Rosenthal: Orioles Join Holliday Bidding

[DuffMan]

I still don't understand why some of you think if we get Holliday that automatically makes us runners for Gonzalez.

Can we expand the payroll by THAT much in an offseason? Keep in mind we don't have a B or NY on our hats.

I think some people are just getting excited and their heads are spinning about all the moves that could/should happen. If anything I think if we get either one of these guys I think it decreases the chances of getting the other. You're right Moose that would be a large amount of payroll to take on in one off season.

[UMDTerrapins]

Never gonna happen but this lineup looks nice.

Roberts

Markakis

Holliday

Gonzalez

Wieters

Jones

Reimold

Atkins/Bell Platoon

Izturiz

That is just sick. We compete with a lineup like that.

[Baroquen131]

Cart before horse...or OH syndrome at its best.

Just because we get involved with an A-list free agent, or explore trading for a similar player doesn't make us serious players, front-runners or actually able to pull off the deal. These two threads are just ballooning from the hypothetical possibilities and ultimately will result in nothing but disappointment for those who get their actual hopes up off of one or two hot stove reports.

Just sayin'... (though another instance where I'd happily be wrong).

[Orioles18]

Wow, it's gonna be a good day tater

I went to bed, nothing. Woke up, found out we signed Atkins, Gonzalez, and we're possibly in on the Holliday bidding.

[Moose Milligan]

Cart before horse...or OH syndrome at its best.

Just because we get involved with an A-list free agent, or explore trading for a similar player doesn't make us serious players, front-runners or actually able to pull off the deal. These two threads are just ballooning from the hypothetical possibilities and ultimately will result in nothing but disappointment for those who get their actual hopes up off of one or two hot stove reports.

Just sayin'... (though another instance where I'd happily be wrong).

I personally think that Rosenthal was bored in the office and was just like, "...Hey. I could always rile up the guys on orioleshangout.com with some false info to make them think they're in the Holliday race. Haven't really had a chance to mess with them this offseason."

[UMDTerrapins]

The problem here is that while it looks like there isn't much competition for Holliday and we might even have a chance, the Yankees and Red Sox loom. They let the market do what it does until the FA reaches the end game, and then they decide how far they're willing to go to beat the market...which almost always trumps everyone else.

I wouldn't mind at all making our big FA splash this year. We've already surrendered our 2nd round pick. Adding Holliday just means we lose a 3rd round pick too. We still keep our 1st rounder. However, say we start winning games to everyone's delight in 2010, and wish to add another type-A next offseason to move closer to contending. Well, that signing could cost us a 1st round pick. If we know we're going to have to give up picks to get the pieces we ned through FA, why not do that big move this offseason and save ourselves the loss of our top pick in 2011? Signing Holliday probably means we have to have already completed a trade that makes room for him, otherwise we're losing our trade leverage. So it really comes down to making that trade (whatever it is, 1B or SP) first.

[Sports Guy]

Maybe this is a case of Holliday's offers not being too high, so the Orioles figure they will kick the tires on it...Maybe they see Holliday as a bargain at 100 million?

I don't like it and I don't think the Orioles should sign him but if they do, they had better have something else going on with Jones, Pie or Reimold in terms of a trade.

[hatepaste]

I personally think that Rosenthal was bored in the office and was just like, "...Hey. I could always rile up the guys on orioleshangout.com with some false info to make them think they're in the Holliday race. Haven't really had a chance to mess with them this offseason."

He just wanted to get a dig in at Angelos by saying it's a "token gesture".

[ChesterPeake]

We all seem to think that the O's are going to have to pay significantly more than a contender to land a top FA. If that's reality, then I'd like to think that AM probably accepts that overpaying is necessary to land a FA he really wants.

Even then, overpaying may not be enough to land many top FA's. The player needs to want to sign with Baltimore. We all saw what happened with Tex whose mind was made up to go elsewhere.

In the case of Holliday, it looks like he might be more inclined to sign with Baltimore then some other players would be, as long as the O's offer him the best deal. I also think that the O's are serious about landing a big RH bat for the middle of the lineup. And if the O's were to sign Holliday, it would free up a valuable trading chip. I just don't think that is going to happen for us very often.

For those reasons, I think that AM might just give Holliday most of the money and all of the years that Holliday is asking for and sign him.

[ShaneDawg85]

Consider me more than a little skeptical. Even if it is true, and we are seriously interested in him, he's not coming here. Not happening.

[TiredofLosing20]

Well it is interesting to hear that we are inquiring about Holliday and were rumored to be heavy on AGON during the meetings. I think that is the where the speculated connection comes from.

With all that said. I can't imagine any of it happening. Eventually Boston has to fill their Bay vacancy and we are not going to give up half the farm for 2 years of AGON.

This does smell eerily similar to the Tex debacle last year. What day did Tex sign, Dec 23rd?

[wildcard]

I am against signing Holliday. He is a Coors Field player.

His away average stats over the last 3 years are:

In 600 at bats:

20 HR, 88, 303/385/475/860

While those are nice numbers they do not justify a $100M contract.

Those numbers look like Markakis with poorer defense.

I am not sure he is a the power guy that people think of he is.

[section18]

BROB probably called AM and Peter and said I can get Matt to come to crabtown. Peter says ...Let's do it! "I'm sick of taking so much heat for the Teixeira disaster." Andy! "Go get him and that other guy from the Padres everybody is talking about. Hell! Bisciotti and some other guys in town are going to buy the team in two or three years and we gotta start winning again. Damit! I want a casino in two years for my family to run or maybe even Pimlico. I love the Preakness. This losing has gotten old. They put those lousy Nationals in DC so we gotta crank things up again. You mean we can get those two power hitters for the price of Teixeira. Wow! Andy! Get it done.

It's just that simple.

[tom smith]

One question...

Why?

With an outfield that is already full, why pursue this guy?

Plus, is this Rosenthal at his best, or what?

Becuase he is the BIG bat we need in the lineup and he is better then what we already have in LF. Then we can trade maybe for another starting pitcher using Riemold as the centerpeice.

[Dirtyburnie]

I wouldn't even think about an A. Gonzalez trade unless we have him agree to an extension first. We are not at the point in the "Plan" where we can start renting players. If we were going to contend next year, I'm all for it. Otherwise, why do we trade for him and waste our young core?