BigCecil

“At the beginning, they said to not forget about them. Obviously when we exchanged numbers and years and all that stuff, they said they could not go that far. That was about it.” - Teoscar on last off season to Shi. Reads to me like the FO didn't try very hard to close a deal. He ended up signing for 1 year $20.3M AAV plus deferrals anyway. Not a multi year deal. Whey they wanted Springer/Ryu they put the term - AVV together to get it done. We needed more ISO. We spent $25M AAV on Vogelbach, JT and KK. If it happened just because he wanted to be with LAD, that doesn't jive with his 2023 and 2024 comments about wanting to be in TOR, and not wanting to bounce around to a lot of teams. Who wouldn't want to be in LAD? I don't know - there a lot of players who aren't there and don't sign there. This could have gone a lot of different ways. There is a world where we extended him in 2022 - for 2/3 years plus club option at a reasonable AAV. This FO felt the need to extend Grichuk for 5/52. Not like they haven't done this before. We still might be mediocre this year with Teo, but that kind of ISO can change games and push runs across. It also would be more enjoyable product for us fans, like 2021.

Definition of irony to me. Another pivot. When they didn’t produce enough drafting and development talent we became a high payroll FA hunting and signing team. Then we became the run prevention expensive old team. Now D focus is out the window for more offence. The most appropriate and effective pivot now would be firing Ross into the sun.

lol. We were happy. Needed that. Losing again would have sucked! I didn't trash him. Actually after our debate yesterday you convinced me of my incorrect thinking, so I went to a tattoo shop in the SIX on the way to the game and got a big IKF tattooed on my forehead. I just know what IFK is and what he ain't after 2600 PAs. He is a bit like Whit, with a much better mitt and a lower ceiling. BABIP guy who is going to have some hot streaks and lows. Always a + glove. Last year some guys were comparing Whit to Zobrist when he was hot and talking about signing him on a 3/35 ish deal. By the end of '23 all that talk was done. 2/3 of the season to go. Things will normalize.

Team MVP IKF comes through again! Got a nice break on the pick off. Good to get a W.

LOL. Terminator you are good dude. I enjoy periodic skirmishes and jousts with you. We got bigger things to argue about than IKF WAR finish. Lets let this go, and so we move on to bigger fish. Off to my 3rd game tonight in a row with my son - turned 16 today, so wish him a win. 1/3 ain't bad....or something like that Meatloaf sang.

Hey Pal you were the one who beamed about the steamer600 2.2 WAR projection in your IFK fanboy stupor. I just thought I'd test your mettle. Not surprised you are backing down again. Very on brand. Sure, I'll do it on 1.2. Lets get some odds from Dick the Greek and I'm all in!

I'll take the under on 2.2 sure. Let us clear the odds with big Dick first. Heaven forbid I don't want to be accused of bullying you again lol. What I'm seeing is his 2600 PAs career 82 wRC+ and there are lots of variables. If he is a 2.2 WAR player that was worth $9.7M AAV last off season market, so will be bully for fortuitous Ross.

Very possible. His career high is 1.6 WAR. Last year he was worth 0.6. TBH, he has really impressed me much more than I thought he would so far, and I've enjoyed watching him play D a lot. He has brought his K rate down from 19% to 14 since last year. Good bat to ball skill.

Really? I've seen people who weren't as optimistic as others referred to "inbreds" and other choice very derogatory terms. Hey, your the moderator and I'm sure the pay ain't great, so call it as you see it. IMO FWIW if people want to be optimistic or pessimistic, or both at different times, they should be entitled to be so. The insults have gone both ways, and in any case there is an IL function for anyone who chooses to use it.

Thats fair. Also, there is an abundance of 2 way call out bashing on this board BTS. Posters/fans should be able to be glass half full or empty as they see it, but the call out and insults are over the top both ways. Just my view.

IKF is a glove. Few teams if any are buying the 104 wRC+ BABIP bat. In '23 he was worth 0.6 WAR and the median cost/WAR was $4.4M this past off season. On a 2/15 he is worth very little. I''ll take the under on 1.2 WAR for the whole season for IKF.

Waves of impact talent from making solid good picks that hit (and "tanking"): Since Spring 2022 O's position players called up producing 10 WAR in 2024: Rutschman Henderson Westburg Cowser Kjerstand Stowers Holliday (much more to come) Norby

Two things are true. The first is the atrocious drafting and development record of this FO starting f***ing us years ago. Its had the biggest negative impact by far. The second is a Lab chimpanzee or a Russian dancing bear could have put together a better off season than this FO.

Edwin walks off the O’s in ‘16 playoffs with an older team AA built. Shapiro then complains about the cupboard being bare. Fast forward to 2024. The cupboard is bare, and we have an old, luxury tax team getting abused by a cheap team of young studs in a stadium with a fleeting new car smell. The '17 promised waves of impact talent petered out in the Bermuda Triangle and didn’t make shore. Ross was overheard saying to some reporters “Some really impressive deep counts tonight against Burnsy. If we played CWS & PIT all the time, my analysts tell me we would have only 6 less wins than the Yankees. We are encouraged with the trend for the rest of 2024. Have you guys tried the new Chungchun rice dogs at the RC?”

Paying good money to watch this product. Shapiro can shove his new cup holders up his ass.

Key component of the best off season Ross could have possibly accomplished with $50M AAV and assets to trade, according to some. I mean who could have possibly known a 40 year old might decline rapidly.

Its baseball. Doesn't look good on paper but maybe tonight they surprise us and punish Burns. We should be able to fluke into at least 1/4 at home.

Ya, obviously picks and prospects mostly don't hit, and managing those assets well to reap what value you can is not a bad thing. But the whole objective isn't to make picks you can unload for a couple years of Chappy at 2/25 etc. Gunnar was a the 19th pick overall, and we need to develop arms in house. Speaking of that, SWR who came over in Stro deal traded for Berrios looks serviceable so far as a 4-5. Still early. Kind of meh underlying numbers.

Spent $50M AAV new money and simply couldn’t do anything whatsoever to improve the offense. Couldnt make a trade. Couldn’t sign anyone whatsoever who could have helped at all. Holy Kool Aid drinkers man.

I realize any GM needs to be careful about what they say publicly, but the more Atkins speaks about handling big decisions, the more it’s clear to me we need new decision makers.

No worries bud. Catching 3 games against a real team. Good test against the Os at home. They need to win tomorrow. 4-2 would normally be great, but with the hole dug 5-1 vs CWS and PIT mucho better.

Thankful we won’t see this line up vs Skenes tomorrow.

To be fair if IKF doesn’t try to make a pad save on that ball to 3B I think he has only given up 3. Not great but not bad.

Varsho loves to golf pitches low in the zone with power. Good swing.

Unreal found money gem there. A great story.