Orioles Reach Out To Prince Fielder's Representatives

[Sports Guy]

You think that trade makes our team better? Either this year or 5 years from now? The only way that trade helps us is if Walker turns into a good pitcher, which is a lot of hope.

The trade makes us better because I still feel Smoak will become an excellent player and will be worth more than Jones within 2 years by himself.

On top of that, you add a superior defensive player in CF and at first...So, you have just made the pitching and defense better.

Also, Walker becomes one of our best prospects and could be knowcking on the door of the rotation by the end of 2012 or beginning of 2013...Also, we add another solid prospect, who would likely be in our top 10.

We would lose Guthrie's innings but I think we can get those back in other ways.

[Roll Tide]

Why is this a horrible trade? BEcause we are trading your bff Jones?

No offense SG ...But are you really trading Jones & Gutrie for two .220 ish players and a fastball only pitching prospect ...The 4th player would have to be the second coming of Mickey Mantle.

Bad trade and I dont care for Jones all that much.

[Pickles]

The trade makes us better because I still feel Smoak will become an excellent player and will be worth more than Jones within 2 years by himself.

On top of that, you add a superior defensive player in CF and at first...So, you have just made the pitching and defense better.

Also, Walker becomes one of our best prospects and could be knowcking on the door of the rotation by the end of 2012 or beginning of 2013...Also, we add another solid prospect, who would likely be in our top 10.

We would lose Guthrie's innings but I think we can get those back in other ways.

I just don't know how you can make a very strong case for the bolded. I mean I really don't.

Jones is all of 1 year older than Smoak. He's been far superior offensively than him up to this point, and frankly, that is most likely to continue. Add in the fact that Jones plays at the least a passable centerfield, and Smoak is at the bottom of the defensive spectrum, and he plays a good first base yes but C Davis for one is better defensively, I don't see how you can honestly believe that Smoak will be a better player than Jones.

It could happen, but NOTHING up to this point should lead people to believe that it will.

[flashjordnk]

No offense SG ...But are you really trading Jones & Gutrie for two .220 ish players and a fastball only pitching prospect ...The 4th player would have to be the second coming of Mickey Mantle.

Bad trade and I dont care for Jones all that much.

Smoak's LD% was really really bad last year. It might be one thing to argue that he had statistically a poor year. His ISO disappeared when he got to the majors, and even adjusting for Seattle's stadium, I'm not sure what you see in the guy. He K's a lot, 21.5% of the time, but then doesn't hit a ton of line drives. I'd want to see hope in the contact or LD field before I'd be buying on this guy.

I do like Guitterrez and it should be noted that he was fighting injury for most of the season last year.

I like the idea of the trade, but frankly looking at the stats (beyond just batting average) I'm not sure the upside on a trade like this looks all that great and have to agree with JohnnyK27.

[Sports Guy]

Smoak's LD% was really really bad last year. It might be one thing to argue that he had statistically a poor year. His ISO disappeared when he got to the majors, and even adjusting for Seattle's stadium, I'm not sure what you see in the guy. He K's a lot, 21.5% of the time, but then doesn't hit a ton of line drives. I'd want to see hope in the contact or LD field before I'd be buying on this guy.

I do like Guitterrez and it should be noted that he was fighting injury for most of the season last year.

I like the idea of the trade, but frankly looking at the stats (beyond just batting average) I'm not sure the upside on a trade like this looks all that great and have to agree with JohnnyK27.

And the year before it was really good. Are you going to take one year's worth of LD%, ignore everything else he accomplished in the minors and in his first season and say that he isn't all that good?

His walk and K numbers are very encouraging and getting him out of SafeCo can only help him.

If you look at his rookie year, he looks like he was unlucky with a 23% LD% but only a 255 BABIP.

[Can_of_corn]

And the year before it was really good. Are you going to take one year's worth of LD%, ignore everything else he accomplished in the minors and in his first season and say that he isn't all that good?

His walk and K numbers are very encouraging and getting him out of SafeCo can only help him.

If you look at his rookie year, he looks like he was unlucky with a 23% LD% but only a 255 BABIP.

What was the velocity off the bat?

[Sports Guy]

I just don't know how you can make a very strong case for the bolded. I mean I really don't.

Jones is all of 1 year older than Smoak. He's been far superior offensively than him up to this point, and frankly, that is most likely to continue. Add in the fact that Jones plays at the least a passable centerfield, and Smoak is at the bottom of the defensive spectrum, and he plays a good first base yes but C Davis for one is better defensively, I don't see how you can honestly believe that Smoak will be a better player than Jones.

It could happen, but NOTHING up to this point should lead people to believe that it will.

1) Davis isn't a better defensive first baseman than Smoak. Smoak ha always been looked at as a future GG caliber first baseman.

2) There has been plenty to make you believe he will be a better hitter than Jones..One poor year in an extreme pitchers park doesn't change that.

[flashjordnk]

And the year before it was really good. Are you going to take one year's worth of LD%, ignore everything else he accomplished in the minors and in his first season and say that he isn't all that good?

His walk and K numbers are very encouraging and getting him out of SafeCo can only help him.

If you look at his rookie year, he looks like he was unlucky with a 23% LD% but only a 255 BABIP.

I do think there is room for improvement for the guy. But I'm willing to put a little bit more weight into a season where he played the whole year and the league had a chance to catch up to him.

Honestly I wouldn't hate this trade if we did it, but I do think we'd be giving up more talent than we'd be getting. It's true Smoak could emerge, but through 1000 MLB at bats, it's all unrealized potential at this point.

[Brendan25]

The trade makes us better because I still feel Smoak will become an excellent player and will be worth more than Jones within 2 years by himself.

On top of that, you add a superior defensive player in CF and at first...So, you have just made the pitching and defense better.

Also, Walker becomes one of our best prospects and could be knowcking on the door of the rotation by the end of 2012 or beginning of 2013...Also, we add another solid prospect, who would likely be in our top 10.

We would lose Guthrie's innings but I think we can get those back in other ways.

I think you are overrating Smoak a bit. We can get back a MUCH better deal for Jones & Guthrie put together. A much better deal. You are either severely underrating Jones, or severely overrating Smoak.

[Sports Guy]

I think you are overrating Smoak a bit. We can get back a MUCH better deal for Jones & Guthrie put together. A much better deal. You are either severely underrating Jones, or severely overrating Smoak.

Ok, what is the MUCH better deal out there?

If we can get a MUCH better deal, great, let's do it.

[Brendan25]

Ok, what is the MUCH better deal out there?

If we can get a MUCH better deal, great, let's do it.

Even if we can't I'm not willing to settle for this trade. I don't know what's out there, but I am fairly confident that Jones & Guthrie put together in a package has much more value then this. Let's say that Walker busts, what do we have?

[Sports Guy]

Even if we can't I'm not willing to settle for this trade. I don't know what's out there, but I am fairly confident that Jones & Guthrie put together in a package has much more value then this. Let's say that Walker busts, what do we have?

A better offensive player than Jones in Smoak and a GG caliber defensive CFer who had a 6 WAR season in 2009 and is usually good for a 2ish WAR season, or about what Jones has been worth for a good portion of his career....plus, the other prospect.

BTW, what happens if Guthrie has a 5 ERA in 2011 and has no trade value and Jones is a 750 OPS/2.5 WAR player the next 2 years and then walks...What do we have then?

[Pickles]

1) Davis isn't a better defensive first baseman than Smoak. Smoak ha always been looked at as a future GG caliber first baseman.

Watch Davis for 100 games at 1st and then watch Smoak. Davis is better and most observers of Rangers baseball, and the Rangers FO, would agree.

2) There has been plenty to make you believe he will be a better hitter than Jones..One poor year in an extreme pitchers park doesn't change that.

Except for the fact of what they've done at the ML level. Other than that pesky little tidbit, Smoak sure does seem like a better hitter. I might see it if the age gap was bigger but it isn't. There one year apart and Jones has four succesful ML seasons under his belt and Smoak is still trying to establish himself. Theres a reason for that.

[Brendan25]

A better offensive player than Jones in Smoak and a GG caliber defensive CFer who had a 6 WAR season in 2009 and is usually good for a 2ish WAR season, or about what Jones has been worth for a good portion of his career....plus, the other prospect.

BTW, what happens if Guthrie has a 5 ERA in 2011 and has no trade value and Jones is a 750 OPS/2.5 WAR player the next 2 years and then walks...What do we have then?

What happens if Smoak continues to hit .227 with an OBP of .316 and Walker never reaches the majors?

[Sports Guy]

Watch Davis for 100 games at 1st and then watch Smoak. Davis is better and most observers of Rangers baseball, and the Rangers FO, would agree

Really...Since you are treating this as a fact, I am sure you can back that up with actual evidence, right?