MacPhail on 105.7 The Fan at 5:40 PM

[japes121]

I'm not sure how he didn't see this when people without his experience could see this coming a mile away(

Just curious but who are you refering to? I think the majority of folks agreed with AM that our young hitters would be performing at a much higher level than their current play.

[Cokeman]

Acquiring talent using the resources that you have to win games.

And in the AL East, you have to acquire and assemble some of the best talent in baseball. And it doesn't come cheap either in terms of $ or players that you have to expend to get it.

You can't just expect that all the talent you have in the farm will reach that level, and this is exactly what he's expecting.

He's willing to get a bat to help, but not multiple...

As soon as he signs the first one, I guess we'll find out...

[royalstillman]

How do you explain away the Rays?

The Rays are heads and tails better at scouting and player development.

[Can_of_corn]

The Rays are heads and tails better at scouting and player development.

True, but they are going about it in exactly the way that Trea says won't work. Trea isn't saying that the O's are not properly implementing the plan, he is saying the plan is doomed from the start.

[JTrea81]

Just curious but who are you refering to? I think the majority of folks agreed with AM that our young hitters would be performing at a much higher level than their current play.

Myself and a few others posted before the offseason that MacPhail needed to really upgrade the offense just in case these young players weren't quite ready to take the next step, and that they wouldn't press like they are now if there were established threats in the lineup that took that burden away.

We had the payroll room to do exactly that and we had the trade chips in young arms and unproven prospects to deal, and MacPhail completely squandered his opportunity to do so.

There was a poll taken before the season that asked what was going to hold the Orioles back and only a few others agreed with me that the offense was going to be the worst stumbling block because of all the young unproven hitters we had in our lineup and the fact they had little support.

And it turns out we were 100% right.

[wildcard]

I'll be happy when this organization finally realizes what it actually takes to compete in the AL East and actually attempts to do that.

I'm convinced now more than ever that MacPhail has absolutely no clue how to do that.

He honestly thinks his plan will work and doesn't have any idea why it isn't...

I am totally surprised that you missed what MacPhail said. I thought you would be all over his comments, but you totally missed it.

MASN: (Paraphrased) You have said grow the arm and buy the bats. Do you still think that is right?

MacPhail: I guess we are going to have to. The young guys are having sophomore problems as the league adjusts to them.

I know I don't have it 100% correct but that was the meaning for it.

[Frobby]

I think if the team plays really poorly all the way through this season, you have to reevaluate your plan. But I wouldn't do it based on a bad 28 game stretch, even as terrible as it's been.

I think one key working premise we had going into this season was that we had one of the best young OFs in the game in Markakis, Jones, Reimold and Pie, and were set for years to come in that area. That's one of several reasons we didn't pursue Holliday or Bay. Well, right now that premise seems very open to question. If these guys can't cut it, then at the end of 2010 we have to look at our system and conclude that we're years away from producing another decent outfielder, and the plan has to change there.

Another premise was that we had talented corner infielders in Bell and Snyder who just needed a year's seasoning or less. Right now they're both pretty awful, and if they don't pick it up, we have big problems there too.

Another premise was that we had a very good 2B locked up for 4 years, who would decline over that period, but still be a pretty good player most of that time. But this back issue for BRob casts all the asumptions about how much he'll play and how good he'll be for the three years after this one into doubt.

So, to me, any poster who gets caught up in "proving" that their position last winter was right, is missing the point. You have to modify your opinions when the facts dictate it. My opinions haven't changed yet, but I need to see a lot more from Jones, Reimold, Bell and Snyder this year to believe that we can just stay on the same course next winter.

Notice I haven't mentioned the pitching. In my opinion, nothing has changed the plan there. That part is going fine overall despite some setbacks here and there.

[JTrea81]

True, but they are going about it in exactly the way that Trea says won't work. Trea isn't saying that the O's are not properly implementing the plan, he is saying the plan is doomed from the start.

The Rays are also investing in scouting and development, while the O's are making a half hearted attempt.

The Rays are actually acting like a small market team.

The Orioles are saying they are one even though they aren't but aren't even doing the things they need to do as a small market team to be successful. That's the problem.

[JTrea81]

I am totally surprised that you missed what MacPhail said. I thought you would be all over his comments, but you totally missed it.

MASN: (Paraphrased) You have said grow the arm and buy the bats. Do you still think that is right?

MacPhail: I guess we are going to have to. The young guys are having sophomore problems as the league adjusts to them.

I know I don't have it 100% correct but that was the meaning for it.

And he followed that up with the fact that we can't buy multiple bats. That we have to stay on the plan we are on. He expected to buy a bat. One. That's it.

[theobird]

I am totally surprised that you missed what MacPhail said. I thought you would be all over his comments, but you totally missed it.

MASN: (Paraphrased) You have said grow the arm and buy the bats. Do you still think that is right?

MacPhail: I guess we are going to have to. The young guys are having sophomore problems as the league adjusts to them.

I know I don't have it 100% correct but that was the meaning for it.

To me that sounds like an admission of guilt. "I guess we are going to have to"? Was he just joking when he said "buy the Bats" the first time? I think Andy is getting a little heat from PA who is just now realizing that this team is on the verge of total melt down and that his gate is going to suffer horribly. That kind of hit in the wallet is exactly what gets PA's attention, and my guess is that he has an eye brow raised as we speak.

[Can_of_corn]

The Rays are also investing in scouting and development, while the O's are making a half hearted attempt.

The Rays are actually acting like a small market team.

The Orioles are saying they are one even though they aren't but aren't even doing the things they need to do as a small market team to be successful. That's the problem.

I agree with all of that, that just isn't what you have been saying. The Rays are showing that the model that AM is expousing can work, if done right.

[Mike B]

A question was asked about deviating from the plan due to the 7-21 start.

MacPhail said that the plan we are on is the only way he sees that we can compete and he's convinced now more than ever. He said that he wishes that there was a signing or a quick fix that could be made but that it doesn't exist.

Said that the biggest problem we have is consistency. Mentioned how the Yankees have had the same closer in Rivera for years. And that's what we need to do. Also mentioned how that we need to have more depth positional wise as that is what the top organizations have.

He said in an earlier response that he had hoped that the bats that we had like Reimold would show that they were ready to take the next step and he could acquire a bat. He didn't expect these struggles to happen at all.

So it sounds pretty much like we've taken a huge step back and he has no Plan B for what happens if some these players fail.

I'm not sure how he didn't see this when people without his experience could see this coming a mile away...

I'm not feeling much better...

I am not sure you have ever understood plan A. The money was supposed to be spent when it bacame obvious what young players were going to hit and which are going to miss. The $$$$ need to be spent to cover the misses.

No one, could have seen Jones, Reimold, Scott to perform so poorly, for Pie and BRob to be hurt, and for Wieters and Markakis to be streaky. Bell and Snyder are also performing below expectations.

One big bat, like would help some but how many more wins would we have 10and 18 record maybe.

You are painfully clear in your dislike for McPhail, but your analysis is one sided.

From my view if all the above continues, then the offensive part of the plan will certainly fail. Money will have to be spent at that point while hoping that the pitching continues to improve. If the $$$$ are not invested then you have every right to scream but please add the name you always ignore and I will join you. That name is Peter Angelos.

[wildcard]

And he followed that up with the fact that we can't buy multiple bats. That we have to stay on the plan we are on. He expected to buy a bat. One. That's it.

Well, I guess I missed that part if that is what he said.

[olehippi]

Acquiring talent using the resources that you have to win games.

And in the AL East, you have to acquire and assemble some of the best talent in baseball. And it doesn't come cheap either in terms of $ or players that you have to expend to get it.

You can't just expect that all the talent you have in the farm will reach that level, and this is exactly what he's expecting.

He's willing to get a bat to help, but not multiple...

Have you ever considered running for Congress? The way you like to spend other people's money, you would fit right in. Seriously!! Much bigger stakes. You could bankrupt the whole country instead of the lowly Baltimore Orioles.

[JTrea81]

I think if the team plays really poorly all the way through this season, you have to reevaluate your plan. But I wouldn't do it based on a bad 28 game stretch, even as terrible as it's been.

I think one key working premise we had going into this season was that we had one of the best young OFs in the game in Markakis, Jones, Reimold and Pie, and were set for years to come in that area. That's one of several reasons we didn't pursue Holliday or Bay. Well, right now that premise seems very open to question. If these guys can't cut it, then at the end of 2010 we have to look at our system and conclude that we're years away from producing another decent outfielder, and the plan has to change there.

Another premise was that we had talented corner infielders in Bell and Snyder who just needed a year's seasoning or less. Right now they're both pretty awful, and if they don't pick it up, we have big problems there too.

Another premise was that we had a very good 2B locked up for 4 years, who would decline over that period, but still be a pretty good player most of that time. But this back issue for BRob casts all the asumptions about how much he'll play and how good he'll be for the three years after this one into doubt.

So, to me, any poster who gets caught up in "proving" that their position last winter was right, is missing the point. You have to modify your opinions when the facts dictate it. My opinions haven't changed yet, but I need to see a lot more from Jones, Reimold, Bell and Snyder this year to believe that we can just stay on the same course next winter.

Notice I haven't mentioned the pitching. In my opinion, nothing has changed the plan there. That part is going fine overall despite some setbacks here and there.

Did you not see the inconsistency from Pie and his injury issues, as well as Jones, or the fact Reimold had surgery?

Or how about Snyder's performance in AAA or the fact Bell never hit in AAA and was poor from the LH side of the plate in AA?

It was pretty obvious a lot was going to have to break right regarding all these guys to meet those expectations you and others had. So something had to be done to either ensure things did break right, or at least you had a fallback in case things didn't. Anything the guys in the minors like Snyder and Bell were to give you should have been a bonus, not an expectation.

And nothing has broken right at all.

Roberts was the only unforseen thing really, but MacPhail knew about the injury before ST, and the best he could come up with was Julio Lugo.