52 replies to this topic

[Steve55]

I'd believe any of the teams with these pitchers are looking for a pitcher in return. Cease for Cowser, Ortiz & pitching. If that isn't enough then the White Sox are asking for way too much.

 

What may eventually happen is some of the middle tier FA pitchers that are still unsigned by the start of spring training will agree to one year deals. The O's will dangle their $11-14M to see who will sign.

[RichardZ]

Wait, do you need some kind of a public announcement to understand the situation? Ha.

You assume the Orioles will get Burnes. Certainly, someone doesn’t understand the situation but it’s not me.

[Mike B]

Zero problem imo with Roch's article. 

 

He laid out the choices the O's have.

 

He: 

 

- Reminded that Cease and Luzardo wouldn't be rentals

 

- That Luzardo would provide rotation balance as a lefty

 

- Passed along Rosenthal's confirmation that it would take Cowser or Kjerstad + from Chicago for Cease

 

- Stated that Elias is hesitant to part with either, and provided a reasonable reason of why.  (You can disagree with the decision making there, but the reasoning is reasonable.) 

 

- Passed along Elias is growing the reputation as a collector

 

- Passed along that Elias doesn't see a logjam...  (again, can disagree... but he's giving you a sense of what Elias thinks)

 

- Ended his article presenting 3 choices...   didn't say his preference. 

 

 

 

Yes, Roch as a MASN employee is a de facto employee of the Orioles.
However, there are times he's critical of the O's.  

Obviously he's never going to go scorch earth. 
I think Roch does an excellent job as a reporter, reporting. 

IMO, he doesn't spend much time serving as a columnist giving opinions...he will some when he's doing radio interviews, or serving as an analyst on MASN, but for the most part... he reports. 

 

So, he isn't spending his days critiquing every spending limitation imposed by Ownership with the Ownership in a bit of flux.... that doesn't make him Baghdad Bob. 

Good post.  Roch is in a tough spot.  He has to temper what he says,  I wonder how many here, walk into work and rip the boss?   

 

I want the Orioles to add a starter at least as good as Bradish and I want another reliever and in a perfect world,a right handed hitter that gets on base.  All that said, I think the bashing here and everywhere is over the top.  This is a damn good team and I think we will make a trade before spring training.  

[ivanbalt]

Good post.  Roch is in a tough spot.  He has to temper what he says,  I wonder how many here, walk into work and rip the boss?   

 

I want the Orioles to add a starter at least as good as Bradish and I want another reliever and in a perfect world,a right handed hitter that gets on base.  All that said, I think the bashing here and everywhere is over the top.  This is a damn good team and I think we will make a trade before spring training.  

I disagree about the bashing strictly on economic terms.  Attendance is up year over year and will certainly be up again this year.  Inflation is way up from where it was 8-10 years ago and tickets, concessions, cable/MASN, etc all cost more.  The taxpayers are pumping $600 million into the stadium now.  And yet this team is going to cry poor and spend less than they did in 2015 after last winning the division?

 

I hope you're right about that trade, but the clock is ticking.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

I disagree about the bashing strictly on economic terms.  Attendance is up year over year and will certainly be up again this year.  Inflation is way up from where it was 8-10 years ago and tickets, concessions, cable/MASN, etc all cost more.  The taxpayers are pumping $600 million into the stadium now.  And yet this team is going to cry poor and spend less than they did in 2015 after last winning the division?

 

I hope you're right about that trade, but the clock is ticking.

As the clock ticks and pieces fall of the board the price is going to go up not down. That is simple supply and demand and in the case of SP the demand pretty much always outstrips the supply. 

 

Bottom line is overpaying (to a point) is NOT a big deal. I'd way rather overpay a bit and get the player I really think is the best roster upgrade than to take a lesser player because I felt like I was getting more equal value in the trade. 

[weird-O]

The owners won't spend money, and the GM doesn't seem to want to spend prospects. That makes for a boring off-season.

[Ravens2006]

The owners won't spend money, and the GM doesn't seem to want to spend prospects. That makes for a boring off-season.

 

The usually unspoken aspect of "spending prospects" is that if you're doing that for guys who are already proven at the ML level, they usually don't come cheap. If it's a veteran on a second contract, they probably already make more than our owners want to spend. Straight free agents are going to cost way more than John is ever going to be willing to spend. But acquiring pieces via trade doesn't necessarily mean you're getting someone cheap. Maybe cheap relative to how most of the rest of the league would see them... but not relative to how our owner sees them. So to me, all the hypotheticals about trade packages for this arm or that arm have to consider the cost of that guy after acquiring him. And that's where the vast, vast majority of those scenarios evaporate and disappear.

 

The major league team was damn good last year. Hopefully it continues. The owner however remains an a**hat liar who lucked in to it, and still only cares about maximizing his profit. So no, I don't think any amount of piling on or bashing THAT guy is ever too much. He has earned and deserves every negative pessimistic character typed. 

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Assumption #1: And I don't think its a big one is that Elias is a smart guy.

Assumption #2: Elias cares more about winning a ring than having the #1 rated farm system.  

 

Therefore he knows the O's are a solid team albeit with some holes.

He knows they are not going to improve the team in any real manner via FA signings.

He knows that the one avenue they do have to potentially improve the team more than incrementally is via trades.

 

So the take away is this:

1. He has things in the works and are just keeping a lid on it until its finalized.

or

2. 1 or both of my assumptions are wrong.

or

3. He honestly thinks that any trades the O's have been offered just dont improve their chances that much.

 

I hope like heck its #1.

[RichardZ]

Assumption #1: And I don't think its a big one is that Elias is a smart guy.
Assumption #2: Elias cares more about winning a ring than having the #1 rated farm system.  
 
Therefore he knows the O's are a solid team albeit with some holes.
He knows they are not going to improve the team in any real manner via FA signings.
He knows that the one avenue they do have to potentially improve the team more than incrementally is via trades.
 
So the take away is this:
1. He has things in the works and are just keeping a lid on it until its finalized.
or
2. 1 or both of my assumptions are wrong.
or
3. He honestly thinks that any trades the O's have been offered just dont improve their chances that much.
 
I hope like heck it’s #1.

I think both assumptions are correct.

[DuffMan]

Boy I sure would love the Birds to acquire a starter right about now to help me not dwell on the other birds team in Baltimore...

[BSLMikeLowe]

Boy I sure would love the Birds to acquire a starter right about now to help me not dwell on the other birds team in Baltimore...

 

This is the shoulder season where Terps basketball used to take the edge off a disappointing combination of Ravens playoff flameout and Orioles offseason inactivity....but that's not even the case anymore.

[NewMarketSean]

The only challenge is paying someone money. Or making a trade. This is why I don't read MASN stuff. Or much of any sports writing anymore.

[Ravens2006]

The only challenge is paying someone money. Or making a trade. This is why I don't read MASN stuff. Or much of any sports writing anymore.

 

Yep, willingness to spend remains challenge 1 through 10 when it comes to "acquiring" a top of the rotation starting pitcher.  Might be 11 through 17 on that list as well.  Everything from MASN and Orioles.com are basically team sanctioned press releases, veiled as articles.  The Ravens have become increasingly hostile to standard objective media coverage in recent years too.  Not quite Greg Bader / Orioles level yet, but they are slowly on their way.