Who are the O's going to go after in free agency?

The most important things, according to the FO, is getting a starter, closer, and set up man.  Now, those can be taken care of through free agency with a pretty hefty list of 'eh' and 'also eh'.  Personally, I love me some Paul Byrd, but that doesn't, although it kind of does, help out the need for a veteran to stabilize the rotation.  Jon Lieber, Kenny Rogers, Curt Schilling, etc seems to be where they were going, but I wouldn't be surprised to find someone younger but still a veteran added...I suggested Matt Clement and my friend nearly shot me...and then did.

Now, I think the most important thing to do is trade Tejada and Danny Cabs.  Preferably to the Dodgers.  Preferably for Chin-Lung Hu (pit him and Hernandez against each other during spring training to see who does better at short), Jonathan Meloan and/or (if possible) Scott Elbert, and Chin-hui Tsao.  That takes care of a concern at short, pitching prospects who are basically major league ready, and a guy (Tsao) who could feasibly be used as a set up man.  This will probably not happen, but it does make a lot of sense...maybe.

He played last year for the Cubs for a cool million, and gave them 20+ innings of decent relief.

...what a steal.

I don't know that I'm in favor of any of these guys. Kerry Wood is brainless, I like Hatty but don't want to see his golden years up close (he's basically Millar with a better glove), Weaver stinks, Bonds would be a constant shitstorm (I'd like it for the discussion and traffic, but other than that?).

Jennings is an idea I like a lot.

I WAS convinced the O's would get nobody, trade Tejader (and any other vets they can dump -- minus maybe Roberts) for prospects and go with what they've got next year as the beginning of a full-scale rebuild.

What stopped me on that track is that you've got to have a couple super star studs to build around. Bedard and Guts are the beginnings of a good rotation and Markickass is obviously the solution for one position, but there's no franchise hitter there and unless we're going to say "F it" and give Rowell or Wieters a shot right now a la Alex Gordon there isn't one coming through the pipeline until AT LEAST 2009, and from there it's at least two years before you can really assess what you've got and sign the missing pieces.

So we'll sign a couple mid-level free agents in the hopes of floating the team around .500, but realistically I think it's going to be 2012 before we even have a shot at competing again.

Best case scenario is that we get a franchise-level hitting prospect in a deal for Tejada (that'd also have to include a top tier pitching prospect, I'm sure) and that timetable moves up a year or two if we're VERY lucky.

When did I become such a pessimist?

Most of these guys are over 30. Why would we buy more mediocre veteran has-beens? What kind of example is that?

Play the kids, play the kids and play the kids.

Rebuilding means just that....rebuilding. We have Penn, Loewen, and Cabrera to sort through in the back of the rotation, plus an option on Kris Benson. We have various AAA guys who should be ready to come up second half. Why would you sign Jennings or Weaver on top of that?

Mike Lowell is such an upgrade over Aubrey Huff? And why in God's name would we overpay Alex Rodriguez? Aren't we trying to get away from ridiculous free-agent signings?

Trade Tejada for some good position prospects. Dump Payton. Hang on to Patterson until you get a better option in CF. Play Scott Moore, and promote the kids who are ready. Lock up Bedard. Void Gibbons' contract.

If it's not looking optimistic by July (i.e., I'd want to see 3 consistently great starters from Bedard, Guthrie and Penn/Loewen/Cabrera), trade away Roberts for what you can get for him).

The only move I want to see this team make in the offseason is to get younger and hungrier. And fix the bullpen by singing as many cheap YOUNG arms as you can and letting them sort it out.