FanPost

Would an Andrew Cashner trade really help our staff?

This season has been somewhat of a pleasant surprise for Orioles fans, as the high flying offense has propelled Baltimore into 1st place of the AL East in late July. The team is 8th in runs scored and 1st in HRs, with 148 as of July 26th, across the MLB. A well-orchestrated bullpen featuring top closer Zach Britton and reliever Brad Brach has prevented many games from falling out of hand and stopping extra runs. However, the starting pitching has not been nearly as great.

The Orioles starting pitchers have a combined 4.89 ERA this season, which is 24th in the MLB and last in our division. Many have called for a haul in of a top starter, which includes the likes of Andrew Cashner in particular. The Padres pitcher has been mentioned in and been apart of previous blockbuster deals, and this is not the first season in which the Orioles have been linked with his name. However, he is not the best name to fit into our rotation, given what the Padres are asking for him even though he has had limited production.

Cashner is overrated and overvalued by many, as this year he has not pitched well enough to math his current valuation. Currently standing with a whopping 4-7 record with a 4.79 ERA, he has not been a bright spot in a disappointing Padres campaign. After giving up James Shields earlier this year to the Chicago White Sox, the Padres would be asking for a lot to give up their starter. Besides, what do the Orioles have to offer?

With one of the most shallow farm systems in the league, the Orioles may not be able to afford Cashner or, for that matter, want to give up enough to obtain him considering his recent performances. The Padres would be looking for a prospect, most notably Hunter Harvey. But it has recently been revealed that the top Baltimore prospect will be receiving a Tommy John operation for a lingering elbow injury, so San Diego may not like the idea of trading for a guy who wouldn't be able to pitch until possibly 2018. Some other possible trade options could include the likes of Joe Gunkel, who has pitched well recently for the AAA Norfolk Tides, or even Matt Wieters.

Derek Norris has not been playing his best baseball this year, batting about .200 with a meager .635 OPS. The Padres could be interested in Wieters, as he is currently on a 1 year qualifying offer worth about $16 million. Baltimore has some depth at the catching position, with Caleb Joseph on the current roster along with Francisco Pena hovering between the MLB and AAA. Chance Sisco is also a young starlet with plenty of potential. Dealing Wieters could be our only option.

However, I would be disappointed if Dan Duquette gave up a lot for the likes of Cashner. He hasn't performed well enough to match his price tag. I would much rather have a guy like Jeremy Hellickson, who has pitched much better this season for the Phillies. Although we may have to give up a bit more for his services, he could be a vital option, as he has already experienced facing off against AL East opponents with the Tampa Bay Rays. I would be glad to give up a guy like Wieters or Gunkel to the struggling Phillies for Hellickson in order to get the awful Ubaldo Jimenez officially out of our rotation.

FINAL PREDICTION: The Orioles will end up trading Matt Wieters and cash considerations for Jeremy Hellickson. Even with other pitchers on the market, Hellickson is not too expensive, and he fits well into our rotation.

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