jamalshw

I'm late to the party here, but I REALLY don't like the Gausman deal at all. I get the Schoop deal and I was okay with it. I was hoping for more, but understand the get there. I really don't get it for Atlanta. Do we really need to save the money on O'Day THAT much? I like the international spending money, but that only matters IF we get VVM and use the rest of the money for meaningful pieces. If we don't this is a clearly failed trade in my mind. I gave it a "F" with a chance to move up to a "C" if we sign VVM and it's clearly understood that would NOT have happened if not for this deal. Moving Gausman, I really wanted one of Soroka/Wright/Anderson/Gohara/Toussaint/Allard. I don't mind the risky, but high upside play on Encarnacion, but that would be the No.2 piece (at best) in a deal for me. And maybe it was with the $$ as the top get, but I wanted something like Toussaint, Wilson and Encarnacion and instead we got the third piece of that deal as the top prospect back, a catching prospect with an upside of a platoon player and some arms that have to pitch above their stuff-level to have an impact.

Orioles NEED to get Gaston and VVM to make this make sense.

I'm okay with the Schoop deal. I don't like the Gausman move AT ALL.

Would LOVE that, but doubt it's Allard as he's slated to start today. I think we get one of Soroka/Wright/Anderson/Gohara. Then someone like Wentz or Wilson. And then some bottom of the Braves top-30 guy.

Why? I think it's appropriate. Game of Thrones is all about killing off characters, right?

No chance.

Maybe??? If they're willing to put Shaw at 2B, why not move Schoop to SS...

Lets wait to see the return.

No way that happens. I don't see the Braves giving up the package that would take. It would have to be something Wright, Riley and Gohara for both (plus some lower guys). It's hard to see them doing that.

He could be monitoring twitter news like the rest of us and errantly liked while scrolling...I've done that more than my share of times.

Nobody knows.

Braves say no, not because of value, but because they're ahead of schedule in their rebuild. I don't see them mortgaging the future for a present that's already been a success based on preseason expectations. Of course, we all know Alex Anthopolis is a gunslinger so anything is possible, but I seem them going for more controllable guys rather than rentals. The only way I can see them doing a rental is at 3B if they can keep Riley for next year and don't completely drain the farm. If the Orioles would do Allard and Waters plus a throw-in for Manny, I could see Atlanta possibly doing it, but I think adding in a Britton would cost too much talent for the Braves given where they are in their rebuild. They're not half way through their window, they're just at the beginning. That said, I'd do Allard and Riley plus one of the other three listed (and a lower level lottery ticket type) for Manny and Britton myself, but don't see it happening.

I'm on the other end. I really hope they DO trade Givens. Not because I don't like him, but because I don't see him getting moved unless the Orioles get a ton in return and right now we need a top end prospect or two more than Givens. I don't see the Orioles competing for a few years and by then, Givens will be nearing Free Agency. I think Givens is the type of player a team like the Braves may go after. He's got control and helps the bullpen now as well. I don't see Atlanta dealing for rentals like Machado, but could go after Givens. Here's an interesting concept: what if we deal Gausman and Givens to Atlanta? Could that yield some top end talent? They're likely looking for another (more proven) major league arm in the rotation and bullpen. This gives them that, but also gives them a couple of guys with some level of control.

I actually really like this pick up. His career .234 average and .319 OBP aren't great, but I like the .350 OBP in 350 ABs in 2016 and think he's at least an upgrade as a platoon option. He has a .331 career OBP against RHP. I wouldn't mind seeing him and Beckham share 3B/UTL duties once Beckham is healthy and Schoop returns. He's not a huge piece, but I think he's a useful piece and one that won't just swing for the fence.

I'd like to see the Orioles send down Santander after he clears the Rule-5 status and then give Hays, Mullins or Stewart the spot. I'm good with whichever of the three is swinging the best in a few weeks when the time comes.

I'm glad the Orioles are pushing for more patience amongst the younger players. I wish they'd prioritize that when acquiring players, too. I hope Mountcastle can develop at third. He probably does, too. That's the clearest path to the big leagues as OF and 1B are far more saturated.

I find it really bizarre. It means either (a) the Orioles' budget is much lower than last year and we're near the top or (b) there's another larger deal in the works that we need extra up-front cash to pull off. Given that this is the Orioles, i think Angelos just cut the payroll.

He'd have to be historically terrible to lose his everyday spot. I think it's possible we see him sit some against lefties if he slumps to start the year, but for the most part, he'd have to be hitting .180 with a sub-.700 OPS into June before we see his playing time cut in any significant manner (even then, i think he still plays at least half the time). Fortunately, I don't expect the above putridness to happen. I'm expecting (probably a bit optimistically) for him to produce a .800 OPS and hit at least 30 bombs. I think we'll still have a low average, but I think/hope he can at least bump his OBP up to .320-.330.

Maybe we can get something out of that investment if 53-year old Davis wants to try and make a comeback.

I actually really like this move. Cortes is the kind of player that you can find in a Rule-5 draft: an undervalued skill set. He's a soft tossing lefty. He doesn't have the velocity that will impress scouts and, as a result, people will always be skeptical of his success. That success may not translate to the Majors, but I think it's worth a shot to throw him into the No.5 starter mix and see if he can Jamie Moyer his way through lineups.

But you're not the only one.