Over the weekend, I was in Baltimore and was with some friends tailgating right before the Buccaneers/Ravens game. Naturally, with all of us being hardcore baseball fans and as well season ticket holders who sit in the same group, the conversation turned to the Orioles.
We’d not seen each other pretty much since the season ended. Rather than talk about football, we all went back and forth about who the Orioles should get, who should be signed, etc.
We all understand the reality of the situation — however, a few us of in the group were a little dismayed with the results so far in the off-season.
So far, no one in our group of seven has been all that impressed as to what Andy MacPhail has done so far in terms of the free agent market. Then again, there’s still plenty of time for moves to be made – although it was a tad disconcerting to see Victor Martinez end up with the Tigers.
When all was said and done, although the team did finish strong last year, no one thinks that the Orioles will bust out next year and become the San Francisco Giants of 2010. I hate to say it, but from what I see out on the free agent market right now and on the trade front, the Orioles need to keep with their plan.
They need to grow the arms, stock up the minor leagues and keep harvesting talent. Trading for an Adrian Gonzalez or Prince Fielder would be great; however, who do you deal? Chris Tillman? David Hernandez? Zach Britton?
And if you trade prospects, who do you replace them with?
With a plethora of young talent on the team and up-and-comers, will the Orioles make a splash in the off-season that’s left? These days, unless you’re one of big financial powerhouses of the sport, the mantra for most teams have been building from within (especially arms) and retaining young/cheap talent.
I would like the team to go out on the market and get a bat, or an arm, but…
The Orioles have to keep at their program for the sake of the franchise’s future. If it means losing a bit more, then so be it; however, the organization tried to buy players thinking they could make them into viable contenders in the middle of the last decade.
As we know, that didn’t work too well.
Basically, we all contended that the Orioles need to sign someone with a big bat – if anyone – to bolster the lineup.
As some of the names off of the free-agent board, I’m sure fans will grow more impatient as time goes along. It looks like the team has money and is willing to spend it on talent, but it takes two to make a deal…
Let’s hope something – if anything – happens.
