Unwarranted assumption: Alfredo Simon will not play baseball in 2010.  This has no basis in fact, and I certainly hope that it turns out to be false (meaning I hope that Simon was not involved in the shootings, not that he just gets off the hook if he was involved).

Meaningless hypothetical: The Orioles traded for Jason Bartlett instead of J.J. Hardy.

The apparent reason the Orioles balked on trading for Jason Bartlett was the Rays asking price of both Reimold and Simon.  If Simon doesn't play baseball this year, his inclusion becomes essentially meaningless, which means that we would have gotten Bartlett for Reimold straight up.

The general consensus (which I agreed with) was that the Orioles did better to go for Hardy, giving up two minor-league relievers for Hardy instead of two major-league (or at least near-major-league) pieces for Bartlett.

So -- if Simon doesn't play this year, would you rather have had the Orioles make the Bartlett deal and keep the two relief prospects, or do you still prefer the Hardy deal?  It probably boils down to whether or not you are a Reimold believer anymore.