Walking Dead: O's style

[dc.]

DD is to blame...piece of shit allowed pieces to walk that made us successful last season and replaced them with multiple, unequal parts.

 

Bet Toronto is glad they dodged a bullet.

 

F that asshole...

And yet the reality remains how much can you really spend on some of the pieces we lost? How much for Nelson Cruz, on a roster full of so so fielders? How much for Miller, a set up man? How much for Markakis, who's slugging under 400 this year?

 

It's not just about signing them, it's about what signing them would cost us beyond... Miller I'll still say maybe to, but he was too expensive. The other two it was both $$and length of deal

[GrubberRaven]

But we go ahead and sign injury prone Hardy to a long term deal and where is he now and hitting what? Nick's production has declined, but he still produces.

You can't be 1/2 players from a world series berth and then just not sign ANY of what made this team work in the first place.

 

Now, the pitching has dipped a bit, but still...too many 1 run games lost.

[dc.]

First, yes you can be that/do that.

 

Second, Hardy at least plays a position that is hard to replace. Corner outfielder? DH? Reliever? Not exactly impossible to fill, even if the production isn't the same. We obviously didn't from the offensive positions well, or Cruz at least, but we also didn't commit for years and years to any of the options.

 

Third, Hardy's deal is also shorter and cheaper than any of the other deals.

 

Finally, we were perhaps a player away, if we hit the same production... Our O has faltered this year, certainly, but this team's problem remains starting pitching. Markakis' bat, even Cruz's bat, wasn't going to change that... Or our record, by much.

[dc.]

Aside ... Despite perceptions, the O's are totally average in one run games this year (17-22). By comparison, the first place Jays are 12-24.

[GrubberRaven]

Fair enough...but Duquette did a 180 this year and failed

[thundercleetz]

So I actually retract my statement from earlier: Davis, Wieters, Chen... Take the draft picks and let them go. We can't win with these guys, so what's the point in re-signing them well into their mid-30s? If we had a solid starting pitching corps where we could make a legitimate run, I would say do what it takes. We do not have the pitching.

 

Save the money for Machado and Schoop. Sign Parra with the money we offered to Markakis last offseason. Machado will be our three hitter next season, no doubt. Top prospect Trey Mancini will be our first baseman. Joseph has proven he can hit and defend just as well as Wieters, and Clevanger is no slouch. Find another on base guy who can hit near the top of the lineup with Parra. Then focus on pitching pitching pitching.

 

Sure, Duquette's acquisitions didn't work this season. Let's see what he can do this offseason knowing we will have lots of holes to fill. Until we get legitimate starting pitching, it won't matter who plays offense.

[varaven45]

Cleetz,

 

Agreed, especially on paragraph 2. Start building around playmakers and add SP. There a few guys in Triple A Norfolk (e.g. Christian Walker) and AA who can help.

In the meantime, we are looking at a .500 club ( + or -) the next few years unless Angelos and his henchmen shockingly open up their wallets (LOL & LMFAO) and Duquette gets game (also LOL).

I still think Duquette is still hurting/miffed over last years Toronto situation and is just biding his time/. Bad karma.

[dc.]

I wouldn't agree it was a 180, but I do agree he didn't succeed with the strategy this year.

 

If you look at signings like Cruz and Jimenez, they both came after the market cleared. They were relatively cheap, low cost bets. He had a chance to do the same with Kendrys Morales this year and we didn't pull the trigger, which in hindsight looks like a fail given what he did in KC and what we've lacked... But not sure how many other options really fit the mold (of his strategy) this year

[dc.]

Not sure I like the "our AAA guys can do it" model... If they could, there's little reason we wouldn't be seeing them this year with all the other fails so far. I'm convinced our farm is far weaker than we hear.

 

That said, I agree on Wieters. Still torn in Chen and Davis. I'd keep Chen first I think.

[thundercleetz]

Not sure I like the "our AAA guys can do it" model... If they could, there's little reason we wouldn't be seeing them this year with all the other fails so far. I'm convinced our farm is far weaker than we hear.

 

That said, I agree on Wieters. Still torn in Chen and Davis. I'd keep Chen first I think.

For pitching I am not saying use the AAA model. I am saying Duquette found Chen and Gonzo once before, I want to see him buy low on guys with good potential that can be mid to back end starters. I do not want to pay Chen #2 starter money when he can't get past the sixth inning.

 

For hitting, yes we have to be smart on our payroll. Pay Davis and we might not be able to pay Machado. Mancini is an interesting prospect at first, and Christian Walker isn't a bad backup option. Parra seems more in our price range. He likes it on Baltimore and gets along well with our guys. Most importantly he gets on base. I could see the Mets paying Davis big money.

 

Our starting pitching only goes as far as Gausman, Bundy and Harvey take us. Gausman has a lot of skill, but he needs to do a better job of pitching in the first inning and getting guys out on 0-2 counts. Those two situations this year have killed him. I like his gutsiness though. Bundy and Harvey, who knows with their injuries.

[varaven45]

While we are talking about Schoop (and others to retain) - why in the heck is batting 8th ? He's arguably our hottest hitter and should be batting at or near the top of the lineup, in front of or behind Machado. Just sayin .....

[thundercleetz]

Schoop's HR was 484.5 ft!

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/r/video?content_id=417382983

[JPPT1974]

Wow such a HR there!