matusz, Tillman, Wieters, Reimold, and Pie all in place to start ST, and pretty soon adds Snyder, Bell, and Arrieta. That's 9 key guys who hadn't even seen OPACY just a measly 7 months ago. Pause for just a sec and reflect on that: 9 key young guys who were not a Baltimore Oriole just 7 months ago. To say that's treading water is goofy. This is not just about adding up anticipated WAR numbers. The Orioles are gonna rapidly become their team, they're gonna start acting like they own the place, and it's all gonna feel different. AM already said his main shopping is gonna come after he sees what happens with these guys, because he needs to know that before he goes shopping.

I understand why folks want another hitter. I understand why folks want another pitcher. But I also understand that AM will have a lot more clarity about exactly what he needs to do after he sees (and we all see) how things evolve with that crew. So, I expect that whatever he does between now and then isn't gonna be a very big deal, and that's mainly because it's not a big-deal situation just yet. So, if you're dreaming about big dramatic moves, well, good luck with that. There are good reasons why there likely won't be flashy high-drama moves.

[JTrea81]

It's not "treading water" to have a team that starts out with Bergesen, Matusz, Tillman, Wieters, Reimold, and Pie all in place to start ST, and pretty soon adds Snyder, Bell, and Arrieta. That's 9 key guys who hadn't even seen OPACY just a measly 7 months ago. Pause for just a sec and reflect on that: 9 key young guys who were not a Baltimore Oriole just 7 months ago. To say that's treading water is goofy. This is not just about adding up anticipated WAR numbers. The Orioles are gonna rapidly become their team, they're gonna start acting like they own the place, and it's all gonna feel different. AM already said his main shopping is gonna come after he sees what happens with these guys, because he needs to know that before he goes shopping.

I understand why folks want another hitter. I understand why folks want another pitcher. But I also understand that AM will have a lot more clarity about exactly what he needs to do after he sees (and we all see) how things evolve with that crew. So, I expect that whatever he does between now and then isn't gonna be a very big deal, and that's mainly because it's not a big-deal situation just yet. So, if you're dreaming about big dramatic moves, well, good luck with that. There are good reasons why there likely won't be flashy high-drama moves.

Having young talent doesn't guarantee us anything. It's great that we are going to have that many homegrown players in the majors, it really is. But let me know when that talent starts winning games on a regular basis. It may feel different at first, but until we start climbing the standings, the frustration and disappointment are going to return as they do every year with a losing team.

I think most of us are expecting an underwhelming offseason and I'm sure MacPhail won't disappoint in that regard.

[Sports Guy]

Having young talent doesn't guarantee us anything. It's great that we are going to have that many homegrown players in the majors, it really is. But let me know when that talent starts winning games on a regular basis. It may feel different at first, but until we start climbing the standings, the frustration and disappointment are going to return as they do every year with a losing team.

I think most of us are expecting an underwhelming offseason and I'm sure MacPhail won't disappoint in that regard.

Let me know when they have really had a chance to.

[JTrea81]

Let me know when they have really had a chance to.

Give them some good support and they have an even better chance IMO.

[RShack]

Having young talent doesn't guarantee us anything. It's great that we are going to have that many homegrown players in the majors, it really is. But let me know when that talent starts winning games on a regular basis. It may feel different at first, but until we start climbing the standings, the frustration and disappointment are going to return as they do every year with a losing team.

I think most of us are expecting an underwhelming offseason and I'm sure MacPhail won't disappoint in that regard.

It's like talking to the wall...

[JTrea81]

When did he say this? Source? I recall him saying he will be shoppng for bats, but nothing about not wanting to spend much in terms of dollars, nor anything about them being impact bats. He did say he didn't think he needed to trade any of his core to accomplish this. Johnson, Vlad, Glaus, or Delgado would be the kind of bats he was talking about IMO.

He's been pretty cryptic. I'd like him to say exactly what kind of bat he was looking for just so he didn't get anybody's hopes up. Trembley's said they want a middle of the order bat, but MacPhail has been non-specific.

Saying the Orioles are going to be "bat shoppers," is really vague. A "bat" could mean Matt Holliday or it could mean Hank Blalock.

[Sports Guy]

Give them some good support and they have an even better chance IMO.

But they still haven't been given a chance.

[Bradysburns]

It's the safe route. You've got to admit MacPhail is going to have to work some magic to get an impact bat via trade without trading any of the core players.

I don't think he can do it, as that kind of thinking simply isn't realistic. It's a lot harder to deal for star player than to try to trade a star player. He's going to have to give up some pieces that he probably would rather keep to get the kind of talent that we need via trade.

MacPhail is either going to have to spend some major cash or trade off some of our young talent. Otherwise we are just going to keep on treading water.

I have a gut feeling that AM will do at least ONE THING to pleasantly surprise this board. Who knows what it will be. But I am guessing he does land a big bat - Holliday, Bay, Fielder, etc. Somehow, he'll pull that off. And that would be nice. I would enjoy a cigar over that (any excuse). But what would make me go out and score some high-grade, celebratory crack would be the signing of a TOR pitcher... Duchsherer, Harden, Piniero... Pitching and defense, baby! Pitching and defense! That's part of the reason I wouldn't want them to replace Izzy. I think he's the best defensive SS we've had since Bordick... and I LIKE that about him, man.

[mweb]

This whole post is 100% spot on Jtrea...It just isn't realistic to think they can get a big bat without trading anyone of significance.

I mean, in the past you have had the chance to obtain some expensive contracts as dumps...That doesn't really seem to be the case this year, at least in positions of need.

BTW, I hate the idea of them ruling out Reimold to DH...If you have Pie and with what he showed last year, Pie has to start a lot.

The idea of no in terms of moving Reimold is so short sighted.

I agree, I want Pie to start as much as possible, and unless AM went out and got really good solutions at both 1B and DH, or of course add Holliday or Bay, I don't see why Pie wouldn't get to play a lot.

I would be happy with Johnson at first and Beltre at 3rd though, good stopgags, both with potential to become valuable trade pieces or be turned into picks.