McPhail: Bullpen to require attention this offseason

[ColumbiaOriole]

SG, sometimes you are so full of junk. (nicest word I could think of) If I don't believe what you believe then I am for burying the O's according to you. That is just not so.

I have not said one word about giving away draft choices. Matter of fact, in another post I said that I though that keeping draft choices would be one of McPhail highest priorities. And I agree with that approach.

Nothing I am proposing would be a big contract or cost draft choices. Let's wait for the ratings of the players to be announced after the season and see who does not cost draft choices.

Fair enough, how do you plan on acquiring the six players you said we need in your earlier post while actually upgrading our talent level and hopefully getting younger?

[Sports Guy]

SG, sometimes you are so full of junk. (nicest word I could think of) If I don't believe what you believe then I am for burying the O's according to you. That is just not so.

I have not said one word about giving away draft choices. Matter of fact, in another post I said that I though that keeping draft choices would be one of McPhail highest priorities. And I agree with that approach.

Nothing I am proposing would be a big contract or cost draft choices. Let's wait for the ratings of the players to be announced after the season and see who does not cost draft choices.

WC...You won't be able to sign a bunch of FAs without losing some kind of draft pick(s).

And you say to sign a closer...That will cost you a big contract...You have talked about a big bat..That will cost you a big contract.

These things cost you money and draft picks...You don't have to say these things, they are obvious. They are the "hidden part" of your plan, whether you want to acknowledge it or not.

[TonySoprano]

LOL....How does that sand taste?

Good for Mazzone...Take away those first 10 starts and tell me that Guthrie is a #2.

If you want to play that game, take away the last 10 and tell me what you have...

[Sports Guy]

Trade Tejada. Trade Roberts. Trade Ramon.

That's a start.

Ramon doesn't have any value right now in all likelihood...You have to keep him for now.

[Sports Guy]

If you want to play that game, take away the last 10 and tell me what you have...

A guy with a mediocre MiL career who is 28 years old and had 10 flukish starts.

[wildcard]

I think it's a little hypocritical that they should accept your interpretation of what he said while you completely disregard theirs which in my opinion is more grounded in reality. He said HIS #2 starter went down meaning the Orioles second best starter was injured. I don't see how you interpret that as meaning he believes Guthrie is a legit #2 although he may feel that way. I hope Guthrie is a #2 we can count on for years and he very well may prove that but to assume that to be the case doesn't make much sense.

OK, I re-read it from your point of view. I see your point. The "your" is speaking about Mazzone's #2.

Sorry, SG and 1970. I didn't think of it in the right way.

[Moose Milligan]

I smell another disaster. I don't even have to wait for the offseason to play itself out.

This smells like a babies diaper already.

[bgtimber75]

I love it. Let's sign a few pieces to get us to .500 in a couple of years when the pieces we're building around will be gone. Seems like a great way to build a team to me.

[wildcard]

WC...You won't be able to sign a bunch of FAs without losing some kind of draft pick(s).

And you say to sign a closer...That will cost you a big contract...You have talked about a big bat..That will cost you a big contract.

These things cost you money and draft picks...You don't have to say these things, they are obvious. They are the "hidden part" of your plan, whether you want to acknowledge it or not.

Not sure of everything yet. I will involve some trades.

DCab probably. I need to see who doesn't not require draft choices. Last year Embree did not cost one. Add Ramon Castro as #2 catcher to push Hernandez could help. Reimold in LF maybe, depending on ST. Spilboughs would have been available for left last winter. Could have gotten him for a song. Just have to find more guys like that.

Moore at 3rd, Riemold in left are future moves but they have to be done at the right time, when they are ready. Hoey will be a big part of the pen at some point but a veteran or two could be a good buffer.

It is not even the off season yet. Not all these answers are clear yet. But they will be out there. When we see who is available. The O's have the stars all ready. The Roberts, Bedard, Guthrie, Markakis and Tejada's are here. The O's need a good, deep supporting team. That is what the winter should be about. Finding those guys to full the holes and add the depth.

[Sports Guy]

Last year Embree did not cost one.

Alan Embree is the perfect example of why you don't piss money away on relievers like we did. He had 3 straight years with an ERA over 4, inlcuding his ERA being over 7 in 2005...Last year, in the NL and in a great pitchers park, he had a solid ERA. This year, he has been decent but not great in Oakland...However, someone will see 17 saves and be dumbe nough to give him a good 2-3 year contract. Guys like Embree are a dime a dozen.

Add Ramon Castro as #2 catcher to push Hernandez could help

House should be the #2 catcher but i have no problem adding a real #2 catcher but Castro is not going to come here to be a #2 after having the year he is having...The Mets aren't going to resign LoDuca, so Castro may start there next year.

Reimold in LF maybe, depending on ST. Spilboughs would have been available for left last winter. Could have gotten him for a song. Just have to find more guys like that.

We do find guys like this...We don't play them.

Moore at 3rd, Riemold in left are future moves but they have to be done at the right time, when they are ready. Hoey will be a big part of the pen at some point but a veteran or two could be a good buffer.

A lot of your plan is to play the young kids and sure up a few problem areas...While this is all well and good, this keeps us as a 500 level team with a poor future.

It just doesn't make sense.

It is what we have been doing...How can you not see this?

[bgtimber75]

The Roberts, Bedard, Guthrie, Markakis and Tejada's are here. The O's need a good, deep supporting team. That is what the winter should be about. Finding those guys to full the holes and add the depth.

Tejada is doing nothing but getting older and worse defensively. And who's to say that Guthrie won't be another Jose Mercedes/Calvin Maduro/Bruce Chen one year wonder?

How can you advocate building around Tejada? Next year at best is another strive for .500 so you're looking at Tejada to still be a stud in 2009/2010?

[Sports Guy]

Tejada is doing nothing but getting older and worse defensively. And who's to say that Guthrie won't be another Jose Mercedes/Calvin Maduro/Bruce Chen one year wonder?

How can you advocate building around Tejada? Next year at best is another strive for .500 so you're looking at Tejada to still be a stud in 2009/2010?

This seems to be the problem people are having.

This team will look totally different after 2009...These guys will be gone. So, that being the case, do you think we can contend the next 2 years?

If you don't, then you trade these guys....And really, how can you think we will contend?

[wildcard]

I love it. Let's sign a few pieces to get us to .500 in a couple of years when the pieces we're building around will be gone. Seems like a great way to build a team to me.

Ask yourself a question. What is a team build around? If you could build a team around a few core players, what would you start with?

How about a #1 pitcher? A leadoff guy? Two 100 RBI guys? A rookie that has shown the stuff to be a #2?

Now think of a supporting cast. How about a catcher that had 91 RBI last year and with a great arm? How about a DH that gives you 4 months at an 850 OPS but needs to be supplemented at the being of the season?

A bunch of guys that could mature fast like Hoey, Olson, Penn, Reimold. And a guy who has a 96-98 mph fastball, who is showing rapid progress, though he is not ready yet.

Blow it up? Because we traded our best August pitcher for guys that might help in the future. Because 60% of the starting rotation is on the DL. Think of what this team was in mid August before Texas came in. Now think what that team needed to be a contender.

The past month has been hard on everyone, but there are reasons we are where we are. Injuries, trade of veterans are two. Look at what this team is with Bedard, Guthrie and Loewen at the top of the rotation.

I just don't think trading Bedard, Roberts and the rest of the veterans does anything for this team. It is just saying I am feed up with what has been happening. It is not a solution. Blow it up, says I am willing be bet on unproven talent and am ok with two maybe three years of worst losing then what we have seen. I look at were the best chance to become a contender is and I don't see trading Robert and Bedard in that plan.

[square634]

Ask yourself a question. What is a team build around? If you could build a team around a few core players, what would you start with?

How about a #1 pitcher? A leadoff guy? Two 100 RBI guys? A rookie that has shown the stuff to be a #2?

Now think of a supporting cast. How about a catcher that had 91 RBI last year and with a great arm? How about a DH that gives you 4 months at an 850 OPS but needs to be supplemented at the being of the season?

A bunch of guys that could mature fast like Hoey, Olson, Penn, Reimold. And a guy who has a 96-98 mph fastball, who is showing rapid progress, though he is not ready yet.

Blow it up? Because we traded our best August pitcher for guys that might help in the future. Because 60% of the starting rotation is on the DL. Think of what this team was in mid August before Texas came in. Now think what that team needed to be a contender.

The past month has been hard on everyone, but there are reasons we are where we are. Injuries, trade of veterans are two. Look at what this team is with Bedard, Guthrie and Loewen at the top of the rotation.

I just don't think trading Bedard, Roberts and the rest of the veterans does anything for this team. It is just saying I am feed up with what has been happening. It is not a solution. Blow it up, says I am willing be bet on unproven talent and am ok with two maybe three years of worst losing then what we have seen. I look at were the best chance to become a contender is and I don't see trading Robert and Bedard in that plan.

There have been few teams who have ever lost worse than what we have seen. Right now we are closing in on the worst record in the major leagues. We have gotten worse by 4 games every year since 2003, and it looks like we will be right around 66 wins this year. That doesn't sound like a team with a solid core to me. So if the worst case is we have the worst record in ML next year with 5 more losses than this year, so be it.

[weams]

I smell another disaster. I don't even have to wait for the offseason to play itself out.

This smells like a babies diaper already.

We are much smarter than that, like a rocket scientist (astronaut)