Bowden: O's have made significant offer to Konerko

[smootharch]

I'd like to see Konerko or Dunn at first, Luke as DH.

[Dipper9]

I want to see them sign Lee and Beltre (if under 5/75) and trade for Hardy. If we can't get Beltre, I want to see them trade for Reynolds. This doesn't cost us any draft picks, or any substantial pieces of the future. We're set up well to sign AGon next offseason, and add a SP if necessary. Also, I wish we had offered Koji and Millwood arbitration.

That's what I want. But, I imagine they will do something stupid like sign Konerko.

If anyone is holding out hope that a one year rental at first means a run at AGon next year, then you are setting yourselves up for HUUUUUUUUUUUGE disapointment.

[Dipper9]

Well, while we are out there trying to sign guys that rejected us in their prime, we might as well throw a bone to Vladdy as well.

The new middle of the order can be Vladdy, Scott, and Konerko.

[Going Underground]

In about an hour we'll hear that he sign's with Chicago......this is just done to appease the fans when we know we have no chance to sign him

White Sox have been quiet about Konerko. I wonder what the market is for him? Red Sox,Rangers,Diamonbacks and the O's.

[Bart in LA]

this thread is the perfect example of why you cannot make anyone happy.

We complain that the orioles don't make any moves.

We complain when we offer martinez 4/48 that its too much and too long.

We complain when martinez signs with the tigers for 4/50 that we didn't offer enough.

We complain that the orioles won't make any trades.

We complain that the orioles are considering losing dh for bartlett.

We complain that the orioles aren't aggressive.

We complain that the orioles made an aggressive offer to another top first baseman.

Wtf man? What the hell do we want?

You cannot make good trades without losing good talent.

You cannot get the better talent without overpaying.

You cannot make an omelette without cracking a few eggs.

We have to get better people. If that means overpaying konerko, then do it. If that means losing dh for bartlett, then do it.

I fear that no matter what the orioles do, it won't be the right move for 95% of the people on this board!

great post -- i couldn't agree more -- it's time to upgrade -- it's time to spend a few bucks -- "everyone" on this board seems obsessed with getting perfect value -- the o's have a club right now with zero contracts that are over value -- maybe roberts' contract looks a little rich right and maybe gonzo -- but we only have one more year of gonzo commitment and roberts is the face of the franchise.

Really, there are no other contracts that are obscene to which the o's are committed. Is there any club in baseball that can say that????? If there are, they are, like the o's, at the bottom of their division.

The orioles are like the guy who saves and saves and never spends/enjoys his money and then dies.

It's time to live a little -- we need guys who could be .850 or .900 ops guys to compete for a playoff spot -- the o's have exactly zero of them on the roster. Zero. The o's need to find at least two guys like that and a ss who has a solid enough glove can give us a .700 ops instead of .550.

Konerko was 2x the player derrek lee was last year -- i wouldn't mind lee and if i had to choose lee for a year/two years over konerko for 3/4 i can see the point -- lee is a far better glove. But i think the chances of a .850 ops are better from konerko than lee at this point. Gladly, take him if he will come.

[UMDTerrapins]

I'd rather have Lee for a number of solid reasons that have already been mentioned.

But it is interesting how after years of hearing fans on OH repeat over and over and over that we have to overpay if we ever want to get FA talent here, this is that situation in a nutshell. People generally aren't rejecting Konerko because of what he brings to the O's, but about how much he'd cost and how we'd have to overpay him.

[Going Underground]

Well, while we are out there trying to sign guys that rejected us in their prime, we might as well throw a bone to Vladdy as well.

The new middle of the order can be Vladdy, Scott, and Konerko.

Beltre did not want to come here either last year.

[SrMeowMeow]

This thread is the PERFECT example of why you cannot make anyone happy.

We complain that the Orioles don't make any moves.

We complain when we offer Martinez 4/48 that its too much and too long.

We complain when Martinez signs with the Tigers for 4/50 that we didn't offer enough.

We complain that the Orioles won't make any trades.

We complain that the Orioles are considering losing DH for Bartlett.

We complain that the Orioles aren't aggressive.

We complain that the Orioles made an aggressive offer to another top first baseman.

WTF man? What the hell do we want?

You cannot make GOOD trades without losing good talent.

You cannot get the better talent without overpaying.

You cannot make an omelette without cracking a few eggs.

We HAVE to get better people. If that means overpaying Konerko, then do it. If that means losing DH for Bartlett, then do it.

I fear that no matter WHAT the Orioles do, it won't be the right move for 95% of the people on this board!

Well, the thing is, you're adding together every complaint you've ever seen on this board. Nobody on here complains about all the things on your list. Like, for example, nobody complained about both offering 4/48 for V-Mart and not topping 4/50.

So what you've basically discovered is, it's impossible to make everybody happy. Which I think is known

[SilentJames]

No FA first basemen out there is without his problems/ risks.

Lee would be my first choice but Konerko is tempting and I am not going to sit here and whine if we get him.

the V-Mart money would be much, but it isn't my money and it certainly isn't anything that will hamstring the club going forward. We might "regret" it in a couple years, depending on the length of the contract but I doubt it will be something that will do a ton of harm to the overall health of the franchise.

In other words, go get him. I think he gives us the most stable shot at very solid

consistent numbers from firstbase.

[JTrea81]

Beltre did not want to come here either last year.

Beltre only wanted a 1 year deal to maximize his production and get back out on the market. Who would you rather surround yourself with? Premium talent or suspects and has-beens?

He also got a lot of publicity in Boston, so he really raised his profile and status like he wanted to.

[JTrea81]

Give Konerko the VMart money, but knock off one year.

3/48. I'd rather pay him more for less years.

Konerko has said length of contract doesn't matter to him as he wants to retire sooner than later.

[Sports Guy]

Can someone make the case as to why Konerko for 3-4 years is better than Derrek Lee for 2 years, a second round pick and 20-30 million dollars?

[srock]

Am I the only one who would rather have Luke at 1B than Konerko, Pena, Overball, Berkman, and maybe even Lee?

Giggity.

I'm okay with any of them for 1 year at less money then Luke makes in 2011 if they don't cost a pick.

Otherwise, its Dunn or Luke Scott.

[Shopay]

If it's a 2-year deal, with more money being offered each year than some other deals he might be offered, then I have no problem with it. When we get into more than 2 years for Konerko, I don't like it.

I'd be more than willing to significantly overpay for Konerko to get him here for a two year deal and I won't be surprised if the O's do it. I think many on this board are underestimating AM. You don't offer VM $48 million, unless you're willing to spend some money. AM's going to spend this off season. He knows he needs a big bat and he will get one. I actually think we are in for several significant moves by AM between now and ST. Whether they are the right moves -- we'll have to see. But his not going to sit still.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Can someone make the case as to why Konerko for 3-4 years is better than Derrek Lee for 2 years, a second round pick and 20-30 million dollars?

If you believe Lee will perform like last year's first half for the length of the contract and that Konerko will not fall off at all from last year's campaign I'd rather have Konerko.

But I don't think either will happen.