The success of the Orioles' offseason hinges, in large part, on their ability to add to the pitching staff. But at the General Manager Meetings in Milwaukee today, newly-appointed GM Dan Duquette suggested he'll let the market develop before obtaining pitching reinforcements.
"Everybody else is chasing it, too," Duquette told MLBTR. "We have to wait for the sharks to feed and then we'll wait to see what's left over."
In other words, it doesn’t appear that the Orioles will sign highly-coveted free agents such as C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrle. Baltimore begins the offseason with internal rotation candidates such as Jeremy Guthrie, Tommy Hunter, Zach Britton, Brian Matusz, Jake Arrieta, Brad Bergesen, Jo-Jo Reyes.
Duquette also noted that the defensive alignment for Mark Reynolds and Chris Davis remains undetermined, though manager Buck Showalter is leaning toward playing Reynolds at first with Davis at third. Duquette hasn't yet considered extensions for Adam Jones and Matt Wieters, but he wants to keep both players in place, so the topic may come up after December.
Steve Gale
So frustrating…overpay for some talent n get other players to take notice.
Tyler 20
“let everyone else get what they want and we will take whatever is left”…great philosophy
Fifty_Five
If any GM in the league had this job they’d do the same thing. The problem isn’t something that can be fixed on the free agent market. Obviously there’s something wrong with the developmental aspect if all those top picks never amount to anything. Even Matusz who seemed to be the only bright spot of their future rotation collapsed this past year. And it’s not just typical regression if a young pitcher loses 5 mph on his fastball like that.
It goes a whole lot deeper than just acquisitions. Bringing in Type A’s aren’t going to change anything
Tyler 20
yes but wouldnt it be nice to see the orioles go for a oswalt or someone like buehrle? A good veteran that can maybe teach/help the younger pitchers while not sucking during the process?
Bleed_Orange
That would be great. But why would they want to play in Baltimore?
Tyler 20
true, but you might be able to overpay one of them slightly and someone bite.
mstrchef13
No, you’d have to overpay one of them MAJORLY, and even then they might not come.
Fifty_Five
Oswalt makes some sense but Buehrle’s got alot of other suitors. I can see them going after some Japanese pitchers like Wada or Iwakuma. If they don’t last in the rotation they could throw them in long relief kinda like the whole Uehara situation, which actually turned out pretty well in the end
Bleed_Orange
I think the Japanese pitchers is the way to go. I’d like to target Wada, Iwakuma, and make a serious pitch for Darvish (if he’s posted). If Darvish is what the world thinks he is he could be the ace of our rotation for years to come. High rish high reward.
Lefty
I think SO-Crates was the first to coin that phrase in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure…..No, wait I think Andy MacPhail used to say that as well when he was…. No, wait I “KNOW” Andy Mac did say the same thing…. Duquette wants to make sure the stars are aligned properly in order to make a sensible decision here.
Bleed_Orange
I’m not surprised by this news. The Os couldnt get a GM to sign, so what top player is going to waste years of a short career playing in Baltimore. Once LaCava turned Baltimore down the offseason was punted to 2013. Duquette needs to open the Japanese and Latin market and scrape the bottom of the free agent barrel and hope he hits gold.
Jerry Lehman
Oh, great. We’ve got McFail II. “Let’s let the market develop” and then sign the guys that no one else wants. Another great f’in year in Baltimore.
Zachary Kiesel
This year was not going to be “the year” anyway, so why get a guy whose contract will be all but run out by the time the entire team around them is matured enough to contend?
Lefty
Though manager Buck Showalter is leaning toward playing Reynolds at first with Davis at third. Reynolds at 1st base I can deal with or at least I think I can. However, Chris Davis at third base????? I think Buck Showalter has leaned on the dug out railing too long he’s dizzy, Davis can’t field at third base! In fact, Davis even said he feels more comfortable at 1st, thus a conundrum!
I knew it would take long to get me started! Haven’t heard anything about the Orioles for the past few days. Now it’s same ol, same ol crapola, just a different singer in Duquette.
Rabbitov
The Horror. The Horror.
Zachary Kiesel
What you guys don’t understand is that it’s not worth it to spend millions of dollars on a few guys who won’t solve the losing problem. Those are the guys you get when you are ready to contend. Like it or not, the Orioles are not. I can’t believe you are actually condemning Duquette already. Pretty pathetic if you ask me. Give the man a chance. He deserves it.
Tyler 20
isn’t Duquette the same guy that traded for Derek Lowe and thought he was a lefty? could just be a rumor but if true then…im thinking he has a lot of promise and should bring hope to all O’s fans
mehs
If it isn’t worth spending millions of the Orioles money for this year, it isn’t worth me spending hundreds of mine to go and watch them. You have to walk before you can run. So signing some mid-tier type B free agents rather than the normal bottom feeders would be an improvement and would not cost draft picks.
If you can spend 8 million on Guerrero and 5 million on Gregg why not use a rookie for one spot and spend 13 million on a good starting pitcher instead?
Goin' to Sheetz
There will never be a solution because, if magically the farm gets sorted, Angelos still won’t re-sign those type-A players we developed. With the exception of Markakis because he is a Greek native.
JohnnyHamer
Is Brian Roberts Greek?
Goin' to Sheetz
Is he a type-A player?
Brian
Glen Cove, NY is in Greece?
Goin' to Sheetz
My bad. Someone told me Markakis was from Greece originally and I didn’t bother to verify that info.
Lefty
Yeah, I just quickly read what the Baltimore Media has done in the past 24 hours about the bold statments mad by Duquette. Nothing as usual! Sleepwalking as usual. Nothing New as usual. So why even comment, because I take some consolation in it… I emphasize some!
Anyway, The Ol Insider thinks the Orioles are going to go after Posada or Rodriguez or some other old cow. To that I say Fetchez Le Vache! Also, the School of Roch says that Duquette talked to Fern yesterday. Nothing like talking to a Fern I say. So we got Ortiz on our Radar… so what Ortiz is going to cost us draft picks! Type A free agent DH… I don’ think so! You really gotta hand it to the Baltimore Media, making sure the O’s FO are doing their job…… Yeah Suuuurrrre! Just ask ol Fern!
Guest 6103
So Duquette is definitely an Angelos-hire. Why do we root for this team again?