ElNik2013

Won't happen.

Without the trades, the Jays lose 100 games in 2013 and have horrible attendance. But who cares about attendance and tv ratings? Guess who, the owners. I don't agree with having gone for it, but some people just fail to understand how this franchise operates. All good though.

Poor little JPR, he was forced to sign Wells and Rios. Not to mention a CLOSER!

So everything that Ricciardi did wrong was the President's doing, however, don't even suggest the change of direction in 2012 had anything to do with the current President 'cause you be dumb and an apologist...makes sense. What you have here is a bunch of former AA-lovers who are butt-broken, I mean, heart broken. Anyway, maybe they can explain why AA still has a job if he's such a failure....

Nolin was drafted by AA in 2010 along with Aaron Sanchez, Noah Syndergaard, Asher Wxxxxajsdfsjfd, Justin Nicolino and Dalton Pompey, but I don't want to rain on anyone's parade. Would I fire AA? Yes I would. However, he'd hardly as bad as some of his former dick-suckers make him out to be...

It really goes both ways actually, football, and fans of other sports are worse as they often ridicule anyone who brings up MLB on their boards...and MLB is the top baseball league in the world unlike the CFL which isn't the top league it that sport. Anyway, just sayin' it goes both ways.

I'm thinking of starting a thread titled "Why did the Rays and Red Sox do worse than the Jays this year"? Meh, who cares, I don't that's for sure.

Who said the following prior to the 2013 season:

It would be a good thing no doubt. However, as I said, a bit too much whining coming out of the players. Lind mouthing off the other day. Bautista and Janssen at the deadline as well.

So we know Deck McGuire was a bust, but that draft also produced Aaron Sanchez, Noah Syndergaard, Asher Wojciechowski, Justin Nicolino, Sean Nolin and Dalton Pompey. There was also a guy named Kris Bryant, but that's another story.

Maybe someone should point this out to Janssen and Bautista.

A little too much whining for me. Sounds like excuse-making, just like the comments after the team didn't make any additions at the deadline.

Also, does anyone think players like Bautista, Janssen and Lind would run their mouths like they have with Showalter as their manager? I, for one, don't think so. I have no doubt he made Machado apologize for the incident against the A's. Anyway...

So now certain posters are conveniently forgetting to mention how they thought the O's were s*** and are actually analyzing their team...what a surprise. Defense has a lot to do with it. I also think Showalter is a good manager. One thing that a good manager does, is he helps the F/O in putting together the MLB roster. Showalter probably has a better understanding and knowledge of the players around MLB than does a guy like Gibby, but that's just me. I hope they do well in the playoffs.

I guess since you can't beat them, you're joining them.

You're right, I was being sarcastic. Orioles have made the playoffs 2 of the last 3 years, they must be doing something right.

It's all luck bro...while the Red Sox were unlucky this year.

Yes we are going in circles. We probably agree more than we disagree, but as you said earlier, we'll wait till after the season to see whether or not ownership thinks 5 years is enough to give a F/O to make the playoffs, including 2 with a top 10 payroll. I would fire him if I were them and look to hire Friedman away from the Rays...Imagine how much money they'd make with an efficiently put together team, but that's just me. I actually posted above, (if you look for it, you shall find it) that by now, information would've come out that revealed ownership or upper management interference and since none has come out, AA should be held accountable. On the other hand, ownership may disagree. You keep bringing up JPA and Goins as if I ever said those were smart moves, but anyway, it's no big deal. I do wish you had answered the question regarding which teams have assembled "complete rosters", but it's no biggie, it's best to leave it at that. Again, I told you I never said you couldn't criticize the GM. My issue with ownership is that they're the one constant since 2000 while they've had 3 different GM's and I think 2 Presidents. Anyway, we'll see what happens after the season's over. Hopefully, they'll go out and get a guy like Friedman.

So we shouldn't complain about the team's owners's inability to hire someone competent because they aren't going to sell the team even though all they have to do is "just hire the right President". Sounds so simple yet they haven't done it in almost 15 years of owning the team...but no one should complain about it.

He overpaid in the trades he made, no one is denying this. I just don't see how trying to rebuild the farm system between 2010-2012 equals "ducking a lot of the pressures that come with the job". What exactly was the alternative given the state of the franchise at the time? And, he did all this with full support from his bosses, whether directly from the owners or through the owners' representative. I have no problem criticizing AA, I couldn't care less if he was fired. I never said otherwise. Hopefully, next time, you'll answer the question, but it's no big deal, it's just a discussion. You do seem upset though. It's just to point out that you, I and others, don't know as much as we think we know. I'm sure you also thought the Rays and Red Sox would contend, but so did I although I did expect the Red Sox to come back down to earth, just not to be as bad as they've been. But again, neither I nor you know it all even though we pretend to behind the cover and anonymity of the internet. I have no problem with what you say here all I'd say is that if the owners are satisfied with him, don't expect him to get fired, but you can do as you please of course and get upset. I never said you're not allowed to criticize the GM. But others are also allowed to criticize ownership for not firing him, if in fact he's not doing a satisfactory job. I think you even stated that this would be a valid point if AA wasn't fired after this season. I guess we'll have to wait for the offseason to see whether this point is validated. And just to rinse and repeat, criticize him all you want, but this franchise has bigger problems than its GM.

Imagine if they signed Martin...it might bring out all 3 remaining Montreal baseball fans. Plus, this would mean 3 everyday Canadians position players...endless PR bonanza!

How does not trying to contend in 2010-2012 make the failures of the last 2 seasons even greater? He was trying to rebuild a barren farm system and succeeded. And yes, a 2nd failed season does qualify as "another" failed season, but I thought you meant more than 2, hence why I brought up 2010-2012. He won't get canned although, at times, I have thought he might. His not getting canned certainly doesn't dismiss "the glaring issue with AA's inability to assemble a complete roster". However, it also points to ownership's inability to recognize a GM who doesn't have this ability. Also, do the Red Sox have a "complete roster"? Do the Rays? Do the Yankees with their huge payroll? In fact, who has a "complete roster"? Also, what do you think of the Orioles now and what did you think of them in 2012 and prior to the start of the season?

I know this wasn't directed at me, but #1: I can count 2 failed seasons by AA, 2013 and 2014. From 2010 to 2012, they were admittedly not trying to contend. And #2: If he's been such a failure, then why hasn't this blameless ownership group fired this incompetent bum? Seems #2 points to bigger issues than the GM, which is something I keep bringing up whenever people go off on AA. Does anyone here think the Rays or Cards owners would've approved those trades in 2012? No way, and if they had, I'm sure they would've understood the full impact on future payroll.

Pompey is clearly in the conversation. I just think he should start in AAA to get more seasoning. Remember, Brett Lawrie tore the cover off the ball in a larger sample size in 2011 and it didn't translate the next year, just as an example. Nothing wrong with giving Pompey lots of PA's in ST and sending him to Buffalo to start the year, sort of the same thing they did with Stroman. The same applies to Sanchez and Norris. How much they need out of the Gose/Pillar (or a Denorfia type FA), will depend on how the address LF, SS/2B and C, although I don't think they will spend much time trying to improve C, as well as what they do with Lind.

The team is also looking deeper at the AAA level in terms of youth getting close to the MLB level. Now, not all of them project to be everyday players, but as we all know, a well rounded roster needs capable back ups. I'm referring to guys like Burns, Jimenez, Nolin, Pillar, Graveman, even a guy like Ryan Schimpf. Then you have guys like Pompey, Norris, Sanchez. If the team went out and spent some money this off season to plug SS/2B, OF, C (Martin?), in no particular order, then I think we'd see a team on the cusp of having a good chance to contend. Anyway...we'll have to continue to wait till next year and see.