Zrebiec: At impasse with LaRoche; turning attention to Lee

[Os84]

Thanks.

Again, if this is true and the Padres really don't have the money to pay D. Lee or LaRoche, why haven't these guys signed with the Nats and O's? The only reasonable explanation I can think of is that they are both waiting on the Vlad/Texas situation to resolve (as someone else mentioned on the OH).

[Jagwar]

Thanks.

Again, if this is true and the Padres really don't have the money to pay D. Lee or LaRoche, why haven't these guys signed with the Nats and O's? The only reasonable explanation I can think of is that they are both waiting on the Vlad/Texas situation to resolve (as someone else mentioned on the OH).

Maybe it's because neither of them want to play for sucky teams.

[Dr. FLK]

I can't tell you the number of times I've kicked myself for ignoring the advice of strangers at gas stations. I mean...what if Sally really did possess the key to a good time? What if...

This might be my favorite post of all-time...certainly Top 10.:thumbsup1:

[DuffMan]

107 more posts to go. At current pace, this may be over by Xmas. That would be a great gift...

I was thinking the same thing. The question is do we ignore him or egg him on so that he's more likely to hit 500 quicker?

[Os84]

Maybe it's because neither of them want to play for sucky teams.

This is probably true, but what other alternatives do they have other than take a big pay cut or settle for a platoon or bench role?

[GoldGlove21]

I was thinking the same thing. The question is do we ignore him or egg him on so that he's more likely to hit 500 quicker?

What does he/she post about when the offseason is complete. If the Orioles were to land a first baseman and RP this week things would likely be quiet leading up to the start of the season.

[GoldGlove21]

This is probably true, but what other alternatives do they have other than take a big pay cut or settle for a platoon or bench role?

I wouldn't use the paycut argument just yet. They could take a one year deal at $7M from many teams in baseball then look for a three year deal next year. Would I make that type of gamble? No. I will never understand why guys think that one good year leading up to a free agent year means you deserve more than you are worth. If LaRoche signed a one year deal and hit .310 with 30 homeruns while driving in 120 would teams really think that was going to be the standard moving forward based on his age and prior history? No.

Not sure what LaRoche is thinking to be honest. My guess is that he wants to get the same contract from a more competitive team in a weaker division. He might wait it out and find out that he will be playing in Washington in 2011. I like the idea of having a capable first baseman for more then one year, but I am not going to bid against myself to get LaRoche. He is solid, but he isn't that good. I really think Dunn could have mashed here and if the Orioles were ok with Scott playing first, then they should be ok with Dunn playing there as well. LaRoche may be able to help the Orioles linup, but Dunn would have transformed it IMO.

[Os84]

Yeah, I guess just like most people, I'm getting really impatient with the 1B opening. While neither LaRoche or Lee is going to set the world on fire, it would just be nice to have an all-around solid 1B for once.

[Hooded Viper]

I was thinking the same thing. The question is do we ignore him or egg him on so that he's more likely to hit 500 quicker?

I say we egg him on for the crash and burn factor!

[Dipper9]

I say we egg him on for the crash and burn factor!

I'm still trying to figure out how he got out of the red????? :scratchchinhmm:

[Austin]

I'd like to tell you guys something funny that happened to me today:

I was at Sheetz getting gas, and was standing in line behind a guy wearing a Pirates jersey ("Poor guy"), and asked him if he was a big fan.

He responded that he was, and goes to alot of Pirate's games when he can get back to Pittsburgh (he said he was from there). He told me that he has the MLB package to be able to see his Pirates because they stink, and the games usually aren't aired around here. I kept talking with him about understanding his pain with supporting a losing team, and explained our dire straits also.

I told him that there has been alot of talk on the message board that I frequent, about the possibility of adding Laroche or Lee, and that I'm not too popular on the board with my support of one, when most of the board supports the other.

He asked me which side I was for and I told him Laroche. His response kinda floored me.

He said, and I quote "If I were you, I would go back to that board, beg for each member to forgive you". Of course I was kinda laughing, but was curious why he would say that, so I asked. He told me that he has always been a Pirate's fan, and wished that when they got Laroche, that they had the option of Lee also because Laroche was one of the biggest flops to ever wear a Pirate's uniform. I was wondering if he hated Laroche, and maybe he was just angry that they had gotten him, and he said that he was actually happy when they got him, but was glad when he was gone.

I shouldn't tell you this story, because I'm sure I'll get the 3rd degree by just being honest, but as thick headed as I am, I might have to be forced to support the Lee route instead. I still like Laroche, and am not completely backtracking, but to hear a fan of a team as equally poopy as our's say that he would never get Laroche if he could have Lee instead, really got me thinking. I'm now on board for either, but hopefully not bad in the board's eye's for wanting one or the other. We'll call it my "Maybe2050 was wrong"

So what you're saying is a quick conversation with a man at a gas station did more to change your mind about Laroche than this entire message board full of intelligent baseball fans? I... I don't know what to say.

[MrOrange82]

This might be my favorite post of all-time...certainly Top 10.:thumbsup1:

Hah...thanks.

Of course, the downside is that I've had "867-5309/Jenny" stuck in my head since yesterday.

[BaltimoreTerp]

So what you're saying is a quick conversation with a man at a gas station did more to change your mind about Laroche than this entire message board full of intelligent baseball fans? I... I don't know what to say.

Especially when the guy was wrong anyway.

[24fps]

Maybe it's because neither of them want to play for sucky teams.

It really doesn't have to be any more complicated than this. IIRC Vlad in 2003 let the O's offer sit for several weeks before LAA unexpectedly stepped up. I'm skeptical that the O's and Nats are the only possible destinations so it's in their best interest to let the market develop a little while longer.. Lee really doesn't need to go for the biggest payday either.

[LookinUp]

So what you're saying is a quick conversation with a man at a gas station did more to change your mind about Laroche than this entire message board full of intelligent baseball fans? I... I don't know what to say.

Well, he trusts eye witness accounts more than he trusts message board analysis. That means he's basically Old#5Fan. Maybe he'll evolve. Maybe he won't.