Official offseason thread

[bdiddy74]

Figured we needed a thread to discuss the team activities now that the season is over.

[rkelly7]

I agree! What an Omazing year! Here is what I think the O's should look into this offseason:

1. We need an ace starter. We do, it is what can take us to the next level. We don't want to trade Bundy or Machado, and outside of them, our minor league depth will not net us an ace. So I think we should look for a good gamble bet here. That is Dan Haren. He had an off year, but he was amazing in 2011 and has been a horse his whole career. The Angels are likely to decline his option, so he will be a free agent. If we can get him for 2 years and 25-30 million, we need to make that gamble.

2. Don't make stupid signings: Hamilton, Greinke, Peavy, all other top tier guys, stay away. Build from within.

3. Decline Reynolds option, and sign him for 2 years and 16-18 million. We don't want to pay him 11 mill next season, worst case, we decline and go to arbitration. He would get around 9 mill I believe. He is our 1B.

4. Let Thome, Saunders go. Thome is too old and slow, and would takr up our DH spot. Buck lieks and needs the flexibility. Saunders will get a 2 year deal I'm assuming, for at least 7 mill a year I feel. I would rather let Matusz, Arrieta, Wada, or Steve Johnson battle for the #5 spot in the rotation. Seems like a waste of resources to pay Saunders.

5. Pick up Hammel's option, duh. Same for Ayala, it is only for 1 mill, duh.

6. Let Lew Ford, Endy Chavez, and Nate McLouth walk. It was a great year and they helped us in key situations to win games this year (especially Mclouth), nut nate wants a starting gig, and Reimold deserves it. If we can bring him back as a 4th OF'er, great. But I think someone will be willing to give him 550 AB's. Hopefully, that's not us.

7. Do whatever you can to shore up the 2B situation. BRob will get a chance to prove himself, but our situation here is UGLY and our only real glaring hole in our roster. Unless you want Kelly Johnson of Jeff Keppinger as a free agent, we will need to look at trades here. Maybe a Keppinger/Andino platoon?


So, our roster could be:

C. Wieters, Teagarden
1B. Reynolds
2B Andino/Keppinger?/Flahrety
3B. Machado, Betemit (trade candidate?)
SS. Hardy
LF. Reimold/McLouth?
CF. Jones
RF. Markakis
DH. Davis

SP1. Haren
SP2. Hammel
SP3. Chen
SP4. Gonzalez
SP5. Tillman/Steve Johnson/Arrieta/Wada

Bullpen:
Jim Johnson
Strop
Ayala
O'Day
Matusz/Arrieta

Seems like a solid roster. Haren makes our rotation so much better. I really want us to go after him. It think this put our payroll right around 100 mill, but only because we are paying BRob 10 mill for 2013


Thought? What do ya'll think?

[WolvesJagsOs]

Sigh me up for Haren. I'd love that.

2B really needs to be addressed. We don't seem confident in Flaherty, Andino is solid defensively but his bat leaves a lot to be desired.

[Driven]

It looks like Roberts is going to play this year. I wish he'd just retire. That contract was just so stupid on so many levels when the O's signed him. He's due $10 million this season.

I think Hardy gets traded in the offseason and Machado moves to short. I hope not, though.

I fail to see how Reimold deserves the starting job over McLouth, especially when McLouth is the more effective player due to his OBP and his defense. Both are equal risks, but McLouth will always bring patience at the plate, great defense and great baserunning. Reimold is an injury risk and still needs to develop a ton.

Unless the O's sign a big bat, McLouth needs to stay.

Betemit also needs to stay, as he's a vet who can hit and is only due $1.75 million this season. He also has a cheap team option for the next year.

[WolvesJagsOs]

It looks like Roberts is going to play this year. I wish he'd just retire. That contract was just so stupid on so many levels when the O's signed him. He's due $10 million this season.

I think Hardy gets traded in the offseason and Machado moves to short. I hope not, though.

I fail to see how Reimold deserves the starting job over McLouth, especially when McLouth is the more effective player due to his OBP and his defense. Both are equal risks, but McLouth will always bring patience at the plate, great defense and great baserunning. McLouth is an injury risk and still needs to develop a ton.

Unless the O's sign a big bat, McLouth needs to stay.

Betemit also needs to stay, as he's a vet who can hit and is only due $1.75 million this season. He also has a cheap team option for the next year.

Yeah, pretty much agree with everything said. Why bank on Reimold again? He has a lot of talent but if he goes down we'll be back to sqaure one and need to get lucky like last year.

Betemit is a solid guy of the bench no doubt, would rather just see him DH though when he plays, him at 3B = disaster.

[bdiddy74]

i think due to the 3b issue we had prior to Machado being called up, I see another year of Hardy @ SS and Manny at 3rd. Sounds like Cal has already been in his ears about how it will help him out at SS in the future.

I would take a flier on Nate but only as a 1 yr deal. Great end of the year for him after coming up from AAA but nothing more than 1yr. I don't see a lot of other clubs signing him for more than a year either. Too many issues in Atlanta and Pittsburgh.

Agree 2nd base is now the albatross on the roster.

[mikeydady]

I would love BJ Upton. Do you think he can still play 2B? If so, definitely, if not he's still one of the best defensive OF in the game. Nolan R and Davis play DH. Share reserve OF duty. Gives us good depth. I think Elvis Andrus would look good if we could pull a trade off.

[Driven]

Upton's a fine player, but the O's need OBP, and he doesn't provide that. Plus, he'll be overpaid by a decent amount.

[bdiddy74]

I would love BJ Upton. Do you think he can still play 2B? If so, definitely, if not he's still one of the best defensive OF in the game. Nolan R and Davis play DH. Share reserve OF duty. Gives us good depth. I think Elvis Andrus would look good if we could pull a trade off.

Andrus will probably move to 2nd, to make room for Profar. Kinsler will probably move to LF for the departing Josh Hamilton. Also, could see them leaving profar at 2nd for a season.

[WolvesJagsOs]

Eh, not sure about that bdiddy, we'll see though.

Andrus's price tag would be ridiculous though, no idea how we could get him honestly.

[bdiddy74]

Eh, not sure about that bdiddy, we'll see though.

Andrus's price tag would be ridiculous though, no idea how we could get him honestly.

i live in dallas so i hear a lot of the local news and have a few friends in and around the rangers organization. Kinsler to the outfield is a strong possibility
with profar and andrus manning the middle.

[rkelly7]

Not intersted in Upton. His value lies in his ability to have a rare blend of speed and power while playing great CF defense. We just gave Jones $85 mill, so we are set. We can't afford Andrus in a trade. This offseason is going to be minor in my opinion this year. I don't see any big names, but getting Haren would be amazing.

I said no to McLouth because I feel like he will be closer to his 2010-earl 2012 form next year than to his tenure with the O's this year. If we can bring him back as the 4th guy out there, I'm happy. Reimold raked before he got hurt, and I want him to man LF next year.

[mikeydady]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/1...ed-to-mlb.html

Check out this kid Shohei Otani. This is the one I hope the Os get this off season. We have lots great young pitching- (Starters) Bundy, Gausman, Tillman, Johnson, Gonz, - Britton, Philips, Strop, Hunter, Matusz and Arrieta in the pen. Put that kid in the mix and let this great development staff turn this kid into the next big thing. Oh yep! We still have Hamel, Chen and Jim Johnson. (We could re-sign Saunders too! If we want.) We have lots of choices this year but, re-sign ODAY and Weiters ASAP!!!!!!!

Hope it wasn't a fluke. If it wasn't we could actually have pitching to spare. Maybe we could use some land an Andrus, Ike Davis or Justin Upton?

On the FA point, we have lots of money to spend and our team may finally be a preferred destination for FAs again. I think BJ Upton would make sense, He would be a huge upgrade at both LF (especially on defense) and at 2B. If he can play there that would give us great flexibility and depth. I think our OBS was much improved. We could actually absorb Upton's low number. I would definitely trade his talent and flexibility for his low OBS.

We need OF depth, I think Chris Davis actually played pretty well in RF while Nick was down and deserves a shot at LF. Either way, Nolan Reinold can't be counted on even though he played great when healthy. Nate Mc was a great story but I think he is the guy with the biggest fluke factor. Let him go, we bought low easy come easy go.

Mark R also played much better at 1B at the end of the season. I don't think he deserves to have that huge option picked up but he could definitely be worth a contract reworking.

Let's be honest, Josh Hamilton is an MVP type player and I love him. We'll be paying for two or three yrs of success in LF and three yrs as an expensive DH. I'd take it in a heartbeat but that's the deal with him. Stay the heck away from David Wright. I don't think he'll be worth it. (Wright at 3B, Manny at SS and Hardy at 2B) I'd rather take BJ Upton at 2B or Schoop (if he's ready).

Thoughts?

[WolvesJagsOs]

So ready for things to start happening!

[WolvesJagsOs]

By Mark Polishuk [October 19, 2012 at 4:12pm CST]
OCTOBER 19TH: Otani is set to decide between playing in MLB and staying in Japan on Monday, according to a report from Sanspo (Japanese link) passed along by Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker (via Twitter).

OCTOBER 11TH: High school pitcher Shohei Otani, 18, is being courted by every NPB team and at least three Major League teams, reports WEEI.com's Alex Speier. The Red Sox, Dodgers and Rangers have all sent representatives to Japan to meet with Otani, and Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News notes that the Orioles also have interest in the right-hander.

Despite his young age, Otani is already 6'4" and 190 pounds and owns a fastball that has been clocked in the 99-100 mph range. MLB teams wouldn't have to pay a posting fee to sign Otani as he isn't contracted to any Japanese pro team.

Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/baltim...tvEpqMQ1x72.99

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