My favorite part of the baseball offseason? When Orioles fans whine every time a free agent is signed some where other than Baltimore.
For some reason I gets tweets and emails from frustrated fans as though I’m some sort of team spokesman. I get it, you want to see some moves made to improve the ball club, but what are you really frustrated by so far this offseason?
Did you think the Orioles were going to sign Brian McCann? No chance in hell. He was going to Boston or New York. He chose the field with the short porch and signed an $85 million deal over five years. Sure, it’s annoying to see the Yankees improve, but I actually found McCann’s deal to be encouraging. If anything, it should lower Scott Boras’ asking price for Matt Wieters.
What about Jhonny Peralta? Are you upset that the O’s, who were linked to Peralta this fall, didn’t sign him to become Nate McLouth‘s replacement in left field? The 31 year old was given a four-year, $52 million deal with the Cardinals after being 50 games as a result of Major League Baseball’s ongoing investigation in the Biogenesis case. Baseball experts seem to all agree it was a hefty price to pay for his services.
On Monday, the Orioles acquired relief pitcher Brad Brach from the San Diego Padres for minor league starter Devin Jones. Orioles fans grumbled, complaining that the team still hasn’t made an impactful move this offseason — even though it’s November freaking 26th.
Brach was designated for assignment last week after pitching to a 3.19 ERA in 31 innings for the friars in 2013. He’s a strikeout pitcher who the Orioles plan to use in the sixth or seventh inning. Perhaps you recall the O’s struggles in those innings. Last season Orioles pitchers posted a league-worst 5.56 ERA in the sixth and 4.72 ERA in the seventh. They traded a struggling minor leaguer, who Baseball America ranked their 18th prospect, for a serviceable bullpen arm.
So what do you want? What has frustrated you about this offseason?
The Orioles need a left fielder, second baseman, starting pitching help and a strong enough bench to ensure that their everyday players don’t get burned out in September like they did in 2013. Chris Davis and Wieters are potential extension candidates. All of these things can still be achieved before the start of the 2014 season. The pieces are still there, the Birds haven’t missed out on anything yet.
Stay patient. You can get frustrated when they’ve missed out on opportunities, but so far they haven’t.
@Red_Head_Ed I'll research for you. Orioles make $29 million annually on MASN. Yankees make $90 on YES. http://t.co/iHNTJLwhBM
— BalSportsReport (@BalSportsReport) November 25, 2013
MASN revenue has been the looming question mark for years now since the DC deal was made. However, the $29 Million quoted is low. That number only reflects the television rights fees and its been reported to be closer $37 million in 2013. In addition, you have to account for equity stake in MASN for Angelos which is above $50 million. There is also $51.7 million from National TV Deals. And $5 Million from Radio. That puts it closer to $143.7 Million in Revenue. Even if we look at a total revenue stream from Bloomberg, you’re sitting at $210 Million with an estimated $20 Million profit. The money is there. The questions are
should it be spent and will it be spent?
I’m a bit weary of spending now that the Royals had to mess up the market by giving Jason Vargas 4 years/$32M. Wait for the market to die down a little bit.
Yes. The deals that Hudson, Vargas and Lincecum have signed really make me worry about what it’s going to cost to get a legit starting pitcher or even resign one of our own.
Leave it up to Brian Sabean and Dayton Moore to screw up the market for everybody else. Also, this is why I prefer a “build the arms, buy the bats” strategy.
Me thinks this may be a direct response to my phone call lamenting about the O’s offseason, thus far.
Fair enough. The season is wona nd lost ont he field, I just hope that Wieters-Davis-Hardy-Jones window doesn’t come slamming closed before the pitching comes to town.
“Orioles Have Given Fans No Reason To Complain This Offseason”
What is this? Comedy Night at the BSR? If so, that was the best joke of the night!
What’s wrong with Cord Phelps? He could really help the team.
Agreed. ^
I have to agree with 2488 here. This off season has been a joke so far. Sure, we don’t need McCann or Cano but we sure could have used Nolasco. There was even some talk here about trading for him earlier in the season. 4yrs/$48 is a bargain nowadays for a pitcher. The Bach for Jones trade has gotten me all giddy inside thinking about how we are now in World Series contention…not. What is it going to take for you to complain about this off season?
Oriole fans can’t complain about this big transaction the Orioles just made!
Orioles trade money to the Giants for 27 year old, 30th rd. pick Johnny Monel who was designated for assignment!
This is what your getting Oriole fans! You ain’t getting any “A” or “B” type player in a trade or free agent signing. Hell, the way it looks you ain’t getting a “C” type player!
You know I bust on the Orioles quite a bit and most of the time I’m correct. But it’s a freaking pity that this team is a very good team with star players like Jones, Wieters, Davis, Machado, Markakis, Hardy and Tillman and only need one or two “B” type players (pitchers mostly) that would get them deep into the playoffs and possibly the World Series yet Angelos and the GM will not spend the money to get those players instead getting junk players that are designated for assignment or released.
But the best part is that they are looking to disband the team by trading away their best players because their contracts are expiring and they want big money. They proposed a trade to the Cardinals last week that included J.J. Hardy! And they are talking about trading Chris Davis and Matt Wieters because their contracts are up next year and they have Boras as their agent.
This Johnny Monel trade is just another of the cheap crap that they are getting. This is just the latest one as they got 4 other cheap garbage players in the last two weeks.
Face it Oriole fans, it’s the same old crap every freaking year. Angelos and the GM talk it up that they are going after the top players so that you the fan keep paying for those season tickets yet they never follow thru. They do it every year and you clowns keep giving them the money.
This front office isn’t worrying about giving you a team to root for. This front office is worried about saving money and bullshitting their way around it. They don’t care about you.