Nick looks like he is gone

[varaven45]

Amen, Crav, esp on para 2.

[thundercleetz]

Oh I get it, never said we had to be up there with the yanks or sox. But are we spending wisely? I mean our big money guys are 1 cough drop away from a years suspension, just had tommy John surgery, and I hope Manny is not looking for a brinks truck, caus he shouldn't get it here, not with those knees. O'Day and JJ are basically the only players earning their checks.

 

Last 3 years have Ben fun as a fan, I want to see that continue, I want to see the Yards packed on game days, I don't want to see a park that looks like the Rays park on game day.

So you're trying to tell me spending $9M a year on a reliever is "spending wisely"? You're contradicting yourself.

 

I don't know who you are referring to in your response. Chris Davis only has one year left on his contract and is hardly a big money guy. What about AJ? Is he not earning his paycheck?

[thundercleetz]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-executive-vice-president-dan-duquette-a-candidate-to-become-blue-jays-team-presidentceo-repo-20141207-story.html?track=rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

This would be bad news!

[papasmurfbell]

And what we just loss makes us a sub 500 team, and as far as A rod goes he's been in the league 20 years and only played 162 games 5 times in his career, heck I expect him to be fresh this year

I think he is a shell of himself. I think it will be a sad and patheic season for him.

 

 

Fresh, fine (though I disagree) But he'll hit 240, ground into plenty of double plays... All worth 30m of course.

 

We've lost a lot. No one is happy about that. But I can't pay 9m for a set up man. I can't pay 11m for a 390slg in rf who is about to have neck surgery (third surgery in the years?). I can't pay 4 years of tens of millions for a 31+ dh who may or may not hit 30 hr ever again.

 

Will that hurt this year? It well might.

But this year isn't the end all...

Exactly

 

 

 

Don't entirely disagree, but here's what's different. In 1998, we were shelling out buck after buck - in bad form - to try to hang on to something that couldn't be held on to. We were holding bad contracts, extending them.

 

This year, we're doing the opposite. i don't think we're giving up on 2015 by any means, but I don't think we're selling the farm on 2016-2020 just for one more year - we were certainly doing that 1998-2000.

 

Just to prove it - in 1998, we had the league's highest payroll at $71m... more than $6m more than the Yankees (nearly 10% more than the next best). What did it buy us? 79 wins, 13 more losing seasons to follow... Here's the biggest give away... not a single regular starter in that line-up was under 30. Our average age on all players was 33 (5-6 years past prime by today's standards!) Mike Mussina was 29 and the only other real regular was Sidney Ponson in his rookie year, at 21.

 

Eric Davis, Harold Baines and Cal Ripken were all over 37. Brady Anderson, Lenny Webster, Chris Hoiles, Rafael Palmeiro, BJ Surhoff were all 33-34. Hell , that was the year we signed Joe Carter - 38! That's the definition of trying to hold on to something that simply doesn't exist anymore.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/1998.shtml

 

We don't want to be that next year. Markakis might have only been 30-31, but his best years were 3-4 years ago. Nelson Cruz will be 35 next year. You don't invest in that. Last year, Nelson Cruz and JJ Hardy were the only Orioles over 30 of our regular start 9. Our average age as a team was 28 - dead on prime years. Our oldest starting pitchers were Ubaldo (ugh) and Gonzalez, both just 30. With a few of the "older" guys going we can drop that age further and invest in the future.

 

It sucks. I feel your pain. But it can't only be about 2015. And Nelson Cruz can't be bought after his best consumed by date...

That is such a good breakdown.

 

 

 

Oh I get it, never said we had to be up there with the yanks or sox. But are we spending wisely? I mean our big money guys are 1 cough drop away from a years suspension, just had tommy John surgery, and I hope Manny is not looking for a brinks truck, caus he shouldn't get it here, not with those knees. O'Day and JJ are basically the only players earning their checks.

 

Last 3 years have Ben fun as a fan, I want to see that continue, I want to see the Yards packed on game days, I don't want to see a park that looks like the Rays park on game day.

Manny doesn't become a FA until 2019. The O's have time to ink him long term. I think Weit is gone no matter what. It will not be worth keeping Davis around after this yr.

 

 

 

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-executive-vice-president-dan-duquette-a-candidate-to-become-blue-jays-team-presidentceo-repo-20141207-story.html?track=rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

This would be bad news!

That would be devastating. Dan has basically kept Andy's plan in place. Who knows with the next GM?

[dc.]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-executive-vice-president-dan-duquette-a-candidate-to-become-blue-jays-team-presidentceo-repo-20141207-story.html?track=rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

This would be bad news!

Very. I'm not so concerned we couldn't find a smart guy to make similar moves,I think there are lots of "money ball" guys out there now. I'm concerned we won't find someone who will be able to stand up to Angelos...

[papasmurfbell]

Very. I'm not so concerned we couldn't find a smart guy to make similar moves,I think there are lots of "money ball" guys out there now. I'm concerned we won't find someone who will be able to stand up to Angelos...

Didn't even think of that.

[thundercleetz]

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2014/12/angelos-on-duquette-were-not-relinquishing-him-period.html

 

Angelos is having none of the Blue Jays poaching Duquette.

 

Great point DC on having a GM that can stand up to Angelos. Looks like there's finally great chemistry between manager, GM and owner. It's a good recipe for success, as we've seen.

[papasmurfbell]

I guess it isn't like the NFL.

[dc.]

Except, Dan apparently wants to go to Toronto - or wants a higher level job - and only PA is in the way. The work-around to PA's objection is to simply resign his O's position, then go to Toronto. He would have to do that without knowing for sure if the Blue Jays want him, though, because they can't talk without permission.

 

Apparently there are some in the O's organization who are "not opposed" to him leaving - perhaps because the O's would be reimbursed for his departure by the Jays.

 

Difficult spot. I am still not really sold on Dan as a a GM in the sense that he has some special insight or philosophy. But I am sold that he has the ability to play Peter's game just right.

[papasmurfbell]

Peter should give him the same responsibilities the Jays are suggesting. Just a thought. Could Dan see where the team is headed and wants to bail while things look good and let the next guy take the blame.

[thundercleetz]

Peter should give him the same responsibilities the Jays are suggesting. Just a thought. Could Dan see where the team is headed and wants to bail while things look good and let the next guy take the blame.

He likely already has those responsibilities, outside of the absolute final say on matters, but it is all about the CEO title. Duquette already got an extension and a raise recently. Peter Angelos is the official CEO of the Orioles, and Duquette and John P. Angelos are both Executive VPs. Duquette is as high as he can be with our team which is probably why he wants to leave.

[dc.]

It's funny... cause if it's me, who really gives a flying you-know-what? It's really all about title, ego, etc etc? What's really to be gained there? But whatever, his preference.

 

I don't think it's about "seeing where the team is headed" though - there is a lot of good stuff happening still in the organization. Or at least that's my read.

 

BUT, I do think it could be fatigue with Angelos, fatigue with not having a budget that can really allow him to build a mega-super-powerhouse kind of club. We're never really going to be able to offer that as an option, even without Angelos here.

[papasmurfbell]

That is a good point.

[thundercleetz]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-a-look-at-the-differences-between-dan-duquettes-current-role-and-blue-jays-job-20141208-story.html?track=rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

It looks like this would be a clear promotion. With the Rogers Company it is likely Duquette could be possibly looking at the other avenues that could branch with that network, whether it be for him or his friends/family/colleagues.

 

As far as a simple title change. In business, the ultimate goal for most is CEO/CFO. Having that title and absolute final say is a draw of its own. With the Jays ownership structure, the CEO is likely to get a budget, and has completely say within that budget, as if he were the CEO of any other company. I imagine not many teams have ownership structures like this, so the opportunity seems unique.

 

The Jays have a great GM already in Alex Anthopoulos (remember how we tried to get him to be our GM before Duquette? Anthopoulos, the assistant GM of the Jays at the time, declined wanting to wait for the Jays GM job to open.) Seems like Duquette would do less of the day-to-day work and more of a wholistic job. If Duquette is looking to branch out into other areas of business, this CEO experience is invaluable.

 

With that said Angelos took a big chance on Duquette when no one would touch him. Duquette was known as the old school executive who got outted by a new school Moneyball kid. Not only that, but Angelos gave Duqutte a big long-term extension.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens. I wonder what sort of compensation the O's would demand. I don't think the difference in budget is as much as we think, however, Duquette might be tired of going to Angelos anytime he wants to make a move or increase the payroll.

[GrubberRaven]

This is a non-story...has been discounted today

[papasmurfbell]

Change is inevitable. Although for Nick Markakis, it didn't seem likely in terms of where his baseball career was headed. Coming into the offseason, it was considered a foregone conclusion he would re-sign with the Baltimore Orioles, continuing a nine-year run that has seen him develop into a consistently productive major leaguer and one of the team's most popular players.

Ultimately, the inevitable won out. After the Orioles seemed to sour on Markakis' medical outlook — he could undergo surgery for a herniated disk in his neck — he moved on to the Atlanta Braves on a four-year deal.

With such a career and life-altering change often comes the need for closure. However, Markakis is by no means ready to say goodbye to the City of Baltimore or Orioles fans. Instead, on Wednesday,Markakis took out a two-page ad in the Baltimore Sun thanking the Orioles organization for the opportunity and Orioles for their support, while making it clear that Baltimore will remain home to his family.

The Baltimore Sun ✔ @baltimoresun

Follow

ICYMI: "This isn't a goodbye," Nick Markakis says in two-page ad in The Sun. http://bsun.md/1x1gURw

10:20 PM - 10 Dec 2014

The message begins:

By now most of you know that I am a man of few words. So putting my thoughts in writing is hard for me. But I owe the City of Baltimore, the Orioles' organization and most especially, the Baltimore Orioles' fans, a large Thank You.

For a man with few words, Markakis managed to say a lot. Not wanting to leave anyone out, he broke it down into sections, thanking owner Peter Angelos, manager Buck Showalter, his coaches, his teammates and Orioles fans with their own special messages.

To Angelos, Markakis wrote:

“I owe Peter Angelos and his family a Thank You for bringing me to this organization and City and for the friendship you have shown my family and me over the years.”

To Showalter, he wrote:

"I want to personally thank Buck for his relentless leadership. I truly believe that it is your love and respect for the game that has brought winning back to Baltimore. You are, and will continue to be, my mentor and friend.”

To the fans, he wrote:

“It’s because of this community that I have been able to grow into the player that I am. It’s because of your passion, dedication, and heart that make me proud to say that my career will always be rooted in the bricks of Eutaw Street. Having fans is a truly humbling experience. Knowing that people wear your jersey, identify with you and look up to you without knowing you has always been hard for me to grasp, but I've learned to accept and embrace it. I know that it's easy for someone who doesn't know me to make assumptions on my thoughts and actions. That's the price of being a professional athlete and I accept it. I sincerely hope you understand how difficult this is for my family and me."

"And it's because of the great memories that you have given Christina, the boys and me that makes it easy for us to continue to call Baltimore our home."

With gratitude,

Nick, Christina, Taylor, Tucker and Toby

Indeed, this wasn't a goodbye. It was simply a well-deserved and well-delivered acknowledgement of a City and fanbase that has been nothing but supportive, while also serving as a reminder that opening one chapter in life doesn't necessarily mean another must be closed.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/nick-markakis-takes-out-two-page-ad-to-thank-orioles-and-fans-035511397.html

[varaven45]

A class act and rarity in todays sports. Thank you Nick !

[cravnravn]

Definitely a class act, good luck nick

 

Braves spring training facility is right down in Disney, might have to check in on him in a few weeks

[varaven45]

Dang Crav, spring training is only a couple months out, huh ? I need to check that out some spring while visiting my 'bro in New Smyrna Beach.

[papasmurfbell]

Definitely a class act, good luck nick

 

 

Wow I never thought I would see that.

[cravnravn]

Dang Crav, spring training is only a couple months out, huh ? I need to check that out some spring while visiting my 'bro in New Smyrna Beach.

 

Yup , we'll be at NSB Sunday morning. Let me know when you're in town, we are 25 minutes to the beach.

[varaven45]

Yup , we'll be at NSB Sunday morning. Let me know when you're in town, we are 25 minutes to the beach.

Will do !

[thundercleetz]

Buster Olney's opinion on the Duquette situation:

 

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=buster-olney&id=8942&src=desktop&rand=ref~%7B%22ref%22%3A%22http%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FkkkcrDv7z5%22%7D&ex_cid=InsiderTwitter_olney_jaysinterestindanduquette

 

Olney does a great job of quantifying Duquette's value. Basically, he says the Cubs fleeced the Red Sox for Epstein given the value Epstein has brought to the team, and that if the Jays really want Duquette a new bar will be set (even more so because it will be in-division). Says the value should be two of the Jays top six prospects or so. Olney's concludes that Angelos should ask for a premium haul, if the Jays say no then move on nothing lost.

[thundercleetz]

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php/146059-TT-The-Orioles-should-let-Duquette-walk?p=3722165#post3722165

 

Good take on the Duquette situation that just won't go away.

[varaven45]

Pretty sad state of affairs when your off season focuses on the Duquette situation. Meanwhile, the Nats are gobbling up pitcher Max Scherzer, albeit at $210 M. What's our highlight this offseason - signing Delmon Young ? Geeeez .