Mlbtraderumors.com predicts Delgado to the O's

[Fan4Life]

One of the things that the MLBTR Free Agent list points out is how hard it would be for the O's to sign a couple of great-very good starters away from the contenders. I just don't see it happening. MacPhail will not overpay for multi year contracts for starters.

"Grow the pitching and buy the bats."

I agree it will be an up hill battle to sign some of the better FA pitchers. I think Harden would be within reach but unless our offer is much better, he isn't coming here. I would look at the trade market. Perhaps a Vazquez or Zambrano are obtainable or similar pitchers on teams who may have an interest in moving them.

Grow the arms and buy that bats isn't a bad plan, it just doesn't bode well for a successful 2010. So unless the pitching improves as expected with no setbacks either injury or performance related, it may be to 2012 to field a contender.

[LookinUp]

It seems like some people think we'll be able to get a player like Delgado "on the cheap."

Why would a big name guy who could possibly still have some gas in the tank want to come here on the cheap, when it's likely that a team with a better chance to win would make him a comparable offer?

If we want Delgado, we'll have to go higher than the teams who want him on the cheap. So, we likely won't get him on the cheap, which means that we won't get him.

This is fine with me.

[DrungoHazewood]

And you do? What makes your ideas right and mine wrong?

I'm saying Delgado can't be our "big bat"

When you have guys like Jason Bay and Matt Holliday in the FA market as well as plenty of options via trade, if a 38 year old Delgado is our major offensive acquisition, we won't be making much of an improvement next year IMO.

I have no problem adding Delgado as a supplemental piece, but he simply can't be the major offensive acquisition if we want to compete in 2011. Not with the opportunity that MacPhail will have this offseason to augment the offense.

What in the world does Carlos Delgado have to do with 2011? Even if he's signed by the O's he probably won't be here in 2011.

[JTrea81]

And even if he doesn't, at least he's a more sound investment than Bay or Holliday as you mentioned.

Ty Wigginton cost the Orioles in terms of value 1.5 million extra than his contract last season. I hardly call a signing like that a sound investment. Who's to say a 38 year old Delgado coming off a hip injury won't do the same?

You may be committing more money to the likes of Bay or Holliday, but you get a better quality player.

We can keep dinking and dunking with 4-5 million dollar players hoping we'll get a 15-20 million dollar performance, or we can actually commit the dollars and pretty much get what we pay for.

[Fan4Life]

It seems like some people think we'll be able to get a player like Delgado "on the cheap."

Why would a big name guy who could possibly still have some gas in the tank want to come here on the cheap, when it's likely that a team with a better chance to win would make him a comparable offer?

If we want Delgado, we'll have to go higher than the teams who want him on the cheap. So, we likely won't get him on the cheap, which means that we won't get him.

This is fine with me.

Put Reimold at 1b and see what happens. We're not contending this year anyway and he can't be worse defensively than Wiggy at 1b who was marginally better than the worst 1b of all time (Dunn).

[JTrea81]

What in the world does Carlos Delgado have to do with 2011? Even if he's signed by the O's he probably won't be here in 2011.

We will not compete in 2011 if we don't do something major this offseason IMO. We need to ramp up and we can't do it one offseason.

I hate repeating myself like this but people seem to ask the same question.

[zff4]

I have no problem adding Delgado as a supplemental piece, but he simply can't be the major offensive acquisition if we want to compete in 2011.

Frankly, I don't believe we'll be making any major offensive acquisitions this off-season, if by major you mean anything more than a placeholder. All our immediate offensive acquisitions, if we make any, will be supplemental. That may change next off-season, but I don't believe this off season will make many of us happy.

As far as "hanging on for the ride" this offseason, I don't believe we'll need to fasten the seatbelts.

[Moose Milligan]

The goal is to win games, not to flip guys for more prospects. We are past that stage, or so MacPhail tells us. If we are flipping Delgado, it will mean that we are in the midst of another losing season. Delgado can always move to DH if we are winning games and he is performing well if Brandon Snyder shows he belongs in MLB.

No, the goal is to win games and still have a steady stream of minor league talent. You can't ignore the minor leagues just because we're winning games at the ML level. Then, maybe, when we're an 85 win team we could send a package of prospects to land some guy you really want. You know that whole using "young pitching as currency" mantra.

Wanting to ignore the minor league system just because you're satisfied with the ML product is incredibly short sighted and ignorant. But if thats how you'd like to run an big league franchise, I guess thats fine.

[Frobby]

Ty Wigginton cost the Orioles in terms of value 1.5 million extra than his contract last season. I hardly call a signing like that a sound investment. Who's to say a 38 year old Delgado coming off a hip injury won't do the same?

You may be committing more money to the likes of Bay or Holliday, but you get a better quality player.

We can keep dinking and dunking with 4-5 million dollar players hoping we'll get a 15-20 million dollar performance, or we can actually commit the dollars and pretty much get what we pay for.

Wiggy certainly underperformed his contract last year, but you make it sound as though that was a foregone conclusion. It wasn't, not at all. That move was widely hailed as a smart one by the Orioles. It just didn't work out -- in 2009, anyway. We will see about 2010.

I agree Delgado coming off a hip injury is no sure thing. I'd still make that move at the right price. The reward's pretty high if he's right.

[Lucky Jim]

I hate repeating myself like this but people seem to ask the same question.

This is one of the unintentionally funniest posts I've ever seen on the OH.

[wildcard]

It seems like some people think we'll be able to get a player like Delgado "on the cheap."

Why would a big name guy who could possibly still have some gas in the tank want to come here on the cheap, when it's likely that a team with a better chance to win would make him a comparable offer?

If we want Delgado, we'll have to go higher than the teams who want him on the cheap. So, we likely won't get him on the cheap, which means that we won't get him.

This is fine with me.

A lot depends on Delgado's health. The Mets website says that Delgado is supposed to play winter ball. Winter ball ends by Christmas so everyone should know by then if he is ready to play or not. If he is healthy then there may be some competition for him. However, I think the reports may be mixed. Maybe he will not be swinging the bat so well or maybe he will only be well enough to DH in December. If that happens then the O's medical and baseball staff will have to gauge and project where he will be in the spring. I think an incentive contract may be appropriate in that case. That kind of a scenario also cuts down on the bidding.

I can see Delgado getting a $3m base and incentives for playing time that would go as high as $8-10M. That is not that far off from Huff's final years and Delgado is a better player when healthy.

[Moose Milligan]

We will not compete in 2011 if we don't do something major this offseason IMO. We need to ramp up and we can't do it one offseason.

I hate repeating myself like this but people seem to ask the same question.

You said the same thing last year with the Tex debacle. Yet you don't seem to pitch hissy fits when we talk about the young talent we have coming through the system.

There will be another offseason after the 2010 season in which there will be an opportunity to "do something major" then. I'm not sure why 2011 is some huge make or break season. It'll happen when it'll happen and there's no deadline in place for any of it. Sure, its a goal but its not the end of the world. God forbid Matusz and Tillman blow out their arms this year, what are you gonna be saying then?

And no, I don't believe you truly hate repeating yourself.

[Sports Guy]

And you do? What makes your ideas right and mine wrong?

Because I know a lot more than you do.

I'm saying Delgado can't be our "big bat"

Why not? If he is healthy, he could easily be a 900+ OPS/30+ homer guy.

When you have guys like Jason Bay and Matt Holliday in the FA market as well as plenty of options via trade, if a 38 year old Delgado is our major offensive acquisition, we won't be making much of an improvement next year IMO.

You just don't get it...Our improvement is going to have NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE BRING IN VIA FA OR TRADES...The idea that shows you can't figure this out and grasp this point just proves my point.

I guess I will continue to bring this point up as well...And I am sure you will cowardly continue to ignore it...But you have said you feel Pie, Reimold, Jones, Wieters, Nick and BRob would give us an 810ish OPS. So, you do that and if Delgado gives us even an 850 ish OPS, that will be a contending offense, whether you want to acknowledge it or not.

[ChaosLex]

Ty Wigginton cost the Orioles in terms of value 1.5 million extra than his contract last season. I hardly call a signing like that a sound investment. Who's to say a 38 year old Delgado coming off a hip injury won't do the same?

You may be committing more money to the likes of Bay or Holliday, but you get a better quality player.

We can keep dinking and dunking with 4-5 million dollar players hoping we'll get a 15-20 million dollar performance, or we can actually commit the dollars and pretty much get what we pay for.

But for how long. If Wigginton sucks this year, he's gone after this year. If Holliday or Bay go into decline (and likely they will during the course of their next contract), we'll be stuck with them an extra 3-4 years. Do you really want another Mora or Gibbons situation on your hands?

[Sports Guy]

We will not compete in 2011 if we don't do something major this offseason IMO. We need to ramp up and we can't do it one offseason.

I hate repeating myself like this but people seem to ask the same question.

There is so much wrong with this statement.