Zrebiec: MacPhail won't ask for extension

[CSB Jack]

Buck signed on to the Diamondbacks and the Rangers. The Diamondbacks were an expansion team and the Rangers hadn't seen the playoffs for 3 straight years.

When Bobby V signed on with the Mets, they hadn't made the playoffs in 8 years.

Managers will sign on to teams if you show them the money and give them the commitment that you are going to do everything you can to win.

Winning no matter what was not a priority for Andy MacPhail. Instead he wanted to build a winning team his way and only his way. There could be no deviation from the plan.

You are absolutely right. See his most recent quote to the effect of "bold does not equal stupid". And "bold does not mean sacrificing the future for next year." And he is correct on that, IMO. I'll have to learn the exact quotes so I can use them properly in the future.

[waroriole]

Man, you guys are hilarious. "I'll talk sense into him. Wait till he hears my points, there's no way he can spin or ignore that.":rolleyes:

[Stotle]

Buck signed on to the Diamondbacks and the Rangers. The Diamondbacks were an expansion team and the Rangers hadn't seen the playoffs for 3 straight years.

When Bobby V signed on with the Mets, they hadn't made the playoffs in 8 years.

Managers will sign on to teams if you show them the money and give them the commitment that you are going to do everything you can to win.

Winning no matter what was not a priority for Andy MacPhail. Instead he wanted to build a winning team his way and only his way. There could be no deviation from the plan.

IMO MacPhail had to have a puppet manager to carry out his plan like he had a puppet GM in Chicago with Lynch. That's why you didn't see a managerial change. AM didn't want anybody to question him, and Trembley didn't. He was a good solider or puppet. Showalter won't be a puppet. That's why he was hired.

I think we can all agree that managing in NY is a separate issue. Regarding Buck, I'm sure you are aware that an expansion team has a starting payroll of zero, and the ability to draft from the organizations already in existence. You can easily make an argument that starting from scratch is better than starting from in the hole (which is where BAL was).

I can't believe you are trying to use Texas as an example of him signing on to a potentially bad situation. The names on the 2003 roster in Arlington include:

Alex Rodriguez

Mark Teixeira

Juan Gonzalez

Rafael Palmeiro

A young Hank Blalock

A young Mike Young

A young Kevin Mench (actually a solid power bat back then)

Not a whole lot to get excited about in the rotation. But clearly this is a team that had a clear core to build around in the short term, particularly in a competitive AL West division. 2004 saw the debut of Adrian Gonzalez (you remember him, I'm sure) and 2005 brought what Buck and co. thought would be enough of an overhaul in the rotation to put them over the top (Rogers and Young, in addition to Astacio and a solid pen of Cordero, Loe, and Benoit.

None of your examples are close to BAL 2008/2009.

[scOtt]

Buck signed on to the Diamondbacks and the Rangers. The Diamondbacks were an expansion team and the Rangers hadn't seen the playoffs for 3 straight years.

When Bobby V signed on with the Mets, they hadn't made the playoffs in 8 years.

Managers will sign on to teams if you show them the money and give them the commitment that you are going to do everything you can to win.

Winning no matter what was not a priority for Andy MacPhail. Instead he wanted to build a winning team his way and only his way. There could be no deviation from the plan.

IMO MacPhail had to have a puppet manager to carry out his plan like he had a puppet GM in Chicago with Lynch. That's why you didn't see a managerial change. AM didn't want anybody to question him, and Trembley didn't. He was a good solider or puppet. Showalter won't be a puppet. That's why he was hired.

You'd rather have a GM who changes his mind every time a player has a bad month? I would call his insistence on his plan commendable.

[Eddie_Murray33]

I think you are in for a big disappointment as far as Buck is concerned. The rumor was that he likes VMart, not exactly Fielder. He was talking about Crede at 3B, not exactly Beltre, and a big indication that he isn't ready to give up on Bell. And of course the signs are pointing to Izturis' return. I'm afraid there is no WOW in the offing with Buck. :mwahaha:

Agreed. Even if Buck gets some significant say on personel changes this offseason (and I think we all hope he does)- I wouldn't be shocked at all if many of the pieces or "nuggets" that he covets are guys that are currently not showing up on our own wish lists. He wants gamers with character and positional versatility who will buy into a team philosophy- mostly b/c paired with great pitching he thinks he can win the AL East with a team constructed that way (we must never under-estimate Buck's confidence in his own abilities).

At any rate, V-Mart may be the centerpiece of all that... which would be great.... but it wouldn't surpise me at all if that's about as sexy as it gets this offseason.

[El Gordo]

Agreed. Even if Buck gets some significant say on personel changes this offseason (and I think we all hope he does)- I wouldn't be shocked at all if many of the pieces or "nuggets" that he covets are guys that are currently not showing up on our own wish lists. He wants gamers with character and positional versatility who will buy into a team philosophy- mostly b/c paired with great pitching he thinks he can win the AL East with a team constructed that way (we must never under-estimate Buck's confidence in his own abilities).

At any rate, V-Mart may be the centerpiece of all that... which would be great.... but it wouldn't surpise me at all if that's about as sexy as it gets this offseason.

I totally agree. A winning team is one that plays team baseball. Not always the sexiest notion. But 9 guys who can give you quality AB amd keep their head in the game may well win you more games then an ARoid or two and 6 or seven dwarves.

[twoBshorty]

Buck signed on to the Diamondbacks and the Rangers. The Diamondbacks were an expansion team and the Rangers hadn't seen the playoffs for 3 straight years.

When Bobby V signed on with the Mets, they hadn't made the playoffs in 8 years.

Managers will sign on to teams if you show them the money and give them the commitment that you are going to do everything you can to win.

Show them the money? The Diamondbacks owner drove his team into crippling debt from deferred compensation with that strategy, and the Rangers' owner actually went bankrupt, to say nothing of what he did to the Dallas Stars and Liverpool FC. He's a multi-sport idiot. Great examples.

[Mr. Solo Dolo]

Show them the money? The Diamondbacks owner drove his team into crippling debt from deferred compensation with that strategy, and the Rangers' owner actually went bankrupt, to say nothing of what he did to the Dallas Stars and Liverpool FC. He's a multi-sport idiot. Great examples.

I'm sure he'll find some way to turn this into some outrageous and incoherent counter-point and tell us a story about how MacPhail hates Fielder and Teixeira and challenged them both to a rap battle.

[Mark Carver]

Cue the shifting definition of "premium" to include defense.

Premium position player = combo of offense and defense. I've said that all along, as premium bat seems to imply hitting only. Beltre can be a 4.0+ WAR player. Scott likely will not be as he was only at 3.2 for a career year. 2.5-3.0 seems to be the norm for him.

I'd sign Beltre to be the #3 hitter and then move him down eventually when either Wieters or Jones proved they were ready to take that spot.

And he's one of the premium position players we need. We need one for the #4 spot as well...

:clap3::clap3::clap3:

[Mad Mark]

It is time. Someone must be the Lorne Michaels of the Hangout, and it appears that he is going to be me.

I hereby formally offer the Prophet of the One True way twenty American Dollars ($20) to leave OH. I will place these twenty American Dollars in an envelope and mail them to him, or I will send them to the Prophet via PayPal if his mom lets him have an account.

Even on "ignore" the Prophet continues to ruin my OH experience. (If I put him on Super Ignore there would be no OH to experience...except for maybe the book area.)

It's fine to disagree. It's not fine to come into someone's (metaphorical) living room with a bass drum and pound the f------g thing until we're all ready to rip our own heads off.

This has to end.

Twenty American Dollars.

Think about it.

[Sports Guy]

Buck is not the GM.

[accinfo]

It is time. Someone must be the Lorne Michaels of the Hangout, and it appears that he is going to be me.

I hereby formally offer the Prophet of the One True way twenty American Dollars ($20) to leave OH. I will place these twenty American Dollars in an envelope and mail them to him, or I will send them to the Prophet via PayPal if his mom lets him have an account.

Even on "ignore" the Prophet continues to ruin my OH experience. (If I put him on Super Ignore there would be no OH to experience...except for maybe the book area.)

It's fine to disagree. It's not fine to come into someone's (metaphorical) living room with a bass drum and pound the f------g thing until we're all ready to rip our own heads off.

This has to end.

Twenty American Dollars.

Think about it.

That is FUNNY!! My favorite SNL skit of all time. When George Harrison showed up for 1/4th of the money it was priceless. The funny thing is that McCartney and Lennon actually discussed doing it. It almost worked then. Maybe you will have more success!!! LOL

[JTrea81]

Buck is not the GM.

Buck likely has veto power over MacPhail with PGA though, so he might as well be.

I think MacPhail will be GM virtually in name only this offseason and in the last year of his deal. He's a lame duck.

Showalter is now the person shaping this organization, not MacPhail IMO.

[El Gordo]

Buck likely has veto power over MacPhail with PGA though, so he might as well be.

I think MacPhail will be GM in name only this offseason and in the last year of his deal. He's a lame duck.

Showalter is now the person shaping this organization, not MacPhail IMO.

If this is true, then you have to be willing to pin all the blame for this seasons FA on Buck, when it turns out you are not happy with it. And trust me you won't be.

[Sports Guy]

Buck likely has veto power over MacPhail with PGA though, so he might as well be.

I think MacPhail will be GM virtually in name only this offseason and in the last year of his deal. He's a lame duck.

Showalter is now the person shaping this organization, not MacPhail IMO.

Well your opinion is wrong.

Buck will be working with AM and he will have a lot of input.

But Buck isn't going to be the one signing the contracts. He isn't going to be making the final decisions.

He is not a FO guy...He is a manager.

And even if he was making the decisions, we don't even know if that is a good thing...Look at the AGon deal.

BTW, does this mean if the Orioles have a poor offseason, that you will blame Buck?