We've Seen This Before

Bob's Backstop for January 27, 2004

Now, all of the above may be true. Arguing the merits of the acquisitions is not the point of this exercise. The point is that it didn't take long, especially with the advent of the big late move by the new kid on the block with the Angels, to take the Orioles back down a peg in the national media.

Just as interesting is the sudden ascension of the Angels as the new geniuses. Arte Moreno seems like a great guy, and it appears that he really cares about his team. He's sure spent the money to prove it.

But haven't we been here before?

Isn't this just following the typical new owner line?

1. New guy comes in, hailed as franchise savior.

2. Spends money lavishly on free agents. Puts payroll over $100M mark for next several seasons. Lauded in press as "wanting to win now," "aggressive," "forward thinking."

3. At least one of the free agents is a bust. Team wins, but not the brass ring. Attendance does pick up in the first season. In off-season, team decides to try to make another run. but can't afford new premium type free agents, so tries to sign several $3-5M players to bridge gap.

4. Older guys get hurt or underperform, or both. By now, bloom is off the rose. Another of the previous season's signings gets hurt, team finishes around .510, misses playoffs altogether.

5. In offseason, team decides to cut payroll, but no one wants previously coveted free agents, so other players that could actually help team are dropped instead. Press turns negative, starts calling owner a meddler and incompetent.

6. Owner starts catching grief on talk shows, in the press, and from the fan on the street.

7. Another team in the division signs three premium free agents. If long-time owner of franchise who has tried this before, gets skepticism in the press. If a new owner, see Number One above.

8. Fans wait for new owner to take the reins from the current doofus.

Now, it's true that it's just as likely (if not more likely) that Ponson, Tejada, Lopez, and Palmeiro will fare more poorly than Guerrero, Escobar, Guillen, and Colon, but how come it's automatically hailed as brilliance while the Orioles dropped to "well maybe" after not getting Guerrero? Is Escobar worth $8M a season? Will Colon get even fatter now that he's got himself a meal ticket? Will Vlad's back stay healthy, and will his reticence be all right with the fans and press when things aren't going well? Those are all real questions, folks, but they aren't being asked by many people.

When Peter Angelos bought the Orioles, he was hailed as a savior, even lionized by the press and players alike when he refused to field a replacement team, and the Orioles went back to the playoffs. Now, he's been a whipping boy in the media for the past five or so years.

What's going to happen to Arte Moreno? Will he still be The People's Choice a year from now, or will he be seen as a Latino Tom Hicks? Only time will tell, but if history is any indicator, he should save those positive press clippings.

Just ask the Orioles, and Peter Angelos.