Orioles Rumors: Dunn, Wigginton, Sexson

So close! Last year I posted to eager Orioles fans wishing for the acquisition of hometown product Mark Texiera that it just wasn’t McPhail’s style to spend big in free agency. I predicted that he would make a token run at Texiera to keep the press and media happy. He’d make an offer big enough to get the attention he craves, but safely below one that Texiera would actually take -- then ultimately settle for a reclamation project like Richie Sexson. It almost actually happened. As a Cub fan who had suffered through years of McPhail’s grandiose ego -- mixed, ironically, with his small, frugal plans -- I have to admit I feel bad for Orioles fans. As much as I’d like to see them make a run at the Red Sox/Yankees juggernaut it’s going to be a tough road. Tampa did it with some good young players, especially great arms…so maybe there’s still hope for Baltimore. They’ve got a pretty nice influx of talent on the way, though I don’t believe it measures up to what Tampa has been able to build.

"Orioles would only consider Adam Dunn as a DH, and he wants to play the outfield"

maybe what they say about Dunn is right, maybe he really just doesnt care enough

"I guess Michael Young doesn't care enough either, since the Rangers want Young to play 3B, and he wants to play SS. =p"

1) Dunn has actually been accused of what I said, and I happen to believe it

2) The statement you made about Young is also somewhat true. Hes been playing for a losing team for half his career, hes losing interest and doesnt want to get pushed around by a stinker of a team, i wouldnt either and neither would you atleast i would hope not

That Stinker team gave him a huge contract, and now when the Rangers are asking him to make a change that they think is good for the team he says no.

I say he is selfish and only thinks about him and not the team

"I say he is selfish and only thinks about him and not the team"

the man has played 4 games at that position ever, only 4. of course he doesnt want to, it would be like telling pedro martinez he has to become a center fielder because hes not a enough pitcher anymore, its a back handed move by the team

04Forever,

I don't get it. Dunn actually wants to put in the extra effort to play OF!

Young does not want to put any effort into learning a new position. All SS and CF eventually need to move off their position. This is not unprecedented...

Tampa did it with some good young players, especially great arms…so maybe there’s still hope for Baltimore. They’ve got a pretty nice influx of talent on the way, though I don’t believe it measures up to what Tampa has been able to build.

Posted by: crunchy1 | January 13, 2009 at 02:01 PM

The O's would have to be willing to basically be in last place for at least 5 years and just draft high picks for them to compete in the AL East.

They would have to accept a lot less seats sold too. Although, a lot of the fans that show up are Yankee fans anyway.

I don't think there's any other option w/o spending much.

About the Dunn thing... he should be happy just to get an offer from any team. 4 years 56 mil is a big stretch in this market.

Nobody said it was going to be easy for the O's. McPhail isn't a big spender by nature and trying to match Tampa's draft success will require lots of losing years, shrewd scouting, and some good fortune.

Reds ex GM Wayne Krivsky now works for the Orioles Front Office so it shows what HE thinks of Dunn's Defense.

y city jim,

Take what Dunn says as far as working out and trying to improve with a grain of salt.

For three staight years during Spring Training, all Reds fans heard was that Dunn was working hard at hitting the ball to the opposite field and cutting down his swing so as to NOT Strike Out as much.

One year Dunn specifically said, "I am going to try and be more like Ichiro. I am going to try and hit the ball to the opposite field. I am going to try to not hit Home Runs and I am going to try and not Strike Out so much".

What happened after each time he said these things? Same old Dunn. First week during the regular season, he tries these things and THEN goes back to trying to pull EVERY pitch for a Home Run and Strikes Out a ton.

Dunn will NOT change.

Oh yeah, as far as working out with a trainer, WHY does it take his Free Agent year for him to do that? Why couldn't he have done that two or three years ago? It is not like he has been svelte these last few years.....

Don't fall for that DH bait ctownboy, Rice fell into that known as a DH only label early in his career only because the Sox had Yaz playing left and he only won 9 GG's playing LF and as Rice said so himself, he taught him everything he knew about playing the wall at Fenway.

ctownboy-uhhhhh Rice played in the bandbox known as Fenway Park.... sorry dude.