Who Are the "Cancers" On This Team?

[bryanac625]

I was watching the game tonight and Jim Palmer and the other guy were saying that Kevin Millar, Jay Payton and somebady else (I forget who) have tried to fire up this team. Apparently, the people who don't care are the ones who say "It's still early in the season... we didn't win today, but we'll get 'em tomorrow. We can make it to .500." In comparison, winners like Derek Jeter say there is no tomorrow, NOW is the time to win, and I'm out to get it all.

So who is it on this team who is willing to settle for mediocrity?

[Ichiro51]

Peter Angelos is the only one to blame.

[J W]

The players who are speaking up here, in case you didn't notice, are the ones we just picked up. They came from winning organizations (Boston, Oakland) and haven't been permeated by the losing atmosphere yet.

Meanwhile, the players who've been here (Mora, Tejada, etc.) are getting more and more jaded every year. So I don't know if you can call any single player a cancer on this team.

Ichiro's right, it starts at the top. But it's not just Angelos -- ol' Pete isn't that hands on in regards to the team -- it's the front office and management that he hires. The whole group is responsible. Everyone holding a position higher than GM needs to go.

Well, Perlazzo needs to go too. And it would be helpful to have just one GM, given he actually gets to do his job for once.

[kelford]

I think the team needs a good dose of Frank.

The team turned the corner when he first arrived as a player and I think that influence, what he set in motion as a team leader, was felt all the way through the '83 championship.

I wonder what he's up to? Who's to say he'd even work for Pete though. And sadly, he's probably too high profile and strong willed for Pete anyway.

It would be nice though. We need a Frank.

[J W]

Nope; I don't believe in the "oriole way" talk anymore. We've wasted time with a lot of former Orioles. I believe in the "whatever way it takes" philosophy now.

If that way includes Frank Robinson, so be it.

[kelford]

OK, so maybe there is some nostalgic pull working there, but do think the team needs a leader the way Frank was to be the backbone of the team. It doesn't have to be Frank, but someone like that.

That said, when Frank arrived the team was on the verge arlready, and he just solidified them as a contender and pushed them over the edge. This team isn't on the verge, so it'll take more.

[Erik Bedard]

I disagree. This team is on the verge. They've got three exceptionally talented young arms in Bedard, Loewen, and Cabrera (six if you add in Guthrie, Penn and Olson), a strong core in Roberts, Tejada, Markakis, and Hernandez, and a fair bit of money coming in from MASN. What the Orioles need to do to win is trade away Tejada for a young star-in-the-making coming from a winning environment... somebody like Curtis Granderson, Brian McCann, Jon Lester, etc. Then, they need to hire a Moneyball-style GM. It worked in Oakland and Boston, why can't it work here? Then they need to fire Perlozzo and hire somebody who knows how to handle a pitching staff. Then they can win.

[kelford]

I don't disagree with what you've said, I think we're just defining "being on the verge" differently. To me, what you've described is more of a "has potential" situation than being on the verge,

Players aside, the bigger issue that you bring up is the moneyball style GM. That's going to have to come from Angelos to 1) hire a GM that knows how to operate in today's game and 2) be willing to let that GM spend the money that's necessary. (The money from MASN is great too, but only if they know how to use it.) And that's not just for acquiring players, but keeping the ones you have. I love the direction the pitching staff is going, but how long will we keep those young arms? There are a lot of quality players on the "used to be Orioles" team.

[Oriolesfan1810]

we need to completely clean house and start fresh. I don't see the O's winning much more, I see them picking up about 100 losses this year because of how terrible they've been.

Sign Markakis and Bedard long-term. 6 years and $25+ million for both. Give them the "Grady Sizemore" contract (Which was 6 years and $23 1/2 million)

Trade Tejada and get some young prospects for him.

Grab Teixiera before the Yankees do. OVERPAY THE S.O.B.

He has a .581 average, 14 HR, and 30 RBI here in Baltimore. He loves the short dimensions.

Crush the bullpen (VOID BAEZ's contract) and Trade Chris Ray. Start anew by signing general talent (general as in pitchers with good records) that can go one or two innings, not to mention, bring in a new closer.

There were a lot of bargain buster players out there that Angelos just could get off his wallet and buy.

Fire the entire coaching staff and allow the manager who is new to pick his own coaching staff. I like Juan Samuel and Sam Meijas as our coaches at 1st and 3rd base. They are great for the latin players

We have over $110,000,000 to spend in the offseason. SO LETS SPEND IT AND GET SOME PLAYERS ON THIS $*(%# team. WE'RE BETTER THAN THIS!

MacPhail is a good COO with great baseball sense.

[Lucifer]

Pretty much anyone with a uniform hah

[ChrisLDuncan]

I disagree. This team is on the verge. They've got three exceptionally talented young arms in Bedard, Loewen, and Cabrera (six if you add in Guthrie, Penn and Olson), a strong core in Roberts, Tejada, Markakis, and Hernandez, and a fair bit of money coming in from MASN. What the Orioles need to do to win is trade away Tejada for a young star-in-the-making coming from a winning environment... somebody like Curtis Granderson, Brian McCann, Jon Lester, etc. Then, they need to hire a Moneyball-style GM. It worked in Oakland and Boston, why can't it work here? Then they need to fire Perlozzo and hire somebody who knows how to handle a pitching staff. Then they can win.

Tejada won't be there for long...this team isn't that close to winning...yeah they have a few good arms but Cabrera and Lowen are about two years away from doing anything. Peter Angelos needs to get out of the teams way and they need to trade Tejada and start to rebuild.

[Knick9]

The cancers on this team are:

A) Peter Angelos, he must be run out of the city for this team to ever have a chance. As long as he is owner of this team, the team isn't going anywhere. Memo to you guys, stay away from Camden.

B) Kevin Millar, the fact that he still has a job baffles me. He's no good, he's a bum. He's been due to get released. He isn't clutch and he serves no purpose.

C) The entire pitching staff including the bullpen...blow this thing up already. Please. It's terrible. LaTroy Hawkins? Chris Ray? Danys Baez? Just stop it and go get legit pitchers.

Oh, how I wish Cal owned the O's.

[J W]

First off, it's VERY rare to go out and get a free agent reliever you can rely on year-after-year. Just look at Hawkins from '02-'04... and now he's barely under league average in ERA. Ray had two great seasons followed by mediocrity this year. Starting pitching is much more stable (and even then it isn't a given a solid starter will give you a good year). The best hope for the Orioles is to continue to develop their own youth on the mound and supplement it as needed.

Second, any reason why we need to keep Bedard? Especially if he doesn't want to be here? We could get a LOT for that pitcher and we have more youth with better personalities behind him. Unfortunately the door may be closing on getting any value for Cabrera.

Third, I think everyone agrees Tejada needs to go while teams still want him,

Lastly, I'm excited about the hiring of Macphail... now will Angelos please let him run the team! You can add "sign Matt Wieters to a deal and make Scott Boras happy" to your list O's fan...

[Oriolesfan1810]

Wieters isn't going to get signed. Angelos is going to balk and balk and balk until he has his way.

If I owned the team, it's simple... Give him the contract he rightfully deserves.

[bigtime39]

Wieters isn't going to get signed. Angelos is going to balk and balk and balk until he has his way.

If I owned the team, it's simple... Give him the contract he rightfully deserves.

Might have happened last year. Won't happen this year. McPhail can't allow it.

[Woobles Wobble]

Peter Angelos is the head cancer. Followed by Mike Flanagan as GM. Next come a few players including Danys Baez, Jay Gibbons, Kevin Millar.

[Erik Bedard]

What? That makes no sense at all. Baez is horrible, but he's not a cancer. Same with Gibbons. Millar is kind of the anti-cancer, the guy who tries to improve the team's morale. Plus, he's the team's second best hitter, after Roberts.