Update on Jones to the Braves for Jurrjens, Prado, Plus

[GoldGlove21]

Hopefully 5.......

JTrea has a right to worry about the offense moving forward and Jones lose COULD cause the team to score fewer than the 708 runs they scored last year. Our offense was league average and that isn't going to cut it in terms of building a championship team IMO. With that said, our pitching was TERRIBLE. Our best starter had an ERA over 4.5 and Matusz had an ERA over 10. Pitching is the #1 probem and a league average staff would make the Orioles 100+ runs better without really having to do anything with the offense. If the team finds a way to allow 100+ fewer runs and score 775+ runs than we are 175 runs better and a .500 product or maybe a little better IMO. Running out the same starters with an addition of Eveland, Wada and Chen is not enough to compensate for that pitching disaster in 2011 IMO. Add Edwin Jackson, Jurrjens and Chen to the rotation in 2012 and it is night and day better than 2011 IMO. You know have 6-8 arms fighting for 2 starting spots and 2-3 spots in the pen. You keep your relief pitching prices low by allowing guys like Eveland and Arrieta to fill those spots. You now have to worry about upgrading the offense minus Jones and a bounce back year by Reimold and guys like Prado and Pena do not make the offense worse than what we had prior to Jones IMO. Maybe the excess pitching allows the Orioles to make a move for a first baseman to further upgrade the offense. Duquette's plan is clearly tied to pitching and depth while the market settles and than jump on bargains on the offensive side.

[scOtt]

JTrea has a right to worry about the offense moving forward and Jones lose COULD cause the team to score fewer than the 708 runs they scored last year. Our offense was league average and that isn't going to cut it in terms of building a championship team IMO. With that said, our pitching was TERRIBLE. Our best starter had an ERA over 4.5 and Matusz had an ERA over 10. Pitching is the #1 probem and a league average staff would make the Orioles 100+ runs better without really having to do anything with the offense. If the team finds a way to allow 100+ fewer runs and score 775+ runs than we are 175 runs better and a .500 product or maybe a little better IMO. Running out the same starters with an addition of Eveland, Wada and Chen is not enough to compensate for that pitching disaster in 2011 IMO. Add Edwin Jackson, Jurrjens and Chen to the rotation in 2012 and it is night and day better than 2011 IMO. You know have 6-8 arms fighting for 2 starting spots and 2-3 spots in the pen. You keep your relief pitching prices low by allowing guys like Eveland and Arrieta to fill those spots. You now have to worry about upgrading the offense minus Jones and a bounce back year by Reimold and guys like Prado and Pena do not make the offense worse than what we had prior to Jones IMO. Maybe the excess pitching allows the Orioles to make a move for a first baseman to further upgrade the offense. Duquette's plan is clearly tied to pitching and depth while the market settles and than jump on bargains on the offensive side.

Trust me, I dread losing AJ too. But for the names being tossed around (on here at least) you almost have to trade him. But you're right, the offense is average but the pitching is terrible.

[Greg Pappas]

For those who know...

How would you rank Minor, Delgado and Zach Britton?

Britton, Minor, Delgado.

[LookinUp]

Britton, Minor, Delgado.

This is what I'm gathering. I wonder how much we're over rating the Braves pitching prospects. I'm not saying we shouldn't hold out for them, but we're not talking about Teheran or Taillion here.