Does AM and Ownership Have the Pulse of the Fans?

[Mackus]

People keep telling me that we can't afford to take one single chance on any high quality free agent because the time isn't right.

Who are these people?! You better not mean me, I haven't said we can't take any risks. I've just said you can't take stupid risks.

You can take risks, you just have to make sure the benefit is worth the downside at the end. In the case of Lackey, it obviously isn't. In the case of Holliday, it will depend on the length and amount of the deal he signs and of course inflated for the "tax" we'd have to pay to get him here over a contender. In the case of a trade for Gonzalez, you have to ask if he makes you good enough over the next two years to justify giving up 6 years of Matusz, Reimold, Arrieta, and whatever else we'd have to move.

Lackey makes zero sense. Holliday makes sense if he'd sign for about $100M, but not at $140-150M. Gonzalez makes negative sense.

[Lucky Jim]

It is bleak. I am going on record that if McPhail doesn't sign or acquire a big bat at least of the aging varietly like Delgado or Vlad, and doesnt' add a marquee starter like say, Pedro Martinez, this team is going to be every bit as bad as it was last year and won't likely win any more games. In fact, they might well be worse!

How are these posts in any way relevant? Heck, I even gave you a buffer of six wins!

All talk? Sounds like that is what you are if you think only losing 90 games next season is any kind of an "improvement." Can your standards get any lower? I recall when the Orioles were winners not the sorry losers they have become now and the whipping boys of the AL East division.

Is not a 90 loss team still a horrible baseball team? Yes or no? (Now we will see who is "dancing."):laughlol:

[Lucky Jim]

The oh-so-sweet sound of an OldFan silenced.

[Old#5fan]

The oh-so-sweet sound of an OldFan silenced.

You know what you win. I typed that when I was angry and didn't recall the specifics just the general intent. So I will tell you what big guy. I will take your silly bet because this team isn't going anywhere without major talent to upgrade it.

So instead of wins lets make the bet be that they must not finish in last place. So in other words this bet should be easier for you to win as Toronto without Haliday will definitely be worse than last year. So let's just make it that the Orioles must finish ahead of Toronto in the standings if they make no other major moves than Millwood for you to win this stupid bet.

The loser is off this board the entire off season though, not a whole year.

[Lucky Jim]

You know what you win. I typed that when I was angry and didn't recall the specifics just the general intent. So I will tell you what big guy. I will take your silly bet because this team isn't going anywhere without major talent to upgrade it.

So instead of wins lets make the bet be that they must not finish in last place. So in other words this bet should be easier for you to win as Toronto without Haliday will definitely be worse than last year. So let's just make it that the Orioles must finish ahead of Toronto in the standings if they make no other major moves than Millwood for you to win.

The loser is off this board the entire off season.

I don't need a bet that's easier for me to win. I have no idea what Toronto does with the rest of its season, nor how they will match up with the Orioles next year.

This bet was entirely about whether or not the Orioles would be as bad or worse than last year. That is measured in games won. If you don't want to make the bet that's fine.

Thank you for finally recognizing what you, yourself, wrote.

[Old#5fan]

I don't need a bet that's easier for me to win. I have no idea what Toronto does with the rest of its season, nor how they will match up with the Orioles next year.

This bet was entirely about whether or not the Orioles would be as bad or worse than last year. That is measured in games won. If you don't want to make the bet that's fine.

Thank you for finally recognizing what you, yourself, wrote.

To be fair I also said they won't "likely" win more games than last year. I didn't say they for sure wouldn't or couldn't. Anything could happen. It's just not likely in my view. I still hold to it.

[Don]

I hope they have the pulse of the fans and don't screw up this off season.

Let's send someone to check to see if AM and PA even have pulses!

[section18]

I've been unavailable for a day or so to respond to some of the comments which have been interesting.

To summarize;

AM needs to make three or four moves that are smart. He doesn't make the other kind. Does he? He has said they can spend 40 - 45 million on additions to the team. We are waiting!

As bad as our record was last season with three or four additions this team could be a lot better in 2010.

Patience! AM moves when he wants to move. It's just that simple. Theo and Brian move faster. Unfortunately they are in the AL East.

I hope most of us on here live to see winning baseball again in Baltimore

[Sapper]

Personally, I don't think they care.

And while the OP might not like the sound of it, I think it's a good thing. They're doing what they feel is the best interest of the franchise in order to make it a winner and not what the OH thinks.

As long as the O's end up a winner, I don't care if MacPhail is going along at 20 MPH. Hell, he can drive like a 80 year old Chinese lady for all I care.

I would have given you rep for that post, but it wouldn't let me.

It is unfortunate that we pittered away a decade before getting serious about rebuilding but that is no reason to cut it short and go for the "stopgaps" again.

[Lucky Jim]

I would have given you rep for that post, but it wouldn't let me.

It is unfortunate that we pittered away a decade before getting serious about rebuilding but that is no reason to cut it short and go for the "stopgaps" again.

Stopgaps are part of the rebuild. Placeholder for those who we are rebuilding with.

[Sapper]

Stopgaps are part of the rebuild. Placeholder for those who we are rebuilding with.

As long as we are really rebuilding. Stopgaps in lieu of continuing to acquire young talent like we used to do, or worse, trading young talent FOR stopgaps was the modus operandus of the last regimes.

One thing the OH AND the front offices have never seemed to grasp is that only 25% of your best prospects really amount to anything. We always seem to project every one of them to succeed and then are surprised when they all don't.

Rebuilding takes time and we are not done yet by any means.

[Lucky Jim]

As long as we are really rebuilding. Stopgaps in lieu of continuing to acquire young talent like we used to do, or worse, trading young talent FOR stopgaps was the modus operandus of the last regimes.

One thing the OH AND the front offices have never seemed to grasp is that only 25% of your best prospects really amount to anything. We always seem to project every one of them to succeed and then are surprised when they all don't.

Rebuilding takes time and we are not done yet by any means.

Completely fair. I don't disagree. I confused your post for one that derides all stopgaps as evidence of an unwillingness to spend, rather than as part of a rebuilding scheme. Apologies.

[ledzepp8]

You can do your clumsy rhetorical dance all you like. It doesn't change the fact that I've exposed you as an attention-seeker who's afraid to back up his definitive pronouncements with anything more than another goofy-ass jig.

This is some priceless stuff right here. I'd rep you if I could.

Is a 90 loss team not still a horrible baseball team? Yes or no? (Now we will see who is "dancing."):laughlol:

That's clearly not the point, as has already been mentioned by others. You said that this team would be every bit as bad or worse than they were last year. If they improve in the standings then obviously you would be wrong. Why must you try and turn everything into a semantics argument once you've put your foot in your mouth?