2011-12 Hot Stove Thread

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

Still on that campaign, huh?

Maybe he wouldn't handle New York well, but there is little reason to think Wilson is a lemon. He had a solid first year as a starter in 2010 (15-8, 3.35 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 170 K's in 204 IP) and an outstanding second season in 2011 (16-7, 2.94 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 206 K's in 233 1/3 IP). This in one of the worst pitcher's parks in the American League.

Still walks more than you would like to see, but he's also damn difficult to hit.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

Not surprising. Poor business base too, which makes hit hard to sell high priced season tickets.

Still think the franchise could be more fan friendly and affordable.

Still think fans are reluctant to become emotionally invested in a team when they know their best/favorite young players will likely not be retained.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

More fallout from the Glenn Beck rally?

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

Or maybe not. The story also noted that Obama didn't call the Giants right away either, but eventually did. Maybe he was asleep.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

Congratulations to Dan Duquette, possibly the new GM of the Baltimore Orioles. Hey, it's his first job in 10 years. Lots of luck and patience. He's going to need it, working for one of the biggest fools in baseball.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

I was shocked to hear that they hired him, but according to Keith Law and others, Angelos' reputation is so bad in baseball right now that they couldn't even get other credible candidates to interview. Allan Baird, who had a really bad tenure in KC as their GM, didn't even want to interview, instead opting to stick as an assistant in Boston.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

Also, as a follow-up to my previous post - Duquette isn't the worst GM in the world, but he's produced some good whoppers when you put a microphone in front of his face. The comments about Clemens, "more days in first place," etc. I doubt he's the one to bring the Orioles out of their pit, but he's probably not going to burn the ground and salt the earth, like Tony Reagins or Bill Bavasi or Cam Bonifay.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

Duquette gets a bad rap b/c he's just an awful people person, but the Red Sox don't sniff that drought-busting World Series w/o him. He fleeced the Mariners for Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek and signed World Series MVP Manny Ramirez as well as Johnny Damon, the latter of whom was the heart and soul of that team, in addition to bringing on Moneyball-esque philosophies w/o any of the hype or gushing praise that Lord Theo got.

As sgreenwell notes, he won't further ruin the place, but he must really want to get back in in order to work for a complete fucking psychopath whose mere presence ensures nothing good ever gets done. Hopefully Duquette's gotten a little better in front of the cameras and tape recorders. The work he did in Montreal and Boston certainly warrants a third opportunity.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

LOL. You've got a long list of people who are awful.

Would love to see a ranking.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

There's an awfully long list of people who think Dan Duquette has awful people skills. Why else do you think he went nearly a decade between jobs?

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

Unlike some folks I've defended in the past, I have no opinion of Duquette as a person.

I just think it's funny how often you break out the "awful person" assessment.

It is funny in its own way, but it makes it hard to take it seriously.

 

Re: 2011 Hot Stove Thread

Don't forget that he also traded for Pedro.