Getting organized
I've noticed that we're a little thin in the comments department the last few days. I'll assume it's because the Orioles' news is lacking, or everyone is burned out after a last-place finish, or the NFL leaves you cold.
The Orioles' brass is gathering in Sarasota, Fla. this week for the organizational meetings. That'll have to suffice. And it isn't much.
There won't be any trades or signings - that stuff is put on hold until after the World Series - but they'll swap information and opinions and try to formulate some sort of a plan.
Manager Dave Trembley has his checklist, and I'm sure it matches up nicely with the one Andy MacPhail carries around. They want at least two starting pitchers and an offensive-minded shortstop who won't be a liability on defense. The bullpen will be addressed again because, well, it's tradition here in Baltimore.
Look for a veteran to be signed as insurance, with Chris Ray, Danys Baez and James Hoey returning from surgeries, Matt Albers slated to join the rotation and left-hander Jamie Walker coming off a horrible season and seeking another opinion on his elbow. Too many guys passed through those bullpen gates this season who should have been locked inside and hidden from view.
Trembley will mention a few "hometown" names on his free-agent list, and the cost of signing them will follow - though, hopefully, not right away, so the manager can enjoy the moment. Then the cheaper alternatives will be discussed.
Daniel Cabrera's name is bound to come up. The Orioles must decide whether to non-tender him or give him yet another chance to hold down a spot in the rotation.
I don't know what else they can do with Cabrera. He can't close, not with his command issues and mental makeup. I'm not sure where he can be trusted. But if he stays, it'll be as a starter in the back end of the rotation.
They'll try to get a feel for whether Brian Roberts is open to signing an extension and remaining part of this rebuilding process. He desperately wants to play on a winner, and while Baltimore is his first choice, you have to figure that he'd welcome a deal to a contender if he senses that the Orioles are too far away from reaching that status. He's not getting any younger, and the losing is gradually wearing on him.
MacPhail will listen to offers for Roberts, but he's not trying to move him with the same urgency that fueled the Miguel Tejada trade. Not even close.
The words "trade" and "Ramon Hernandez" will be spoken in the same sentence. Trembley probably has been saying them in his sleep. And MacPhail will do what he can to oblige once the Series is over, clearing the way for Matt Wieters to be behind the plate on Opening Day.
The meetings also will allow officials to make sure the instruction is the same at every level of the farm system. They'll review what's happening on the medical and conditioning side, as injuries continue to pile up each year.
They might also break for lunch.
Baseball fan, I can watch football but reading about it, meh.
I personally feel they should non tender Cabrera. I can see no real reason to keep him. "Potential" or not. At his age it's not potential anymore.
I hope Ramon is sent far away, but I can't see much of a market for a catcher who is defensive liability, has no arm, hits .250, and won't/can't run.
Roch,
Any rumors on the Shortstop situation?
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Not really. We expect Cabrera and Furcal to be discussed. They'll try to figure out who might be available in trade. It won't be hard to upgrade that area. - Roch
I also hope that Jamie Walker is shown the door. He's an old guy now who was pretty awful throughout the season. That and we need to free up #32 for Wieters!
Non tender Cabrera. The light just isn't coming on. Ever.
Maybe I'm old school but playing in the Majors is a privilege. If Roberts is letting losing affect him it's time for him to go. Somehow I think I could motivate myself to play no matter how my team was doing. And anything over 10 mil a year is crazy. If he signs an extension.
Get rid of Hernandez no matter what. I don't want Wieters even breathing the same air, he might catch lazy, no blocking balls itis.
Bullpen looks fine to me. Out of the 75 guys they have they should be able to find 7 or 8 for the pen.
I still think they will make a run at Teixeira. Angelos has opened the checkbook and they had to notice all the nice green seats this year. You know, the empty ones.
I have an idea. Go down to your local electronics store, buy a bug, then send it to the meetings in a pizza box compliments of MASN. Think of the scoop you'll have.
Bad week for Maryland fans in general. Terps played dead. Ravens got robbed. I need some hot stove ink to get me going.
Just saw the last post. I vote no on Cabrera or Furcal. Cabrera has attitude problems and Furcal was on the DL for 4 months with a back injury. Try again.
Hi Roch, Cabrera should still be given a shot...he may just get it...he is always going to be up and down but when up he is good...if not they can always trade him..the Brewers have several SS in their organizatiion and are willing to part with JJ Hardy it has been saying on TBS during the playoffs and 2 prospects at SS as well....I hope the O's do not try and get an older guy just to make a change...get a youg one develop him and or get a younger one that is already in the majors..Walker is washed up or really injured..Ramon should be traded for sure...Weiters is ready...Texeria is a good player...and there are a few pitchers that would help the O's for sure at starter..there are so many decisions it is going to be just like last winter...but I think the O's should keep Roberts..he is a great players..
Furcal was hurt? So that makes him unsignable? Have you seen him in the playoffs? He looks ok to me.
D.Cabrera is not a top pitcher. But he is what the O's need this season. An arm that will throw 150-200 innings and not cost an ar and a leg. This is not 1993 where $5 mil is a lot for a pitcher. This is where a guy coming off a 6.02 ERA got a 3 year $21 mil deal (Marquis).
Of course if I was Daniel I'd want out of Baltimore. Camden Yards has killed his ERA the last 2 years
'08 Home - 6.28 Away - 4.47
'07 Home - 6.42 Away - 4.26
Roch,
OK, homework assignments for you. MacPhail has been here over a year, how's he doing. Here are his trades - how did he do?
Traded RHP Steve Trachsel to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for RHP Rocky Cherry and INF Scott Moore.
Acquired OF Sebastien Boucher from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for LHP John Parrish.
Acquired LHP Troy Patton, OF Luke Scott, RHP Matt Albers, RHP Dennis Sarfate and nonroster 3B Michael Costanzo from the Astros for SS Miguel Tejada.
Acquired OF Chris Roberson from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for cash considerations.
Acquired OF Adam Jones, LHP George Sherrill, RHP Chris Tillman, RHP Kam Mickolio and LHP Tony Butler from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for LHP Erik Bedard.
Acquired INF Juan Castro from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for INF Mike McCoy.
Sent RHP Chad Bradford to the Tampa Bay Rays via a waiver claim for a player to be named later.
Next, injured pitchers. What's their injury, how has it/ is it being treated and what is the prognosis for their recovery? This alone could take you through to Thanksgiving. Some of the injuries sustained by the pitchers are much more severe than others. Recovery and rehabilitation will vary for each of the pitchers. Everytime I read about these pitchers it is assumed that they will be coming back and pitch as well if not better than before injury. Some might, some probably will come back with greatly diminished ability if they come back at all. For example the recovery from Tommy John surgery is much better than it used to be while the recovery from surgery to repair a torn labrum is not mearly as high so it's more likely that Ray will be able to pitch compared to Patton.
After this trade talk and the amateur draft should take us into March.
By the way, all of this will be covered on the final exam.
Roch:
I have one specific area of concern that I keep forgetting to mention and I don't know what category this would fall under.
It seems the Orioles offense has had major problems w/pitchers they have never seen before. They make them all look like CY Young. I don't know if this problem lies in the scouting department in the lower levels of the minors or not, but I definitely see hitters totally fooled and constantly not prepared when they are facing someone they haven't seen before. What does everyone think?
Please forgive me but on my calender there are two season in the year:
Baseball and Winter.
I can't see signing a 31 year old SS with a history of back problems. Call me crazy......
Cabrera'a ERA was 5.25. The O's averaged 4.8 runs a game. Do the math. Doesn't look good does it?
Roch,
When the O's brass debates whether or not to keep Cabrera, they should also consider his poor fielding. If Manny Ramirez was a pitcher, he would be D-Cab! I'd much rather keep a guy like Chris Waters that can be a 9th defender, and not just a pitcher only lighting up a radar gun. If Cabrera is just "giving you innings" at the cost of 5+ runs per start, don't think that's much value.
Roch,
Do you think the Roberts-to-Cubs deal will happen this winter? It looks like they might want to try to shake things up in Chicago, if only a little, this winter. DeRosa or Fontenot (who we would have had already, thank you FO for Sammy Sosa) plus a pitcher for Roberts?
Really, who is going to want Ramon. The hustle and pitch-blocking I see in the playoffs are light years ahead of him. Remember when he came into spring training in shape? It didn't seem to matter.
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I wouldn't rate the Cubs as the favorite to land Roberts anymore. Indians and Cardinals might have moved ahead. - Roch
I'd say that if they are willing to give Cabrera another try, it should definitely be in the bullpen. It's time to give up on him as a starter and start giving him a look as a reliever, just as a short inning middle relief guy though.
I say keep Cabrera and move the fences back about 30 feet in the allies and 20 feet down the line. Watch the ERA's drop. We have too many flyball pitchers and no sinkerballers. We have a fast outfield and they are athletic. Markakis is about the best in the game and Jones will be there too. Scott can hold his own. Move the fences back!!!
Is there any concensus on what Roberts could bring in? A starter, at shortstop? both?
Ask the Rays. It all starts with pitching. That being said, trade Roberts to an NL team and find stop gap pitchers for another year of promise and then ultimately futility.
For all those wanting the young starters ruining their arms against MLB batters in the AL East there are two words - Zach Duke.
One indication that the O's are good is when they consistently lose guys to the Rule 5 Draft. How long has that been Roch?
OK 'You're Crazy'. Furcal, like Roberts, will be 31 next year. He got hurt this year. It Happens. He looks goodi n the post season. And he would be a good #2 hitter between Roberts and Markakis. Back to back switch hitters with speed? Never a bad thing.
Yeah, I know sending out Cabrera with his 5.25 ERA is not great. But lets look at the alternatives:
Olson 26 starts, averaged 5 Inn Per Start, 6.65 ERA
Liz 17 starts, averaged under 5 Inn Per Start, 6.72 ERA
Burrez 22 Starts, averaged 5.5 Inn Per Start, 5.52 ERA (13 ER in 9 Innings out of the Bullpen)
Cabrera 30 Starts, Averaged 6 Inn Per Start, 5.25 ERA
Sure you could blame his ERA on the fact he pitches in the AL East. He has horrible ERAs vs all of the AL East this year.
Of course if he is released and signs with a team like the Nationals everyone will be annoyed to see him with an ERA around 4.00.
I still say pay him for one more year. Let him eat some innings this year. Give the minor league pitchers another year. And if he sucks let him leave as a free agent after the season. Or if he has a solid 1st half see if some team will trade for him.
Yeah the Rays do have great pitching. Of course it wasn't Free Agent pitching. It was developed or traded for...
Roch,
I'm on the dump-DCab bandwagon...maybe someday he will turn the proverbial corner, but we've seen enough I believe...i hope we can find a way to send him to San Diego (K.Greene?)..it would help us out, and who knows, maybe DCab could benefit from pitching in a large park. (Of course, he'd have to bat...that's a scary thought/sight).
Roch
What's going to happen with Markakis will we do what the marlins did or something else...
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The Orioles would like to lock him up to a long-term deal. Saying it and doing it, however, are two different things. They can't lowball and expect to get it done. - Roch
I love watching football, but usually by the next day I'm on to the next thing. Baseball sticks with me longer.
If Roberts goes via trade this offseason then we might very well see Camden Yards lucky to break 1,000,000 in attendence for 2009. As I'm now in the camp that believes that hometown ties and a big paycheck are not going to be enough to bring Tex "home". He's gotten a taste of the playoffs now, win or lose he's going to want to get back to that as soon as he can. Let's buy a couple of starting pitchers who can stop the spiraling out of control and go from there.
Roch,
What are your thoughts on Cabrera's miserable second have as being a product of him potentially being injured for more of the season that has been let on?
A "hot start -to- downward spiral" season from Daniel isn't anything new, but his early success seemed longer and more consistent to surprise even the most cinical O's fan.
Personally, I'm more surprised that others haven't pointed out injury as significant a possiblity. But then again, maybe his history has completely washed away whatever credibility he may have left.
Do you think his recent injury will have siginificant play into the FO's decision to cut or keep?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The problem is, nobody knows how to define this "injury." MRIs and second opinions aren't showing anything. It was his back, his elbow, his forearm. There was tightness, then tingling. It's all a big mystery. I guess everyone would be more inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt if he was an established winner who suddenly hit a rough stretch. - Roch
If the Orioles keep Wieters down on the farm until late May instead of slotting him in April don't they gain an entire extra year of control? No sense to wasting a whole year for 6 weeks of spring baseball.
Any chance that any of the Bowie starters will be ready for the majors next year out of Spring Training. Bergesen, Tillman, Berken and Hernandez combined to go 48-18 last year at Bowie. And what about Andy Mitchell? I've never seen him pitch, but his numbers look decent enough. Less hits than IP, not too many homers, and not too many walks.
Dude- Sorry you're so lonely over there at MASN. I guess there's not a whole heckuva' lot to do now that things have mercifully ended with the Orioles.
Goodbye Ramon-no big loss a la Javy Lopez (who?). Wieters will be a good fill behind the plate and he's got the stuff to last a while with the Birds.
Roberts is everyone's guess. I hope he stays since he's really made a niche for himself not only on the field, but in the greater community. That's a hard thing to recreate somewhere else.
Look for a good deal on #55 Jerseys and shirts at the store in the off-season.
Keep us up to date on the goings on.
Jeff from Roch-ville
Roch where can you find stats on Adam Loewen
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I'm not aware of any stats being available from instructional league. - Roch
Right behind geting a couple of starting pitchers and an offensive minded bullpen should be two left-handers in the pen. This was a major problem this past season and I'm not counting on Jamie Walker rebounding or the answer being Alberto Castillo. In this division it is esssential to have someone who can make outs of Carlos Pena, David Ortiz, and Bobby Abreau in innings 6-9.
At shortstop, I believe the front office needs to find out what it would take to get Brandon Wood into an Orioles uniform and then make that happen!
Roch,
How dare you link my article when the readership is taking a much needed break!
Kidding, of course.Either way, thanks much for the nice comments and your time, I will keep reading and definitely keep in touch. This refutes the rumor that Dave Ginsburg was spreading about you not being one of the nice guys in the business.
For those of you who missed it, here is a chance for some more Roch in your lives......
http://www.examiner.com/x-875-DC-Sports-Examiner~y2008m10d3-Roch-Kubatko-part-II-The-Orioles-in-review
D.C. Sports Examiner
Lou P asked the brass to get me Roberts. We love him but now is the time. The Cubs need one more chance next year. The Rob will take them , finally to the promised land. Lou P is not a dummy. Far from it.
DCab is hurt plus he just doesn't have the mental make up to pitch consistently in the majors just like so many other of the O's pitching prospects (Garret Olsen ::cough:: Garret Olsen:: cough and just about any guy who's a lights out reliever at Norfolk.)
I'm busy watching the playoffs. I watch the Bears when I get the chance, and the Giants with my transplanted New Jersey DH; occasionally I'll watch more, but the NFL isn't as much fun as it used to be. I'm sure betting makes it more interesting.
If there were no gambling on it [not that I'm advocating anything, just curious], by how much do you think the NFL audience would drop ?
Sorry, not a Ravens fan. No comment.
it's simple Angelos needs to do us all a favor and sell the orioles to somebody who cares.He already made his money twice over.He also kills off his law buisness.He is the worst owner in sports history.Nobody will come to Baltimore with those bums in charge.We also have no choice but to bring Cabrera back.We need a catcher who can call a game.I can't figure out why Ramon can bat .600 in the caribbean World series but can't hit a change up.We have the best Stadium in baseball but we suck.God must be really mad at us.