257 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

MLB.com: One burning question for each team at the Winter Meetings

https://www.mlb.com/...A&lctg=90110082

[Mackus]

Sasaki hasn't been posted yet, which means that his 45-day period when posted will definitely extend past Jan 15th and he can sign in the 2025 International Free Agency period.  It'll be curious to see if teams renege on handshake deals and don't sign players they've agreed to deals with already, instead reserving their allocation to throw at Sasaki.  In addition, and of the Competitive Balance Tax Payors would lose $1M from their pool for signing a compensated free agent.  This group is the Dodgers, Giants, Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Braves, Astros, and Rangers.  Teams in the next category down, which includes the Red Sox, lose $500k for signing a compensated free agent.

 

The Orioles are a revenue sharing recipient, so there would be no international bonus penalties, just the loss of their 3rd highest draft pick.

[BobPhelan]

https://oriolesonthe...edRedirect=true

 

Wrote up my dream offseason on Friday, Orioles sign two players on Saturday... Coincidence? Obviously. But here's my updated version.

[Mackus]

Sasaki officially posted today.  Has until January 23rd to reach an agreement.  Seems likely that he waits until after Jan 15 to officially sign so that he can get some team's entire bonus pool rather than just take what's left of their 2024 pool.

[Mackus]

I didn't recall this, but the 2024 period actually ends on December 15th. There is then a freeze until January 15th.  So if he doesn't sign this week, then he's definitely waiting until the 2025 period begins.

[Mackus]

Phillies sign Jordan Romano for $7.75M.  

 

I'd have been interested in him for the Orioles bullpen.  He's certainly a gamble, though, as being bad enough to get non-tendered shows.  Don't think I realized that we was already 32 years old, that makes the down season a bit more concerning.  Would love to know if the O's were interested at all.  Still think we need another late-inning reliever, especially with Coulombe and Webb gone.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Phillies sign Jordan Romano for $7.75M.  

 

I'd have been interested in him for the Orioles bullpen.  He's certainly a gamble, though, as being bad enough to get non-tendered shows.  Don't think I realized that we was already 32 years old, that makes the down season a bit more concerning.  Would love to know if the O's were interested at all.  Still think we need another late-inning reliever, especially with Coulombe and Webb gone.

Phillies eh? This probably makes him an Oriole indirectly, especially if he stinks it up in the 1st half. We'll add him before the deadline.

[BaltBird 24]

Cheap deal fora guy with a fairly solid run as a 2+ WAR relief pitcher. I see he had arthroscopic elbow surgery. Probably damaged goods, but maybe worth the gamble for the price.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I think we all knew Burnes wasnt back but Ryan Ripken is at the Winter Meetings and said that Burnes showed a hesitancy to want to return to Baltimore. Basically telling everyone he is gone. One other small tidbit was that that Burnes wants to go back to the West Coast. Said it might make the Os a little mad if he utimately signs with an East Coast team. It sounds like the Os at least engaged with him about staying.

[BaltBird 24]

I'm OK if we don't get a top end guy. Get Eovaldi and another quality guy like Manaea.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Dont want him anyway but his attitude rubbed me the wrong way. But respect that he performed in his one season here.

[mdrunning]

I think we all knew Burnes wasnt back but Ryan Ripken is at the Winter Meetings and said that Burnes showed a hesitancy to want to return to Baltimore. Basically telling everyone he is gone. One other small tidbit was that that Burnes wants to go back to the West Coast. Said it might make the Os a little mad if he utimately signs with an East Coast team. It sounds like the Os at least engaged with him about staying.

I know one should never count out the Dodgers and their seemingly-endless stream of money, but what West Coast team is likely to pony up for Burnes? The Giants just signed Willy Adames to a huge contract, so are they willing to ring the free-agent bell twice? 

[BaltBird 24]

I know one should never count out the Dodgers and their seemingly-endless stream of money, but what West Coast team is likely to pony up for Burnes? The Giants just signed Willy Adames to a huge contract, so are they willing to ring the free-agent bell twice?

Arizona.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Angels haven’t shied away from big contracts.

[mdrunning]

Arizona.

They got burned twice last year with Montgomery and ERod.

[CantonJester]

O's should go get a TOR arm to flex on NY, cuz O'Neill and Sanchez aren't the flex Elias thinks they might be. I can live with O'Neill, but Sanchez to take over what, 35% of the catching duty? Srsly? 

 

That's nightmare nonsense. 

[Mackus]

I think we all knew Burnes wasnt back but Ryan Ripken is at the Winter Meetings and said that Burnes showed a hesitancy to want to return to Baltimore. Basically telling everyone he is gone. One other small tidbit was that that Burnes wants to go back to the West Coast. Said it might make the Os a little mad if he utimately signs with an East Coast team. It sounds like the Os at least engaged with him about staying.

 

He's gonna go wherever the most money is.  Location and other factors could break a tie, but there isn't likely going to be a tie.  If the O's want him back they can have him by making the biggest offer.  

 

Fair to question whether they should or shouldn't make the biggest offer.  I've been saying 7/$245M as my max, and still don't think it actually will take quite that much.  So I would.  But there are acceptable alternatives and as long as they take one of those it'll be a successful offseason.

[JeremyStrain]

Yesterday our Asst GM was quoted in a story...I WANT to say it was MASN, but can't remember, cause I got there through Twitter, and she slipped up and said that Burnes left. There wasn't any he isn't currently signed or anything else, she flat out said he left. I'm sure it was a slip, but then last night in the GM interview he said something about not shying away from players with comp attached, just the way he worded it, much more careful than she did, but still looked like he had already moved on from Burnes.

 

Also had a line in there about how pitchers were complaining about them moving the fences back. The new wave of compensation, not opt outs, but moving the fences deeper. Burnes signs for 7 years, $250m and 15 feet of fence movement.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Law on the Soto signing:

 

Juan Soto transforms the Mets, who still need pitching, while the Yankees take a hit: Law - The Athletic

 

The big winners here are the Baltimore Orioles, who just saw their most immediate rival take a big hit from which they aren’t going to completely recover. The O’s should pounce and go get another starter, whether it’s bringing Burnes back or signing someone else from the group of above-average starters out there — or even trading for someone like Jordan Montgomery, who has to be better in 2025 once he has a regular offseason and spring training. This isn’t the time for new owner David Rubenstein to be complacent, and signing Tyler O’Neill and Gary Sánchez doesn’t exactly move the needle here.

 

Every AL East team should be more aggressive in the wake of Soto’s departure. If I were an Orioles fan, I’d worry the signings of a platoon outfielder and a backup catcher mean the team will be the least aggressive of the four.

[Mackus]

Feel like only the defeated, woe-is-everything Orioles fans would think that the early signing of two guys to fill holes in the middle to back end of our roster means that we won't do anything else.  

 

Certainly if they don't do anything major, that'll be a huge missed opportunity.  I also want a big splash at SP, could be content with a couple middle-level splashes, but I want the big one and think this is the right time to spend big (in cash or prospects, though prefer cash) to do it.

 

To some of Law's specific points, seems odd to me that he thinks Jordan Montgomery moves the needle.  I'm not against that move (if paired with another, better and less volatile SP like Eovaldi), but it doesn't improve the front of the roster, he's back-end rotation depth with upside.  Also, there are five teams in the AL East.