Comments on: UPDATE: Orioles get Mark Reynolds from Diamondbacks for David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio

By: billtpa

billtpa — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:38:27 +0000

Yeah, so yankees1996, you just don't get what it takes to win the game that the 29 other teams are playing (okay, maybe 28 of them). The Yankees are in perpetual win-now mode, so if they haven't hit their astronomical budget, it always makes sense to go out and get the best player money can buy at a position. Alex K pointed it out already: when you've been "mired in last place in the AL East for so many years, on the other hand" (and actually it's only been three years in last, since before that they had the Devil Rays to stomp on, but whatever), it's unlikely that you're one big signing away from contending, and sure enough, the Orioles clearly are not. The difference between Beltre and Reynolds, to the Orioles for 2010, might be the difference between 70 wins and 72. Picking up a player already affordably under their control for several more years, who won't be declining yet the next time they might contend, is just so clearly a better option than wasting a bunch of money on a big free-agent signing like Beltre that it's hardly worth discussing. You can look at other terrible teams that have tried to spend money just because they had it, and see where it got them. The one that comes immediately to mind is the 2000 Devil Rays, with Greg Vaughn, Jose Canseco and Fred McGriff. If you can't go out and bring in the likes of Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira, that's no way to build a winning team at all. Or maybe even if you can afford those guys, if you're starting from 66-96; the building blocks already need to be there before you dip into free agency. And maybe they're already there for the Orioles, and they're just two years or so away. By which point Reynolds may well be better than Beltre anyway.

By: yankees1996

yankees1996 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:01:09 +0000

I hear what your saying but you cannot build a winner in a single offseason, it takes time and patience. The young pitching in Baltimore has been a disappointment for the last 2 years with the possible exception of Bergeson and his intermittent flashes of greatness. The last so called “Ace” of the Baltimore staff is now a washed up we don’t know what do with him pitcher that is playing for the Seattle Mariners. It seems to me that pogodog7 is probably correct in his assesment that with MacPhail in charge and Angelos refusing to write the checks that ultimately have to be written the O’s are going to be at the bottom of the division for the forseeable future. The reason these top shelf players take the offers from Baltimore and do better with other teams is that Baltimore does not close the deal, that is something they have to do. Tell these players and show them through your actions and pursuit of other players that you are committed to winning, right now Baltimore does not do that. Mark Teixeira is a Maryland product and the O’s could not even lure a hometown boy back to play in his own backyard. Tex did not sign with the Yankees because the Bronx was his hometown, he signed there because they were not afraid to pay him and the Yankees are committed to winning. Until the O’s are committed to winning and doing things to insure their success they will finish last in the division. Having to play the Red Sox, Yankees and Rays has nothing to do with it they could be competitive if the management and ownership committed themselves to it, if the ownership and management showed a serious committment to winning I would be willing to bet you would see that same winning desire in their players. You cannot tell me that given the choice of playing in Oakland or playing in Camden Yards a top notch player would not choose Camden Yards, the stadium is beautiful, the fans when in attendance are very passionate and there is no shortage of money in that city. But there is simply no committment to win by the owner and the upper management. Everybody hates the Yankees…Why?, because they are winners and the ownership and management are committed to winning. The Yankees will go out and get and keep the players they need to put the best product on the field every year and I don’t care if we are talking about the O’s or the Pirates that is where it all starts is with the committment to win, like Al Davis the owner of the Raiders always said “just win baby”.

By: pogodog7

pogodog7 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:53:59 +0000

I am in Baltimore. Last year the O’s got Atkins on the cheap. Now they get Reynolds. They will never be a competitive team as long as anyone named Angelos owns the team. MacPhail is a liar and a douche bag.

By: randomdigits

randomdigits — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:05:57 +0000

Since you root for a have and not a have not and seem earnest in your question I will try and help. It is entirely possible that Beltre would not play for Baltimore no matter what Baltimore tried to do. Word is that he ignored Oakland’s 5/64 offer.

The O’s made a legit offer to Vmart and he took it right to the Tigers and got them to beat it by 2 million, it looks like Konerko is doing pretty much the same thing with an O’s offer and the ChiSox.

If you were a player with options why would you choose to go to a team that hasn’t won since ’97 and plays 18 games a year against the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays?

Hopefully the young pitching progresses this season (wait till you see Britton) and the O’s will have a more enticing on the field product to help recuit players next offseason.

By: Alex K

Alex K — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:04:30 +0000

Because Beltre isn’t the difference in the O’s winning next year. He would help, but with him they still aren’t making the playoffs. Reynolds, however, could still be around and good enough when they have a better shot at the playoffs. He’s 5 years younger.

By: yankees1996

yankees1996 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 19:27:12 +0000

To billtpa – Yes, I am a Yankee fan and thanks for noticing… I think?, I also am a baseball fan. The Orioles have been mired in last place in the AL East for so many years now it just seems to me that they would be willing to pull out a few of the stops to try and put a winning product on the field for their dwindling fan base. I was in Baltimore this summer for a game between the Yanks and the O’s at Camden Yards and for a couple of minutes there I thought I was in the Bronx, what with all the Yanks fans in attendance. Peter Angelos has no problem doling out top notch money to Cal Jr when he was playing (and rightly so) but it does not seem that an effort has been made since those days came to an end. They hired Buck Showalter which is an excellent start but I’m afraid even Buck won’t be able to make chicken salad out of chicken s***. The O’s have money, what is the reason they will not go after top of the line talent?

By: billtpa

billtpa — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 18:32:13 +0000

Well, you wouldn’t need to see your handle to know you’re a Yankees fan. For the Orioles, no, it absolutely does NOT make sense to go for the best player available. Beltre is 32 and expensive; Reynolds is 27 and cheap. He’s a veteran, but one that can (potentially) grow with the young guys as they get better, rather than one who will decline as the players around him get better (which is what Werth is, and what Beltre would be).

Very, very good move for the Orioles, IMO.

By: yankees1996

yankees1996 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:52:29 +0000

I did not compare Reynolds to Beltre either, Why? because there is no comparison. But if your team needs a bat and a third baseman does it not make sense to go after the best player available?

By: Charles Gates

Charles Gates — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:41:03 +0000

No one’s saying Reynolds = Beltre. But David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio <<<<< the $15MM/year Beltre will probably get in FA. The trade was basically Who? + Who? for 45 HRs. I'd say McPhail did ok here.

By: Lukehart80

Lukehart80 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:40:13 +0000

What is the over/under on Ks in 2011 for Reynolds???

By: yankees1996

yankees1996 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:32:19 +0000

Yea, I don’t understand this trade either, the guy is a strikeout king and just manages to connect approx. 1/3 of the time. If the Orioles were looking for a third baseman with a good stick someone should have told them about Adrain Beltre. This trade is in the same category of the Werth signing, and that is the ” I don’t get ” category.

By: proudlycanadian

proudlycanadian — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:19:53 +0000

Great trade! Baltimore needed another .200 hitter.

By: Charles Gates

Charles Gates — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:12:29 +0000

Brittany Ghiroli is now saying that getting Reynolds probably takes the O’s out of the ‘Pena sweepstakes’ because McPhail is unsure if the lineup can sustain that many K’s. I thought Pena was a good buy low candidate.
Here’s to hoping they find a way to get rid of Pie, the non-base percentage, no power, current left fielder.

By: Panda Claus

Panda Claus — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:11:42 +0000

@basedrum777, I agree with what you’re saying relating to hitting HRs.

Arizona seemed anxious to dump Reynolds so they must be getting something they want. I’d also think Hernandez might start quicker than MR because they’re changing leagues. Generally I’d say when players are unfamiliar with their opponents, it favors pitchers over hitters (at first).

By: basedrum777

basedrum777 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:05:26 +0000

Problem is you can strikeout a lot and still hit 40Hrs. There are a ton of “heat throwers” that can’t crack a major league roster…

By: Panda Claus

Panda Claus — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:02:28 +0000

Hernandez isn’t a well-known player, but he’s someone the O’s aren’t eager to part with. Seems like a fair deal to both sides.

You’ve got one guy who can throw a lot of heat, while the other guy whiffs at a such a rate that Dave Kingman looks like a disciplined hitter by comparison.

By: Jason @ IIATMS

Jason @ IIATMS — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:32:16 +0000

“David Hernandez would likely be the centerpiece”?

say what? Exsqueez me?

David Hernandez isn’t the centerpiece at his family holiday dinner, much less a professional baseball team, or, for that matter, a trade for a legit power bat.

/headhurts