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Schmuck: O's need a middle of the order bat


JTrea81

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Some great quotes from Schmuck in his latest blog post:

I believe the Orioles have to go out and get at least one decent middle-of-the-order bat, and I'm starting to wonder if they're willing to spend even the medium money it would take to do that. I'm afraid there might be a disconnect between the front office, which may be dispassionately looking at the team and figuring that there's no point in spending much if there is little chance of competing for a wild card berth next year, and a disintegrating fan following that wants to see the team take a tangible step forward in 2010. In which case, we may see another half effort to upgrade the batting order.

There may be some nuts and bolts logic there, but you can't remove the fans from the equation. They need to be reassured that the club is really moving forward, and you're not going send that message by conceding another 90-plus loss season. That doesn't mean you have to throw the plan out the window, but you can't steer around every opportunity to improve because a player might block one of your unproven prospects.

Schmuck is dead on here. MacPhail has said that next season is about wins and losses, so he has to acquire the talent to do that. Just because we have Bell and Snyder doesn't mean that we can't acquire a LT quality or premium CI solution. We aren't going anywhere next season with just retreads.

There seem to be quite a few options out there via trade other than the usual Fielder and Gonzalez talk. Swisher and even MCab might be on the block as well.

MacPhail's actions need to speak louder than his words this offseason.

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This take by Schmuck just seems like a firm grasp of the obvious to me and I am just an average Joe Fan. Nothing earth shattering to this, same as nothing earth shattering to the poll that shows the majority of reponders feel a number one-two proven veteran starter is what this team needs most followed by a middle of the order proven bat. Everyone knows this and I believe AM is on the hot seat with the fan base to produce and produce now.

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This take by Schmuck just seems like a firm grasp of the obvious to me and I am just an average Joe Fan. Nothing earth shattering to this, same as nothing earth shattering to the poll that shows the majority of reponders feel a number one-two proven veteran starter is what this team needs most followed by a middle of the order proven bat. Everyone knows this and I believe AM is on the hot seat with the fan base to produce and produce now.

You would be surprised at how many people really do believe that we don't need to make any improvements to the team.

The "average joe" fan is appalled, disgusted and furious at the direction of the team and would love to see a big splash signing. Even though the hardcore OH faithful might cry to the rafters, it would send a clear message throughout Birdland that the Orioles leadership is serious about contending and improvement.

Its really that simple.

MSK

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You would be surprised at how many people really do believe that we don't need to make any improvements to the team.

The "average joe" fan is appalled, disgusted and furious at the direction of the team and would love to see a big splash signing. Even though the hardcore OH faithful might cry to the rafters, it would send a clear message throughout Birdland that the Orioles leadership is serious about contending and improvement.

Its really that simple.

MSK

Can you find those posts? I've seen people say that we need to time our improvements, and that they're not immediately necessary. I've seen no one say that we don't need to make any improvements to the team.

When you say stuff like this, you should really support it with actual posts.

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Can you find those posts? I've seen people say that we need to time our improvements, and that they're not immediately necessary. I've seen no one say that we don't need to make any improvements to the team.

When you say stuff like this, you should really support it with actual posts.

The average Joe fan doesn't post here.

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Can you find those posts? I've seen people say that we need to time our improvements, and that they're not immediately necessary. I've seen no one say that we don't need to make any improvements to the team.

When you say stuff like this, you should really support it with actual posts.

He calls everyone "optimist" who think we should not sign a big player, yet. He is the optimistic one because he thinks that signing Lackey and/or Holliday or trading for some top player will actually make us a contender.

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He calls everyone "optimist" who think we should not sign a big player, yet. He is the optimistic one because he thinks that signing Lackey and/or Holliday or trading for some top player will actually make us a contender.

It almost seems to me that he's saying that the O's need to make a signing like that regardless of whether it will make us a contender, just to show the fan base that the O's management cares and is willing to spend money.

Well, count me as a fan who wants to see the team spend money intelligently. There will come a time where it makes sense for us to acquire a true marquis free agent. But I'm not convinced now is the time. I'm not saying it isn't, either, but the signing needs to fit the strategic plan and I'm not sure there's anyone at the top of this FA class who really makes sense at the price he will cost.

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Can you find those posts? I've seen people say that we need to time our improvements, and that they're not immediately necessary. I've seen no one say that we don't need to make any improvements to the team.

When you say stuff like this, you should really support it with actual posts.

Sure, these posts can be found by looking up any thread that I have been a part of where there has been a suggestion to actually spend money on an elite free agent. I am tired of having that conversation.

There are some folks here that believe that our prospects will magically develop into an elite squad like this one (Ellsbury, Pedroia, Martinez, Youklis, Ortiz, Drew, Nady, Bucholz, Beckett, Wakefield, etc.) if we just sit back and wait.

Meanwhile, the Yankees (Jeter, ARod, Tex, Damon, Matsui, Posada, Sabathia, Burnett, etc.) just seem to be getting better and better and better and better and better while we do nothing.

This conclusion is based on precedent, not conjecture.

That list of free agents will not take us to the level we need to be at, and I never said that we needed to mortgage our future for short-term success (as people are constantly accused of believing if you make the simple suggestion that we spend money), but we definitely need to do SOMETHING as a show of faith for the ever-dwindling fanbase to show that we are serious about contending at some point in the future.

The OH is not representative of the average Orioles fan or Baltimore resident who might be moved to spend money on the team if they *gasp* started looking like a real baseball team once in a while.

If anyone believes that the Orioles can continue tanking seasons for the sake of waiting for the prospects to develop and expect to have fans in 3-5 years, you are going to be in for a big shock.

Angelos can afford for the Orioles to keep losing, but the integrity of the franchise can't wait much longer.

MSK

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Well, count me as a fan who wants to see the team spend money intelligently. There will come a time where it makes sense for us to acquire a true marquis free agent. But I'm not convinced now is the time. I'm not saying it isn't, either, but the signing needs to fit the strategic plan and I'm not sure there's anyone at the top of this FA class who really makes sense at the price he will cost.

Everyone should be forced to read this. Then read it again.

And then they should read it again.

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It almost seems to me that he's saying that the O's need to make a signing like that regardless of whether it will make us a contender, just to show the fan base that the O's management cares and is willing to spend money.

Well, count me as a fan who wants to see the team spend money intelligently. There will come a time where it makes sense for us to acquire a true marquis free agent. But I'm not convinced now is the time. I'm not saying it isn't, either, but the signing needs to fit the strategic plan and I'm not sure there's anyone at the top of this FA class who really makes sense at the price he will cost.

The markets for Holliday, Bay and Lackey keep drying up day by day. All three can improve the Orioles and could come at a discount compared to the projected contracts people project. Out of the three I think only Holliday will get a 100+ million dollar contract.

The Orioles should be in on all three of them IMO if nothing else but to drive up the price for their competitors. But if their market dries up like it seems it will, there's no reason the Orioles couldn't land one of those players.

You can say that we should wait, but if we keep waiting, we keep extending the timeline it will take to see the playoffs again. The Orioles need to ramp up to that level and I think they'll have a prime opportunity to do that this offseason seeing as the market is drying up for the top players.

The trade market also seems to be full of top names that are available due to expensive contracts, and the O's have plenty of payroll room.

Anyway you look at it, there's an opportunity to kickstart this franchise this offseason and move it closer to a competitive level.

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