Heyman: Orioles being aggressive

[Frobby]

Dip, you're my friend, but you're incredibly naive if you really think this is what AM thinks. This board is the one full of the folks that want the Mercedes for Camry prices. AM is much more realistic than 90% of this place could ever hope to be.

We simply aren't getting the premier FAs UNLESS the Yanks don't want them. I know that is a crappy thing, but it just is. You folks are pretending when you act like it doesn't have to be that way.

Well, there are some on the board who believe we can afford to buy the Mercedes at Rolls Royce prices if necessary just to have a nice car, as if there will be no consequence to that.

As to the Yankees, I honestly can't remember the last time they set their sights on a top free agent and didn't get him. Sometimes they choose not to get involved in the bidding for a guy, but if they do get involved, they win. Simple as that.

[Roll Tide]

Start naming "top free agents" that the Yankees wanted and didn't get.

My Points is that the Orioles aren't serious bidders even when the Yankees aren't involved.

[Sports Guy]

Conversely, when you're a 95 win team in the AL East, you shouldn't have to fly to ***PREMIUM*** free agents, they should be anxious to fly to meet you.

But that's not the way tbe Yankees act. To get to be a 95 win team, you have to be aggressive.

More like to stay a 95 win team....

I just continue to be amazed that so many people are essentially saying the way AM has handled the offseason in years past, in regards to FA, has been correct.

I guess it continues...As long as the Orioles and AM do it, its right...No reason to ever question these guys..They obviously know what they are doing.

[SrMeowMeow]

More like to stay a 95 win team....

I just continue to be amazed that so many people are essentially saying the way AM has handled the offseason in years past, in regards to FA, has been correct.

I guess it continues...As long as the Orioles and AM do it, its right...No reason to ever question these guys..They obviously know what they are doing.

I know I'm wasting my time, but you have completely ignored every counter-argument leveled at you. That's sad.

[Sports Guy]

I know I'm wasting my time, but you have completely ignored every counter-argument leveled at you. That's sad.

I have seen them..I just have yet to see one that's valid or one that really goes against what I am saying(ie, I would agree with the argument).

I also think people are keying on the wrong issues...namely the money that the Yanks have and their ability to do this.

[Hank Scorpio]

Hank, have you ever held a position where you hired people?

Did their appearance have any effect on your first impression? Did the ones wearing a suit or nice clothes have a better impact on you then the ones who showed up in jeans and an AC-DC t-shirt?

After the interview, did any of them ever send a thank you card for taking the time out of your schedule to interview them? Did that have any effect on you?

Did they call back after a few weeks to say "Hey, thanks for the interview. I am not rushing you but just want you to kow I am still interested."

You are being naive to say that a phone call is just as effective as a face to face visit.

You are being naive to say that we shouldn't even call certain players because they are beyond our reach.

Every little gesture has SOME impact on the player and the agent. The least the Orioles can do is TRY.

You can't get a job you don't apply for.

You can't get a date if you don't ask the girl out.

You can't sign a free agent if you don't even try.

And you can't make a trade if you don't find out what the asking price is.

Sure, I hire people often.

I pretty much know who I'm going to hire the minute they leave my office.

[SrMeowMeow]

I have seen them..I just have yet to see one that's valid or one that really goes against what I am saying(ie, I would agree with the argument).

I also think people are keying on the wrong issues...namely the money that the Yanks have and their ability to do this.

I have a question for you...think of all the free agents of the past decade who have signed 4+ year deals. Now tell me which you would consider good signings in retrospect, after applying a hypothetical 10% "playing for the Orioles" bonus to the annual salary.

Off the top of my head, I can think of zero. I'm sure there are a couple, but so few that they will be the exception that proves the rule.

Now tell me why we should aggressively target premium free agents and pay them what it takes to come to Baltimore? I know you don't mean "overpay terribly", but I think we can agree that there's some premium we'd have to pay to get a FA to play here instead of NY or Boston.

[Sports Guy]

I have a question for you...think of all the free agents of the past decade who have signed 4+ year deals. Now tell me which you would consider good signings in retrospect, after applying a hypothetical 10% "playing for the Orioles" bonus to the annual salary.

Off the top of my head, I can think of zero. I'm sure there are a couple, but so few that they will be the exception that proves the rule.

Now tell me why we should aggressively target premium free agents and pay them what it takes to come to Baltimore? I know you don't mean "overpay terribly", but I think we can agree that there's some premium we'd have to pay to get a FA to play here instead of NY or Boston.

There are pretty much no FAs that I advocate going after and that is almost always the case.

If I were the Orioles, my attention would be on trade candidates, potential non tenders and a few FAs.

Of those FAs, the guys I would be aggressive with in the beginning are CC and Beltre, with Beltre being the one that there is a legit shot at signing.

If I am the Orioles, I am at his doorstep at 12:01 the day FA starts. I am there to let him know that I want to obtain him and I would already have my initial contract offer ready. It wouldn't be my max offer but it would be a good beginning point. The orioles are dealing at a disadvantage in many ways.

One of those ways is a perceived lack of "hurryness". AM needs to show more aggression and creativity.

Hell, what has done for Koji thus far? All reports we have seen say they haven't talked and that he may not even offer arbitration. What the hell is that? A contract should have already been offered to Koji.

[Crazysilver03]

I am looking more at the trade market this offseason.

Do you guys think AM has been aggressive calling up teams about players he wants?

(of course, this assumes that there are guys he wants via trades)

Has he notified and followed up? Is he "pestering" them? Being aggressive about it?

What is the point of this?

What question? Seems to me that I have answered all of your questions in this thread.

Just because I am not retyping my answer 100 times, doesn't mean I am not answering it.

Your follow up question to asking posters if they think MacPhail is being aggressive on the trade market. I asked you simply what was thr point behind asking if macphail is issuing follow up calls and what not.

Umm, perhaps to acquire the players before someone else does?

To lay the proper groundwork for a future deal?

Because trades take time and you aren't likely to put one together in 5 minutes?

My question was what was the point of asking posters if MacPhail was following up. Not like we have a clue. I said I think he is. You said, unexpectedly, that you think he isn't. You tell me I am naive. What is the point?

[Crazysilver03]

I have seen them..I just have yet to see one that's valid or one that really goes against what I am saying(ie, I would agree with the argument).

I also think people are keying on the wrong issues...namely the money that the Yanks have and their ability to do this.

What would be a valid argument for you? I have never seen you change your mind once you have decided on something.

[Sports Guy]

My question was what was the point of asking posters if MacPhail was following up. Not like we have a clue. I said I think he is. You said, unexpectedly, that you think he isn't. You tell me I am naive. What is the point?

They were rhetorical questions.

I know they don't know.

I was also asking what is your opinion type stuff.

Why do you even care? I wasn't even asking you.

[Crazysilver03]

Hell, what has done for Koji thus far? All reports we have seen say they haven't talked and that he may not even offer arbitration. What the hell is that? A contract should have already been offered to Koji.

So you believe the reports that say Koji hasn't been offered a contract. Yet, I am naive for believing Heyman when he says the Orioles are being aggressive?

So what reports do you decide to believe or not to believe?

[Crazysilver03]

They were rhetorical questions.

I know they don't know.

I was also asking what is your opinion type stuff.

Why do you even care? I wasn't even asking you.

You were asking the board. I was engaged in a conversation with you in this thread at that point. How were you not even asking me?

If they were rhetorical questions, why did you question Hank further? Why did you build on your previous question if it was rhetorical?

[Sports Guy]

You were asking the board. I was engaged in a conversation with you in this thread at that point. How were you not even asking me?

If they were rhetorical questions, why did you question Hank further? Why did you build on your previous question if it was rhetorical?

We were talking about aggression..Hank said he thinks he has identified the players..My question is, what has he done besides that. And I directly quoted Hank, asking his opinion...not yours.

[Sports Guy]

So you believe the reports that say Koji hasn't been offered a contract. Yet, I am naive for believing Heyman when he says the Orioles are being aggressive?

So what reports do you decide to believe or not to believe?

I am not the one who comes on here and cries about the media and their bogus reports like so many of you.