tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post5510727991308319969..comments2024-01-06T02:22:33.000-05:00Comments on Camden Depot: Blueprint For The 2018 Orioles (Option #1): So Yu Think Yu Can PitchJon Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03521809778977098687noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-26823206338844733292017-10-22T11:47:18.559-04:002017-10-22T11:47:18.559-04:00I think free agents avoiding Baltimore is overstat...I think free agents avoiding Baltimore is overstated. Yes, players have preferences of where they'd prefer to play but in the end, the best offer usually gets the player. btwrestler119https://www.blogger.com/profile/13114527219746054252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-90580888380509276922017-10-17T17:57:41.637-04:002017-10-17T17:57:41.637-04:00Jon I was asking if we had any specific informati...Jon I was asking if we had any specific information about whether any major free agents were interested in coming here, I was not suggesting that we speculate. <br />Regarding non- tenders, every team has a brief list of potential non-tenders, and it is certainly worthwhile to look over those players and see which if any would be good fits for us. They're not intended because they're bad, of course, but also because they're just not worth what they are projected to get in arbitration, cutting them loose make them free agents, available for what anybody will pay. That's a fascinating scenario, and because it is so important to a team like the Orioles, it could be considered without too much fantasy being involved. <br /> For instance, if Britton were cut loose, every team would want to sign him, but I don't think anybody would give him $13 million for a single season.<br />Piphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02853470978165087046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-45448135780457785452017-10-17T07:54:45.274-04:002017-10-17T07:54:45.274-04:00PTCello and Jon both make a point. I do think som...PTCello and Jon both make a point. I do think some free agents have shied away from BAL mainly because of the medical requirements. They have correctly marked players often enough that some have got to be worried (Balfour, Gallardo, Pagan, etc...). Pitchers like Darvish and Cobb who have recovered from significant injuries hopefully pass the physical but surely don't want to take the risk that their careers may be derailed (or predicted to be derailed) by a failed physical.<br /><br />Again, I think that's outside the scope of this effort (and takes some of the fun away) but it will be part of reality.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-91456116908727756332017-10-17T06:27:36.467-04:002017-10-17T06:27:36.467-04:00Divining feelings or predicting non tenders would ...Divining feelings or predicting non tenders would probably incorporate way too much fantasy. Therefore, it is beyond the scope.Jon Shepherdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03521809778977098687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-1849644770334880722017-10-17T00:11:56.486-04:002017-10-17T00:11:56.486-04:00I enjoy these, but does this exercise take into co...I enjoy these, but does this exercise take into consideration whether the players in question have any strong feelings about coming to Baltimore?<br />Darvish is great, but I think he will not be worth the contract he gets.<br />I would like to see speculation about signing players from the non-tender pile.<br />There must be a lot of guys on the fringe, set to make too much money in arbitration, who will be cut loose.<br />Taking a flyer on one of them would probably be wiser than signing a guy like Holland, who, I'm sorry, gave exactly no indication he is worth anything except maybe a minors deal with a ST Invite.Piphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02853470978165087046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-71609107167793551982017-10-16T22:12:34.268-04:002017-10-16T22:12:34.268-04:00I would have to know more about his injuries to be...I would have to know more about his injuries to be sure, but i would be open to a discussion with Britton about a 2-3 year extension. However, that's out of the scope of this blueprint, as you noted. Both Darvish and Cobb are injury risks. I think it's worth taking that risk if all you care about is winning in 2018 (especially if a long rebuild is expected).<br /><br />Aaron - I believe I can justify non-tendering Britton (as I said, I will have a separate follow up post on the subject after the blueprint series is completed). It's not by any means a slam dunk case, but I do think it's worth a discussion. You don't have to agree with me, and I'm not expecting too many will. I'm not sure how there is not an opportunity cost of keeping him. This exercise has a fixed budget and I didn't have the money to keep Britton.<br /><br />Elisabeth - At the end of the article I mention that there is no way Britton is getting non-tendered. I did not take the angle of what I thought the front office would doAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05119567934749982333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-56529611023231553042017-10-16T21:23:00.838-04:002017-10-16T21:23:00.838-04:00Non tender Britton? Not happening.Non tender Britton? Not happening.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05655243516414448784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-69732911355477922882017-10-16T15:44:49.686-04:002017-10-16T15:44:49.686-04:00Nate, you can't justify not bringing back Brit...Nate, you can't justify not bringing back Britton. Signing him for one year is a low risk, high reward proposition. If Zach does flake out for whatever reason, you can part ways next offseason. But if he performs well he is a high quality trade asset or asset to the bullpen.<br /><br />The only reason Britton would have severely diminished value is for injury problems, but you can't project that. You also can't just assume his performance level will just go off the rails; at the very least you pay one more year of arbitration to find out. The opportunity cost of not signing other free agents isn't in play here either; there is no long term commitment for Zach here.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15427526051371867260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-64053398727622239632017-10-16T08:00:06.452-04:002017-10-16T08:00:06.452-04:00Oh, and, unfortunately, the competition for Cobb i...Oh, and, unfortunately, the competition for Cobb is going to be brutal. DD is not up for the challenge in my opinion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893512317902577458.post-87353409394154899772017-10-16T07:56:25.286-04:002017-10-16T07:56:25.286-04:00My instinct would be to tender Britton, too, but i...My instinct would be to tender Britton, too, but it's a good discussion point especially if the O's can get nothing back in trade (not sure that's true but it's a speculation). The O's have shown a distaste for bringing back relievers who cost 8 digits. They signed Johnson and then traded him for the proverbial bucket of balls (and he now makes half what the O's signed him for). I think the best approach with Britton is to try to sign him for a lower AAV for a longer term (2-3 years) before the non-tender deadline. But that would be outside the scope of this exercise.<br /><br />Also, overall, the bullpen did not perform as well without Britton even though there were decent individual performances. Isn't there something to the idea that a guy like Britton not only brings his capabilities but makes the rest of the bullpen better around him?<br /><br />I also think Darvish is a big injury waiting to happen and he's getting up in years. Makes me squirm a little to give such a big chunk to him. I like the idea of dabbling in the "mid-range" pool this year; the options seem pretty good (Cobb's pool). And I don't see the benefit in many of the low range guys. After four years of Ubaldo, why would you want to sign "Ubaldo lite"???Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com