Would you make this trade

[wildcard]

I am not as crazy about this trade as most of the people on the board.

Gomez is primarily a DH. The O's have a ton of money tied up in two other DH's. Huff 2/16, Gibbons 2/11.9. I don't know that the O's can get out of either contract. If Gomez could play left then that would work but Baseball Prospectus has him as a minus fielder in the OF. If the plan is pitching and defense, Gomez doesn't help the defense.

Baldelli is a injury risk but his $2.2M salary for 2008 is worth the risk and his $6M with a $4M buyout make him expensive if he is injured and cheap if he can give you 500 at bats. All and all considering Hernandez will be over paid for the next two year, I think the money is probably a wash.

Hernandez, however bad he was last year is a decent front line catcher most years. His 2/15.5 plus a $1M buyout is probably overpaid by 3-4M is a normal market but on today's FA market he would probably get that and more. If the O's trade him they have to replace him until Wieters is ready. He could be a couple of years.

My conclusion is the only way the O's should make this deal is if they can trade Huff and replace Hernandez. Gomes is currently blocked with the O's. McPhail knows the market if he thinks he make the moves with the two O's players then go for it. If not it is a no go.

[Rockbird]

Would The Rays throw in Dukes if we put in JJ and one of our utility infielders?

Sure, why not! With all the negative publicity the O's have had over the years, I don't think we've had a good old fashion "player at risk to kill someone at any moment" since Albert Belle!

[66-70-83-??]

I am not as crazy about this trade as most of the people on the board.

Gomez is primarily a DH. The O's have a ton of money tied up in two other DH's. Huff 2/16, Gibbons 2/11.9. I don't know that the O's can get out of either contract. If Gomez could play left then that would work but Baseball Prospectus has him as a minus fielder in the OF. If the plan is pitching and defense, Gomez doesn't help the defense.

Baldelli is a injury risk but his $2.2M salary for 2008 is worth the risk and his $6M with a $4M buyout make him expensive if he is injured and cheap if he can give you 500 at bats. All and all considering Hernandez will be over paid for the next two year, I think the money is probably a wash.

Hernandez, however bad he was last year is a decent front line catcher most years. His 2/15.5 plus a $1M buyout is probably overpaid by 3-4M is a normal market but on today's FA market he would probably get that and more. If the O's trade him they have to replace him until Wieters is ready. He could be a couple of years.

My conclusion is the only way the O's should make this deal is if they can trade Huff and replace Hernandez. Gomes is currently blocked with the O's. McPhail knows the market if he thinks he make the moves with the two O's players then go for it. If not it is a no go.

No, if the Orioles have a chance to make this trade- they hurry up and do it before the Tampa GM wakes up, sobers up, and realizes the mistake he has made.

[Mackus]

I am not as crazy about this trade as most of the people on the board.

Gomez is primarily a DH. The O's have a ton of money tied up in two other DH's. Huff 2/16, Gibbons 2/11.9. I don't know that the O's can get out of either contract. If Gomez could play left then that would work but Baseball Prospectus has him as a minus fielder in the OF. If the plan is pitching and defense, Gomez doesn't help the defense.

Baldelli is a injury risk but his $2.2M salary for 2008 is worth the risk and his $6M with a $4M buyout make him expensive if he is injured and cheap if he can give you 500 at bats. All and all considering Hernandez will be over paid for the next two year, I think the money is probably a wash.

Hernandez, however bad he was last year is a decent front line catcher most years. His 2/15.5 plus a $1M buyout is probably overpaid by 3-4M is a normal market but on today's FA market he would probably get that and more. If the O's trade him they have to replace him until Wieters is ready. He could be a couple of years.

My conclusion is the only way the O's should make this deal is if they can trade Huff and replace Hernandez. Gomes is currently blocked with the O's. McPhail knows the market if he thinks he make the moves with the two O's players then go for it. If not it is a no go.

You've gotta be kidding. we have a replacement for Hernandez, Matt Wieters, who will be the catcher next season. Baldelli is a risk, but if he stays healthy, he's a terrific player. And Gomes would look great as our DH.

This trade is a steal for the Orioles, there is absolutely no downside, its also completely impractical.

[mikezpen]

Johnny Gomes is not blocked by anybody on the Orioles, not in terms of talent and potential. And that's the bottom line here. If someone says that we don't need Gomes because we are already blessed w/Aubrey Huff or particularly Kevin Millar, they are on another planet.

Gomes is really the guy whose key as far as I'm concerned. Baldelli is almost a luxury. If he's healthy, great. If not-make sure Tampa has covered the insurance before you deal for him.

[Flosman]

Sure, why not! With all the negative publicity the O's have had over the years, I don't think we've had a good old fashion "player at risk to kill someone at any moment" since Albert Belle!

We also have not had anyone that hit the ball like Belle either. I think Dukes is a high risk very high reward kind of player. Likely never to get his head on striaght but if he does he will make a difference on the field.

[Birds08]

You've gotta be kidding. we have a replacement for Hernandez, Matt Wieters, who will be the catcher next season. Baldelli is a risk, but if he stays healthy, he's a terrific player. And Gomes would look great as our DH.

This trade is a steal for the Orioles, there is absolutely no downside, its also completely impractical.

Yes, I see there being zero reason for them to do this trade. That has more to do with them probably being able to get a significantly better offer than the one proposed here.

[NoVaO]

Agreed that this trade is a no-brainer.

In fact, whatever value Ramon might have over the final two years of his contract could very well be less than the draft pick we could acquire if we signed a stop-gap catcher for a year.

[Boston Dave]

I don't really know why Crisp is what we need in CF. I'm not convinced he's that much of an upgrade over Redman. He's alright I guess, but he surely isn't anything special. An OF with C-Pat and Crisp has the potential to be even worse offensively than the OF we assembled this year.

you don't seriously think Tike Redman is more or less Coco Crisp, do you?!

[mweb]

I am not as crazy about this trade as most of the people on the board.

Gomez is primarily a DH. The O's have a ton of money tied up in two other DH's. Huff 2/16, Gibbons 2/11.9. I don't know that the O's can get out of either contract. If Gomez could play left then that would work but Baseball Prospectus has him as a minus fielder in the OF. If the plan is pitching and defense, Gomez doesn't help the defense.

Baldelli is a injury risk but his $2.2M salary for 2008 is worth the risk and his $6M with a $4M buyout make him expensive if he is injured and cheap if he can give you 500 at bats. All and all considering Hernandez will be over paid for the next two year, I think the money is probably a wash.

Hernandez, however bad he was last year is a decent front line catcher most years. His 2/15.5 plus a $1M buyout is probably overpaid by 3-4M is a normal market but on today's FA market he would probably get that and more. If the O's trade him they have to replace him until Wieters is ready. He could be a couple of years.

My conclusion is the only way the O's should make this deal is if they can trade Huff and replace Hernandez. Gomes is currently blocked with the O's. McPhail knows the market if he thinks he make the moves with the two O's players then go for it. If not it is a no go.

Gomes is not blocked. Gibbons is a bench player at this point, and it seems like Huff or Millar will be traded, the other can play 1st or be a bench player.

[mikezpen]

You have to give Tampa more than Burress to make this one fly down there. The Os do have a lot of pitchers at the A level-add one of them with Burress, or maybe keep Burress and include two of them, and Tampa might go for it.

All of the guys in this trade are pretty iffy, so adding a couple of high-A pitchers to the mix isn't so far out of line.They aren't sure things but neither are the guys we're getting back.

[Dr. FLK]

you don't seriously think Tike Redman is more or less Coco Crisp, do you?!

The difference isn't big enough to excite me much. It's like the difference between the '86 Grand Am I drive or the '89 Bonneville I could buy. The '89 is probably worth more. But, after making the purchase, turning in my old tags, getting the new tags,...it's just not worth it.

[El Gordo]

You've gotta be kidding. we have a replacement for Hernandez, Matt Wieters, who will be the catcher next season. Baldelli is a risk, but if he stays healthy, he's a terrific player. And Gomes would look great as our DH.

This trade is a steal for the Orioles, there is absolutely no downside, its also completely impractical.

If Davisd Segui had stayed healthy he would have been a terrific hitter. When has Baldelli ever stayed healthy? Why should he do so with the O's?

[wildcard]

Gomes is not blocked. Gibbons is a bench player at this point, and it seems like Huff or Millar will be traded, the other can play 1st or be a bench player.

As I said if the O's can trade Huff then good. If not and Gomes can only play DH, then Huff is blocking Gomes. I don't know how it can be any other way.

[Dr. FLK]

If Davisd Segui had stayed healthy he would have been a terrific hitter. When has Baldelli ever stayed healthy? Why should he do so with the O's?

We'd also be getting Gomes in the deal. You take a chance on a talent like Baldelli if he comes cheap. You get a guy who can hit. And, you lose an aging catcher with declining skills. If Baldelli does keep getting hurt - which is entirely possible - you really haven't lost much.