Olney: O's finally a draw in FA

[AntiMoon]

"Agents and players are waiting on them with some players hoping to work out deals with them instead of just using them as a stalking horse"

[Far from home]

It's nice...but what are the O's really going for?
I guess the realities of this FA class make it hard to tell for sure.

I think, if there were an elite 2b available, they would be all over it. It seems like every FA that fits the O's needs comes with a litany of question marks.

Saunders would be good to resign, but he doesn't fit the O's need for an ace.

To me, Casilla is a bad idea to use the way that they are indicating. Minnesota already made that same mistake a couple of years ago, and they paid for it. The one thing that I see with him is that he's a better contact hitter.

[bmore_ken]

Can Olney convince Mr. Tightwad to open his wallet? Otherwise that means zip

[Ravens2006]

What last season did more than anything was probably reduce the amount they have to outbid other teams for a particular player's services. But if they're still not outbidding other teams to SOME degree, or at the very least matching offers, they're still not going to be getting guys at a discount.

[Far from home]

What last season did more than anything was probably reduce the amount they have to outbid other teams for a particular player's services. But if they're still not outbidding other teams to SOME degree, or at the very least matching offers, they're still not going to be getting guys at a discount.

Better than having confederate money.
It takes years to get the discounts.

[hector]

Buster Olney is an uninformed so-called baseball expert who is consistently wrong on his predictions. Why is it news when he says the O's are being considered by players from other teams? The players will almost always go where the money is and that means even to the O's.

[bmore_ken]

The players will almost always go where the money is and that means even to the O's.

No that means not to the O's. Haven't you been paying attention?

[hector]

No that means not to the O's. Haven't you been paying attention?

Do you have a couple examples where the O's made the highest offer and the free agent signed for less with another team?

[bmore_ken]

Do you have a couple examples where the O's made the highest offer and the free agent signed for less with another team?

Konerko signed with Chicago and Vlad signed with the Angels. Not that it matters. Angelos is generally not the highest bidder anyway

[Bazooka Joe]

Palmiero took less money after he left here.

Angelos will always stand in this team's way.

[hector]

Konerko signed with Chicago and Vlad signed with the Angels. Not that it matters. Angelos is generally not the highest bidder anyway

Who's this Vlad character?

[bmore_ken]

Who's this Vlad character?

An outfielder that hit for average and power and played in the outfield when he was younger. His career seems to be over now

[RIKMAN]

I believe still only bargain bin players come here. The inevitable diamond in the cesspool that the king is always looking for. We'll be used, talked about as a bargining chip and tossed away when the skanks come calling.

The king is always shopping in the dollar store for talent. I don't think this season changed anything. In fact, with some of the diamonds they acquired, it may have re-inforced that approach.

[bmore_ken]

In fact, with some of the diamonds they acquired, it may have re-inforced that approach.

I said the exact same thing in another thread

[Gizmo]

I said the exact same thing in another thread

Yeah, wouldn't that be a nightmare.

"We made the playoffs at 81 mill, lets see if we can do it at 65."

[RIKMAN]

I said the exact same thing in another thread

great minds think alike

[louismatos]

I believe still only bargain bin players come here. The inevitable diamond in the cesspool that the king is always looking for. We'll be used, talked about as a bargining chip and tossed away when the skanks come calling.

The king is always shopping in the dollar store for talent. I don't think this season changed anything. In fact, with some of the diamonds they acquired, it may have re-inforced that approach.

Last year certainly reinforced that approach for me. Money spent in free agency does not equate with wins, and there is almost no correlation between payroll and wins in the MLB. For example, spending $25 million on three years of an aging Jeremy Guthrie will probably net the Royals about a game a year over what they would have gotten for the league minimum.

ESPN and other writers can spew all the nonsense they want in the offseason, but the teams they appoint as having "won the offseason" rarely win the real season.

[hector]

Last year certainly reinforced that approach for me. Money spent in free agency does not equate with wins, and there is almost no correlation between payroll and wins in the MLB. For example, spending $25 million on three years of an aging Jeremy Guthrie will probably net the Royals about a game a year over what they would have gotten for the league minimum.

ESPN and other writers can spew all the nonsense they want in the offseason, but the teams they appoint as having "won the offseason" rarely win the real season.

You are absolutely 100% correct on both counts - big money spent on free agents doesn't equate to wins and most so-called baseball experts at ESPN and elsewhere are nonsensical. The main reason I'm certain you're right is because I've been saying the same thing for years.

[Far from home]

It got Detroit to the World Series.

[hector]

It got Detroit to the World Series.

In 2011, the Tigers won 95 games without Fielder. In 2012, the Tigers regressed to 88 wins after paying big bucks to Fielder. It looks like minus 7 to me.