Over a week ago the O's were reportedly "aggressive" in the free agent market...

[Peace21]

Really. It's a bit odd when the editors starting dragging down the attitude on the board.

I don't think Scottie was intending to drag down the board. He is frustrated, we all are.

[LookitsPuck]

How can anyone EXPECT big things to happen when it comes to this team?

Yes, its nice that we are hearing them connected to certain guys...but results are what matter.

You must be a blast at parties.

[Sports Guy]

You must be a blast at parties.

Oh I am...And unlike you, I actually get invited to them. Again, you show how much of an asset you are to this sight wigth your brilliant analysis.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Collie declared active, do I start him or Lance Moore?

[Sports Guy]

Do you feel comfortable saying most of your friends would agree? :laughlol:

Sure..I mean, its not like you ever come out to know either way.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Collie declared active, do I start him or Lance Moore?

Hmm brain fart. I swore I was posting that in the "start 'em or sit 'em" thread lol. Mods, please move thanks.

[commish]

Oh I am...And unlike you, I actually get invited to them.

Ooooo Burn!

[El Gordo]

Sure..I mean, its not like you ever come out to know either way.

You have to come out to go to your parties?...:scratchchinhmm:

[weams]

You have to come out to go to your parties?...:scratchchinhmm:

You meant for that to be in the OUT of context thread, didn't you?

[JTrea81]

It seems the arbitration date is bogging this whole offseason down.

Why is it over a month after free agents file? Frankly I think it should be right at the end of the exclusive negotiation period.

Teams would have 5 days to decide whether to offer arbritration or not. It's not like they haven't had all season to decide. By the offseason you should know if you want to tender them or not. It's not like there have been multiple FA signings or trades in between those two dates thus far that would influence that decision, so there is no need to draw out that process IMO. 40 man rosters would also have to be set by the same date.

Then in November the GM Meetings and Winter Meetings should be combined, thus kicking off the offseason in a sprint until Christmas. The Rule V would happen during this time.

There would be no excuses not to see deals before Thanksgiving and there would be a huge flurry of activity creating lots of excitement. Every day there would be a new rumor or headline.

Also were the Orioles to trade for a major star player or sign a major star player - wouldn't you like to have their jersey before Christmas? Well if they sign or get traded for in January, that isn't going to happen. By speeding up the process you now allow for more merchandise sales that will capitalize on that excitement surrounding those teams that wheel and deal before Christmas. Right now MLB isn't making the most of that opportunity.

[Sports Guy]

It seems the arbitration date is bogging this whole offseason down.

Why is it over a month after free agents file? Frankly I think it should be right at the end of the exclusive negotiation period.

Teams would have 5 days to decide whether to offer arbritration or not. It's not like they haven't had all season to decide. By the offseason you should know if you want to tender them or not. It's not like there have been multiple FA signings or trades in between those two dates thus far that would influence that decision, so there is no need to draw out that process IMO. 40 man rosters would also have to be set by the same date.

Then in November the GM Meetings and Winter Meetings should be combined, thus kicking off the offseason in a sprint until Christmas. The Rule V would happen during this time.

There would be no excuses not to see deals before Thanksgiving and there would be a huge flurry of activity creating lots of excitement. Every day there would be a new rumor or headline.

Also were the Orioles to trade for a major star player or sign a major star player - wouldn't you like to have their jersey before Christmas? Well if they sign or get traded for in January, that isn't going to happen. By speeding up the process you now allow for more merchandise sales that will capitalize on that excitement surrounding those teams that wheel and deal before Christmas. Right now MLB isn't making the most of that opportunity.

I agree they let the arb deadline drag on to long.

However, at least they moved it up some this year..should be coming up soon.

[Mad Mark]

Derek Christ hasn't even re-upped with the Yankee$ yet. It's gonna get slower before it gets faster...so perhaps an un-bunching of the panties is in order for some of you guys.

[SteveA]

Why is the response to these types of things...well, hardly any teams have done anything?

Why do people care what other teams are or aren't doing?

Because, it means, we haven't yet missed out on any significant opportunities.

I share the concern with you and Scottie that we will not be proactive and that we will have a poor offseason, based on the track record of MacPhail. The only difference is, I'm not going to rant about it as if it had already happened. Because we don't KNOW what will happen, we can only speculate.

I will be right there besides you criticizing MacPhail if he has a poor offseason, after the fact. I just think it's silly to say: "I think we are going to have a poor offseason" and then to begin the criticism in advance, as if it had already happened.

It reminds me of the 30 page thread saying how terrible it was that we were probably going to bring Crowley back as hitting coach, with some people making the same point 10, 20, 30 times. Then it turned out we didn't bring him back, so all that "criticism" was criticism of ... nothing but imagination. It's nothing but masturbation, and I'm not going to join in the circle jerk and criticize the Orioles for something that they MIGHT do in the future. I'll give opinions on what I think they should do, and I'll react either positively or negatively as appropriate to what they actually do. But a thread to pre-emptively criticize something that you think might happen is the height of absurdity to me.

[Birds of B'more]

Hmm brain fart. I swore I was posting that in the "start 'em or sit 'em" thread lol. Mods, please move thanks.

Actually, this is the perfect thread for that post. Some people expect to be entertained year-round. To those people I'd suggest learning to like football, basketball or hockey. I mean, really....how much excitement can anyone expect out of an MLB offseason? Even Yankee fans probably get bored shortly after the ink dries on the contracts of their FA signees.

[maybenxtyr]

Rather than start a new thread, I figured I would throw this out here.

It is being reported on MLBTraderumors that Willie Mo Pena is trying to make a come-back. This has Baltimore written all over it. I am not trying to be negative, but this really does seem like a move that Baltimore would be interested in.