The 2012 Orioles Winter Thread

Ooops make that 80 games not chances so his fielding is higher than that, but 80 games in 12 years is not really a big enough sample to say he is anything. of course it also isn't enough to say he is not, but we already have at least two guys that are filling that spot and if you got Napoli that would be another. Personally if we can't find anyone else to DH or be a specialist batter and we have room then OK, but I never want to see him even thinking about a mitt. He has a very reasonable price tag, but I think this team is rapidly getting past guys being attractive because they are cheap. They are either part of taking the next step, or they are not. Betemit clearly is not.

Teams don't need to tender a player a contract until Nov 30. I expect some free agent movement to happen now. Makes sense to see if you can get something done early so that way you're not hoping to get something later.

I don't see the Orioles spending the money to get Napoli, Reynolds, Hunter, Saunders and McLouth. That would cost 30-45 million just for this year. I don't see this team spending 115 million and if they are willing to up the payroll that much, they might as well get a star.

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if we don't go after a single impact free agent. Maybe we'll keep Saunders, McLouth or Reynolds if they cost something like 1 yr and 5 million. I see us getting a starter late in the free agent season and making a trade or two. I also see us getting a few other guys out of the bargain bin. Adding Uehara to the club would be nice for the bullpen. You can never have too much talent and he's one of the few elite relievers out there.

I am ready for this offseason as I believe if we make the right moves you will see us take the next step next year. so this is what I think we should do:
1) sign Josh Hamilton to play left field ( if the price gets too high an alternative would be B.J. Upton) 
2)sign Dan Haren He is comming off a down year and shouldn't be too expensive

3) Trade a package built around Avery, Arrietta, and either Andino or another young pitcher for Chase Headly    

4) move Hardy to second base and have Machado play SS( or you could have Machado play second until he gets more experience)
5)resign Mark Reynolds to play 1st base or an alternative would be Napolie
6)Trade a package of some of our major league pitching and minor league position players for an established ace
7) resign Saunders 

1) Sign Hamilton to play left to a 4 yr 105-110 mil contract with an option for a 5th yr if that wont't get it done then sign B.J. Upton to a 5 yr 55-60 mil contract

2) Trade Avery Arrietta and 2 other players for Chase Headly 

3)  Sign Dan Haren to a 3 yr 21-27 Mil contract

4) Trade a Package of Britton, E. Rodriguez, Miguel Gonzalez, N. Reimold For Billy Butler

5) Resign Saunders to a 2 yr 14 mil contract

6) Sign Uehara to a 3 yr 12 mil contract

7) Trade Betemit and Andino either as part of the Previous trades or as salary dumpfor minor league arms

8) release Roberts or move him to coaching if possible trade him   

9) Resign Quintanilla to a 1yr 1.5 mil contract
 
Rotation
Haren
Hammel
Chen
Tillman
Saunders
Lineup
Markakis(RF)
Butler(DH or 1st)
Jones(CF)
Hamilton(LF)
Weiters(C)
Davis(1st or DH)
Headly(3rd)
Machado(SS)
Hardy(2nd)
Bullpen       
Jim Johnson(CL)
Uehara
Strop
O'day
Ayala
Patton(Lefty Specialist)
S Johnson(Long man)   
Bench
Reimold(4th OF)
Teagarden
Flaherty
Quintanilla    
 Top Minor League Help(Players who could possibly help us this year not prospect rankings)
Dylan Bundy(SP)
Kevin Gausman(SP)
L.J. Hoes(OF)   
Jonathan Schoop(2nd, SS, 3rd)
Brandon Klien(RP)
Joe Mahoney(1st)
Mike Wright(RP)   

I get your point O dawg but only the Orioles know what they are gonna spend and what they are willing to spend. I dont think they are gonna put a cap on what they want to spend. Rather if it makes sense to spend the money they will.

I look at a few things from around the leagues. Of course if depends on what you want to believe. But apparently the Mets arent gonna be players at all on the free agent front. Their focus is to try and sign David Wright long term. There is also a belief that they will sell high and trade R.A. Dickey while they have that option. Hes 38 and more than likely is gonna win the Cy Young. His stock wont ever get any higher, especially since hes only at 5 million dollars.

When the look at the Orioles and there un williness to give contracts higher than 2 or 3 years for pitchers. Trading for Dickey makes a high level of sense. The question is what is the asking price and would they ask the O's to take a contract like Jason Bay on and would the O's be willing to take that on? But when you look at everything I think Dickey makes sense. It was Buck Showalter who encouraged Dickey to learn how to throw the knuckleball and I have no idea if Dickey has any right to decline a trade somewhere but if that was in play I cant see him blocking a trade to head back to re unite with Buck.

The other New York team doesnt appear to want to bring back Kuroda because he is only interested in a one year deal and than return to Japan. To my knowledge the Yanks didnt put in a qualifying offer for Kuroda, now the Dodgers have interest in bringing him back, but regardless of who gets him, it will be for only one year.

He makes sense here as well, given that the O's dont want to give out multi year contracts to pitchers. If the starting 5 where Dickey, Chen, Hammel, Kuroda and Tillman - thats quite an improvement from starting off last year.

I agree with you partially Devil, but I think it can be a bit of both. They'll be willing to go over what they want to pay if they see a major upgrade like they did for Vlad in 2011. But I think that means they'll want to spend 90 million but will be willing to go to 100 million if they find the right deal. If they are willing to spend 125 million then that means things get interesting.

Kuroda was given a qualifying offer by the Yankees. I expect him to be back and I wouldn't be surprised if he went for two years. There's a reason he hasn't agreed to 1 and 13 yet.

Dickey would be a nice upgrade. If the Mets want to trade him it's worth looking into.

[http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/ra-di
ckey/]


The idea was floated a couple of times that they would move him and why and I think by different people. Now that may mean nothing, but normally where there is smoke and logic - fire isnt far behind.

A lot of good points where made. One was the effectiveness of knuckleballers past the age of 40 with Dickey turning 38 and a team that isnt gonna be players on the free agent front, it would make more sense to part ways with him, while his stock is at an all time high.

1) Sign Hamilton to play left to a 4 yr 105-110 mil contract with an option for a 5th yr if that wont't get it done then sign B.J. Upton to a 5 yr 55-60 mil contract

2) Trade Avery Arrietta and 2 other players for Chase Headly 

3)  Sign Dan Haren to a 3 yr 21-27 Mil contract

4) Trade a Package of Britton, E. Rodriguez, Miguel Gonzalez, N. Reimold For Billy Butler

5) Resign Saunders to a 2 yr 14 mil contract

6) Sign Uehara to a 3 yr 12 mil contract

7) Trade Betemit and Andino either as part of the Previous trades or as salary dumpfor minor league arms

8) release Roberts or move him to coaching if possible trade him   

9) Resign Quintanilla to a 1yr 1.5 mil contract

No way in hell do I want Upton....and if we were to accomplish numbers 1 and 3 I think that would makes us have a higher payroll than the Redsox and I don't see that happening, ever.

No way in hell do I want Upton....and if we were to accomplish numbers 1 and 3 I think that would makes us have a higher payroll than the Redsox and I don't see that happening, ever.

Have to agree on Upton...BJ that is.  Would take Justin in a heartbeat.  No way you see Hamilton in an O's uniform for that much money and that many years.  DD is not that stupid.

The trades you proposed to get Butler and Headley are Fantasy baseball trades.  They don't happen in real life.  The Padres would probably be open to trading Jed Hoyer who I would not mind getting to be Machado's partner (Machado back at SS) on the left side after next year.  

The signing of Alexi Casilla probably means the end of Robert Andino and/or Quintanilla in an O's uniform.  If they resign Q, it will probably be a minor leage deal and an invite to ST.    

Koji Uehara is 42 y.o. with a history of injuries.  Sign him to a 3 yr deal?  A one year deal with a 2nd year team option.....maybe.

Not sure what I'd give for Haren.  He can be dominant, but has also had a history of back issues that flared up again last year. 

Roberts, if healthy enough to play, will be starting at 2B next year. 

The only thing you said that makes sense are the tades of Andino and Betemit for some low end AA/AAA depth.  That's about all they might be worth. 

The O's are not the Yankees.  Even the Red Sox realize they are not the Yankees with their salary dumps last year.  Signing aging big name injury prone players (Hamilton,Upton, Haren) to long-term contracts is not the answer.  DD has the right philosophy...build through the farm system, sign players that will help in a particular area, look to the foreign markets (Chen), and look for diamonds in the rough (Gonzalez. McLouth, Q, etc...).     

Koji is 36 not 42 but the injury problems are valid. He still should net another 2 yr deal with an option for a 3rd year whether its here or not.

Hamilton is a pipe dream.

Ssying Haren has a history of back issues is just ludicrous. He is most likely the most durable pitcher of this generation. He had 7 straight years of 216 or more innings until this year, during which he struggled with he struggled with back injuries, yes, but still threw 175 innings. Not only is he consistant, he's consistantly GOOD. He's had an ERA of in the 3's or lower all but one of those 7 years, something no Orioles pitcher other than Jeremy Guthrie has done multiple times in seasons with more than 30 starts since Mike Mussina (and Guthrie only did it twice). If Haren gets too expensive I don't want him because he showed alarming signs last year, but to call him injury-prone is borderline insanity.

Well now reports are saying the O's have interest in Cody Ross and Josh Hamilton.

Ross I believe, Hamilton. Angelos won't open up his wallet for this one and I really don't blame him for it. Hamilton is looking for way too much money and he is too injury prone.

As with Ross, I'd rather just re-sign McClouth.  

Saw that report as well. Hamilton would really, really want to play here, just dont see it. Thats a very expensive outfield if they added him.

But the more interesting report I just saw was that Juan Nieves is gonna be named Bostons pitching coach which means Rick Peterson will not be and more than likely remain here.

Retaining Rick Petersen, IMO, is one of the most important things we have to do this offseason. I know he's overlooked because he's a coach, but we need to keep him around. If he wants to be a pitching coach at the major league level, give it to him. It's not that Adair has been bad at his job, but Petersen is a genius when it comes to pitching. Lock him up. I would also prefer McLouth and I too don't think we'll be giving Hamilton all that money.

But the more interesting report I just saw was that Juan Nieves is gonna be named Bostons pitching coach which means Rick Peterson will not be and more than likely remain here.

thats an interesting turn of events.  I could have sworen I heard over the weekend that Peterson was all but signed by Boston.  Hey, I'm glad/hoping we keep him.

And we are about to lock up Buck long term..................good deal!!