Peter-
How can the O's NOT sign LaRoche at this point?
They signed Huff a few years back, and LaRoche is better, defensively, and far more consistent offensively.
Plus, if Snyder can get hits at DH, then you can trade LaRoche.
I don't know what they are waiting for here.

Matt Holliday .....
Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant (or free agent in this case). At least the Orioles made an effort ;)

Pete,

I am very happy the Orioles did not commit 120 million to a player who is average at best defensively, and has done very little when HE is the biggest bopper in the lineup (i.e. Oakland). With regards to the previous posts stating we should sign LaRoche, I could not disagree more. I mean, if the price was right I am sure he would be an upgrade over Aubrey and it would give Snyder a chance to spend one more season at least in the minors but on the radio today I heard rumors that the Orioles would be interested in trading for Cantu if Florida can not find a suitor for Uggla. Now that is a guy I would prefer over LaRoche, and if anyone here has different opinions I would love to hear them.

Also, I guess the Orioles struck out looking with Chapman as he is likely a Blue Jay or an Angel in the next day.

Who else is left? It seems Andy MacPhail meant all along that we would be competitive in the offseason i.e. be contenders for practically every free agent only to see them sign with our division rivals most of the time. Is that what the plan was about? It certainly seems to me that we are headed for another 90+ loss season. O's well.

Well, Milwaukee(I'm from Chicago by the way, us mid-western boys got to stick together), I do agree with a couple of your points, tho maybe not in the same way.

I'm all for signing LaRouche, but only if there wasn't the specter of Gonzales hanging over everything. If you sign LaRouche, then there's no way you try to trade for Gonzo, unless LaRouche would be part of the deal, and with the Padres looking to jettison salary, I don't know if they would want LaRouche. And it appears there might still be a chance of getting Gonzo.

I also agree that the signing of Holliday at that price was mind boggling. Many ESPN bloggers are wondering about the deal and it does seem to put Albert's future in St. Louis in doubt. When Pujols comes on the market next year, the Yankees will not be players, they have Tex and Albert will not be a DH, the BoSox might be contenders for either Gonzo or Albert, but not both, and that leaves one available.

It could very well be that Andy Mac is saving payroll for the addition of one of those two and the Orioles certainly have the resources to make that splash. Wouldn't it be something that after another year of seasoning for the kids, Mac congratulates them by putting Pujols or Gonzo in the middle of the order? A long shot maybe, but not so far fetched as to think it won't happen.

And you can't tell me that with all of the national buzz about the Orioles youngsters and the chance to play in one of baseball's true shrines, there won't be a FA who might be intrigued about coming here and being part of the solution. The Orioles have a lot to offer a possible free agent, don't think they don't.

I can put up with another 90 loss season(and there's no guarantee it will be 90 losses, I see them coming in some where between 73 and 78 wins) as long as the kids play tough, exciting baseball. As I've said a million times, these young guys are hungry, passionate and have something to prove. They might take their lumps, but the future is indeed bright.

We need to stop thinking and acting like a small market team---we have spent before and can do so now--of course when and where to spend the money is a good question but if we are saying 2 yrs 17 mill is too much for LaRoche we are getting ridiculous.

I have been an avid Orioles fan for about 45 years and I'm fed up. I am dumbfounded that I don't hear more frustration from the Orioles fans...enough is enough.

How many years in a row have I heard at the end of seasons, "we need a #1 starter and a Big bat." How many years have we been without a clean-up hitter or a #1 starter...I can't remember when. How many years have I heard, "well the price tag is too high," it isn't for winnig teams. How could we afford a $97M payroll in 1997, and only two thirds of that 12 years later. I don't recall the TV revenues or the ticket prices going down, as a matter of fact, they have all gone up significantly.

The same rhetoric year after year and the same lousy results. Every year I hear satisfaction because "at least we made an offer," not good enough, someday you have to land someone. I for one have come to believe the contract offers arn't serious, they are ment to pasify the fans...sad part, it works.

Peter A is the worst thing to ever happen to Baltimore. I don't just mean the ball club, I mean the entire city. His ego and greed has taken a great franchise and made it a laughing stock. This thing will never change as long as he is at the helm.

I have been an avid Orioles fan for about 45 years and I'm fed up. I am dumbfounded that I don't hear more frustration from the Orioles fans...enough is enough.

How many years in a row have I heard at the end of seasons, "we need a #1 starter and a Big bat." How many years have we been without a clean-up hitter or a #1 starter...I can't remember when. How many years have I heard, "well the price tag is too high," it isn't for winnig teams. How could we afford a $97M payroll in 1997, and only two thirds of that 12 years later. I don't recall the TV revenues or the ticket prices going down, as a matter of fact, they have all gone up significantly.

The same rhetoric year after year and the same lousy results. Every year I hear satisfaction because "at least we made an offer," not good enough, someday you have to land someone. I for one have come to believe the contract offers arn't serious, they are ment to pasify the fans...sad part, it works.

Peter A is the worst thing to ever happen to Baltimore. I don't just mean the ball club, I mean the entire city. His ego and greed has taken a great franchise and made it a laughing stock. This thing will never change as long as he is at the helm.

Ken,
Nothing personal, but there is no way the O's will sign Pujols or Gonzo when they become free agents. It is going to take more than buzz for one of those guys to play for us. They want to play for franchises that are committed to winning. If they didn't sign Tiex, then they won't do what it takes to sign the other guys either. The O's have made some nice moves regarding recent drafts, and the Bedard trade. But you can't rely solely on the draft, you have to supplement with quality Free Agents if you want to complete in the AL East, not the left overs that we sign year after year.

Peter,
I just read your very nice piece on Alomar and Hirschbeck. I hate to bring it up, but don't I remember that Hirschbeck actually tried to fight Alomar the next day in the locker room because Alomar said something about his son? It was many years ago, so I don't remember the details, but didn't that happen?

We're not gonna be able to attract high-quality, marquee free agents until we're a winning franchise. We're not gonna be a winning franchise until we snag a cuppla high-quality, marquee free agents.

How do we get off this merry-go-round? Slowly and deliberately. An improvement here, an improvement there -- readers of this blog know the drill.

In the American League East, what are the remaining options?

No, not another call for "patience", just a hard look at the way things are. We can indulge our impatience all we like [I sure do, every now and then], but the slow-but-sure approach seems to be the only genuinely feasible path out there to winning-team-hood.

.

Don't fool yourself about Holliday...the Orioles NEVER had any intention on signing him, just like Mark Texiera...they only wanted to be known that they made a bid for both guys. The O's knew what the asking price was, & bid way below the asking on price on purpose. So instead, they sign 3rd rate players a lot cheaper since no one else wants them.

ken, if you go into next season thinking Adrian Gonzalez will be an Oriole you'll hate MacPhail. The man really isn't intent on making big moves(Pujols Mauer, Gonzo), he's counting on the youngsters.

Ok guys, I've got a van with a full tank of gas, blindfolds and a bunch of zip ties. I say a few of us hit the road and kidnap a clean-up hitter and number one starter for the O's. I think it has finally come to this, as the legal means of enticing good players to come to Baltimore have all failed.

David,

Welcome to the Orioles webpage blog. That's right, there are so many in-the-bag Warehouse fanatics who have had gallons of the Kool Aid and can't see from one smoke screen to another. Even the media is so far in the pocket of this mismanaged and underfunded outfit they too make every excuse imaginable and hold no one to accountability! You will find there are a "few" realists posting hear but we are the naysayers, regardless if we are telling the truth, the Kool Aid drinkers are on the bandwagon and see no way off!

Keith,
Great, you included all the following overused juvenile descriptions in one short email. You really ought to buy a dictionary dude. Until then you come across as just another whiny outhouser.
"in the bag warehouse fanatic" wow
"Kool Aid" (drinker) totally original
"smoke screen"
"media in the pocket" haha
"no one to accountability"

"realists" oh all the really smart negative people like you?..
"telling the truth" couldn't remember your regular tag line?
"Kool Aid" twice in one short post...really Keith do some reading man
"bandwagon"
Help!!! we are headed straight to an over 500 reason and I can't stop smiling!!!

I have been a fan of the Orioles since I was a junior Oriole back in the late 60's. The Orioles were a class organization then. They are an embarassment now. All of the excuses about them waiting until they are in a position to win, or big name free agents don't want to play here are just a littany of excuses for not doing what needs to be done to improve this team, namely spend money. The Orioles FO, some fans, and announcers also make the excuse that the AL east is tough, and The Orioles can't afford to spend with the Sox, or the Yankees. Guess what this is the reality, either spend the money to stay in the game, change the rules of the playing field, or get out of the game (Angelos). I am tired of all the excuses, and public relations BS the O's FO rolls out every year for not being competitive. The Oriole fans need to simply boycott the team until Angelos either changes, or leaves. To those afraid ML baseball will take the franchise away from Baltimore without fan support, I don't see that happening. Besides, Angelos is already taking this franchise away, bit by painful bit, like a long lingering disease eroding away at the body, and mind of a formerly very healthy organism.

I have also been a fan of the Orioles since I was a Junior Oriole (albeit in the early '70s). Yes, i also want more to be done, and signings like Kevin Milwood didn't make me rush out to buy season tickets.

That being said, we all need to recognize that McPhail inherited a real mess and has done a great deal to rebuild the infrastructure. We all want it to happen quicker. But those who don't see real progress and a path to competitiveness are hopeless pessimists.

The Orioles look like the Tampa Bay Rays of 2008. I'm not saying they'll get to the WS -- or even the playoffs -- this year. But they have a core of really solid young talent. They've tried the free agent band-aid before and it didn't work, because they didn't have enough organizational depth to supplement a few stars. Now they're getting there.

When was the last time the O's finished above .500? 12 years of rebuilding, signing veteran free agents that do nothing, build up a farm system, blah, blah, blah....If it took 12 years to "rebuild" anything the contractors would be fired....too bad we can't fire the owner. Hopefully, I can still be watching baseball after May - because my team hasn't been mathamatically eliminated.

The O's have everybody fooled. We are just trying to stay under the cap so we can offer LeBron a contract when he becomes a free agent. But seriously sign Bedard(it's worth a chance) get Uggla until the kis ready. And watch the Yanks and Soxs go at it. The days of the signing the Joey Bells or Alomars are gone and so are making the playoffs.

The O's have only been rebuilding for the past 3 years. I wouldn't consider anything Flanagan, et. al. did as "rebuilding".

Welcome to

"watch the kids play"

version 3297.0

Its much cheaper and way more profitable to watch the kids play than guys who can make it all the way

the more things change...........

Trade suggestion: Trade Tillman, Arrieta, Patton, Reimold and Scott for Adrian Gonzales. You still have a starting rotation of Millwood, Guthrie, Matuzs, Bergeson and maybe (Bedard?). Come on Andy, get 'er done, your budget is a measely $61 million come up with the $20 that a long term, big bat requires!!

Hey Ed, why not give the whole team for Gonzalez. He can pitch, hit, field, catch, ....

Hey Hank, based on the financial commitment of about $5 million for the 5 guys I mentioned, I'd say keeping those guys will not help you turn the corner. We keep hearing, "Wait until the kids mature". When that happens Jones, Markakis and Roberts will be deceased!