Sherrill is a perfect candidate for a regression/people realizing that he’s not as good as his save totals say. I say trade him. Jim Johnson can trade, and Chris Ray’ll be back by next April at the latest.

On O’s Hangout, a poster mentioned that the Red Sox really like Sherrill according to Buster Olney (I’m assuming this tidbit was hidden ESPN Insider content). Then there was a long ass thread about serious discussion in acquiring either Lowrie or Ellsburg (although some people were joking about the realistic possibility of getting Ellsbury). I’ll just say that RS were reluctant to Ellsbury for Santana , I highly doubt they’ll trade for a reliever. Lowrie is a damn fine prospect. Sickels rates as a A- in the offseason. I can’t imagine the RS giving him up for Sherrill.

Rosenthal reports:

The Orioles are willing to trade left-hander George Sherrill only if a potential suitor wants to overpay. The team’s previous closer, Chris Ray, is recovering from elbow-ligament transplant surgery, and Sherrill is under club control for the next three seasons.

Look, I like Sherrill but I don’t get this dogged determinism in keeping him. Bowden held on Cordero far too long because his asking price was too high. Now Cordero doesn’t have any trade value. I would hate to see the same thing happen to Sherrill.

Looks like Jorge Posada may be out for the season after surgery on his shoulder. Does this increase the likelihood Hernandez gets traded this season?

So far we know the Marlins are looking for a veteran backstop to help Treanor out, but what does this mean?

So, I was watching the mlbtraderumors chat, and someone mentioned Brandon Wood (3B) and Sean Rodriguez (SS) of the Angels for Sherrill. Needless to say, I got a little excited. If that’s the trade, does MacPhail pull the string? Or does he wait for them to throw someone else in there? Like Stephen Marek, Sean O’Sullivan, or Jordan Walden – Nick Adenhart’s not going to happen?

Rauch for traded to the D-Backs for Emilio Bonifacio. Emilio Bonifacio was rated as a C+ prospect by Sickets before the season. He’s have a decent season at AAA this year as a 23 old 2B (.735 OPS). Again, Sherrill isn’t going anymore. If Rauch, who’s a damn good reliever but not as cheap as Sherrill, can only land Emilio Bonifacio, I don’t see the O’s doing much better.

Roberts is unlikely to be traded as MacPhail is pretty much asking for a package of the same quality as the Bedard haul, Sherrill is only really being pursued by the Cards and they have voiced many times they aren’t ready to part with Rasmus, and Huff isn’t going anywhere.

Andy isn’t going to be cut short at any costs, but this is a very risky move as it is general consensus that the value of Roberts + Sherrill go down by the winter. Roberts is a year older and a year closer to free agency, while Sherrill is likely to come back down to earch and not net nearly as much as what is floating around right now. A ton of teams have inquired about these players but MacPhail is asking each and every team to pay dearly, and as we can tell a lot of the contenders are just getting guys who are worse, but cheaper and get the job done.

The Bedard and Tejada trades were easy decisions. Now the O’s have some tough ones to make. Will Carrol and Jayson Stark have said that the O’s are inclined to stay put because .500 is a possibility.

Compare that to this recent MacPhail quote

“Your ultimate goal has to be to build a team that is capable of getting into the postseason in the AL East,” MacPhail said. “You have to make sure one doesn’t come at the expense of the other. There is a value to breaking the string of losing seasons as an organization or as a franchise. But breaking that streak can’t come at the expense of doing what you need to do to get your franchise to the point where it can reach the postseason.”

Which is the priority? I believe that MacPhail is under some pressure to get a winning season. And yes, I believe the pressure is coming from Angelos, who wants to consecutive losing seasons monkey off his back. (No need to tell me MacPhail is in complete command. If you believe that, we’re just not going to agree.) Adding to this pressure is the fact that the O’s supposed pitching depth that we’ve heard about for the past several years has been a bunch of baloney. Perhaps MacPhail realizes that putting together a competitive team is farther off than he had hoped now that the O’s pitching has flopped. However, since they are flirting with .500, he may as well let it ride and see if he can placate the boss and some fans (what kind of fans I’m not sure) with a .500 season.

I guess we’re likely to see more or less the same team through September. That means no major moves, and we’ll have to wait for the off season to see if MacPhail was giving us the straight dope about the “ultimate goal”.

- After one major and one semi major trade, the Brewers have decided they don´t want Sherrill.

“Certain positions are hard to find, and shortstop is one of them,” said Melvin. “We’ve got a good one in the big leagues and a good, young one in the minor leagues. Unless (the Orioles) change their mind, I don’t see anything happening.”

Change your mind, Orioles, take anyone not named Salome from Huntsville. I am one of the many who thinks Sherrill will lose value, not neccessarily regress, but lose value. He will not get as many saves in the second half, he will not play in an all star game in the second half, he will be a year older, and he will be a year closer to free agency.

I don´t have much time today so I just scrolled through mlbtraderumors and this is what I came up with.

-Concerning Sherril:
``The Mets would love to be in the sweepstakes, but they fear the price will be too high. The Yankees would love it too, but they don’t think Baltimore will deal him within the division. It seems likely that he’ll be moved, since somebody will probably come up with a blow-away offer. If that happens, that Bedard trade is the gift that keeps on giving.``

I might agree if the apparent asking price was just ridiculous and not insane, but MacPhail is asking for a price that may be so high that teams really might just say no thank you. It doesn´t look like he is going to back down, either.

-Melvin in Milwaukee:
“Maybe in September we’ll look to add a veteran guy. But I don’t anticipate making a trade for somebody who’s not much better than what we have. As long as our starting pitching continues to pitch well, I like our bullpen.”`

Burn. JSonline is one of the most reliable blogs and Haudricourt thinks that the Brewers aren´t going to trade with us as we want a shortstop. I still think we need to take what is available at Huntsville.

Soon we’ll see what a lefty reliever with closer experience is worth…minus Nady, who’s hitting remarkably well.

The thing about Sherril is that he isn’t a rental. Marte’s a free agent at the end of the season. Sherrill is under control for another two years, and thus should be worth a bit more. After all, Marte hasn’t been that great.

The Pirates get Jose Tabata (OF), Ross Ohlendorf (RHP), and two other minor leaguers from the Yankees. The other two are rumored to be Phil Coke (LHP) and George Kontos (RHP).

Tabata was #3 and Ohlendorf #9 on Baseball America’s 2008 Prospect Preview List.

This is pretty decent. It would make sense for Ohlendorf and Tabata to be the return on Nady and Coke and Kontos on Marte…or something. There it is though.

Steve Melewski MASN Blog

Andy MacPhail Says

I had a chance to interview Andy MacPhail today here at Camden Yards on the Orioles Insider Roundtable. You can hear today’s entire show in our Media Lounge. [link]

While MacPhail characterizes the O’s as “sellers” not buyers, he doesn’t seem to indicate the O’s will be making too many deals.

“Based on the level where we are, I’d be suprised if we were involved in a lot of activity between now and Thursday. Of course, that can change overnight, but I think that’s unlikely.”

He indicated the O’s could be more involved leading up to the August 31st deadline as players pass waivers. He expects 1/4 to 1/3 of all Major Leaguers to clear waivers. He said “I don’t see lack of activity as a bad thing, there are always teams looking for you to make a stupid deal.”

I don’t know if MacPhail is blowing smoke. I wonder if they even tried to pull together a package for LaRoche. The players who will clear waivers aren’t going to be the types who will bring a good return. The second half boredom continues.

Oh, that link also has the DD “cigar” press conference. I also like his previous rant about the starting pitching. Maybe it’s getting to him and this is his way of blowing off steam. I still like someone telling the truth instead of the past decade of BS doublespeak. This kind of candor helped get Leo Mazzone fired.

For Kyle Farnsworth. Apparently pudge might just be a type A free agent at the end of the year as well.

How many old/overpriced vets can you fit on one team?

-Brain Roberts is 100% not available.

“If the Twins trade for a second baseman to replace the injured Alexi Casilla, it won’t be Baltimore’s Brian Roberts, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The Twins talked to the Orioles about Roberts last winter, but this month, the O’s have told teams he’s not available.”

-George Sherrill is staying home, too.

“It’s starting to look like the Orioles will hang on to George Sherrill, reducing the closer market further. They were hoping to get a starting shortstop for Sherrill, such as Milwaukee’s terrific prospect Alcides Escobar or Anaheim’s Erick Aybar.”

I’ll give MacPhail until this offseason, then I will start to turn on him if he doesn’t start moving people.

I don’t get why people have this infatuation with Tex over Adam Dunn, is it because he is from Maryland? Considering that the Orioles still won’t reallllly have a legit power threat going into next year, if the FO thinks the team can contend why not go after Dunn and put him at DH instead of Tex, it will probably cost you less. The only thing that Tex has over Dunn is that he is a better 1B, granted which we need, but I would rather pay less money to Dunn and get a big time slugger with a little extra money to spare than spend every penny we have on Dunn. If they are going to keep Huff then you can put him at first and still not have many problems; Tex does have a higher BA than Dunn but when comparing the OBP that is meaningless except for the fact that having a higher batting average usually extends innings.

A trade involving Jason Bay and Reid Brignac has been verbally agreed to.

“With the three-way deal between the Pirates, Red Sox, and Marlins falling through, an MLB.com source says that the Rays are going to acquire right-handed hitting outfielder Jason Bay for Minor League prospects including shortstop Reid Brignac and right-hander Jeff Niemann. The Rays have not confirmed the deal.”

This is far from being confirmed, but a ton of sites are pretty much saying this deal is done with the last few kinks being worked out. Don’t the Rays want another stint with Aubrey Huff?????