Sell the team Peter Angelos!!!!!!!!!

Hey can somebody call the warehouse and let them know the hot stove is going down? Is McFailed taking a break from it this season? Not even making a play for A-Gon? Where is all this money we are supposed to have?

It's amazing pete that while you are on vacation you are still thinking of me. Again i take this as a compliment. How come you are the only sun reporter that never say's anything negative about the orioles. Why your fellow reporter kevin cowardeven took a pot shot at you in today's edition and of course i think he is 100% right. You are just like the kool aid drinkers pete falling for that kevin millwood trade , while i think it was a good trade all it did was quite the natives down a litlle. The only thing left for andy to do is sign the leftovers that nobody else wants. See you call that playing his cards close to his vest i call it buying more time. Dan duquette was quoted on the radio yesterday saying that the orioles won't be ready to compete until at least 2012. You don't find nothing wrong with that do you. By that time brian roberts will be 35 years old and ineffective, we will have gone through at least 2 more shortstops, because this is ituris's last year. We still don't have a hitter in our lineup to protect nick, we still don't have a first or 3rd baseman, we still don't have a closer.Boston and the yankee's just keep getting stronger and instead of going all in once in awhile all andy does is fold before he even gets to the river card. Pete when andy becomes the next commish i can see your article right now. AT LEAST THE ORIOLES ARE BTTER OFF NOW THEN BEFORE HE CAME. STLL in 4th place 20 games out. I will continue to quote ED NORTON IN THE ROUNDERS WHEN HE TOLD KINISH TO KEEP UP THAT NOBLE WORK PETE .

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Pete's reply: I'm just glad you haven't lost your sense of humor.

Man, do I like the way Cowherd thinks!!! Problem is McFail (spelled correctly) is the perfect "last place GM". He just doesn't get it and never will. He's like that street person who laments "I should have". The guy, who, by the way, is the one that put 2010 in our sights, is like Angelos and doesn't give a crap about this team. As long as they sell just enough hot dogs to keep Angelos in the 10 digit tax bracket they're fine with it. The O's are losing their entire fan base and rightfully so. These boneheaded morons need to go. They don't belong with the likes of the Yankees, Red Sox, or Rays......not enough class. To trade for Kouzmanoff and/or Gonzalez is completely absurd to them. Makes too much sense and gives the O's instant credibility which is a direct threat to selling hot dogs. Sure, trade prospects....most don't pan out anyway. Both Kouz and Gonz are young and proven........JUST DO IT for crying out loud.

Peter-
The point is, if the Sox get AG, its over. There is no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

They'll be playing for 3rd place every year. I can't believe everyone is so complacent with this.

bob -

Dan Duquette also said that Roger Clemens was in the "twilight of his career" after the 1996 season. Clemens went on to pitch for 11 more seasons, winning 162 more games while posting a 3.21 ERA in his post-Boston career. Oh, and he also won back to back Cy Young Awards with the Blue Jays in '97 and '98 just after leaving Boston. Ouch.

And while Clemens was winning 20 games and taking the 2001 Yankees to the World Series, Duquette was going delusional, defending himself by saying that the Red Sox "spent more days in first place" in 2001 than the Yanks did. Sorry, Dan, but first place only matters when you're there after game 162.

When are you ever going to stay true to your word and leave, bob?

blacione- Yeah, let's go all in when we aren't there yet. Let's throw all our chips in the middle- trade away the pieces we've acquired that might actually make a difference in the future- go get some power hitting first baseman who will be gone in 2 years- and be happy that we came in 3rd place this year and finished a game above .500.

A) You're an arrogant, ignorant, idiot for thinking you know more than MacPhail... and
B) What kind of schmuck (no pun intended) worries so much about someone else's job security. Sounds like a certain kind of envy to me...

Okay, maybe the pun was intended...

After looking over the trade details with Halladay/Lee et al., I wonder why we can't get into the mix on a big deal...not that one, though...read on.

Three prospects got the M's a top of the rotation starter and three prospects got the Phillies an arguably better top of the rotation starter.

The question bothering me is based on the assumption that good pitching is more valuable than good batting (whether through free agency or home grown). That is what I always hear...pitching wins games more than bats.

So, if pitching is so much more valuable, then why is there all this speculation that the O's would have to sell the farm, so to speak to get the big bat in Gonzalez?

Shouldn't we be able to make an offer with some decent ML ready, but not superstar players, and some highly touted prospects that won't interfere with "The Plan?"

The farm is beginning to have a surplus of pitching and they can't all possibly pitch for the O's in the next few years, because they will either not pan out or there simply is no room for them, if they all do pan out...right?

A BIRD in the hand is worth two (or three or four) in the bush!!

And for those who say, "oh no, not another Glenn Davis debacle!!" remember Gonzalez is only 28!!

We are a young team trying to get better, and it seems banking on all these prospects may be a little shortsighted...yes, I said shortsighted...a balance of prospects with PROVEN talent is how all the greats have done it...let's return to greatness!

How 'bout them O's!!

After looking over the trade details with Halladay/Lee et al., I wonder why we can't get into the mix on a big deal...not that one, though...read on.

Three prospects got the M's a top of the rotation starter and three prospects got the Phillies an arguably better top of the rotation starter.

The question bothering me is based on the assumption that good pitching is more valuable than good batting (whether through free agency or home grown). That is what I always hear...pitching wins games more than bats.

So, if pitching is so much more valuable, then why is there all this speculation that the O's would have to sell the farm, so to speak to get the big bat in Gonzalez?

Shouldn't we be able to make an offer with some decent ML ready, but not superstar players, and some highly touted prospects that won't interfere with "The Plan?"

The farm is beginning to have a surplus of pitching and they can't all possibly pitch for the O's in the next few years, because they will either not pan out or there simply is no room for them, if they all do pan out...right?

A BIRD in the hand is worth two (or three or four) in the bush!!

And for those who say, "oh no, not another Glenn Davis debacle!!" remember Gonzalez is only 28!!

We are a young team trying to get better, and it seems banking on all these prospects may be a little shortsighted...yes, I said shortsighted...a balance of prospects with PROVEN talent is how all the greats have done it...let's return to greatness!

How 'bout them O's!!

Contending teams chase the Roy Halladays, Cliff Lees and Lackeys of the World, whereas MacPhail goes after no names who have achieved squat, in the name of rebuilding. How long can you rebuild for? The Marlins rebuild every two-three years while wining 2 World Series in the process.

Were are all the drum beaters who were saying there are no significant free agents and trades to be made with regards to pitching. Those who wanted 'em got 'em. Angelos did not want to spend money and he didn't even try. Deja vu all over again. Wake up fans and stop supporting this pathetic organization.

PETE:

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE talk to someone in the O's front office, we need to trade for ADrian Gonzales and Kevin Kouzminoff as a package...

it would be a perfect fit for us and SD is open to trading both of them

Anonymous -

I'm still waiting for an answer from the "realists" on these questions:

1. Roy Halladay. Who would trade to acquire him? Do you think the Orioles, at this point, could afford to pay a pitcher $25M+ per for his 34, 35 and 36-year-old seasons, plus another $25M+ vesting option for his 37-year-old year?

2. Cliff Lee. The only reason the Phillies traded Lee is because he wants to test the free agent market after the 2010 season and therefor, wouldn't work with them on an extension. Who would you trade to acquire Lee? What would be the point of giving up whoever you would be willing to trade for a guy who's going to be available for the 2011 season?

3. John Lackey. You wanted the O's pay a guy with a serious history of elbow issues more than five years and more than $16.5M per year? Really?

Also, follow your own advice. "Stop supporting this pathetic organization". And that goes for all of you: blancione, wayne and all the other "realists". Sure, you can talk about how you're just trying to spread truth and speak out against a horrible organization, but if you have really given up on this team, as you all say you have, you wouldn't care enough to be here.

I'm disappointed that the O's aren't making a play for Adrian Gonzalez. Orioles should absolutely go after Adrian Gonzalez even if it means giving up Matusz. I'll sign Bedard first and then start out with an offer of Bergesen, Arrieta, Pie and Snyder and take it up from there. Orioles need a cleanup hitter badly, and even though Prince Fielder is going to become available next year the possibility of his joining the O's is remote.

Good Lord, here ya go again.

Kevin Cowherd is no more a reporter than Ron Burgundy. He's a second rate columnist who was removed from sports years ago so that he could rant Jerry Seinfeld fashion about the most inane things he could think of. When the Sun ran off its other sports columnists, we were left with this cheesy impostor from the features desk. Please.

Thank the lord for people like Schmuck, Zrebek and Connolly because Cowherd just doesn't get it.

As for the rest of you, it is amazing how you think that you know more than MacPhail(proper spelling). Rather than trust a bunch of know-nothings, I'll trust my team to a guy that was instrumental in the building of one world series team and another that was on the cusp(and got done in by a silly manager).

Sure, Adrian Gonzalez would look good in black and orange, so would ARod, Jeter, Beckett and Albert. If you trade for Gonzo, fine you fix one part of the team. What about the parts you traded? I've heard some people say it's OK to trade guys like Tilman, Matusz and Arrieta. OK. Then what are you going to do about your pitching? Makes no sense.

And for oldetoys to say most prospects don't pan out anyway just might be the most absurd thing anyone has ever written on one of these complaint blogs. Most prospects don't pan out? Really? Tell it to Murray, Ripken, Roberts, Palmer, Brooks, DeCinces, Grich, Markakis, et al. You remember them, don't you? They are just some of the prospects that did turn out, you ignorant oaf.

And blancione, another genius, why do you insist on living in the past? Sure, the Orioles became a laughing stock over the past decade, no one will deny it. But can't you see that this team is on the right track? Or are you so wrapped up in what happened five years ago that you can't see it?

There are plenty of 1B candidates on the roster right now, as pointed out two weeks ago by the astute crew of Davis, Wood and Johnson. You could do a lot worse than Mike Aubrey, for example, he of the slump proof swing in the mold of Mark Grace, I certainly hope you've heard of him.

And Wigginton, who certainly did not have the type of season for which we had hoped, statistically is no worse than many options on the market. Some of you want to blow 65m over five years for Adrian Beltre? Are you people on something? Sure, he is a great fielding 3B, so is Melvin Mora, but on offense, he has stunk up the joint. He has decent power, yes, but a guy with an OBP the past five years in the low 300s and poor secondary numbers is not worth the 25 HRs you might get.

And Kouzmanoff, Mr. career OBP of .308? Yup, just what need. Another guy of dubious power with poor on base numbers. Just the thing you brain surgeons would want here.

It's been said a million times, building a winning team in any sport takes time and patience. We have the time, but patience is what most of you lack. Until you learn some, until you get your collective heads out of the paper sack, you will not be able to appreciate what is going on here.

Losing for 3 years and not trying is not a plan

Here's a trade that would bring the O's Gonzales and Kouzminoff but I caution you don't get something for nothing. The O's get the two but give up Tillman, Brian Snyder (or Aubrey), Josh Bell and Jake Arrietta (or David Hernandez). This trade gives four top tier prospects in return for two young players one of whom solves the O's middle of the order problem for years. Of course, the O's would only make the trade if they could work out a long term deal with Gonzales.

The O's starting rotation would still be fine especially id]f they were to add Bedard to the mix. They should also go after a closer and a lefty set up guy. There would still be pitching prospects in the minors and the O's would be very competitive.

If AGon comes to the AL East via a team other than the O's (see, for example, Boston), we'll see how good our young arms develop by continually getting beat around by a steady flow of all-star caliber hitters.

Let's face it, we need a middle of the lineup basher to even out the offense. Nick needs some real protection or he will never develop to full potential.

I like Sudhir's idea of Bergeson, Arrieta, Snyder and Pie for AGon. Don't know if SD takes it, but it's a good start. We'd only then have one rotation spot open, which we could fill by a one-year incentive-laden deal with a guy like Bedard or Sheets. I would miss Pie's hussle, but a back-up outfielder is not too hard to find (if we were not to use Montanez). I know we have another decent first base prospect in the lower levels of the system (forgetting the name at the moment), so Snyder isn't going to be missed too much since we would have AGon for two years while we developed a replacement. Also, while Arrieta may be a future 2 or 3 starter, he'd be worth unloading if we could get a 40+ homer guy.

If SD doesn't take our offer, we should go straight to Detroit and try to pry away Cabrera. We can afford it.

To Ken, while I agree with you that Aubrey is promising, he's most likely never going to be a number 4 power hitteer anywhere clsoe to Gonzales. Thsoe guys are very rare and two teams in the AL East have them. Frankly, I'm not satisified with competing evry year for 3rd in the east and we'll never get betond that without a big bat in the number 4 hole. He will be expensive and yes we'd be giving up potential strong starting pitchers and Bell looks better in the long run than Kouzminoff, I get that. But the pitching cupboard won't be bare. We'll still have Berkesen, Matuz and either Hernandez or Arrietta and guys like Patton and Erbie in the minors. The O's starting pitching, especially if they add a healthy Bedard would be solid. Yes they wouldn't match up with the 1&2 starters of the Yanks, Sox and Rays but the numbers 3-5 would be arguably better and the lineup would produce runs. Roberts, Jones, Markakis Gonzales, Weiters, Reimould, Kouzminoff, Scott and Iztaurus. Not bad at all.

THE ORIOLES COMPETING FOR THIRD ??!?

DID SOMEONE CONTRACT TAMPA AND TORONTO ? LOL

I'd rather try and pry Smoak away from Texas than go after Gonzo. You'd give up a lot less. If you offer a top prospect like Arrietta, they might listen.

Then you could look at having the Goose Creek Connection (Wieters and Smoak are from the same S.C. town) hitting in the middle of your order for years to come.

People, you need to relax a little. I think the stress of the holidays is getting to most of you. Some of the posts that I read on here resemble what I hear and read in the Detroit market about the Lions. Most Lions fans are at the breaking point and are calling for a housecleaning in the front office. Similarly to what the new Lions regime is experiencing, McPhail came on board with nothing left in the cupboard. Clearly, a lot of O's fans are reaching the same point of frustration as seen in Detroit. Although a level of frustration is understandable, McPhail has done an admireable job at replenishing the talent pool. For the last 10 years, the O's have been signing re-treads via free agency and obviously this hasn't worked well. Free agency only works when the player is still in peak production years. Most times teams pay for what a player once did and not what they will do now or in the future. I can't understand why anyone would want to sign Beltre at his asking price. Wiggy would put up more impressive numbers as an everyday player. Face it, the O's are not going to be a factor this year or even approach .500. Beltre is not going to be a difference maker. Perhaps Weiters will be the much needed power bat in the middle to protect Nick. My point is, let's see what we have in these young players. The outfield is going to be excellent, and the staff has a chance to be very good. Allow McPhail the time to tweak the infield over the next 2 years and this team will be contending. A-Gon would be nice, but at what price? The free agent pool is pretty thin this year but if Aubrey et al don't work out, maybe we can land Carlos Pena next year...patience people, patience!!

andy macfail taking the low key approach to signing free agents.when the players he has talked about are signed by other teams.he will come out saying how hard he tried to sign them,it is all balonie. like i said in an earlier post you snonoze you lose.

BLancione... that Cowherd article is as idiotic as many of the posters on here. Cowherd isn't even a sports writer. You don't make this kin of move until you are a move away from getting to the top.

What good does dumping out top pitching talent for a pretty good (not elite) first baseman do? We will be back to the All Hit, No Pitch 90's... win 95 games with a 5.15 team ERA and crumble a year later.

The Red Sox are talking about giving up Buchholz and their top prospect for AGonzo. Its not worth it at this point. Sick and tired fans or not...

So ummm why haven’t the Orioles introduced Millwood yet? Could it be that he’s not coming near Baltimore until he’s required to do so? Yep the guy is a great fit here…

I got a new idea for the popular TV show the biggest loser. The show should take a break from overweight people and shift its focus to helping bad baseball teams. The Orioles could be the first season because they are one of the league’s worst. The way the show fixes the orioles is by bringing in good execs like Cashman and Theo Epstein. When Angelos and Mcfail start to tell the plan of losing and making people think they can’t compete Theo Epstien would punch them in the face repeatedly until they make deals and bring in real baseball players.

Good thought, Chris.

Unfortunately, I doubt Smoak would be available, as he's close to big league ready and the Rangers could just move Chris Davis to DH when Smoak makes the jump.

Yonder Alonso (.293/.378/.459 in the minors) from Cincy might be more available though, as he's blocked by Joey Votto.

Might also make sense to ask Florida about Gaby Sanchez (.302/.393/.485), as they've got Jorge Cantu at first for the time being and Logan Morrison coming up pretty quickly.

Compare the numbers to Brandon Snyder's .282/.345/.442 line.

Free Agents don’t want to come to Baltimore because Peter Angelos won’t allow them to come to Baltimore. We have the worst owner in all of sports. If The Orioles would get A-Gon or some big time free agent this offseason it would finally send a message to the starving fans the Orioles are serious and finally trying again. It would get people talking and maybe even ESPN would mention the Orioles in a positive light for the first time in 10 years or so.

Theo Epstein punches Angelos in the face every time the Red Sox come to Baltimore. The Sad thing is Angelos gladly takes it for the money! :)

Chis S -

Kind of funny that you call Epstein and Cashman "good execs". Epstein's made some decent trades, but it would have been interesting to see him keep Pedro, Manny and Ortiz in Boston without a $150M budget.

And Cashman is the biggest joke out there. Aside from throwing the biggest piles of money at the best free agents available, what has he done? If I didn't know that he worked his way to the top after being hired as an intern, I wouldn't be surprised if someone told me that the Yanks thought it would be funny to have a GM named Cash Man, so they just looked up Brian Cashman in the phone book and gave him the job.

I'd like to see a reality show called "No More Money" where Epstein trades places with Dayton Moore and The Cash Man trades places with Billy Beane. "See what happens when two guys who are used to having unlimited resources have to get creative to field a good baseball team.

Good points, not brooks.

But what am I gonna do with all these Goose Creek Connection shirts I had manufactured?

I'm not that high on Alonso since he just touched AA, but I definitely think he'd be more available. Same with Sanchez. I just don't think they have the potential that Smoak does (which is to be the next Gonzo/Tex/whathaveyou).

Here is a great Q & A from an ESPN baseball chat today:

"Grant (VA)

A blog for the Baltimore Sun said that the Orioles should make a run for A-Gon. First, could the O's put together a package to swing the deal. Second, do you think the O's should try to land a big bat to compete in the AL East.

Jerry Crasnick (4:45 PM)

Grant, Adrian Gonzalez only works as the missing piece for a contending team with a deep farm system and a lot of prospects to trade. That's why Boston is a potential fit. The Orioles aren't even a .500 club right now. And to land Gonzalez, they'd have to give up so much young talent, the team around him would stink. It just doesn't make sense."

Why is it that some people just can't seem to graps this?

Can't we just go the cheaper route and hire Greg Anderson to get Markakis, Reimold, Bell and Snyder on the Barry Bonds HGH workout?

Hey pete, It's not quite the wine country that California but there are some REALLY nice vintages coming out of Oregon if you keep your eyes open.

Joe Crede?

Now I can sleep at night. Sign me up for those World Series tickets.

Who cares if the Red Sux get A. gonzalez. We got Crede man.

BLancione, you have no clue what you are talking about. Please put your fat bald head back into your security cap and leave the sports to the real fans

I'm trying to read the tea leaves here, and it appears to me that a deal between the Red Sox and the Padres for Gonzalez may already have been struck. It's hard to understand the signing of Cameron unless the plan is to trade Jacoby Ellsbury and replace him with Mike. Otherwise, Cameron would be the weakest hitting left fielder in the history of Bosox. Likewise, the signing of Lackey allows the Red Sox to trade Clay Buchholz. It makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

I'm kind of stuck in the middle on all this.

I'm grateful for Andy's patience the last couple of years and glad he's resisted the urges to make big trades or dumb signings.

However, we're now at the stage of our rebuilding phase where it's time to start making some calculated moves and taking risks.

If we go after Kouz and Gonzalez, there's a two-fold advantage: not only do we get them, but we keep AGon away from the Sox.

I believe if we had Kouz and Gonzalez at the corners (even if we had to giave awaya one or two of our young pitchers to get them), this team would be a wild card contender next year (assuming we can find a reliable closer).

Some young teams (ie: Rays, Marlins) have caught lightning in a bottle in recent years and had everything click with their young players in order to make a WS run.

This year's O's have that potential, but they call it lightning in a bottle for a reason...it's not likely that'll happen.

I say make the trade...then even if we finish in 3rd again, the fans will have no one to gripe at but themselves.

Either way, it'll put butts in the seats and make the O's an exciting team to watch, game in and game out.

Hey pop goes the weasel i forgot more about sports then you will ever know.

bob - Your original post is void. You quoted Dan Danquette. Come on, man...

Sudhir - The Red Sox do have a history between the Jim Rice era and Manny Ramirez/Jason Bay era. After Rice was done, Mike Greenwell played left field for the Sox for nearly a decade. After Greenwell, Troy O'Leary was usually out there before Manny signed with Boston in 2002. I'd take Mike Cameron's bat and defense over Greenwell or O'Leary in a heartbeat.

Christopher - If they can grab a couple of bats for the corners and the young starters put it all together at the same time, the O's could put up a surprise season like the Marlins did in 2008.

Let's be honest 2010 will be a rebuilding year just like the last 11 years have been. Maybe the free agent class next year will be better, but who says we will throw the money at them. We didn't throw the money at Tex, why would be do it with Fielder. The O's have been a laughing stock in the toughest division in baseball. We will have to overpay to bring in the big names. You have to make it worth it to the players to have to go up against the Yanks and Red Sox - it is draining. Look what it did to Miggy.

why bother with this team

Hey, blancione,
I have forgotten more about baseball than you will ever know.

Pete, I'm holding down the O's westcoast outpost in Berkeley, Ca. Pop thru, I'd love to take you and yours to a great dinner at one of the local spots that fly like our Birds..uh, under the radar.

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Pete's reply: Thanks for the kind offer. I kind of blew through on I-5 last night on the way to Redding, then on to Bandon. But I'll be back one of these days.

Tom,

I'm not saying Aubrey is the answer at 1b or the fourth place hitter we all want. All I'm saying is that he has the potential of being a very good two, three, six, seven type. He is a gap hitter, line drives, a solid contact swing. He was blocked in Cleveland by Hafner and Garko and we might have lucked into something with him, just as we lucked into Guthrie(whom we all know is not as bad as he showed last year).

Let's put it this way, if we can get Gonzales without giving up two of the big three(Tillman, Arrieta, Matusz) and we can sign him long term(and he is gonna want Teixera money at the very least) then do it. Say, one of Tillman or Arrieta or Matusz, and Snyder, one or two younger guys, like Erbe or Spoon, and maybe throw-in a Luke Scott or some combination there of, see if SD will do it.

You can keep Kouzamanoff, I'd rather they give the job to Bell or Waring, or bring back Mora.

Remember, if the Orioles don't get the likes of Gonzales, it is not the end of the world. There are other options out there. I'm hearing talk, for example, of Pie, Snyder and a young pitcher for Butler, I would do that. I also like Pineiro and LaRouche, I wouldn't mind the Orioles going after those guys.

And if nothing gets done(which I doubt will happen), then all I can say is, MacPhail knows what he is doing, far more than the peanut gallery out in Birdland. What else can we say?

Keep the faith, my bothers and sisters.

Topic for dinner discussion: Orioles taking in 120 Million in revenue yet only having payroll of 45 Million! ok, maybe the truth is not good for digestion.

Hey blancione, I've forgotten more about point spreads than you will ever know.

Joe Crede? LOL! How about craig Worthington or Leo Gomez instead?

Bring back Mora? I would rather have Wayne Gross or Todd Cruz R.I.P, Todd.

Anyone seen the Zrebiec article about Mike Gonzalez?

I can honestly say that I'm shocked.

Yahoo Sports says the deal is for two years and $12M along with incentives that could push the value up.

$6M per for a 32-year-old reliever with a 2.57 ERA, a 10.6 K/9 and a 2.73 K/BB ratio (all career numbers) sounds pretty good to me.

Wonder how the league transition will treat him...

WOW! All of a sudden the BP looks pretty good. 12 million probably means he's the closer and he's been good at it. Who does that put in the mix out there?

Gonzalez, Johnson, Koji, Mickilio, Meredith, Hernandez, Hendrickson (like to see him back in the pen), and room for one more if they gotta carry 13 P.

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Pete's reply: He looks like the closer to me.

not brooks-

It shouldn't be that hard. He's coming from the NL West which isn't much easier. I think he'll adjust.

With a career 166 ERA+, I'm sure he'll be fine. I'd be drooling if he can put up the same year as he had in '04.

What did McPhail say coming into this job? He said that we needed to restock the farm system and develop players from within. He has done that. The young arms we have are as good as anyone in baseball. I was reading some baseball website today, which I think any intelligent person would know has writers that are 100 times more knowledgeable than us fans, that said our farm system is stocked these days. McPhail is batting a thousand with the Bedard trade, the drafting of Weiters, and the Pie trade just to name a few moves.
We are almost there fellas. Let Tillman, Matusz, and Bergensen get some starts under their belts. Let Jones, Weiters, and Reimold get some more at bats under their belts. The future is bright.
I pretty sure we did enough bitching from 1998 to 2008 that we should have gotten over it all by now. I've found patience and I like what I see with this team.
I'd love to get AGon but I don't want to give up any of our current young starters or Arrieta. I like the idea of giving the young guys one more year of seasoning and then throw the house at Fielder. Wow, I think that would finalize this lineup for years to come.
I'm sorry for what I'm about to say but it seems to me that most of the posters on here are extremely stupid. If you can't see what McPhail has done and how good this team is going to be you just are just completely clueless. You guys are only a handful of the milions of Orioles fans out there but you are the ones that I have to read comments from. I know what my mom would say "Don't read them then."

Pete - no need to post this but hope your enjoy your trip to Oregon. The south coast is remarkable. I highly recommend Harris Beach and Loeb State Park up the Chetco River. Always wanted to play Bandon Dunes but too $$$ for me.

Rumor has it the weather is going to clear up at least up here by Portland. But to be honest it's climate, not weather. Spring for us will start in February. It just lasts 'til June.

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Pete's reply: Thanks. I won't be playing Bandon Dunes either. I'm still banged up. Just here visiting family and then headed back on Friday. I used to spend more time up here when I was a teenager -- had an uncle in Oregon City -- and have always loved the state.

Good post , Ken. I'm actually glad we have Atkins for one year because he will bridge the gap before Bell shows up and I'm very happy to get Bell. My point was you don't get a slugger like A. Gonzales without taking on some hurt but I agree that your proposed package may seal the deal, as long as the O's are allowed to negotiate a long term contract. I believe he's tied up for two more years so I'd guess a 3-5 year extension beyond that for $18 mil a year may get it done.

Where are all the MacPhail and Angelos bashers now that Gonzalez and Atkins are in the fold, with more to follow?