MLB.com article with Angelos quotes

[olehippi]

I hope he has learned from the past. MacPhail as Oriole GM, has kept the payroll low. We have not signed a big time free agent. Also if some of our better prospects pan out,we will have to give them a big chunk of change. We will see if Angelos steps up to the plate or does the poor mouth can't compete routine.

You do understand that signing a "big time free agent" at this point in time would be wasting money because it doesn't solve our problem. Without a talented supporting cast, his efforts would be wasted. If you want an example, take a look at the first Tejada signing. We brought in Batman, but didn't bring Robin along.

Right now, we have a young, talented group of kids that need another year of seasoning before they are ready to truly compete. IMO, NEXT YEAR is the year we'll likely see one or two "big time free agent" signings.

[JTrea81]

IMO, NEXT YEAR is the year we'll likely see one or two "big time free agent" signings.

I keep hearing this over and over again. Who?

There is no big time FA that will be available to the Orioles.

Anybody who thinks differently is just setting themselves up for disappointment IMO.

[Going Underground]

You do understand that signing a "big time free agent" at this point in time would be wasting money because it doesn't solve our problem. Without a talented supporting cast, his efforts would be wasted. If you want an example, take a look at the first Tejada signing. We brought in Batman, but didn't bring Robin along.

Right now, we have a young, talented group of kids that need another year of seasoning before they are ready to truly compete. IMO, NEXT YEAR is the year we'll likely see one or two "big time free agent" signings.

I understand about a big time free agent now might be wasteful. I want to see in a couple of years if the big boys pan out. Weiters,Jones,and a couple of pitchers if we will step up and sign them.

[Dipper9]

I hope he has learned from the past. MacPhail as Oriole GM, has kept the payroll low. We have not signed a big time free agent. Also if some of our better prospects pan out,we will have to give them a big chunk of change. We will see if Angelos steps up to the plate or does the poor mouth can't compete routine.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2009-01-20/sports/0901190155_1_fielder-nick-markakis-orioles-slugging-percentage

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20090220&content_id=3854982&vkey=pr_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal

Nah, no chance we wil sign our own players!

[Dipper9]

I keep hearing this over and over again. Who?

There is no big time FA that will be available to the Orioles.

Anybody who thinks differently is just setting themselves up for disappointment IMO.

Psst...there weren't any THIS year either!

[Going Underground]

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2009-01-20/sports/0901190155_1_fielder-nick-markakis-orioles-slugging-percentage

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20090220&content_id=3854982&vkey=pr_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal

Nah, no chance we wil sign our own players!

I know we signed Markakis and Roberts. I want to see when Weiters is due for around $120 million or a pitcher is due around $18 to $20 mil if we sign them. I want to see if we will try like Minnesota is doing with Mauer.

[JTrea81]

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2009-01-20/sports/0901190155_1_fielder-nick-markakis-orioles-slugging-percentage

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20090220&content_id=3854982&vkey=pr_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal

Nah, no chance we wil sign our own players!

Think we'll give Wieters 180-200+ million?

[Sports Guy]

I keep hearing this over and over again. Who?

There is no big time FA that will be available to the Orioles.

Anybody who thinks differently is just setting themselves up for disappointment IMO.

Well, assuming Lee and Pena make it to FA, they will sort of qualify...Not big time FA in terms of huge contract but they should give "big time FA" production for a shorter time span..ie 2-3 years.

But generally I agree with you...People keep saying this but those saying it don't seem to be looking at what is available for next year and we don't know who will even make it to FA, as they could be locked up sooner...ala Johnson and Hernandez and soon Mauer.

[JTrea81]

Well, assuming Lee and Pena make it to FA, they will sort of qualify...Not big time FA in terms of huge contract but they should give "big time FA" production for a shorter time span..ie 2-3 years.

But generally I agree with you...People keep saying this but those saying it don't seem to be looking at what is available for next year and we don't know who will even make it to FA, as they could be locked up sooner...ala Johnson and Hernandez and soon Mauer.

And there's a possiblity the entire group of Howard, Fielder and Gonzalez won't make it to FA after 2011.

Fielder is probably the most likely of that group to reach FA because of Boras, but the other two could extend (Gonzalez with the team that he's traded to, likely the Red Sox).

[Frobby]

And as we have seen, it takes very little time to get that farm system back.

Not sure I agree with this one point. Yes you can build the talent back pretty quickly, but building the infrastructure (good scouts, good coaches, good farm director, good facilities) can take some time. In that respect, I think Beattie, Flanagan and Duquette sometimes don't get enough credit. Insofar as the domestic operation goes, they did a lot to right the ship before MacPhail arrived. Not so much on the international front, though.

[Frobby]

And there's a possiblity the entire group of Howard, Fielder and Gonzalez won't make it to FA after 2011.

Yep. It's foolish to count on any particular player becoming a free agent 2 years from now.

[TonySoprano]

It is absolutely acurate. Look at the farm system when Angelos took over.

I'll save you the time, since 1982 when Ripken debuted, name 10 star players developed in the O's system. Good luck!

Do we get to bring St. Jerry Hoffberger into this discussion then? Hoffberger hired Hank Peters as GM in 1976 Under Hoffberger, from 1976-1979, out of 154 players selected, these are the four, count 'em, four players Peters drafted that reached the Orioles major league team: Cal Ripken, Allan Ramirez, Larry Sheets, Bob Melvin

Edward Bennett Williams compounded Hoffberger's mistake and kept Peters in place through 1987. Under Williams, from 1980-1987, Peters drafted 408 players and of that 15 reached the Orioles major league team: Ken Dixon, John Habyan, Ken Gerhart, Billy Ripken, Jim Traber, Jeff Tackett, Bob Milacki, Jeff Tackett, Jeff Ballard, Pete Stanicek, Pete Harnisch, Anthony Telford, Jack Voigt, Steve Finley, David Segui. Mussina was first drafted in 1987 but didn't sign and went to Stanford.

[Dipper9]

Think we'll give Wieters 180-200+ million?

Can we wait to see if he's WORTH that in 4 years before making that decision?

If I had to answer, and IF he is the type of player we think he will be, then Yes, I would think we will extend him. However, in reality, we could have a new owner by the time this question needs to be answered.

[Old#5fan]

What he said kind of reminded me of what Ravens President Dick Cass said about the Ravens window closing. He caught hell from all angles on it and had to retract it.

Angelos' sort of painted a picture that fans shouldn't expect to be consistently competitive. I don't know that's the message you want your fans to hear.

I agree it may not be what we want to hear but it is reallity and that is better than lying to us.

[Dipper9]

Do we get to bring St. Jerry Hoffberger into this discussion then? Hoffberger hired Hank Peters as GM in 1976 Under Hoffberger, from 1976-1979, out of 154 players selected, these are the four, count 'em, four players Peters drafted that reached the Orioles major league team: Cal Ripken, Allan Ramirez, Larry Sheets, Bob Melvin

Edward Bennett Williams compounded Hoffberger's mistake and kept Peters in place through 1987. Under Williams, from 1980-1987, Peters drafted 408 players and of that 15 reached the Orioles major league team: Ken Dixon, John Habyan, Ken Gerhart, Billy Ripken, Jim Traber, Jeff Tackett, Bob Milacki, Jeff Tackett, Jeff Ballard, Pete Stanicek, Pete Harnisch, Anthony Telford, Jack Voigt, Steve Finley, David Segui. Mussina was first drafted in 1987 but didn't sign and went to Stanford.

Thanks Soprano. You proved the point...the Orioles farm system has absolutely SUCKED for the better part of 30 years!

Now, I am not saying that Angelos couldn't have changed that around after he bought the team, but it does show that he wasn't the ONLY Orioles owner to completely KILL the Oriole Way! The Oriole Way was dead and buried long before Angelos took over. Angelos just dumped concrete over the grave!