Find MASN on your cable or satellite provider.

He made a spot start against the O's in August and got rocked but his AAA numbers are pretty impressive and he is still very young and cheaper than Baez.

Just read that Mora qualifies as a type A free agent, do you see the O's offering him arbitration (to recieve the draft picks) or no in case he might accept it?
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I'm shocked that he qualifies as a Type A. And I don't see them taking that chance. - Roch

I believe he started a game against the Os in September and lasted about 2-3 innings before he got pulled, maybe that's why his name sounds familiar?

Looks like the right-handed version of Mark Hendrickson. Check out his splits - in Rochester he had a 3.24 fielding independent ERA against righties, compared to a 4.28 fielding independent ERA against lefties. That was mostly due to a higher strikeout rate (6.34 vs. 4.91 per nine innings) and a lower line drive percentage (18.2% vs. 25.4%) against righties.

Good control, mediocre stuff, average ability to get groundballs, decent stamina - sounds like a candidate for the 7th spot in our bullpen.

RichD said:
Nelson Hawkins, we really should keep politics out of baseball blogs, but "God Bless America" is not an absurd song. It has nothing to do with war, just being patriotic. Delgado seems to be anti American but he loves working here and cashing those paychecks. Freedom at its best!

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I didn't bring in the politics. I was merely correcting the earlier comments from others about Delgado being a bad guy because he doesn’t stand for the national anthem when in fact he refused to stand through “God Bless America” when he played for the Jays. Even if one believes in “God” why would it/she/he somehow “bless” one country over another? It’s complete silliness. I find Delgado to be a principled guy. I was trying to defend him from attacks on this blog. Lastly, being opposed to wars of aggression is “anti-American”? Count me in then!!

Brian Bass II

Roch,

Your going to have to dig deep, but do you have some sort of scouting rpt for Gambino? Just curious.

Question, b/c Mora qualifies as a Type A FA, could it hurt his chances of signing on w/ a team being that an interested team would have to surrender draft picks? Does this benefit us in any way if nobody picks him up before ST?

Get back to me on this, go ahead & take the night off.
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I'd think that the Type A status works against Mora. Not sure what you mean by it benefitting the Orioles, though. - Roch

First off.......How Mora is a type A is beyond me.

Second.......What if they offered him arbitration and he ACCEPTED?

Don't do it, please, just move on....he was great while he was here and I was always a fan but we need to end this relationship now.

Wait - Don't they go back a season or two to declare whether you're an A or B? If that's the case, I guess 24 homers and 100+ RBI would clarify Mora as a type A.

I generally don't comment about these types of acquisitions because they provide organizational depth and aren’t designed to make a significant impact.

That being said, I’m confused by this. We will have to outright at least three more players on the forty man roster to protect our better prospects and the club adds a talent that almost certainly is not as good as what we’re trying to protect. Maybe the FO believes they might be able to sneak him through waivers in a week or so but I just don’t get this.

Roch, do you have some insight on this?
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No, just what I've written. Maybe they do try to sneak him later. - Roch

Jason Nough said

Markakis is going to win a Gold Glove i'm told and
also Jermaine Dye was spotted going to orioles park
with his friends.

-Rumors are your friend

Mora is a type A because its the average of last two years of stats and that pulls him into the top twenty percent of the players at that position. Mora would have to decline arbitration and go to another team for us to receive compensation picks. All of which won't happen because he's cooked. We missed the boat on not getting picks for him three years ago, re-signing a mid-thirty year old guy has to be eliminated from our repertoire permanantly.

Roch,

I'm sure you have reported this previously, but could you again list the players who are currently not included on the 40 man roster, but eligible to be included? I thought there were already a greater number of prospects than the six openings the Orioles had to the current number of 34. Adding Gabino means the number drops to 5 exclusive of additional FA or waiver signings or (net additions as a result of) trades, or guys now on the 40 man roster coming off the protected list. Signing this guy would seem to indicate that the team places him ahead of some of our own prospects. Thanks.
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Off the top of my head, we're talking Bell, Snyder, Johnson, Erbe, Perrault, Beato, Hughes, Florimon, Adams and Davis. - Roch

I think Mora classified as a type A was a mistake bc I checked a different source and he's under the type B, then went back to the original source and they had corrected it

Roch-

Just the O's luck. Mora is a type A. lol. Not that it matters, cuz they ain't gonna offer arb.
The Phillies are gonna have the 29th pick.
If they were to be the ones to sign him.

Remember the Elias rankings group positions together for the rankings and its based off of the previous 2 years. If he is a Type B (or A) its bc of his stats in 2008. Mora's group is 2B, SS, 3B.

Being a Type A can be a disadvantage to the player if he is offered and declines arbitration, bc the signing teams value their draft picks more than in the past.

If we offered arbitration to Mora (the figure would be high due to his 9M salary) I would think he would accept it bc he will not get the same money on the FA market.
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I just checked the list of Type A's and B's, which mlbtraderumors reprinted, and Mora is listed as a B. - Roch

Interesting quote:
All in all is a great move for the Twins. Gabino has been on the 40-man roster for 2 seasons (to protect him from the rule 5 draft) and in 2011 when he has to be on the Twins 25-man roster or become a free agent. It would be a great opportunity to evaluate Armando in the majors, after his break-through season in Rochester this year. If I were to compare Armando to any current Twins' pitcher, he would be close to Carl Pavano as far as stuff and approach to the game."

Really a Carl Pavano clone? 5 years later heheh. The Twins thought enough of him to stash him on the 40 man for 2 years so at least we got that going for us. ;-)

Actually he could be quite serviceable in the pen, nice work by the FO to scope him out in light of the Twins' saying they'd hope to sneak him through.

Quick question, does our waiver claim standing get reset? Meaning, would we now have to wait until all of the other teams have a chance to claim a player before we get the opportunity again or is the waiver order static?
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Wish I had an easy answer for you. I assume they wouldn't have to wait. Each player is a fresh process. But I'm not 100 percent certain. - Roch

JPA -

Lucky, your commentary is intelligent but it falls so much in line with the "wait and see" or "hope our prospects all pan out" mentality that I think we will just have to agree to disagree. I don't think there are only 3 options. I think you need to target the best available (to the Orioles) talent. This may not be a first or third baseman. Give a couple of guys you LOVE, the keys to the car. I don't care if Markakis' feeling are hurt because he isn't the highest paid. He'll enjoy winning even more. Stop-gaps, innings eaters, reclamation projects are all ways of saying we aren't ready for prime time. We come into the process defeated with every free agent. I'm sorry but this organization is full of p@**&%s. Give Baltimore an identity, market it, play, believe it and sell it to the free agents. And then dump a truck load of money on two players who encapsulate that identity. When the Red Sox and Yankees come into town, these guys have to feel they are better.

How long do we wait? Until Matusz, Tillman, Jones, Reimold, and Bergy have watched the AL East stomp on us for 5 years?

How long until we reach the magical threshold of competitiveness that allows us to spend money? How do any of you know that will occur?

You don't. Until you see a REAL cleanup hitter signed AS PROMISED this offseason, a reasonable observer has to be doubtful. And before you argue about the availability of such a free agent, I wasn't the one who made the promise. AM had the same list of free agents we all did when he made the statement. He also said we would prioritize the international market but have done nothing to follow up on a zero-impact move last season. We can't afford to make lateral moves and minimal upgrades. We need to hope our prospects pan out AND we need power bats and a veteran starter or two. Dave Trembley is getting judged this year. I think MacPhail needs to be judged as well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. I did not give my preference. I merely took what I think we know about the team and the plan and extrapolated from there. Based on that, I see the three possible courses that I laid out. Are there others? Sure. PA could sell the team. Baltimore could file eminent domain and chase the team to Indy. PA could have a grandcild who is the next Babe Ruth or Walter Johnson. There are all sorts of possibilities but I tried to limit myself to one with better than one chance in a gazillion of happening.

2. The best talent available this year is probably Roy Hallday and I think the Os have the young pitching to trade for him if they want. SO, lets take you at your word. We trade Matusz and Markakis for Halladay, "the best available talent" out there. In a year, we offer him $200M and he still leaves for the Yankees who offer as much plus a chance at a ring. Now what? We have no Matusz. We have no Markakis. We have no Halladay. We just are not the Yankees that can throw stupid money at those high risk situations. We didnt overcome the Glenn Davis trade and we didnt overcome the Belle injury.

3. We dont need to find ways of saying we arent ready for prime time. WE ARENT! Open your eyes. The whole world knows it. Why dont you?

4. Call me whatever you like. I believe that Peter Angelos would have paid Tex anything within reason last year. I believe he would have matched the final winning bid by the Yankees. I think he targeted that signing this year and was prepared to do whatever he could. I believe he/MacPhail was told "Dont bother, we aint listening". I do NOT believe that Lackey or Holliday or even Gonzalez or Fielder represent the same total package. No free agent out there is the kind of impact player/safe bet that Tex was so your whole "plan" to just pick the best guy available, no matter that he is merely the best of a weak class, makes no sense.

5. Baltimore has an identity. It is a second class town with a third rate ballclub playing in a first class stadium with no chance at winning the ring and a low chance of ever finishing above third based on the competition. Just the facts. You want to sell that to a front line free agent? Be my guest. Come back in a couple years and tell me how that goes for you. You want to only hire delusional ballplayers who think they rae better than the team the Yanks bring to town since 1924, fine. Hire a hypnotist while you are at it.

5. How long do we wait? That is up to you. You dont want to wait? Quit now. For me, the answer is "as long as it takes".

6. Do I know we will ever be competitive enough to make it worth spending silly money to put us over the top? Of course not. Do you know that Lackey wont be Pavano? That a trade for Fielder wont be a repeat of Glenn Davis? That signing Holliday will work out any better long term than Albert Belle? Please dont talk to me of what is guaranteed or known for sure as that door swings both ways and uncertainty is an argument on my side of teh ledger and risk/reward ratio.

7. please provide a quote regarding a clean up hitter that starts with I promise, or I guarantee, or I solemnly swear as opposed to is our priority, or is a priority, or we need/want.

8. Done nothing about the international talent markets? You cant see the forest for the trees. They have spent dollars and man hours scouting, building facilities and making contacts. You, like Brummie and Jack are too myopic to see anything besides splashy big name signings. Forget that we are fighting to catch up after years and years of trailing the pack. You are right, we have to agree to disagree. I have owned companies. I have built companies. It doesnt happen overnight. You spend first and get the production down the road. You build the back room rock solid so you can support the splashy sales force. They are building an organization, not a team. Just because YOU cant look past the headlines doesnt mean nothing is happening.

9. Guthrie was a lateral/ minimal move. Rodrigo Lopez was a minimal move. Schilling was a throw in in the Glenn Davis trade. Sherrill was a throw in. Those moves pay off. Especially for a team that CAN NOT outspend the competition. Do they all pay off? of course not. Do they hit at a high percentage? NO. But a Rich Hill failing does not mean you dont play that game. You just be very sure you arent giving up something of more value and trust your scouts and instincts.

10 MacPhail will be judged. BY the only guy thta matters. And his name inst Jack or Brummie or LPA or Roch or Lucky. Luckily he has learned from failure not to subscribe to the throw money around willy nilly and then win now or start over route you and Daniel Snyder believe in.

Also,

Ric, you are correct sir, I was at work and I LOST MY FRIGGIN TAIL yesterday lol. Ah well, that's why I go low risk, high reward man. Silly parlays.

I like the Gambino pick, competition is a good thing on this team. It is unfortunate that the only heavy competition thus far on the team in spring training may be for mid-relief spots. Hopefully McPhail will remedy this, and not in the way he did last year where starting pitchers fell off like contestants on Hell's Kitchen.

I looked up Gabino and although he sounds great in AAA, he seems like just another one of those guys who gets rocked as fast as it takes to woof down one of those $5 pizza's from Pickles Pub.
I hope I'm wrong.

Cool Roch, it seems wiki isn't helping us much either with the question. (of which i blame on fantasy sports.)

Waivers

Any player under contract may be placed on waivers at any time. If a player is waived, any team may claim him. If more than one team claims the player from waivers, the team with the weakest record in the player's league gets preference. If no team in the player's league claims him, the claiming team with the weakest record in the other league gets preference. In the first month of the season, preference is determined using the previous year's standings.

If a team claims a player off waivers and has the viable claim as described above, his current team (the "waiving team") may choose one of the following options:

* arrange a trade with the claiming team for that player within two business days of the claim; or
* rescind the request and keep the player on its major league roster, effectively canceling the waiver; or
* do nothing and allow the claiming team to (1) assume the player's existing contract, (2) pay the waiving team a waiver fee, and (3) place the player on its active major league roster.

If a player is claimed and the waiving team exercises its rescission option, the waiving team may not use the option again for that player in that season. If no team claims a player from waivers in three business days, the player has cleared waivers and may be assigned to a minor league team, traded, or released outright.

The waiver "wire" is a secret within the personnel of the Major League Baseball clubs; no announcement of a waiver is made until a transaction actually occurs. Many players are often quietly waived during the August "waiver-required" trading period to gauge trade interest in a particular player. Usually, when the player is claimed, the waiving team will rescind the waiver to avoid losing the player unless a trade can be worked out with the claiming team.

Also, do I need to include a link there for this DK??? I C what you've done there.

what happened to sosa??

http://www.celebrityhealthfitness.com/?p=978

BMS - I believe the waiver process goes by division, league (NL/AL), then entire MLB. Worst team gets first crack.

I don't think there is any resetting. If someone else gets dumped don waivers then same top three or four worst teams are still going to get first crack in their respective orders.

I had read somewhere that if type A or B free agents signs with a new team before a certain date, (I believe December 1st or around there),then the former team will get the compensation picks, but if this is true, and knowing that, i'm pretty sure any team interested, would just wait til that time passed. Anymore info or clarification on this Roch?
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I'll try to look it up. This isn't the kind of stuff that I can just rattle off. I have to review all the rules every year around this time. - Roch

Have to admit I saw the intro to this entry and the first thing I thought was how many responses would be critical of the Gabino signing. To my surprise, no one has lost their mind over what amounts to a minor move. Thanks everyone!

I hope it pans out for the Orioles but we also know he may not even make it through the off season. For now, I'm rooting for the guy because he plays for my favourite team. That's how my brain works. No one ever accused me of being overly complex.

Why don't we hear Randy Wolf's name tossed around more?? He's not the "true ace" we'd all like to see lead the rotation next year, but he's a good pitcher. Traderumors had him going to the Mets for 3yr/$30m. Would a similar offer be a bad idea for the O's? We can't expect all of our pitching prospects to take off in the next two/three years - anyone who thinks we'll be contenders in 2011 with Matusz, Guthrie, Bergesen, Tillman and Arrieta is dreaming. If we start 2010 with Wolf and Delgado in the mix, Ty as the stop-gap third baseman and Hernandez and Berken in the bullpen, I'd call our offseason a success. At 33 Wolf's had enough experience to mentor the kids and he'll take a lot of pressure off Guthrie. We'll have a decent shot at .500 ball and be in a better position to draw the respect of our "true ace" next off-season. I'm dreaming a bit, but how nice would it be to start 2011 with Halladay leading Wolf, Guthrie and the best two of Bergesen, Matusz, Tillman, Arrieta and maybe Britton and/or Erbe? Push two guys, maybe including Arrieta, to the bullpen, and shop the others around for a hitter. I know some people think that our biggest need is a big bat corner fielder, but we have to remember that we have a lot of young guys in the field that are years from their prime. We'll produce more runs next year, we need to focus on not giving up so many from the other side of the plate. WOLF 2010!!! Roch, why don't we hear that in Bmore??

Hey Roch,

what do you think about Uggla? I hear he might be available.. I dont know how well he plays defense but maybe putting him at 3rd would be a good idea..what do you think?
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His name has come up a lot here. The bat is fine. The Orioles would have to be convinced that he could play third base. He hasn't done it in the majors. But there are other teams linked to him who also need a third baseman, so it's not an outrageous suggestion. - Roch

Lucky Horseshoe -

Well done - all round. Your points and arguments are right on the mark.

Lucky- you lost a lot of points with your highly defensive and fairly unintelligent rebuttal. How many straw arguments can you cram into one post? You obviously only read the posts you agree with because otherwise you would know the folks I have mentioned interest in (not Fielder, Lackey, or Halladay ???) and the very clear ways in which my position differs from Brummie. I'm not sure why you felt like my commentary was a personal attack- what part of "agree to disagree" did you not comprehend?

I've read your posts and your passionate attacks on folks who disagree with anything the Orioles do. Well, kudos to you. Maybe fan of the year is in your future. However based on the following comment, "Baltimore has an identity. It is a second class town with a third rate ballclub playing in a first class stadium with no chance at winning the ring and a low chance of ever finishing above third based on the competition. Just the facts." I'd say you are a very confused individual with limited knowledge of sports history or civic pride. You tell me how the Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins won world championships in the past year, how the Cleveland Cavaliers have a championship caliber team, how the Minnesota Twins and the California Angels (they didn't used to be big market) stood toe to toe with the AL East until the playoffs. You have a losers' mentality. Why do YOU follow this team? I actually think they could be a world champion someday with the current leadership increasing its aggressiveness. Not sure how far behind on posts you are, but I actually have supported much of what AM does.

The main point is your are arguing against Brummie who you have an unhealthy obsession with and not me. Come back when you are ready to debate one of my points and use my arguments not ones that you make up because you think I might believe them.

Roch--It took a matter of minutes for Gabino to be referred to as Gambino by several commentators on this blog.

Will they be waiting on reports from you on the activities of the crime family?

Oh, and for the 2,473rd time Andy's name is spelled MacPhail, not McPhail.

Do these guys succeed in spelling their own names correctly?

Thanks for your rant, Lucky Horseshoe. And, um, WHICH cleanup hitter do you propose they sign?! I would, if given the power, nominate you and one or two others on this blog for GM for the next 10 years.

Re Gabino: He may end up being more than a stopgap. (Let's hope the Pavano comparison is about his abilities and not his realization of those abilities.) Good Minor League numbers, particularly this last year, and he does show some poise, working quickly and fearlessly with some good looking pitches that move away from right-handed hitters. We'll wait and see what MacPhail had in mind.

Roch-

Here is what I just don't understand. If the Yankees sign Lackey, and it is anywhere near 100 million, that means they carry and annual, of nearly 250 million.
If you add payments out, it comes in at 100 million more, that NO OTHER TEAM has.

Are you saying, is it possible that the Yankees are 10x more valuable than the O's?
How is that possible?
I just don't understand how they can go out every year and just buy the top guys. How do they have THAT much money?
If you go by Forbes magazine, that can't be possible.
That would be 600 million on 4 players.

Roch
People now think the Sox are gonna get Gonzales. The Yanks Lackey.
Macphail said they won't trade young arms.
no Free Agent wants to come here.
How are we EVER going to compete?

It just doesn't make any sense, if you think about it.
They "buy the bats", but they CAN'T. I mean, no one who really would make a difference.

I just don't see how this ship is ever going to be righted UNLESS they trade to get that KEY player, and then somehow get them to sign an extension.

We just sit back and pray that the youngster's turn into something.
If they don't, it will be like the last 11 seasons. They really have staked everything on about 5 kids.
I am not very optimistic.

Reuters, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

The poster known as Brummie officially landed in Australia at 1pm local time and promptly had his @ss kicked by a boxing kangaroo named Joey.

In attendance was Yahoo Serious, who described the fight as PAINFUL to witness. "Two quick jabs from that roo and the bloke was sucking pouch," Serious said. "He held up some sort of credential claiming he was a journalist, but that only seemed to make Joey angrier. It was a real wuzzle wamper."

Reached for comment later, Brummie blamed his defeat on someone named Andrew and rambled about the Gabino signing being "only about the bottom line."

I haven't chimed in for awhile,admittedly a bit frustrated by the organization's decision to bring back Trembley. But here is what I would like to see the club do in the offseason. Seeing as Trembley has a tendency to overuse the bullpen, they need to upgrade in that area.This could be done by acquiring a closer. I have no problem with them overpaying for a closer if it is done in a 1 or 2 year deal. Upgrading the bullpen will alone bring improvements in the win loss column.Secondly, pick up Delgado or Thome to primarily DH. The young O's could use a veteran that has played for a winning team. And third, do NOT overpay for starting pitching. Alot has been made of the Yanks title due to Burnett and Sabathia but really how many times were they burnt? This is one area where the team should be ok. Guthrie, Bergesen, Matusz, Tillman and either Hernandez or Berken very well could be the best rotation in Baltimore since the 90's. And don't forget Arrieta,Patton, Erbe and Johnson are still in the minors.The other things I would like to see would be,Bell and Snyder(or Hughes)in the majors early platooning regularly with Wiggy. I expect big things from Weiters ,Reimold, Jones, Markakis in the offensive dpartment combining for over 110 hR'S. I admit it would be nice to see Figgins but we do have the people to win, it just might take time. Prediction, DT gone by the all star break

Roch

I was reading on the Orioles team website about potential Rookie of the Year canidates. When talking about Nolan Reimold they said first base...

Though shortstop Elvis Andrus (Rangers), closer Andrew Bailey (Athletics), and starters Rick Porcello (Tigers) and Jeff Niemann (Rays) are the likely favorites, catcher Matt Wieters, first baseman Nolan Reimold and right-hander Brad Bergesen definitely deserve some consideration.

What should we make of that?
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Just a mistake, I'm sure. No way he should be listed as a first baseman. - Roch

Roch,

Whats your analysis on this waiver pick up? I am getting tired of McPhail picking up everyone elses trash. Don't we have enough young pitchers? This guys stats aren't even great.

Message to McPhail- How about you pick up some proven pitchers to mix with these young guys!
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His minor league numbers looked pretty good. It's inventory, as MacPhail likes to say. And he's easily removed from the 40-man if they need space. Nothing to get overly excited about, but this type of move is made all the time throughout baseball this time of the year. - Roch

JPA said:

~~Lucky- you lost a lot of points with your highly defensive and fairly unintelligent rebuttal.~~

ANd this assessment gets posted immediately after one which says I was "right on the mark" so obviously this is your opinion and as such keep your "points". I am not in this for debate points.

~~How many straw arguments can you cram into one post?~~

I guess that depends on how long the post is but in this case, none. Just because you don't like them doesn't make them less than "right on the mark" as another poster called them.

~~You obviously only read the posts you agree with because otherwise you would know the folks I have mentioned interest in (not Fielder, Lackey, or Halladay ???) and the very clear ways in which my position differs from Brummie.~~

I am sorry you feel disrespected by it but if you expect mw to go back and research all of your previous posts in answering THIS one, get used to the disappointment. It is a good life lesson. In the post to which I responded, you said the Orioles should only go after the best talent available for the Orioles. Therefore I listed what I think is generally considered the best talent available or rumored available at the positions generally considered prime need positions of the Orioles. If in some other post you listed targets less than the best available, thus contradicting yourself, I am sorry I didn't catch it. Again, I referred to what you said in the post I was responding to, not your whole body of work across the years. No straw anywhere.

~~I'm not sure why you felt like my commentary was a personal attack-~~

I am not sure why you think I took it as a personal attack. I responded to you with a bullet point list that I felt directly responded to your post. You disagree. fine

~~what part of "agree to disagree" did you not comprehend?~~

None, what makes you think I failed to comprehend it?

~~I've read your posts and your passionate attacks on folks who disagree with anything the Orioles do.~~

No, you haven't. You have read my posts attacking those who lie, mischaracterize, make up evidence, misquote, spin, prevaricate, and engage in a false crusade against the team. Those who have over and over quoted MacPhail, been told by Roch that MacPhail never said that . . . and bull ahead without ever admitting they were wrong or providing the quote to support their assertions. Those who refuse to admit that anything good ever happens and twist and spin even the few positive happenings into negative events. This goes back to Jack posting, upon hearing that Stockstill was going to Japan, in the most negative way about this. That it was just one man. That it meant nothing. So immediately after he screamed for them to have a presence there, he belittled their first step towards doing exactly what he begged them to do. I compared your demand for some immediate signing or else you conclude nothing is happening to that attitude. There has to be a first step. This whole thing is a process, not a one time tsunami into first place. There is plenty of negative happening and I do not mind seeing honest disappointment or criticism with where we are and how we got here. It is not an accident. We were horribly mismanaged. But good things happen and those who need to spin the few positives into more misery and incompetence deserve no respect and get none from me. For all Flanagan mismanaged, it was his hire that has turned our drafting around. How about once during all the bashing, someone acknowledges that? It wont come from Brummie or Jack who at this point get more pleasure from the misery of this team than anyone would from its success.

~~Well, kudos to you.~~

Thank you

~~Maybe fan of the year is in your future.~~

I doubt it

~~However based on the following comment, "Baltimore has an identity. It is a second class town with a third rate ballclub playing in a first class stadium with no chance at winning the ring and a low chance of ever finishing above third based on the competition. Just the facts." I'd say you are a very confused individual with limited knowledge of sports history or civic pride.~~

You will have to explain yourself. I do not understand why this statement of fact indicates confusion or ignorance of either. I think my knowledge of both is above average at the least. And isn't this exactly what you accuse me of doing? You don't offer anything to refute me, just attack me or my knowledge.

~~You tell me how the Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins won world championships in the past year, how the Cleveland Cavaliers have a championship caliber team, how the Minnesota Twins and the California Angels (they didn't used to be big market) stood toe to toe with the AL East until the playoffs.

The NHL, NBA and NFL have salary cap structures which make those examples less than germane to the Orioles situations vis a vis the Sawx and Yanks. I don't understand your reference to them in a discussion of the Orioles situation which has no trace of a relationship with the teams you bring up. As for the Twins and Angels, they do not play in the AL East. They do not play a huge percentage of their games against the Yanks and Sawx. My point was clearly about the hazards of playing in the same pond as those two sharks. Your choices for comparisons are the Rays and the Jays.

~~You have a losers' mentality.~~

If you say so.

~~Why do YOU follow this team?~~

because it is the team of my childhood. I started following the Colts and O's when I was 10 and childhood teams and memories should be sacred. But I grew up. I am an adult. I do not believe in the state stealing private persons possessions as Baltimore and MD tried to do with Irsay. I do not believe a businessman like Angelos owes it to anyone to set aside sound business practices with a billion dollar enterprise.

~~I actually think they could be a world champion someday with the current leadership increasing its aggressiveness.~~

And I think the current plan as laid out by MacPhail can lead us to one. More likely it wont but it could and IMO has the highest possibility of doing so. Odds are still against it but I believe.

~~Not sure how far behind on posts you are, but I actually have supported much of what AM does.

My post was addressed to what you said specifically in the one post I responded to. Each bullet point was addressing something you said in that post.

~~The main point is your are arguing against Brummie who you have an unhealthy obsession with and not me.~~

Not true. I bring him up every time I have a chance to tweak him but as I described above, my reference to he and jack in my disagreeing with you was germane to the points we were discussing, specifically, your refusal to believe anything is happening in international player acquisition unless you can read a headline saying we signed someone. I didn't call you a clone of them. I compared your statement on that point to their attitude.

~~Come back when you are ready to debate one of my points and use my arguments not ones that you make up because you think I might believe them.~~

I don't care what you believe. I addressed points straight out of your post. You don't think so? Fine but it is what I did. My responses were germane and on point.

Dimitrios said:

Thanks for your rant, Lucky Horseshoe. And, um, WHICH cleanup hitter do you propose they sign?! I would, if given the power, nominate you and one or two others on this blog for GM for the next 10 years.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It might be uncharitable after you complimented me but your suggestion that I am fit to be GM of a major league team is the silliest post ever, lol. The one attribute I have that some on here are lacking is that I clearly know that I don't possess the baseball acumen, the scouting ability or the experience to replace MacPhail. I don't try to second guess him on the areas where I cant possibly know more than he does. I am not about to try and break down Pie's swing or Guthrie's delivery and pretend I know more than an organization full of career baseball men.

You ask what I would do? OK, but just because you asked, lol.

1. I think we have some good fits with SD. They have some positions where they need to make some decisions and move a player or two. I would start out talking about Gonzalez and expand from there. I would like to bring over Kouzmanoff or Headley to try at 3B, would look at some bullpen help like Adams, Burke or Bell and consider Blanks at 1B. No idea what it takes to bring those guys here, they might not end up being better than Bell, Snider etc but they are current major leaguers with respective strengths and weaknesses. These are not impact players in a blockbuster deal. They each bring something usable with potential to grow.

2. I do not think we need to trade for or sign a veteran pitcher just to provide a big brother to learn from. Especially not when folks here just throw out names of guys who have a few years under their belt and say they would be a good influence without knowing anything about the guys makeup, if he enjoys hanging out with the kids etc. Again, too many people on here don't know what they don't know about things. Just because some guy has pitched in the majors for ten years doesn't make him a good role model or mentor to the kids. I think we have options internally that I am fine with throwing out there and letting them grow.

3. Personally I would not sign the geezers to fill in but I can understand the need to sell tickets. I would bite the bullet for a year but would not begrudge them signing a Beltre or Thome or LaRoche or someone like that to throw a bone to the impatient masses and plug a hole for a year while waiting to see what we have in Bell, Snider etc..

4. We need someone solid in the bullpen but I believe our bullpen will be rebuilt from the excess starters.

That is it. Nothing sexy. Nothing designed to fill every hole with an allstar and go worst to first in two weeks. No splashy boom or bust moves. No budget busting, no contracts that we cant sustain or cant recover from if the player goes south a la Belle or Davis. Just solid baseball moves with long term organizational eye to the plan.

Lucky Horseshoe -

Well done - all round. Your points and arguments are right on the mark.

Lucky Horseshoe,

In the absence of JDB, you're quickly becoming my favorite poster. I especially liked your comment about understanding that you do not know more about baseball than the powers that be.

I don't know what your stance on Trembley happens to be, but I get so tired of people bashing his in game moves with no inside knowledge of the game. After all, the man has likely managed more games than any of us have seen on TV. My theory is too many people want to manage baseball like the season is a sprint when it's really quite a marathon.

Lucky Horseshoe,

I tend to agree with your way of thinking when it comes to the overall plan that Mr. MacPhail { I didn't realize I was spelling his name wrong before}has for the O's, and I too will join you in defending his management thus far against those who attack him on a personal basis. However, while I disagree with those fellow bloggers who want to spend Mr. Angelos' money on a " Pay Now /Pray Later " basis for FA's and make outrageous claims and statements concerning players and other posters, I value their opinions and "logic" and don't like to see them bullied into submission. Let us, and other like minded posters, stay above the fray, and despite provocation, keep our discussions civil and impersonal.

As I said I like the way you reason things out and would appreciate your opinion on a four or five player trade for one Derrek Lee. My thoughts are that we have too many young pitchers, moderately successful lefties, left fielders, catchers, and 1b men types in our system to protect every good prospect in each category on the forty man roster. We will lose some very talented players through rule 5 or waivers with very little to show for them. It seems the Cubs have a weakness in every one of these categories or a player in that position that makes more than they are willing to spend coming out of bankruptcy. The fresh start for them would make it a win win for both teams. With an influx of young talent, the Cubs could begin trading some of their higher priced players from a position of strength. Conversely the O's would be better able to persuade a first or second tier FA 3b, or pitcher to sign with us { instead of the forth tier FA's we've been able to sign in the recent past } because we'll be showing a desire to WIN even as we're rebuilding.

While this post is soliciting LH's opinion in particular, I welcome and value everyones input as long as it's civil.

Thanks Roch, for letting me hijack your site for awhile, and of course I value your learned opinion most of all on the subject. To Anmarie to paraphrase a Comcast Cable ad. " Come on pretty lady, grab your hoop skirt, and climb on up on the Derrek Lee bandwagon".

Leon - This all revolves around something I cant seem to get a clear picture about. It seems to me that the Orioles as an organization must have assessments made about most of the kids. They should know whether they feel Matusz is a middling number one or a true ace. They should have an opinion on Bergy as to whether he is a real workhorse who can win 15 consistently and whose performance will always exceed his "stuff" or a kid who had his best year in his first year and wont be a consistent winner. Whether Tillman will push Matusz for number one on this team or never assert himself as more than a middle of rotatiopn starter. As the team improves around them can Hernandez and Birken ride the mental toughness they showed to earn spots in the rotation and if not are they pieces of the bullpen to come? Is Guts the bulldog we saw pri3or to this year? Is Arietta a hidden gem always in the shadow of Tillman and Matusz or is he behind because he isnt as good? Is the group coming behind (Erbe, Britton et all) as good as the one arriving now? And that is just the pitching.

It seems to me that we cannot talk about trades until we know how the team feels about these assessments. If we aren't trading "core" assets, fine, but which prospects fall into that category? The one thing JPA said recently that I agree with, is if we do something blockbuster, whether trade or FA signing, it should be for a top talent. BUt it also has to be a "safe" move. WHat I mean by that is this: Tex was high talent and safe. You know what you are going to get. I think AGon is safe, I think Fielder is not. I think Lee is solid but not spectacular and is pretty safe. Nothing is guaranteed so when I say safe, I mean predictable as opposed to boom or bust. Someone coming off injury is not "safe". Someone who did it for one year out of three is not safe. Someone whose numbers trend in decline is not safe. That is my thinking. The few who combine spectacular performance with safe predictable returns are few and far between on the free agent or even trade market and those are the few guys I go off of the plan/budget to target.

I am not saying anyone else's way is wrong. The Yankees have proven that they can win by spending prodigious amounts. So those saying spend spend spend arent wrong. It just isn't gonna happen here and I don't think it is fair to ask it of any businessman. And in the end, we cannot outspend the Yankees so it is not sustainable IMO.