Baltimore Orioles: Faux General Manager goes all in for the win

The FanSided FAUX General Manager meetings are over and the Baltimore Orioles results are in.

As your Faux General Manager, I decided to go all in and sign proven free agents and pick up a few players that fans would enjoy watching. I had the post-season in mind, but I couldn’t go crazy.

I wasn’t afraid to give up some prospects to get what I needed. By the time I was finished, I stabilized the rotation and added some outfielders. But, I did not give up any veteran players.

Please, keep in mind that these are signing from a Faux General Manager simulation between the MLB site experts through the FanSided organization. We, the site experts, had to stay within a budget and we could not make outrageous bids on free agents. And, we couldn’t make trades with Players to Be Named Later. This was as real as it gets, without being real at all.

The fake starting rotation

In this simulation, my starting rotation included the two current players, Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy. I made a trade with the Minnesota Twins for Kyle Gibson in exchange for Austin Wynns and Joe Johnson and the rest of the International Bonus Money. He will be 30 in 2018 and is in his second year of arbitration. He made $2.9 million in 2017.

There were two other starting pitchers I fake signed as free agents. Tyler Chatwood will be a pretend Oriole in a fake three-year contract for $29 million. Then, I fake signed Andrew Cashner for two fake years and $18 million. So, all pitchers will make less than $10 million in fake money. Unfortunately, I did build a rotation make of all right-handed pitchers – but that’s what was available.

The outfield signings

I also signed a few outfielders. The first move was made early in the Faux Hot Stove season. The Braves site expert approached me with the opportunity that all Baltimore fans have been hoping would happen. He wanted to trade Nick Markakis in exchange for minor league pitcher Matthew Grimes. I just couldn’t pass it up. So, in the fake 2018 team, Markakis will be playing in fake right field. This was a pure no-brainer as some players just need to come back home.

The other signing was for an up-and-coming outfielder. The Faux Milwaukee Brewers General Manager offered speedy, young centerfielder Keon Broxton. All he wanted was a pair of minor leaguers, Alex Wells and Matthias Dietz. I have watched Broxton play a handful of times at Miller Park and my scouting report on him was good. In my faux 2018 season, I plan to use him as a utility outfielder, but he could eventually take over for Adam Jones if needed in 2019.

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Couldn’t pass up this cheap exchange

Finally, I had one more offer that I couldn’t pass up. I had the room on the faux roster (and actually still have room for one more). Again, this trade was with the Braves Faux GM. He dangled Jim Johnson out there and just wanted Kirvin Moesquit in exchange. He felt that Johnson would benefit from spending time with Roger McDowell, who is the pitching coach in Birdland. I agreed to the mock trade.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I did lose out on one player, Alex Avila. The New York Yankees Faux GM signed him before I made an offer. I also tried to get Cameron Maybin, but he was offered more than I was willing to spend. Several teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, wanted to get involved in faux trades with Zach Britton, but I just couldn’t part with him at this point in pretend time.

Next: Faux General Manager early moves

It might come as a surprise, but only one former Oriole did end up on fake teams. Chris Tillman ended up with the fake Padres for two years and $14 fake million. I hope I signed some players that will help make the Faux 2018 Orioles contenders in Faketober 2018. It was a true joy to represent the team in this Faux Hot Stove season. Now, will the real Orioles start making some big moves already??!!