Should we Blow It Up again?

[mweb]

Doing this again to fix the title.

I think it may be. Some of the vets have disappointed this year as have plenty of guys we are counting on going forward like Nick, Roberts, Matusz, Tillman, Pie, Bergesen, etc. Even Wieters despite some positive signs hasn't developed into nearly what we were hoping for.

The team is not poised to contend in the near future imo. So why not trade the good assets on the team?

Those guys would be:

Hardy

Guthrie

Koji

Johnson

Gregg

Nick

Reynolds

Of course they could trade some of the younger guys such as Wieters, Jones, Matusz, Arrieta, etc.

Some tough decisions there imo.

Doing this would obviously help with the next 1st round draft pick or two or three as well.

I'm a bit on the fence about this, but I think if they deal Hardy, it might be wise to just go full out and try to develop a strong core around Bundy, Machado, Britton, whatever other young guys that are kept, and what's brought in.

Then it would be great to supplement that with more spending in the draft and international market, which would be doable given the saving on the major league roster. I just don't see PA going along with that.

So should we blow it up?

[CA-ORIOLE]

So should we blow it up?

I'll go with a controlled demolition. Hardy, Guthrie, Koji immediately on the table prior to the deadline. Maybe Lee might draw some interest as he may be coming around and is a good second half player.

[JTrea81]

I think we need to re-tool instead of blow it up.

Hardy and Guthrie should be dealt at the deadline. I'd explore a deal for JJ as well.

We can can dump Lee, and maybe Vlad, Scott and Gonzalez in August. If somebody wants Nick's contract as well, I'd let them have it.

If Scott is still on the team at the end of the season, non-tender him and also non-tender Pie.

The goal should be to clear as much payroll going into the offseason of mediocre guys and expensive roster fillers where we can make trades for and sign premium talent.

We'd keep Wieters and Jones to build around and Arrieta, Britton and hopefully Matusz and really make an effort to win in 2012.

[Frobby]

I'll go with a controlled demolition. Hardy, Guthrie, Koji immediately on the table prior to the deadline. Maybe Lee might draw some interest as he may be coming around and is a good second half player.

This is my view as well. Then see what happens in the second half, and depending on how things develop, we can trade further assets in the offseason. Of course, I'm not trading these guys unless we are getting actual long-term pieces in exchange, not just a few Josh Bell types.

[mweb]

This is my view as well. Then see what happens in the second half, and depending on how things develop, we can trade further assets in the offseason. Of course, I'm not trading these guys unless we are getting actual long-term pieces in exchange, not just a few Josh Bell types.

Well some of the younger guys would likely make more sense to deal in the off-season anyway.

When you say Josh Bell types, do you mean using hindsight? He was a top 60 or so prospect when the O's dealt for him. I'd take that level of a prospect as a headliner or straight up for quite a few of our guys.

[Frobby]

Well some of the younger guys would likely make more sense to deal in the off-season anyway.

When you say Josh Bell types, do you mean using hindsight? He was a top 60 or so prospect when the O's dealt for him. I'd take that level of a prospect as a headliner or straight up for quite a few of our guys.

Meh, I recall he was the no. 4 prospect in a fairly strong Dodgers system at the time. I'd certainly want more for Guthrie. Maybe Hardy, if we think the new CBA will still provide 2 picks in exchange for a Type A FA. I suppose Koji would only draw a Bell-level prospect.

[ChaosLex]

I think you need to wait for the offseason, simply because I'd want to try it under a different GM.

[mweb]

Meh, I recall he was the no. 4 prospect in a fairly strong Dodgers system at the time. I'd certainly want more for Guthrie. Maybe Hardy, if we think the new CBA will still provide 2 picks in exchange for a Type A FA. I suppose Koji would only draw a Bell-level prospect.

I don't know where he was in the Dodgers system, but I believe he was fifty something in the mid-season rankings that year and going into 2010 he was #37. So he was a pretty good prospect, one that was actually rated higher than Alonso who is being talked about as a headliner for Guthrie or Hardy. So either you're being too critical of what Bell was at the time, much of the board is too high on Alonso, much of the board is too low on Guthrie's and Hardy's trade value, or some combo of those. But of course I realize that prospect rating isn't everything.

[mweb]

I think you need to wait for the offseason, simply because I'd want to try it under a different GM.

Well some of the guys should be dealt this year if the opportunity is there and I think AM does a pretty good job in getting value out of trades despite some misses on the players acquired.

[wildcard]

This is my view as well. Then see what happens in the second half, and depending on how things develop, we can trade further assets in the offseason. Of course, I'm not trading these guys unless we are getting actual long-term pieces in exchange, not just a few Josh Bell types.

Hardy is a long-term piece.

[Frobby]

Hardy is a long-term pieces.

No, he is an interim piece, until Machado is ready. He's a very good player but if he won't be on our next team that has a prayer of contending, who cares?

[Meh_Orioles]

Keep Hardy and Reynolds.

Put Guthrie, Guerrero, Lee, Scott, all on the trading block.

[Wilshade]

The only thing that will happen if everything is blown up is that everybody is going to get a world of pooh raining down on them.

The point being that it has been done several times already and has only led to bigger messes each time.

[Crazysilver03]

Keep Hardy and Reynolds.

Put Guthrie, Guerrero, Lee, Scott, all on the trading block.

What good does putting Guerrero on the trading block? No one will give up anything of value for him.

[utvolzac]

What they need to do is STOP WASTING RESOURCES.

I swear nobody spends more money for less production than the Orioles. Look at some of the contracts we've given out to free agents over the last few years.

Jay Payton - 5 mil

Chad Bradford - 3.5 mil

Danys Baez - 6 mil

Jamie Walker - 4 mil

Cesar Izturis - 3 mil

Mike Gonzalez - 6 mil

Garrett Atkins - 4.5 mil

Miguel Tejada - 6 mil

Derrek Lee - 7 mil

Vlad Guerrero - 8 mil

52 million dollars

52 million for what, league average or worse productions. Yet we continue to spend on aging veterans or projects.

Instead of wasting this money they should devote it to other resources. Mainly international players or overslot players in the draft.

Between Vlad, Lee & Gonzo we have 21 mil coming off the books next season. I'd try and trade Gregg to anyone that will take his salary and add another 5 mil to it. Make a run at Pujols or someone of that caliber. If we can't land any impact players this off-season, then they should get the best bargains possible to fill the roster and devote that money towards the farm system.

One more off-season of repeating the same mistakes and I'm going to have to officially take a break from this team until Angelos is gone. I just can't keep watching this dis-function year after year.