Out of Option Trade Chips

by Dr Orpheus on Mar 8, 2009 3:12 PM EDT

I'm aware that I and others have posted and talked about this before, but I felt that since Spring Training is fully underway we'd look at it again.

At this point the Os have an overwhelming amount of pitchers at camp that are out of options/might "benefit from a change of scenery"/should just be traded to clear space on the pay roll. Yeah, I'm talking about Pauley, Penn, Brian Bass, Danys Baez, and others. So, the question is which pitchers (or position players) can/should be traded or packaged together and what kind of opportunities are out there.

My #1 target is Kyle Blanks, a blocked 1B prospect in the Padres system that Sickels has at a B+ prospect that "I don’t know where he fits except as trade bait, but I’m convinced that the bat is real. Considered Grade B, but that’s what I gave him last year and he improved in ’08." Here's my thinking:

There's no way the Padres are going to trade Adrian Gonzalez. He's a hometown guy who hits the ball like a mad man, and doesn't cost much. So, it stands to reason that Towers would ship Blanks off for some help with fielding a reasonable team this season. Because, at this point they look like an affiliate with four major leaguers rehabbing. They need pitching, and maybe some help in the outfield (Justin Christian?)
The Orioles need more young options at corner infield spots. At this point it's down to Brandon Synder, Scott Moore, and Billy Rowell, and Synder and Rowell are, for all intents and purposes, DHs. In Blanks the Orioles would have a power hitting first baseman with decent defense.
I can't think of any other teams with blocked prospects at first or third.

MacPhail has continued to trade away or release dead wood and focus on both "failed" and current prospects, helping the team get younger, cheaper, and better. So, what other possibilities are there?

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I don't really know what other possibilities are out there....

… but I think the O’s should be looking at ANY decent corner prospects. We are WAAAAY thin there, and if this team wants to truly contend in 2010/2011, we will need to improve. We can get one of those positions through free agency, but it’s a stretch to think we’ll land both.

by zknower on Mar 8, 2009 4:09 PM EDT reply actions

Agreed. I guess my question should be what players that are on the bubble are desirably? Would Penn and Christian get it done?

by Dr Orpheus on Mar 8, 2009 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions

If it would be enough

and the guy is young an can hit more than his weight and plays 3B, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

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by duck on Mar 8, 2009 7:05 PM EDT up reply actions

First base

by Dr Orpheus on Mar 8, 2009 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions

don't you think...

they probably also look at trading luke scott? maybe revisit trading flat breezy?

"If they pitch to you, make them pay."

--Diamond Dave to the Phenom

by j.q. higgins on Mar 8, 2009 9:38 PM EDT reply actions

Agreed

If Reimhold continues to rake, it would stand to reason to see Luke Scott traded and a platoon of Pie/Reimhold/Freel/Wiggington in left/DH. But what other trade chips are out there? Both on the Os and in teams’ minor league systems.

by Dr Orpheus on Mar 8, 2009 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions

The Orioles need more young options at corner infield spots. At this point it’s down to Brandon Synder, Scott Moore, and Billy Rowell, and Synder and Rowell are, for all intents and purposes, DHs.

Also worth nothing: Moore stinks. Moore is no better than Mike Costanzo. They stink!

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by Scott Christ on Mar 9, 2009 9:52 AM EDT reply actions

B-but...

Scott Moore is the Babe Ruth of the Grapefruit League! Maybe if the O’s just put him on a bus for two hours before every game, stick a few fake palm trees in the picnic area at Camden Yards, he’ll be unstoppable.

by Brotz13 on Mar 9, 2009 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions

I actually quite like Moore

But he was so bad last season.

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"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler

by Scott Christ on Mar 9, 2009 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions

He was hurt, if I remember correctly

I actually see Moore as a DeRosa type. A super-utility guy that can hit, minus the power.

by Dr Orpheus on Mar 9, 2009 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions

i think he has power...

on the level of derosa. he’s pretty good defensively, too, no?

"If they pitch to you, make them pay."

--Diamond Dave to the Phenom

by j.q. higgins on Mar 9, 2009 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions

trade value

I’m not sure how much real value any of those guys have (Penn, Pauley, Hill, Baez, etc.). If we are going to want a decent corner IF prospect, I think we’re going to give up Sherrill at a minimum, or maybe do one of those rare prospect for prospect trades involving Reimold.

I wonder if Andy Marte would benefit from coming to Baltimore, though.

Librarians are hiding something

by dfa on Mar 9, 2009 2:33 PM EDT reply actions

Marte

He’s played for two teams so far, Braves and Indians, and hasn’t done much. I wonder if he might have just lost it. Or he’s a career minor leaguer.

by Dr Orpheus on Mar 9, 2009 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions

career minor leaguer

Yeah, he looks like an overhyped prospect who could be a career minor leaguer, but man alive did he look real good for a couple years. He might be best served by getting 300 ABs over 3 months. The Orioles could give him that opportunity at 3B this year (or next year).

But yeah, he could just as easily flame out and turn into nothing.

Librarians are hiding something

by dfa on Mar 9, 2009 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions

bust. toast. not worth our time.

by pipkin on Mar 9, 2009 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Sadly

I realize that my discussions of AG have never included his 2011 option at 5.5 mil. So yes, its going to take a package of talent to pull him away which would most likely have to include Arrieta or Tillman and some other upside youngsters.

Re Blanks I am not quite sold on him or against I just dont have a good feel for him. My hunch is SD would still want one of Arrieta or Tillman for him more straight up but hmmm that doesnt get me excited. Heck, if I was going to do something like that I would look at Chris Davis in Texas who might be available and that is a very big might. If he was I would almost be suspicious.

A place where an interesting logjam is occurring might be Kansas City. KC has Butler and Gordon, the kid with KK name and two hot hitting prospects at first and third.

I wonder if Gordon couldnt be had for a cheaper package then you might imagine especially if KC competes but needs help. If we offered them Sherill, Liz and maybe another starter candidate not named Tillman, Matusz or Arrieta that KC would look. Gordon could play either first or third. Longshot but you can see where KC has chips to move at some point.

Matt Clement worth looking at….probably not. Hank Blalock might be an interesting option at first next year. See if he can stay healthy this year first. Lance Berkman may become available but I dont see the O’s wanting that salary until they feel they are ready to compete. Adam Laroche is available anytime you want him.

That is about all I can come up with other then the obvious putting Wieters at first, signing A Beltre and maybe talking to Texas about one of their catchers….now that has some possibilities….

by sanders833 on Mar 9, 2009 10:12 PM EDT reply actions

Wondering myself

Gordon has an awful OBP and can’t take a walk. Not to mention his lumbering defense. Kila Ka’aihue is similar to Kyle Blanks and would probably require a similar haul. The problem being that the Os don’t look like they have anything the Royals need unless MacPhail goes crazy and decides to trade one of the big 3 for Ka’aihue and a blue chip.

I doubt the Rangers would be willing to trade Chris Davis as they have no other options at first in the short term not named Hank “Always Broke” Blalock. Sure, they have Justin Smoak, but I believe they have every intention of waiting for him to be ready, presumably at seasons end, and shifting Davis to third and eventually trading Michael Young.

The other scenarios proposed here don’t seem terribly realistic. Adrian Gonzalez is not going to be traded, as you alluded to. He’s originally from San Diego, costs them very little, and is the face of their franchise along with Peavey (if Peavy’s traded the only face) and, maybe, Brian Giles. It’s illogical.

And I’m struggling to wrap my head around putting Wieters at first. Sure, it would lighten his load a bit but then he’d have to learn a new position and push his progress back for, presumably, another season.

The Hank Blalock idea does seem to make some sense, but, if I’m remember correctly, he’s a free agent at seasons end. So, they might as well just wait and try to sign him.

by Dr Orpheus on Mar 10, 2009 12:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Gordon was one of the most patient hitters on the Royals last year,

and his defense grades out to about average. His OBP was around the league mean. That said, he’s not going anywhere.

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by NHZ on Mar 10, 2009 6:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune is talking about the Padres trading Kyle Blanks for pitching.

While Tim Dierkes at mlbtraderumors mentions David Pauley and Hayden Penn as other options. Take both of them! Heck, they should throw Baez in there and eat some of his salary. Just get it done!

by Dr Orpheus on Mar 10, 2009 12:11 AM EDT reply actions