Anyone Have Any Idea Why AM Won't Add the Desperately Needed Big Bat?

[jmmarvel]

From being 500? :confused:There are some here ( a minority no doubt) who think it is possible even without an ace and a big bat.

No, from competing. Yes, finishing above 500 is a huge benchmark, but at the end of the day 80 wins and 82 wins are worth about the same amount. If we can't even get above 500 without an ace and/or a big bat, then we are in serious trouble...

[Old#5fan]

So you're saying that if we never get the coveted "big bat", we will never be above 500? Wow. If this is true, then we will never contend. A sub par team with an all star or 2 doesn't make it to the playoffs, or even finish 500. We had Bedard and Tejada. We sucked. Without a strong core, you won't win in this division. I thought we learned this already this decade. We aren't talking ancient history here.

(I cut the quote to save some room.)

If we are in the same place 365 days from now, I will be on the other side of the argument... like I said in "scenario 2". I never suggested waiting 5 years to see how these guys do.

Right, we had Bedard and Tejada without the young supporting cast we have now. You add a Bedard and Tajada type now (as when they were Orioles and at the top of their game) and we immediately vault into close to, if not a 500 team in my estimation.

[Orioles18]

If I was GM I would have gone after any of the following, Vlad, Delgado, Bedard and Sheets. I would have gotten at least one of these pairs (bat and ace).

Vlad can barely bat anymore without getting injured and are you going to give a guy who just had elbow surgery 12-15 million?

Plus all 4 of these guys are huge injury risks. The only two that make any sense for this team are Delgado and Bedard.

[Old#5fan]

It's definitely possible that this team wins 81 games.

Thanks. I was going to mention you but you did it for me.

[Old#5fan]

Vlad can barely bat anymore without getting injured and are you going to give a guy who just had elbow surgery 12-15 million?

Plus all 4 of these guys are huge injury risks. The only two that make any sense for this team are Delgado and Bedard.

Delgado and Bedard are still available and I would go for them in a NY minute. The youngsters on this team need some veteran leadership and talent to help them reach the monster 500 milestone hurdle. I don't see them doing it on their own but admit I could be understimating them.

[Orioles18]

Delgado and Bedard are still available and I would go for them in a NY minute. The youngsters on this team need some veteran leadership and talent to help them reach the monster 500 milestone hurdle. I don't see them doing it on their own but admit I could be understimating them.

I completely agree here, but Delgado just started playing and the team is still evaluating Bedards status for the season.

[Frobby]

From being 500? :confused:There are some here ( a minority no doubt) who think it is possible even without an ace and a big bat.

Count me among those who think it is possible. However, I do not believe it is likely.

[jmmarvel]

Without any other moves this offseason, this team could finish around 500. I seriously doubt that a big, Holliday-type bat is necessary for this team to "ever finish over 500". If this is the case, then we'll need to pick up at least 2 more big bats to make this a competitive team, not to mention any pitching to be bought. I also wouldn't consider Vlad or Delgado a "big bat". Sheets had no interest coming here as his agent declined to even send us his medical records. Bedard would be a nice pickup if he can get healthy though. My point is, if this team becomes competitive, it won't be because we made a signing or 2. It will be because our core of young guys steps up and we supplement them with a good/great pitcher and maybe a big bat.

[osfan83]

Count me among those who think it is possible. However, I do not believe it is likely.

I agree. I think this is a 72-74 win team right now...and putr me on record saying nexy off season we will all be having the same agruments about FA's. Boy I hope I'm wrong!

[ScottieBaseball]

If I was GM I would have gone after any of the following, Vlad, Delgado, Bedard and Sheets. I would have gotten at least one of these pairs (bat and ace).

Well then I'm grateful you're not the GM. There's no indication that Bedard or Sheets will come back 100% recovered. Bedard won't even be ready for the start of the season. As far as Vlad and Delgado are concerned...they're old, wounded shells of their former selves.

[hatepaste]

:confused:Other than money, does anyone have any idea why AM refuses to get the much needed big bat for the middle of the lineup? I really am frustrated with his supposed attempt of having Atkins fill this void. It reminds me more of a Syd Thrift type of move (cheapskate).

Because there is no trade market.

And there is no free agent market.

[hatepaste]

If I was GM I would have gone after any of the following, Vlad, Delgado, Bedard and Sheets. I would have gotten at least one of these pairs (bat and ace).

Well no use speaking past tense, because they're all still available.

Sheets will cost too much. Vlad probably costs too much as well, and is probably only a DH at this point. That handcuffs the team even more. Vlad is also on the way down...

[JTrea81]

Vlad probably costs too much as well, and is probably only a DH at this point. That handcuffs the team even more. Vlad is also on the way down...

And is a member of the Texas Rangers...

[Big Al]

Delgado and Bedard are still available and I would go for them in a NY minute. The youngsters on this team need some veteran leadership and talent to help them reach the monster 500 milestone hurdle. I don't see them doing it on their own but admit I could be understimating them.

I'm not sure what kind of leadership you get from a guy who has to be coaxed back up to the mound for the 6th or 7th inning.

[Big Al]

So let's say #2 takes place. Jones has a season simalar to 2009, Pie shows some flahes but over all is mediocre, Reimold, hits a bit better in 2010, Weiters is the #6 hitting catcher in the AL, Matusz and Tillman pitch to an ERA about 5.00 and the team finishes with 74 wins.

What do you do? You can say these players are still young and showing some progress, so let's give them another season and wait on FA's...and that will put you right where you are right now.

Only the extremes will make things drastically different next off season. If the kids have a great year and we finish with 81+ wins, or if they fail completely and we finish 60 some-odd wins. Anything in the middle (which is most likely) we will be having the same conversations. It will be hard to argue next year that 2 big FA's will put a 74 win team over the top...so why sign them? And it will be hard to argue that it's time to give up on Wieters/Reimold/Pie/Jones/Matusz/Tillman. So the best thing to do will be wait another season for molre info.

I think it's pretty unlikely that collectively our young talent will have modest or no improvement. Hopefully some will breakout, probably some will stay about where they are, and unfortunately (but hopefully not) some may even regress. This year will be for AM to see who does what and compile a more concrete gameplan for next year's offseason.