Talked to my guy today....

[Fan4Life]

Who will become the face of our new organization if Tejada/Bedard/Roberts get traded?

[davearm]

Who will become the face of our new organization if Tejada/Bedard/Roberts get traded?

I'd say it's Markakis even if those guys don't get traded.

[tennOsfan]

I would be more worried about the ongoing silent backlash (as shown by the sparse Oriole fan attendance at most games) than I would a few women weeping over losing Brian.

[blueberryale77]

Okay back to Baseball. With the information that I have gathered I believe Roberts could go to the Cubs soon. We all know Roberts is a fan favorite and has done a good job in the community, and the fans with knowledge know by trading him we would be moving in the right direction in rebuilding. What do you think the "casual fans" reaction would be? Do you think it would be a PR nightmare for the front office?

I think with both "casual" and "serious" fans it depends on what the results are a year or two down the road whether or not the decision is ultimately looked on as a good one. However, for any fan the need to trade Roberts because we're too bad of a team to keep him is a symbol of the complete and utter failure of this organization over the past decade. It may bring some immediate backlash for that reason. The team does need to be careful how they handle it. He said on Anita Marks this week that he'd be in town this weekend, doing the Orioles Christmas Party, going to the Ravens game (the fact that he's a Ravens fan and totally gets the significance of Ravens-Colts makes this all the more heartbreaking), and appearing in the studio on the Marks show on Monday. If he were to get traded right before the party leaving the poor kids short of Orioles to serve them, or learn the trade had been finalized via a phone call from his agent while he's in the ESPN1300 studio or something like that, that would be a PR disaster.

[howie14]

I'd say it's Markakis even if those guys don't get traded.

Exactly. He's already my 10 year old's favorite and the lines to get his autograph were hours long at FanFest, although maybe everyone was actually in line for Jaret Wright!

[Jimmy Mad]

We've lost for 10 straight seasons, that's the biggest PR hit this team needs to worry about. Hopefully the fans will see that the team is using its most valuable players to try to build a better future. Those most valuable players haven't gotten the team very far. This is something the O's should have done six years ago. I don't know if the casual fan realizes this, but the O's brass needs to look past whatever PR hit it may be and disregard it. We can keep Roberts and Tejada and Bedard, etc. and continue to go 70-92 for years or we can move them for younger guys, build the system, add some key pieces when we're ready to compete in a few years, and go 92-70. It needs to be done.

[srh523]

See I don't agree with you on that one. I think we need to start somewhere and even if he is the only one traded we have to do it and start to rebuild.

I agree but 90% of fans wont if Roberts is gone for next season and Tejada is still here!

[jklum46]

I think there will be some fan backlash, but nothing really all that significant. Even casual fans know that Brian Roberts has never been part of a winning team here, and that the team needs to be dramatically recast.

Good point, but the problem is that every Oriole fan knows the name "Brian Roberts", and when they get back some players in return for Roberts who's names they've never heard of (Pie???), it's going to take a while to adjust. Especially when half of my friends have Roberts jerseys they wear to the games.

I agree that this needs to be done, just the point is most fairweather fans will take some time to adjust.

[srock]

Brian Roberts is a above average second basemen in the prime of his career. He does everything well and is a plus baserunner. He is fairly inexpensive for his level of production.

These things mean he will net a good return in a trade. Other teams definitely need players with his tools.

Brian Roberts is also an asset to the community and a PR blessing for a franchise. This also makes him more valuable in a trade. Other teams want this type of player also.

[Belkast]

I'd say it's Markakis even if those guys don't get traded.

Personally I think Markakis is already the face of the team. He just needs more faces to join him before most people get excited about this franchise again.

[CrimsonTribe]

Who will become the face of our new organization if Tejada/Bedard/Roberts get traded?

We don't need a face of the organization; we need a winning record.

[Hank Scorpio]

We don't need a face of the organization; we need a winning record.

Yup.

For me, it's not even an issue.

[Belkast]

I agree but 90% of fans wont if Roberts is gone for next season and Tejada is still here!

I agree Tejada needs to go and I think close to every fan realizes that. Truthfully I think we end up settling to move him especially if Bedard and Roberts among others are moved. I don't think the FO wants his pissed off at the team attitude around if we bring we may to bring some younger players back in trades.

[ManCrushOnKakes]

Who will become the face of our new organization if Tejada/Bedard/Roberts get traded?

Why, Peter Angelos of course (according to ESPN):

http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/face/mlb/team?team=bal

[blueberryale77]

I agree but 90% of fans wont if Roberts is gone for next season and Tejada is still here!

Really, that's the thing. The Orioles have scapegoated Tejada so much, if he's still around and the likeable fan favorite isn't, the emptiness of OPACY next year is going to be pretty amazing.