Perhaps I'm wrong (wouldn't be the first or the last time) but this seems like a poor allocation of funds to me. I understand the need to win games even if you won't win a division or WC, so that's not what this is about. That said, wouldn't the O's have been better off pocketing the $8 million (or spending elsewhere whether it be free agency, the international market, scouting, etc.) and evaluating/playing the talent they already had available for LF/DH? I have to imagine the 3-headed monster of Pie/Reimold/Scott would have had some use, and the opportunity to properly evaluate Pie/Reimold would have been good for a team with a solid young core like the O's no? Toss in that if Josh Bell mashes the ball in Triple-A (assuming he doesn't stay on the roster as a reserve 3B/1B/DH) he has no place to play with Reynolds at 3B, Lee at 1B and Vlad at DH. Unless they have a deal in the works to ship Scott out the door, I don't care for this signing at all. From a fantasy perspective, at least Vlad lands what should be near full-time AB's, but for the rest it would seem to hurt their value (which won't matter much to shallow mixed leaguers, but deep leagues and AL-only guys probably should be a bit upset).
Well the O's do have some young talent, but really it's pretty obvious they are all in on trying to make a push this year. Josh Bell clearly needs more time in AAA, and Pie really besides defense hasn't shown much on a consistent basis. Ditto for Reimold who had a pretty terrible year last year. Sure, it likely could of been spent elsewhere, but they are banking on Vlad having one more year left in him. Not the best bet but there isn't anything else out there that would make much of an impact at this point.
hybrid wrote:Well the O's do have some young talent, but really it's pretty obvious they are all in on trying to make a push this year.
Head asplode.
Does not compute.
Seriously. Wut? This makes zero sense.
They have young talent (Bell, Pie, Reimold) but aren't playing them instead they are playing FA's or vets they got this offseason so they can win... really it was that hard?
hybrid wrote:...instead they are playing FA's or vets they got this offseason so they can win...
So they can win what?
4th place in the AL East? I don't think that's going to sell all that many extra tickets.
Don't talk to me, talk to the O's management. Though I think you can make a case for them finishing 3rd and thats better than 66 wins and finishing dead last... which would sell more tickets.
hybrid wrote:...instead they are playing FA's or vets they got this offseason so they can win...
So they can win what?
4th place in the AL East? I don't think that's going to sell all that many extra tickets.
It may help in selling some tickets and getting the fan base interested if they perform better than they have been.
I like the deal. As a 1 year deal, worst case, he doesn't perform and he's gone at the end of the year. Best case, he performs like he did last year, they win some more games and gain some fans, or they flip him at the deadline for some prospects. I see it as a win/win.
Offensively, Guerrero is a shell of what he once and was awful in the 2nd half last year. Even if the Orioles did have a chance to do anything, he's not worth this money.
I'm not in Baltimore so maybe those closer to the situation can speak on it but I am in VA and watch MASN regularly and can say the fan base is desperate and just begging for management to field a winner. Nobody expects them to compete for the East but they have to field a team that does better than the basement every year. Some of my friends are O's fans and they just want to be shown SOMETHING.
Offensively, Guerrero is a shell of what he once and was awful in the 2nd half last year. Even if the Orioles did have a chance to do anything, he's not worth this money.
I think you're overselling Guerrero's fall off, he still managed 119 RBIs last season. In the real world, that is immensely valuable. Granted his first/second halves were lopsided, but I think a 100 RBI season is well within reach.
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