2014 Offseason

[saddles]

Meh, I don't think we're as hamstrung as you think.

HaHa. I understand. You view what JD has said as a smoke screen and I view it as a smoke signal. We shall see.

I am just hoping that there is something within the finances that only has them hamstrung temporarily and that maybe eventually we can raise the budget to the $150-160 million range.

 

[saddles]

Our "budget" is a joke. We are the 4th largest market in the US and until last year our fans had been attending games in record numbers. Yet we spend like a mid-market team.

Let me be clear. I am not in favor of spending like drunken fools like the Dodgers, Yankees, and Angels do. Spending big doesn't guarantee wins. In fact, it often does the exact opposite. But this notion that we don't chase certain signings or trades that would definitely make the team better because we are "limited by budget" is ridiculous. Our ownership, combined with the recent fan support and huge tv deal, could certainly afford a higher payroll.

I agree completely. I don't understand it at all. Unfortunately, we don't have media members around here who will look in depth into what is causing this.

 

[jta4437]

i guess you are probably right but i went thru this wait until next year for 20+ years with this team and to see them finally climb to the top only to sink to the bottom again sucks. and i just don't see the "2016 & 2017 are going to be special" at the end of the rainbow. it will require that everyone at the minor league level now has to cut it and the odds are not good for all of them being ready in 2016 AND/OR 2017. so it will be wait until next season again

Not everyone has to cut it, far from it

This is assuming THREE of Gallo/Brinson/Williams/Mazara/Sardi/Profar/Rua etc... makes it to fill out the lineup

The only place we're hedging our bet is catcher with Alfaro

 

[romeo212000]

HaHa. I understand. You view what JD has said as a smoke screen and I view it as a smoke signal. We shall see.

I am just hoping that there is something within the finances that only has them hamstrung temporarily and that maybe eventually we can raise the budget to the $150-160 million range.

I think they would, but it has to be for the right piece.

 

[RevSader]

Meh, I don't think we're as hamstrung as you think.

Personally I find all the hand hem hawing and budget talk to be the worst thing about the off season. As soon as people start whining about the perceived budget I just tune out and want nothing to do with that conversation. I don't know what they are going to do anymore than anyone else who doesn't know, but the nitpicking over ever single word JD says gets tiring....Also I know I am preaching to the choir on this one.

 

[RevSader]

I think they would, but it has to be for the right piece.

Exactly. Lester isn't that piece because they lock him up, guess who leaves in FA? Yu Darvish. Shields likely isn't that piece either because the years. And we can go on and on with all the FAs. We knew coming into this off season that Texas wasn't really ready to commit multiple years to many positions, because they have relief in the way of farm players coming.

 

[romeo212000]

Personally I find all the hand hem hawing and budget talk to be the worst thing about the off season. As soon as people start whining about the perceived budget I just tune out and want nothing to do with that conversation. I don't know what they are going to do anymore than anyone else who doesn't know, but the nitpicking over ever single word JD says gets tiring....Also I know I am preaching to the choir on this one.

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

I figured as much. AAA it is. Make sure he's healthy... then a trade of someone.

 

[saddles]

I think they would, but it has to be for the right piece.

Yes, you are right. JD said about 14 months ago that the budget would not increase very much at all, but that he could go to the owners and ask them to if he saw the need to. He also added that looking at the free agents that would be available last offseason and this present offseason that he didn't see the need to. That is what I have been telling folks for a year now and no one wants to believe it. For the right piece they would, but the caveat is that JD has already proclaimed that the right piece would not be there. Maybe next offseason things change though.

 

[romeo212000]

Yes, you are right. JD said about 14 months ago that the budget would not increase very much at all, but that he could go to the owners and ask them to if he saw the need to. He also added that looking at the free agents that would be available last offseason and this present offseason that he didn't see the need to. That is what I have been telling folks for a year now and no one wants to believe it. For the right piece they would, but the caveat is that JD has already proclaimed that the right piece would not be there. Maybe next offseason things change though.

I don't have any problem with that. Adding big dollars to our payroll for a player that only makes our team marginally better makes less than zero sense.

 

[WilltheThrill]

The free agent market is thin for sure, so I have no problem with JD standing pat there. But I do think there are some fairly reasonable cost starting pitchers to be had via trade who could most certainly help the team (Miley, Latos, Ross, Cashner maybe). I really hope JD pursues a deal there. I think the current team being healthy plus 1 legit starter, 1 more catcher (Rosario?), and maybe 1 more decent corner OF bat could definitely be reasonably competitive.

 

[Bmurph]

The free agent market is thin for sure, so I have no problem with JD standing pat there. But I do think there are some fairly reasonable cost starting pitchers to be had via trade who could most certainly help the team (Miley, Latos, Ross, Cashner maybe). I really hope JD pursues a deal there. I think the current team being healthy plus 1 legit starter, 1 more catcher (Rosario?), and maybe 1 more decent corner OF bat could definitely be reasonably competitive.

Miley is gone to BoSox and Latos just went to the Marlins

 

[romeo212000]

The free agent market is thin for sure, so I have no problem with JD standing pat there. But I do think there are some fairly reasonable cost starting pitchers to be had via trade who could most certainly help the team (Miley, Latos, Ross, Cashner maybe). I really hope JD pursues a deal there. I think the current team being healthy plus 1 legit starter, 1 more catcher (Rosario?), and maybe 1 more decent corner OF bat could definitely be reasonably competitive.

If anyone thinks JD isn't having conversations with teams about pitching, then they really are clueless. It's a two way street. Both teams have to be reasonable in trade talks.

 

[WilltheThrill]

Miley is gone to BoSox and Latos just went to the Marlins

I know. I was just giving examples of names who could have been pursued/acquired. It's too late obviously for Miley and Latos, but pitchers like them are available.

 

[WilltheThrill]

If anyone thinks JD isn't having conversations with teams about pitching, then they really are clueless. It's a two way street. Both teams have to be reasonable in trade talks.

Agreed. But the return so far for some of these starting pitchers has been less-than-stellar. Obviously I'm not involved in these talks, but just from the early returns it would seem that the asking prices aren't too steep. I'm sure JD is doing the best he can.

 

[Bmurph]

I know. I was just giving examples of names who could have been pursued/acquired. It's too late obviously for Miley and Latos, but pitchers like them are available.

Latos would have been nice but like I said a couple days ago, I think this team as currently assembled is what most likely gets rolled out for the 2015 season. Maybe another pitcher is added to the rotation but even that seems a tougher task, especially when the Dodgers pay Brandon McCarthy 4 years 48 million. Assholes are spending money just for the sake of spending it

 

[WilltheThrill]

Latos would have been nice but like I said a couple days ago, I think this team as currently assembled is what most likely gets rolled out for the 2015 season. Maybe another pitcher is added to the rotation but even that seems a tougher task, especially when the Dodgers pay Brandon McCarthy 4 years 48 million. Assholes are spending money just for the sake of spending it

Yeah, that kind of spending on such marginal pitching is asinine. I like JD's approach of trying to acquire a pitcher via trade rather than over-spending in free agency. I just hope he's able to pull off a deal that helps the rotation.

 

[scotsman1948]

Latos would have been nice but like I said a couple days ago, I think this team as currently assembled is what most likely gets rolled out for the 2015 season. Maybe another pitcher is added to the rotation but even that seems a tougher task, especially when the Dodgers pay Brandon McCarthy 4 years 48 million. Assholes are spending money just for the sake of spending it

If this the team they are going to roll out then it should be easy to get good seats all season

 

[romeo212000]

If this the team they are going to roll out then it should be easy to get good seats all season

Stop pouting. It's getting annoying.

 

[darrylgann]

If this the team they are going to roll out then it should be easy to get good seats all season

Maybe, but Round Rock and Frisco will be rocking.