If he is a symbol of anything, it is that the Orioles are fairly certain they will not be competitive enough this year to warrant a bigger expenditure on a back-end starter or middle reliever. Despite the apparent willingness to offer Teixeira $20 million per year for seven years, they did not allot $140 million for whatever free agents might be left when the Yankees and Boston Red Sox got done picking over the market.
Orioles president Andy MacPhail continues to pursue the two Japanese pitchers who want to jump to the major leagues this year. I'm guessing he'll also wait in the shadows in case the market softens for some of the second-tier free-agent starters. I'll be surprised if the Orioles get into the bidding for sluggers Adam Dunn and Pat Burrell but wouldn't criticize the team for going off the plan for one power hitter as long as it doesn't wipe out next year's free-agent budget.
The harsh reality of the situation is this: Whether the O's throw their fans that kind of bone or not, the team is not fooling itself, and neither should you. The Orioles are going to be in a developmental stage for at least the next year or two, and there really is nothing that MacPhail could do in the free-agent market that is going to make the Orioles very competitive in 2009.
Of course, there are plenty of disaffected fans who think there is nothing anybody can do to make this franchise a winner under the current ownership. They've suffered enough and they're mad as hell, and you really can't blame them for giving up hope. They are left with only a couple of choices - either start rooting for another team or settle for the modest pleasure of watching Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Matt Wieters and Brian Matusz try to grow into the nucleus of an attractive ballclub.
Maybe it never happens. Maybe the naysayers and their predictions of infinite doom and gloom will turn out to be right. Just don't blame Mark Hendrickson. He just got here.
Listen to Peter Schmuck on WBAL (1090 AM) at noon most Fridays and Saturdays.
