Deals will get done if...

[Sports Guy]

I used to disagree but I just checked Kemp's stats...http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/K/Matthew-Kemp.shtml

A+ at 19/20: .925 OPS

AA at 21: .927 OPS

AAA at 21: .978 OPS

ML at 22: .894 OPS

This guy is a monster! He's probably already better than Markakis despite being younger.

P.S. What's the Dodgers park effects like?

Big time pitcher's park. And remember, so is Petco and the Giants stadium.

Now, Coors and Arizona are hitters parks but the majority of the games Kemp plays are in pitchers parks.

[Peace21]

Spoke with my guy earlier as well... Read into this as much as you want..But he is close to Hendry and the Cubs, and he thinks that for Hendry to get Roberts is a pipe dream. MacPhail has to convince Angelos big time. But if there is one guy who knows the Cubs farm system, its Macphail. So we shall see.

Also the only way Pie gets dealt is if Fukudome is signed by the Cubs.

[mapierce]

I'd like to see Hu before Wood.

Why? Wood has 25+ HR potential and Hu is no where near that. Hu probably has better defense but Wood is no slouch there either.

[Flosman]

I don't think the angels want to trade Figgins...I read something recently that they really like him and I definitely don't see them doing the deal your proposed.

In a perfect world(for me), the Cubs will get Fukudome and then we get Pie and Gallagher for BRob.

We trade Tejada for Wood and Santana or Saunders.

Bedard is dealt for Kemp, LaRoche, McDonald and Hu.

C- Hernandez(assuming he can't be dealt)

1st- Moore

2nd- Hu

SS- Wood

3rd- LaRoche

LF- Kemp

CF- Pie

RF- Markakis

DH- Millar

If Millar is dealt, great...I would then offer up Liz for Gomes to DH.

Rotation is:

Loewen

Guthrie

DCab

Olson, Penn, Saunders/Santana, Gallagher all fighting for final 2 spots. Losers to the pen.

McDonald ready by mid-late season.

I would also look into the possibility of trading a guy like Olson or DCab and someone like Hoey for Votto and move Moore into the super UTI role.

There is absolutely no way I would give up Liz for Gomes. Liz's upside is to high to get a player like Gomes striaghtup, IMO. I am not saying that I would not trade Liz but he would have to be a piece in a bigger deal or I would have to get a better player than Gomes.

[Hank Scorpio]

So if we got Wood, would you rather have Kemp or Kershaw (assuming we can only get one of them) from the Dodgers?

A good question.

I would tend to lean towards Kemp still, but it'd be a tougher decision given our lack of a top of the rotation pitcher. Kemp just has beast written on his forehead and we haven't had a formidable outfield for a long, long, long time.

FWIW, I think that we can get back a capable pitcher for Roberts from the Cubs.

Coming back, we have :

Loewen

Guthrie

Cabrera

Olson

Penn

Liz

Burres

I know that we need big time pitching. But I find it extremely difficult to pass on a talent like Kemp.

[Belkast]

I'm just afraid that Angelos told AM to go to the meetings, find out all you can about possible trades and come back to ME, and I'll tell you what your allowed to do. Maybe THIS is why nothing happened. I agree with the poster who said he'll change his opinion of Angelos when Angelos changes!! But I still won't forgive him for the last ten years!! Hope we get Kershaw or Homer Bailey to pair with Low and Guthrie for a formidable front 3 for years to come.

WRONG! They set the parameters long before the winter meetings. That I can assure you. I know Angelos as been a pain in th ass owner but really everyone needs to give him the benefit of the doubt this time. I'm sure everyone realized he gave no thoughts at the end of the season this year. IT IS NOT HIS SHIP TO SAIL, BUT MCPHAIL'S!

[scrubs83]

I think you definitely want Kemp in this deal as opposed to Ethier and Kershaw. Kershaw is more likely to flame out then Kemp become an average outfielder IMO. Also Ethier is a lefty and we should prefer a right handed hitter in our offense which has been terrible against lefty pitchers in the recent past.

Imagine Kemp and Markakis back to back for years to come. If you can get Pie in the deal for Roberts instead of Patterson I think you go with that no doubt. Many are overlooking the fact that outfield depth is something we are barren dry in minors and we've had pretty good success drafting and developing second baseman.

[Mashed Potatoes]

Big time pitcher's park. And remember, so is Petco and the Giants stadium.

Now, Coors and Arizona are hitters parks but the majority of the games Kemp plays are in pitchers parks.

That's even more impressive. In 2007 Kemp had

147 ABs at home: .936 OPS

145 ABs away: .851 OPS

Now I see why LA doesn't want to put Kershaw and Kemp in the same deal. Hell if I'm LA there's no way I want to make any of the deals we're offering. Time to pray.

[davearm]

My biggest concern with losing Roberts is his lead-off ablility. I don't see any of the players we're looking to get back that would fill that void. Having said that I would still deal him. I can see him sitting down to dinner with PA like Melvin did for his negotiations and Brian saying thanks for the support but if you really like me you'll send me to contending club.

There have been a ton of names thrown around, but Eric Patterson profiles as closely to a prototypical leadoff hitter as anyone.

[BaltBird 24]

Big time pitcher's park. And remember, so is Petco and the Giants stadium.

Now, Coors and Arizona are hitters parks but the majority of the games Kemp plays are in pitchers parks.

Kemp was actually a better hitter at home this past season. He hit .333/.371/.565 at home and .352/.375/.476 away. He hit 9 of his 10 HR's at Dodger Stadium, but hit more doubles and triples away.

Either way, the guy is a stud and should be patrolling the O's OF for the next decade.

[33rdst]

Spoke with my guy earlier as well... Read into this as much as you want..But he is close to Hendry and the Cubs, and he thinks that for Hendry to get Roberts is a pipe dream. MacPhail has to convince Angelos big time. But if there is one guy who knows the Cubs farm system, its Macphail. So we shall see.

Also the only way Pie gets dealt is if Fukudome is signed by the Cubs.

Well I'll cerainly take this for what it is worth and I'll try to read in to it as little as possible. Thanks for the info.

[Hank Scorpio]

Imagine Kemp and Markakis back to back for years to come. If you can get Pie in the deal for Roberts instead of Patterson I think you go with that no doubt. Many are overlooking the fact that outfield depth is something we are barren dry in minors and we've had pretty good success drafting and developing second baseman.

A+ at 19/20: .925 OPS

AA at 21: .927 OPS

AAA at 21: .978 OPS

ML at 22: .894 OPS

This is my line of thinking regardless whether or not we get Wood back for Tejada.

Kemp appears to be a slam dunk.

[Dr. FLK]

WRONG! They set the parameters long before the winter meetings. That I can assure you. I know Angelos as been a pain in th ass owner but really everyone needs to give him the benefit of the doubt this time. I'm sure everyone realized he gave no thoughts at the end of the season this year. IT IS NOT HIS SHIP TO SAIL, BUT MCPHAIL'S!

I hope it doesn't turn out to be the S.S. Minnow. If it does, I propose Fahey to play Gilligan.

<img src="http://alanhale.com/minnow.jpg" >

[davearm]

WRONG! They set the parameters long before the winter meetings. That I can assure you. I know Angelos as been a pain in th ass owner but really everyone needs to give him the benefit of the doubt this time. I'm sure everyone realized he gave no thoughts at the end of the season this year. IT IS NOT HIS SHIP TO SAIL, BUT MCPHAIL'S!

I find myself agreeing with this. There's no doubt that many scenarios have been discussed, and MacPhail's only pursuing the ones Angelos has been receptive to.

But I also find myself agreeing with the notion that Angelos is still going to have to be "talked into" any of these big trades. And that in itself implies that maybe the answer will be "no".

[TonySoprano]

WRONG! They set the parameters long before the winter meetings. That I can assure you. I know Angelos as been a pain in th ass owner but really everyone needs to give him the benefit of the doubt this time. I'm sure everyone realized he gave no thoughts at the end of the season this year. IT IS NOT HIS SHIP TO SAIL, BUT MCPHAIL'S!

Are you then saying MacPhail doesn't need Angelos' approval to trade Roberts? There is a trust between the two that MacPhail will make a good deal if needed.