We should ignore NY and Boston (for now)

[Frobby]

I'm reading a lot of hand-wringing posts about what NY and Boston are doing. I say, forget it, and stick with the plan. A couple of years ago Toronto thought they were ready to run with the big boys and spent a ton on Burnett and Ryan in addition to overpaying some of their own players. Where did it get them? And we are much further away than Toronto was then.

When Matusz is a Cy Young candidate and Wieters is an MVP candidate, it will be time to sign some expensive additional pieces. Until then, we should ignore NY and Boston and just let our young guys develop.

[JTrea81]

When Matusz is a Cy Young candidate and Wieters is an MVP candidate, it will be time to sign some expensive additional pieces. Until then, we should ignore NY and Boston and just let our young guys develop.

And if that never happens? Then what?

[YardBirds13]

And if that never happens? Then what?

Then we lose.

That simple.

[Old#5fan]

I'm reading a lot of hand-wringing posts about what NY and Boston are doing. I say, forget it, and stick with the plan. A couple of years ago Toronto thought they were ready to run with the big boys and spent a ton on Burnett and Ryan in addition to overpaying some of their own players. Where did it get them? And we are much further away than Toronto was then.

When Matusz is a Cy Young candidate and Wieters is an MVP candidate, it will be time to sign some expensive additional pieces. Until then, we should ignore NY and Boston and just let our young guys develop.

The only problem I see with that is you are allowing your young and supposedly talented players to develop a culture of losing and intimidation by not being talented enough as a team to be more than whipping boys and win padders for the Sox and Yankees. It has to be frustrating for guys like Roberts to lose year after year, and that is now going to be the case with the youngsters on this team as well.

It sort of fosters the idea that no matter how hard they try they cannot compete. Common sense would dictate that would have to affect their confidence levels. Losing breeds losing just as winning breeds winning. Its that simple.

[Art Wing]

I'm reading a lot of hand-wringing posts about what NY and Boston are doing. I say, forget it, and stick with the plan. A couple of years ago Toronto thought they were ready to run with the big boys and spent a ton on Burnett and Ryan in addition to overpaying some of their own players. Where did it get them? And we are much further away than Toronto was then.

When Matusz is a Cy Young candidate and Wieters is an MVP candidate, it will be time to sign some expensive additional pieces. Until then, we should ignore NY and Boston and just let our young guys develop.

Yup! Test the youngsters in 2010 and start spending a bit in 11... Be patient and stay the course. Let us not forget, we are not competing next year-- no point in wasting money.

[Camden_yardbird]

The Orioles have to build a base of reliable talent with a farm system that can support it year in and year out. When they do that, then they can decide whether they want to spend $150-180 million to compete with the Sox and Yanks or whether they want to try and win in 3 year windows.

So for now, yes.

[Frobby]

The only problem I see with that is you are allowing your young and supposedly talented players to develop a culture of losing and intimidation by not being talented enough as a team to be more than whipping boys and win padders for the Sox and Yankees. It has to be frustrating for guys like Roberts to lose year after year, and that is now going to be the case with the youngsters on this team as well.

It sort of fosters the idea that no matter how hard they try they cannot compete. Common sense would dictate that would have to affect their confidence levels. Losing breeds losing just as winning breeds winning. Its that simple.

I see the point you are. making, it's not a bad one. Call me an optimist - you will see a culture of a young and improving team this year, not a culture of losing. Just my opinion.

[jdouble777]

The only problem I see with that is you are allowing your young and supposedly talented players to develop a culture of losing and intimidation by not being talented enough as a team to be more than whipping boys and win padders for the Sox and Yankees. It has to be frustrating for guys like Roberts to lose year after year, and that is now going to be the case with the youngsters on this team as well.

It sort of fosters the idea that no matter how hard they try they cannot compete. Common sense would dictate that would have to affect their confidence levels. Losing breeds losing just as winning breeds winning. Its that simple.

Two Words:

Hanley Ramirez

I think the money will be spent when the time comes, the idea of winning at FA is signing people for less than they are worth or at least at something reasonable. This usually happens much later in FA, if Bay cannot get what he wants or Valverde or Beltre or Sheets yadda yadda yadda then pulling the trigger becomes more reasonable...

[Moose Milligan]

And if that never happens? Then what?

Trea, there's a bit of risk involved no matter how you cut it. There's risk that Matusz and Wieters might not work out and there's risk as described by Frobby in the Toronto situation.

Your problem is that you act like none of our prospects are ever going to pan out.

[GoldGlove21]

I'm reading a lot of hand-wringing posts about what NY and Boston are doing. I say, forget it, and stick with the plan. A couple of years ago Toronto thought they were ready to run with the big boys and spent a ton on Burnett and Ryan in addition to overpaying some of their own players. Where did it get them? And we are much further away than Toronto was then.

When Matusz is a Cy Young candidate and Wieters is an MVP candidate, it will be time to sign some expensive additional pieces. Until then, we should ignore NY and Boston and just let our young guys develop.

We should ALWAYS ignore them. Just because other teams are making moves doesn't mean that you need to. The Orioles should be jumping on EVERY possible move that can make this team better under their ideal financial restraints.

They shouldn't be passing on Beltre for Bell at this point. They shouldn't be giving a possible $17M to Bedard and Millwood in 2010 if they could have landed Lackey for just about that amount. They should have traded anyone better than Jesse Chavez to the Braves for Soriano who would not have cost them a pick while possibly granting them a type-A free agent in 2011 if he could not be extended. If Jason Bay is having a problem landing a 5-year deal then we should entertain giving it to him 5/80M. This move would allow us to deal two of Scott, Pie, or Reimold. I could draw you a nice little picture of three moves the Orioles could make to make them a much better team over the next 5-6 years.

I do not know what the Orioles are waiting for to be honest. Matt Capps should be a target for the pen and while I am not a huge fan of Rodney as a closer I would add him to the bullpen. I am very unhappy that players are starting to move quickly and think that the Orioles should start looking at acquiring the best upgrade verses the cheapest one. We are not broke, let's stop asking like we are!

[Old#5fan]

I see the point you are. making, it's not a bad one. Call me an optimist - you will see a culture of a young and improving team this year, not a culture of losing. Just my opinion.

But how in the heck do you establish any kind of culture of winning while you keep losing to the Sox and Yankees? Especially the Sox, as they have owned the Orioles for quite a while now. To develop a culture of winning you have to actually WIN! There are no moral victories in baseball or any other sport.

[Snutchy]

And if that never happens? Then what?

Wow. Your serious. Develope more talent until they do pan out. Then spend. This isnt 1996 or 1997 anymore. Your not going to outbid Boston or NY and buy a pennant. Just not gonna happen.

[MemorialStadKid]

But how in the heck do you establish any kind of culture of winning while you keep losing to the Sox and Yankees? Especially the Sox, as they have owned the Orioles for quite a while now. To develop a culture of winning you have to actually WIN! There are no moral victories in baseball or any other sport.

Yea, I agree with Frobby on most matters, but there's no way you can sit by and watch the two teams that you NEED to beat continue to get better while you basically stay the same.

Do boxers ignore their toughest opponents? Do NFL teams? Do race car drivers?

I can't think of any sport offhand where you don't pay close attention to what the top guys in the game are up to. You HAVE to pay attention to the Yanks and Sox because they keep destroying us year after year.

The argument that we need to keep waiting and losing gets weaker and weaker with each passing season because all the patience in the world has gotten us NOWHERE.

Didn't somebody in the warehouse say that "wins and losses now matter?"

MSK

[byrdz]

But how in the heck do you establish any kind of culture of winning while you keep losing to the Sox and Yankees? Especially the Sox, as they have owned the Orioles for quite a while now. To develop a culture of winning you have to actually WIN! There are no moral victories in baseball or any other sport.

Did the Rays suddenly forget their "culture of losing" the season they went to the WS? Their young players didn't seem to be affected by all the losing.

There's no such thing as a "culture of losing". Call it what you want but it's just bad teams with bad players losing a bunch of games. It's just another myth like team chemistry. If we put enough good players on the team they will win more games. Pretty simple.

You used Roberts in your first post. I don't see how him feeling frustrated really changed his development. He's still the same productive player he has always been.

[jmmarvel]

And if that never happens? Then what?

Then AGon or Lackey probably wouldn't have been enough to win the division.