Is the decision of what to do with Adam Jones the biggest decision of the offseason?

[Crazysilver03]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/padres/notes.htm

Jones isnt your typical MOO, BUT he can hit 25-30 HR and fill a dark hole in LF at Petco Park. They are also looking for BP help.

My trade..

Jones, Johnson, Gregg

for

Latos, mid level prospect.

And how much money are you sending to San Diego. No way they make that deal, especially with Gregg in the deal.

[Sports Guy]

I don't think an argument exists, outside of not getting any good offers, that could convince me that keeping Jones and extending him is better than trading him.

[Pickles]

I don't think an argument exists, outside of not getting any good offers, that could convince me that keeping Jones and extending him is better than trading him.

What about a 2014 team w a Wieters, Machado, Schoop, and Jones up the middle.

That's something that could be built around.

[Sports Guy]

What about a 2014 team w a Wieters, Machado, Schoop, and Jones up the middle.

That's something that could be built around.

Nope...That argument does nothing for me.

I would rather have what we get for Jones and whatever his 2014 salary would be(10-12M in all likelihood) than Jones by himself.

[Pickles]

Nope...That argument does nothing for me.

I would rather have what we get for Jones and whatever his 2014 salary would be(10-12M in all likelihood) than Jones by himself.

Fair enough. But I think you underestimate how easy it is to replace a guy like Jones. You focus on his limitations a little too much- which certainly exist. But CFers w his power, hit tool, and arm don't grow on trees.

[Sports Guy]

Fair enough. But I think you underestimate how easy it is to replace a guy like Jones. You focus on his limitations a little too much- which certainly exist. But CFers w his power, hit tool, and arm don't grow on trees.

He is a 2-3.5 WAR player...He is very valuable but he is limited and really will not be much better than he is now...As I have said, I expect a few years better and a few years worse than he just had.

Look at the chats Stoner put up...Similar stuff..not a guy you build around, etc....

He is a limited offensive player in terms of being much better than he is right now.

I am not comfortable paying someone serious money for that type of a year, especially one that is just average or so defensively.

On top of that, I suspect his trade value is tremendous and that we could get a lot for him....so even if you can't replace his offensive production in CF, you can get a better defensive player who brings you more of a speed game and the players you get for Jones are the ones you hope end up being better than what Jones is right now.

[El Gordo]

What about a 2014 team w a Wieters, Machado, Schoop, and Jones up the middle.

That's something that could be built around.

The most important part of the "up the middle" is the bump. We need a few guys there more than we need Jones' glove in CF.

[33rdst]

I have to agree that trading Jones for a package including major league ready pitching and a few prospects could be one of the most important moves we could make this winter. Certainly, it's a move that needs to be coupled with a few other moves, like getting Koji, trading for Floyd and perhaps moving Johnson into the rotation that could significantly improve the depth of our rotation. I think the Nationals, Braves, Mariners and perhaps the A's could be good trade partners.

[Roll Tide]

I have to agree that trading Jones for a package including major league ready pitching and a few prospects could be one of the most important moves we could make this winter. Certainly, it's a move that needs to be coupled with a few other moves, like getting Koji, trading for Floyd and perhaps moving Johnson into the rotation that could significantly improve the depth of our rotation. I think the Nationals, Braves, Mariners and perhaps the A's could be good trade partners.

IMO Johnson is not a SP....It's a experiment that will end up being a waste of time and Johnson could end up getting injured. He is the perfect late inning reliever why not leave him there.

[33rdst]

There's no doubt that Johnson has been successful in a set up role. IMO it's a waste of his talent to leave him there. He's a three pitch pitcher now with an above 50% GB rate. Moving him into the rotation would add depth where we need it.

IMO Johnson is not a SP....It's a experiment that will end up being a waste of time and Johnson could end up getting injured. He is the perfect late inning reliever why not leave him there.

[El Gordo]

There's no doubt that Johnson has been successful in a set up role. IMO it's a waste of his talent to leave him there. He's a three pitch pitcher now with an above 50% GB rate. Moving him into the rotation would add depth where we need it.

Johnson has had arm issues recently. He pitched the mostr IP as a RP last year. If he starts his FB will be less effective at lower speed. He might be as good as a #3 as a SP, but we already have 3 of those in Guts, Britton and Jake. We need a closer like JJ more.

[33rdst]

It's a tough call for me. Certainly if he has arm problems you don't want to jeopardize his future. But if his arm is sound I still think he should be in the rotation. We need the depth. Jake is coming back from surgery, Zack pitched more innings than ever last year, Matusz is a huge question mark. Closer is the one position in this year's free agent crop where there is a surplus. We could get one in January on the cheap I bet.

Johnson has had arm issues recently. He pitched the mostr IP as a RP last year. If he starts his FB will be less effective at lower speed. He might be as good as a #3 as a SP, but we already have 3 of those in Guts, Britton and Jake. We need a closer like JJ more.

[Sports Guy]

There's no doubt that Johnson has been successful in a set up role. IMO it's a waste of his talent to leave him there. He's a three pitch pitcher now with an above 50% GB rate. Moving him into the rotation would add depth where we need it.

But those pitches have been enhanced by only going 1-2 innings...His stuff will get worse as a starter.

[Pickles]

But those pitches have been enhanced by only going 1-2 innings...His stuff will get worse as a starter.

Sure, but so did CJ Wilson's, so did Ugando's, so did Holland's.

Nobody thinks JJ can start and keep his ERA at 2.75, or whatever it was, but wouldn't you rather have a guy give you 180 ip w a 3.75 ERA, than a guy give you what JJ gives you in the pen? Particularly on a team w as many holes in the rotation as the O's have?

[LookinUp]

Sure, but so did CJ Wilson's, so did Ugando's, so did Holland's.

Nobody thinks JJ can start and keep his ERA at 2.75, or whatever it was, but wouldn't you rather have a guy give you 180 ip w a 3.75 ERA, than a guy give you what JJ gives you in the pen? Particularly on a team w as many holes in the rotation as the O's have?

I understand this idea in concept, but I really think JJ is the wrong guy for this conversation. He has a sick sinker and curve and an average at best third pitch, but he often gets by just with the sinker because he can't consistently locate his secondaries. I think hitters would learn to basically never try to hit the curve, and his sinker would lose some of its effectiveness over longer outings.