MacPhail's FA signing history with the O's

[Frobby]

Putting aside issues of the quality of free agents signed, just look at the timing:

Quiroz 12/3/07

Moeller 12/3/09

Uehara 12/13/10

Izturis 12/16/08

Gonzalez 12/18/09

Atkins 12/22/09

Hendrickson 12/31/08

Uehara 1/13/09

Cormier 1/21/08

Zaun 1/22/09

Tejada 1/23/10

Hendrickson 2/9/10

Ohman 2/9/10

Wigginton 2/10/09

Trachsel 2/11/08

Eaton 3/1/09

Have I left off anyone of significance? It really is striking when you look at this that MacPhail has invested very little in free agency. I believe the total of all the players listed above is ~ $60 mm over 20 total years, with only Gonzalez, Uehara, Izturis and Wigginton getting 2 year deals (nobody has gotten 3). Gonzalez and Uehara are the only one whose contract totaled $10 mm. It's also striking that not many of these deals happened before Christmas.

I'm not posting this to be critical, just laying out the facts. It can be (and has been) argued that the timing hasn't been right to spend big dollars on free agents. And, MacPhail's record shows that he can be counted on to do a lot of transactions in the 6-7 weeks leading up to spring training.

NOTE -- I've edited this post to add Mike Gonzalez, who I omitted initially. Several of the posts below pointed that out.

[Jimbo81]

Mike Gonzalez 2yr/12mm

[El Gordo]

Putting aside issues of the quality of free agents signed, just look at the timing:

Quiroz 12/3/07

Moeller 12/3/09

Uehara 12/13/10

Izturis 12/16/08

Atkins 12/22/09

Hendrickson 12/31/08

Uehara 1/13/09

Cormier 1/21/08

Zaun 1/22/09

Tejada 1/23/10

Hendrickson 2/9/10

Ohman 2/9/10

Wigginton 2/10/09

Trachsel 2/11/08

Eaton 3/1/09

Have I left off anyone of significance? It really is striking when you look at this that MacPhail has invested very little in free agency. I believe the total of all the players listed above is ~ $45 mm over 18 total years, with only Uehara, Izturis and Wigginton getting 2 year deals (nobody has gotten 3). Uehara is the only one whose contract totaled $10 mm. It's also striking that not many of these deals happened before Christmas.

I'm not posting this to be critical, just laying out the facts. It can be (and has been) argued that the timing hasn't been right to spend big dollars on free agents. And, MacPhail's record shows that he can be counted on to do a lot of transactions in the 6-7 weeks leading up to spring training.

I believe you are missing Gonzalez for 2/12MM. Don't remember when he was signed.

[Snutchy]

What about the 1st Koji contract 2/12?

[Crazysilver03]

What about the 1st Koji contract 2/12?

That is 1/13/2009.

[Dipper9]

Putting aside issues of the quality of free agents signed, just look at the timing:

Quiroz 12/3/07

Moeller 12/3/09

Uehara 12/13/10

Izturis 12/16/08

Atkins 12/22/09

Hendrickson 12/31/08

Uehara 1/13/09

Cormier 1/21/08

Zaun 1/22/09

Tejada 1/23/10

Hendrickson 2/9/10

Ohman 2/9/10

Wigginton 2/10/09

Trachsel 2/11/08

Eaton 3/1/09

Have I left off anyone of significance? It really is striking when you look at this that MacPhail has invested very little in free agency. I believe the total of all the players listed above is ~ $45 mm over 18 total years, with only Uehara, Izturis and Wigginton getting 2 year deals (nobody has gotten 3). Uehara is the only one whose contract totaled $10 mm. It's also striking that not many of these deals happened before Christmas.

I'm not posting this to be critical, just laying out the facts. It can be (and has been) argued that the timing hasn't been right to spend big dollars on free agents. And, MacPhail's record shows that he can be counted on to do a lot of transactions in the 6-7 weeks leading up to spring training.

For the most part, this post makes me wanna !

I am happy we are building the club mostly from within, but at some point you must add reliable talent to the young core or we will forever be stuck in the 65-75 win status.

[GoldGlove21]

I think MacPhail has done a wonderful job with trades and a poor job with free agent signings. Most of the guys we have signed under MacPhail have been low risk, fairly low reward guys. Gonzalez could bring us a solid return if he rebounds and we could trade him at the deadline.

[Jterp08]

That's a pretty sad list. The timing of the signings (late) is a result of the quality of the players (scrap heap).

I guess you don't win the commissioner votes of the owners by signing big time free agents. I hope he proves me wrong next offseason with Fielder, but I've got no reason to believe he will.

[maybe2050]

Exactly, which is the exact reason that Laroche or Lee will not be signed either. We have to wait until the last available 1st baseman is standing out there all by himself, then MacPhail might sense it could be the time to wake up. I've never complained that we can't sign all the big named free agents like the Yankees or RedSox, but one every 5 years is not asking too much.

[maybe2050]

I think MacPhail has done a wonderful job with trades and a poor job with free agent signings. Most of the guys we have signed under MacPhail have been low risk, fairly low reward guys. Gonzalez could bring us a solid return if he rebounds and we could trade him at the deadline.

Wouldn't it be nice to have him, and be able to keep him at the trade deadline if he rebounds?

[Crazysilver03]

Wouldn't it be nice to have him, and be able to keep him at the trade deadline if he rebounds?

If you can get a decent piece in return for Gonzalez, while saving some money, and opening up a spot in the bullpen for hopefully someone who is busting on the scene, you go for it.

[wildcard]

Putting aside issues of the quality of free agents signed, just look at the timing:

Quiroz 12/3/07

Moeller 12/3/09

Uehara 12/13/10

Izturis 12/16/08

Gonzalez 12/18/09

Atkins 12/22/09

Hendrickson 12/31/08

Uehara 1/13/09

Cormier 1/21/08

Zaun 1/22/09

Tejada 1/23/10

Hendrickson 2/9/10

Ohman 2/9/10

Wigginton 2/10/09

Trachsel 2/11/08

Eaton 3/1/09

Have I left off anyone of significance? It really is striking when you look at this that MacPhail has invested very little in free agency. I believe the total of all the players listed above is ~ $60 mm over 20 total years, with only Gonzalez, Uehara, Izturis and Wigginton getting 2 year deals (nobody has gotten 3). Gonzalez and Uehara are the only one whose contract totaled $10 mm. It's also striking that not many of these deals happened before Christmas.

I'm not posting this to be critical, just laying out the facts. It can be (and has been) argued that the timing hasn't been right to spend big dollars on free agents. And, MacPhail's record shows that he can be counted on to do a lot of transactions in the 6-7 weeks leading up to spring training.

NOTE -- I've edited this post to add Mike Gonzalez, who I omitted initially. Several of the posts below pointed that out.

I amazed at some of these posts. This isn't news. MacPhail told everyone what is was doing 3 years ago when he traded Bedard and Miggy. He was rebuilding, cutting salaries, putting a core of young players in place, a foundation for long term growth. Remember grow the arms, buy the bats? Come on people. This is not news.

Every time you look up the O's on Cots Contracts there it is, plain as day. O's salaries 2007 = 93M, 2008 = 67M. That is what rebuilding teams do.

MacPhail told everyone that expect for rare exceptions there would be no high price free agent until the young pitching arrived. Tex was his one try. I don't even want to start a conversation about whether that was a real try or not.

So, of course, the free agents were stop gaps. Is that some big discovery here in late December three years later?

So most of us think the O's may field their first winning team in 13 years this coming season. Why now? Because the core of young pitching is ready or at least we hope they are. They looked ready in August and September.

So what MacPhail said he was going to do he is doing. Win, lose or draw, he is half way through the off season to fill the holes, put the support players around the core and see what happens.

There are no surprises here people. This has been in the works for three + years.

[Crazysilver03]

I'm not posting this to be critical, just laying out the facts. It can be (and has been) argued that the timing hasn't been right to spend big dollars on free agents. And, MacPhail's record shows that he can be counted on to do a lot of transactions in the 6-7 weeks leading up to spring training.

I amazed at some of these posts. This isn't news. MacPhail told everyone what is was doing 3 years ago when he traded Bedard and Miggy. He was rebuilding, cutting salaries, putting a core of young players in place, a foundation for long term growth. Remember grow the arms, buy the bats? Come on people. This is not news.

WC, why are you so critical about Frobby's post?

[wildcard]

WC, why are you so critical about Frobby's post?

I didn't post that pointed at Frobby's post. I attached to his post because he listed the players that people are reacting to. I just got tired of some of the comments.

[Spy Fox]

I wouldn't be surprised if we have a couple more of those low profile free agent signings in the later part of the offseason.

It will be interesting to see the reaction if/when MacPhail does pay big money to a free agent.

Before coming to Baltimore, did he have a reputation as a GM who was very conservative as it came to free agents?