DD slinks his way out of FAs

[joe cool]

I really hope you copy/paste these same stupid posts.

I really hope you are man enough to admit I was right, as I have been 99% of the time on here, and that you are wrong when the time comes!!

[ivanbalt]

I really hope you are man enough to admit I was right, as I have been 99% of the time on here, and that you are wrong when the time comes!!

So I guess you do type them out every time. Yikes.

[Mr. Buzzcut]

So I guess you do type them out every time. Yikes.

He's very dedicated to his vocation of annoying strangers!

[Agrippa]

If it ain't broke don't fix it. Matusz and Arrieta stunk it up as starters last year, they should be better (couldn't be much worse). Markakis was injured and only really contributed in the last quarter of the season. Machado for a whole year is better than 3b for all of last year. No one had a monster year in 2012. So 2013 should be better than 2012 and done cheaply.

[NY_O'sfan]

I'm convinced that the main reason the Oriole FO even shows up at the winter meetings every year is because they cant wait to obtain a minimum wage player through the annual Rule V draft.

[Ravens2006]

Who'd have thunk it, but Reynolds' play with the glove at 1B probably saved Machado more than a handful of errors on throws. Or at least turned what would have been ruled a hit due to difficulty into an out.

I'm probably in the minority at this point, but Duquette still doesn't give me much reason for confidence long-term. Still think last year's run was more thanks to a healthy dose of good fortune combined with a handful of MacPhail moves finally paying some dividends. Duquette's only big plus moves were Hammel and Chen. And Hammel was the proverbial lottery ticket that actually paid off. Near 30 year-olds with a career 5 ERA usually don't magically turn it around like he did. We'll see. His main offensive additions in Betemit, Chavez, and Johnson were below adequate all-around. McClouth was the only position player he added of any note, and that was just another mid-season trash heap pick-up with no risk. Wonderful that he played relatively well, but it's still not the sort of move you copy as the key to building a consistent competitor.

[atomic]

The Yankees intend to pursue Reynolds for 3B if they don't sign Youkilis. Putting Reynolds at 3B shows rather clearly that the so-called baseball people with the Yankees are idiots.

Wow that would be awesome. It would almost be sadistic for me to want reynolds to play 3rd base for the yankees. Just think how badly fans in new york would get on him. It would not be pretty.

[Rael]

thank you for reminding me. I feel stupid.

objectively speaking, I think it's safe to have a contingency plan in place for him. but you're right, he was really good after the AS break.

Not at all. We had so many come through the rotation it is hard to keep track of all of them. I agree that there should be a contingency plan in case Tillman didn't have a great turnaround. I always liked him and was always disappointed by him so I'm not sold yet. However, he earned the chance to be a starter unless he stumbles.

So I think our starting pitching looks reasonably set with Hammel, Chen, Tillman, Gonzalez, & Britton with perhaps Johnson or even Bundy stepping in when one of them plays their way out of the rotation. We have a lot of good young arms and I think the starting pitching looks good. Of course I am making the same mistake a lot of fans make in assuming that the likes of Hammel, Gonzalez, and Tillman all continue with their above median performances and do not revert back to their normal careers.

[durango46]

I think the pitching will be okay....it's the offense I'm worried about.

I just don't see them winning so many 1 run games next year without adding another bat. This team struggled big time to score runs at times.

Once again it's on Petey ....because I'm sure DD would love to add one. His hands are tied

[bmore_ken]

I really hope you copy/paste these same stupid posts.

I know Joe likes to get people's goat on here, but what did he say that was inaccurate? I said almost the same thing a few months ago

[Far from home]

I know Joe likes to get people's goat on here, but what did he say that was inaccurate? I said almost the same thing a few months ago

Yes, much of what he says is inaccurate.

Angelos position on spending on FAs was already legitimized by other teams that have taken the same position.
They said several years ago that they wanted to start building from within - and they've done that.
The real issue with the O's is that they aren't putting themselves in position to win by supplementing the talent on the team with dependable FAs.
McLouth, as I said before, seems like a great signing - but there are still ?'s with him.
In the meantime, the Yanks are going after Youk, who is a guy that could have really solidified this team and added to this clubhouse.

The real issue overall that I see here is that the new agreement has really hung smalls and mids out to dry, while giving all of the resources of the league to the bigs.
I get, they "make" more of the money (that's a debate for another time) - but the reality is that you can't have the Yankees if you don't have the O's, Rays, and other teams out there to play against them and make the schedule.

The Yanks aren't going to draw 40K a game if they don't have anyone to play against - and the intrigue that is created by a good team playing difficult games against good teams is what keeps fans in the ballpark.

Angelos is just as greedy as the next owner, and the only difference is that he doesn't have the same resources as a number of the other franchises.

[bmore_ken]

The real issue with the O's is that they aren't putting themselves in position to win by supplementing the talent on the team with dependable FAs.

You just legitimized what he said. He sad the O's would take last year's success to mean they don't have to add quality free agents. As far as Youkilis goes, where does he fit in here? He plays 3rd base, do you send Manny back to the minors? If you're bringing in Youk to play 1b I'd rather resign Mark Reynolds

[Far from home]

You just legitimized what he said. He sad the O's would take last year's success to mean they don't have to add quality free agents. As far as Youkilis goes, where does he fit in here? He plays 3rd base, do you send Manny back to the minors? If you're bringing in Youk to play 1b I'd rather resign Mark Reynolds

I don't see how that legitimizes anything.
Youk is a superior defender and can play both sides, so as to be insurance if either guy falters, he can hit middle of the order, he's a career .283/.384/.482 guy, he has playoff experience, and he's a switch hitter who can DH.

As far as Reynolds, I like the idea of bringing him back. Imo, they would be bringing back one of the best defensive 1b in baseball. It would be great to have a 6/7 of Hardy/Reynolds, with Wieters batting 5th, Adam 4th, Davis 3rd, and a combination of Markakis/McLouth/Reimold/BRob at 1/2 - or even to move BRob to 9th - then Manny could bat 8th and have no pressure.

[atomic]

really the only top free agent that you would want to sign is swisher. But i really don't want swisher due to the thing with the policeman.

last year fielder was the guy to get and he was worth the money. I don't see anyone worth the money they will be getting this year.

[hector]

I don't see how that legitimizes anything.
Youk is a superior defender and can play both sides, so as to be insurance if either guy falters, he can hit middle of the order, he's a career .283/.384/.482 guy, he has playoff experience, and he's a switch hitter who can DH.

As far as Reynolds, I like the idea of bringing him back. Imo, they would be bringing back one of the best defensive 1b in baseball. It would be great to have a 6/7 of Hardy/Reynolds, with Wieters batting 5th, Adam 4th, Davis 3rd, and a combination of Markakis/McLouth/Reimold/BRob at 1/2 - or even to move BRob to 9th - then Manny could bat 8th and have no pressure.

Two points if I may:

1. Youk is not a switch hitter; and

2. I know where the O's can get a full time DH with sixteen year career stats of .318/.379/.553.

[can you hear me now!]

Angelos is just as greedy as the next owner, and the only difference is that he doesn't have the same resources as a number of the other franchises.

repeating this inaccuracy isn't going to change the fact the owner said otherwise when MASN came to be. In September 2006 he was asked

Q. Does that job get somewhat more manageable with the MASN dollars?

A. In answer to your question, now that we have an RSN and we can move forward with it…that is going get us on a more even plane with Boston and New York, and that was the purpose.

http://www.pressboxonline.com/story.cfm?id=738

for some unknown reason the fans in these parts have amnesia when it comes to the actual resources this team has. The ability to spend more is there, the will never has been nor will it be there until new ownership.

[hector]

repeating this inaccuracy isn't going to change the fact the owner said otherwise when MASN came to be. In September 2006 he was asked

Q. Does that job get somewhat more manageable with the MASN dollars?

A. In answer to your question, now that we have an RSN and we can move forward with it…that is going get us on a more even plane with Boston and New York, and that was the purpose.

http://www.pressboxonline.com/story.cfm?id=738

for some unknown reason the fans in these parts have amnesia when it comes to the actual resources this team has. The ability to spend more is there, the will never has been nor will it be there until new ownership.

If you were the owner of the O's, which free agents would you be chasing this off-season and how much would you offer each of them?

[durango46]

I know Joe likes to get people's goat on here, but what did he say that was inaccurate? I said almost the same thing a few months ago

There is a huge difference between you and Joe

You and I engage in positive and negative conversations
This Yankee fan always bashes the O's

He's a total ahole

[can you hear me now!]

If you were the owner of the O's, which free agents would you be chasing this off-season and how much would you offer each of them?

fair question and I'll get back to you with answers complete with why spending the money is wise...be forewarned, Vlad won't be on that list.....

[hector]

fair question and I'll get back to you with answers complete with why spending the money is wise...be forewarned, Vlad won't be on that list.....

Thanks, I look forward to it.