The Redemption of Andy MacPhail

[PaulFolk]

Being a major-league general manager is a rough gig. Fans are ready to run you out of town one week, then singing your praises the next.

It's been no different for Andy MacPhail. At various times this winter, O's fans have seen him an ultra-conservative, penny-pinching, sweater-vest-wearing failure who can't make the moves the Orioles need. At other times fans have seen him as a shrewd, sensible, still sweater-vest-wearing genius who has what it takes to mold the Orioles into a contending team.

In the latest Hangout article, we examine why MacPhail's popularity with the fans reached an all-time low, and how his successful winter-meetings week in Orlando helped restore his reputation.

The Redemption of Andy MacPhail

[LookinUp]

This might be instructive to new posters who think we're all kool aid drinkers here.

If they were reading this board between May and October, they'd understand that torches and pitchforks for AM and PA were everywhere.

[Moose Milligan]

Miguel Tejada started the season hot and then fell off the table-- which is better than Garrett Atkins, who never found the table in the first place.

:rofl: :rofl:

[LookinUp]

This might be instructive to new posters who think we're all kool aid drinkers here.

If they were reading this board between May and October, they'd understand that torches and pitchforks for AM and PA were everywhere.

Lol. I wrote this before reading your reference to the same thing.

[JTrea81]

Let's see what MacPhail does to fix 1B before we call him "redeemed."

He's got to finish the job IMO.

[Frobby]

I'm encouraged by what happened last week, but I need to see what else MacPhail does this offseason. 1B has been a problem since the day MacPhail arrived, and it's time he addressed it. We need a better bullpen, too. In case anyone's forgotten, we blew 27 saves last year, 5 more than any other team in the AL and 9 more than the average team, and we had a 56% save rate. We clearly need to add a couple of guys.

[Dipper9]

Let's see what MacPhail does to fix 1B before we call him "redeemed."

He's got to finish the job IMO.

I agree.

The Reynolds and Hardy trades were well done, but he still hasn't done anything to make the rest of the league turn and look in our direction.

[ShaneDawg85]

I agree.

The Reynolds and Hardy trades were well done, but he still hasn't done anything to make the rest of the league turn and look in our direction.

Outside of resurrecting Babe Ruth from the dead, we're not getting other team's, or the national media's attention. Frankly, I don't care if other teams "look" in our direction. I take much greater pride in getting their attention by beating the crap out of them.

[SammyBirdland]

Let's see what MacPhail does to fix 1B before we call him "redeemed."

He's got to finish the job IMO.

What remaining moves would he have to make in order to be considered redeemed in the eyes of JTrea? And I'm not trolling, I'm asking because you have the more harsh (realistic?) view of his performance.

[ShaneDawg85]

What remaining moves would he have to make in order to be considered redeemed in the eyes of JTrea? And I'm not trolling, I'm asking because you have the more harsh (realistic?) view of his performance.

I think we all know the answer to that question. The name's might change, but the concept remains the same.

[wildcard]

I agreed at the beginning of the off season that this is a important time for both MacPhail and the O's. However, I believed that the O's showed over the last two months of 2010 that had they stayed healthy all season and been guided by Buck it would have probably have been a good season. The talent was there, just not healthy or performing to their potential. I never had my pitchfork uncrated.

MacPhail had and still has work to do. So far, so good. He has to give Buck the players to work with but I have confidence that Buck will change the culture of losing that has pledged the O's.

I never thought things were as dire as some articles and posters made them sound as long as the O's kept their young pitching in tacted. And I will reserve judgement while continuing to hope that the O's will add the players still needed.

[Sports Guy]

No chance he deserves the benefit of the doubt and he certainly hasn't redeemed himself in my eyes.

All AM has done this offseason is reinforce the point I have been making for a while now..If a bargain is out there, AM will be all over it...And that's a good thing. I like that he is looking for that. He acquired 2 players that i am very happy he got. I wanted Hardy last offseason and was clamoring for Reynolds all offseason. So, I really liked what he did with those 2 deals.

He also signed Koji to a contract that I was pushing for...I think it was a very smart deal and one that I am very happy he made.

But that is basically all he is looking for and that isn't enough to build a winner in this division.

[Moose Milligan]

No chance he deserves the benefit of the doubt and he certainly hasn't redeemed himself in my eyes.

All AM has done this offseason is reinforce the point I have been making for a while now..If a bargain is out there, AM will be all over it...And that's a good thing. I like that he is looking for that.

But that is basically all he is looking for and that isn't enough to build a winner in this division.

This sums it up nicely.

[Dipper9]

Outside of resurrecting Babe Ruth from the dead, we're not getting other team's, or the national media's attention. Frankly, I don't care if other teams "look" in our direction. I take much greater pride in getting their attention by beating the crap out of them.

My point is the moves we've made will not be enough to "beat the crap out of them."

[TonySoprano]

He again looks like the kind of shrewd, rational GM who can help mold the Orioles into a contender.

Better than 2011? Yes

Respectable? Outlook good

Contender in the near future? Outlook not so good