Jump to content

MacPhail Claims O's Had No Chance to Match Offer for VMart

Arthur_Bryant

By Arthur_Bryant
in Orioles Talk

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 185
  • Created
  • Last Reply
RVAbird All-Star

RVAbird

Posted
Posted
Says VMart was club's top FA target.

Zrebiec Aricle in Sun

Since this is its own thread, I'll just repost what I said in the other one.

This is about what I expected.

I have ragged on several of MacPhail's decisions today, but I'll leave this alone.

He and I differ on whether VMart was a smart guy to target and just how much better he was than other options.

But, MacPhail (with plenty of Showalter input, I'm sure) identified him early on as a target. He informed his agent of this. He was aggressive in pursuing him, making a face to face offer very early on at the GM meetings. At the time I am certain it was VMart's biggest offer. It seems as if MacPhail would have been willing to increase the offer a bit.

But, it seems VMart basically shopped that offer to a team he preferred, who matched it (a slight increase for PR purposes), and came back to the Orioles asking them not to pursue further.

I'm not blaming him for missing out on VMart, and I'll commend him for a good strategy even if we disagree about the player.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hoosiers Hangout Grand Counsel

hoosiers

Posted
Posted

The article does a good job of explaining the decision to pursue VMart relative to the other 1B prospects. It's a shame VMart did not want to come here.

I find it quite comical for the writer to point out the flaws in the remaining 1B on the market considering our FO took a flyer on Atkins last year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Arthur_Bryant All-Star

Arthur_Bryant

Posted
  • Author
Posted
So much for Buck's ability to lure free agents. I'm not disappointed about not signing him, but this doesn't seem to bode well for our ability to acquire good talent.

Sounds like the Venezuelan connection may have been in play.

I think we sometimes underestimate how important the personal connections can be, especially for the Caribbean players.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
YardBirds13 Major Leaguer Rising Star

YardBirds13

Posted
Posted
Dear VMart...

You were a coveted Free Agent.

You didn't want to be a part of something special.

Flock You.

The O's

Dear VMart-

Thanks for saving us money to spend elsewhere on a contract that wouldn't be worth it since you are incredibly overvalued if you play first base.

Sincerely,

Me

Link to comment
Share on other sites
wildcard Hangout Grand Counsel

wildcard

Posted
Posted

Matching contenders bids is not going to do it for the O's this off season and MacPhail should know that. If he wanted VMart he had to be $14M per year for 4 years. He needed to beat the others by $2M a year to be considered. He didn't do that which tells me he really didn't want him that bad.

I am not going to debate if 4/56 would have been a smart bid, but it is what it would have taken for the O's to have a chance a getting VMart.

It is no surprise at all that VMart's agent did not come back to MacPhail to raise his bid. That happens all the time to the O's because they have been a last place team.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...