Possible Tejada scenario?

[Fan4Life]

It's not like Aybar Kotchman and Santana are scrub prospects. These guys are very very good prospects.

Santana has already proven that he can compete over the course of a full season, and would have been our second best starter this year. Not to mention the guy turns 24 this December.

Your assumptions are that Pete spends money, and that those guys would actually sign here.

I'm agree they are good players... I just can't rely on them being the difference.. you need to add an Ensberg or Burrell or equivelent type bat(s) to them to make it and real option.

[erb8472]

Mussina isn't coming here...Next option...

You are assuming he isn't coming here, be careful.

[Sports Guy]

That's not a bad option. What is the alternative if Burrell won't come? I would still be interested in adding Mussina to the rotation and bump Penn/RLo to the pen. I'm not sure your offense is enough, but if the pitching is good enough it may not have to be.

Don't underestimate the OBP.

There are 5 guys in that lineup that we can probably pencil in a 350+ OBP...Mora could also do it and Hernandez would be close.

Aybar could do it but probably needs to hit 300 to do it, so he may be a year or 2 away of being a very good OBP guy.

CPat won't do it unless he hits 320 next year.

[Fan4Life]

If you only want to acquire sure things to build a contender you need a $120m payroll. You have to trust your scouting and you have to go with "IF" players if you want to compete with the payroll we're going to get.

Ok, you have already decided that you will be happy fielding a low payroll team... because ownship isn't going to spend... you and I part company there... I am not going to accept that... any players you get today, that actually do make it big, will move on to bigger horizons and you'll be in the same boat every 3 years... that assumes they make it...

[Fan4Life]

Don't underestimate the OBP.

There are 5 guys in that lineup that we can probably pencil in a 350+ OBP...Mora could also do it and Hernandez would be close.

Aybar could do it but probably needs to hit 300 to do it, so he may be a year or 2 away of being a very good OBP guy.

CPat won't do it unless he hits 320 next year.

Of the 4 teams left in the playoffs, are any of them an example of high OBP being a recipe to the post season?

[Sports Guy]

Of the 4 teams left in the playoffs, are any of them an example of high OBP being a recipe to the post season?

Oakland finished 10th.

6 of the 8 playoff teams were amongst the top 17 in OBP.

[Fan4Life]

Oakland finished 10th.

6 of the 8 playoff teams were amongst the top 17 in OBP.

While that isn't bad, it certainly isn't fantastic. I presume their pitching was more of the factor for the teams near the 17 mark. Is our pitching going to be that good next year? Maybe, maybe not.

What is you backup plan to adding more bat if Burrell won't come?

[Sports Guy]

While that isn't bad, it certainly isn't fantastic. I presume their pitching was more of the factor for the teams near the 17 mark. Is our pitching going to be that good next year? Maybe, maybe not.

What is you backup plan to adding more bat if Burrell won't come?

Geoff Jenkins.

Your team, my team and everyone else's team will depend on DCab and Loewen.

[clapdiddy]

OK...I'm not trying to poop on anyone's lawn here, but I think a little bit of realism needs to be added to this discussion.

If you were a free agent, would you want to play for the Orioles? I don't care if you are a high end free agent or a low end free agent...what could possibly make you want to play for this organization?

We need to make deals for as many young, almost ready for MLB players as we can...just like the Marlins have done. We need to trade off ANY significant piece of this team that could bring us those types of players. We need to get them in bunches so that we've got backup plans in place in case some of them don't pan out. We need to rebuild from the ground up.

Imagine what we could get for Bedard, Roberts, Tejada, and Hernandez. I suppose we could get quite a bit of young talent back for those four players.

The reason I would want young players is because they have NO CHOICE as to where they will play their first years in the league. They will have to be Orioles and perhaps we could build up a youthful core that would allow us to go out and get the one or two players we'd need to put us over the top.

If the team doesn't have the ability to sign top-notch free agents, then the only choice we have is to rebuild around a core of young pitching and good defense. Going with retreads and quick fixes gets us no where due to the lack of depth in the organization. The front office needs to take a year or two to make this place attractive to free agents again. Right now, we have to look like one of the worst places in baseball to play.

OK...I've gotten out my pooper scooper and removed the load from your lawn.

[geschinger]

Ok, you have already decided that you will be happy fielding a low payroll team... because ownship isn't going to spend... you and I part company there... I am not going to accept that... any players you get today, that actually do make it big, will move on to bigger horizons and you'll be in the same boat every 3 years... that assumes they make it...

Adding a Burrell and Ensberg is not the path to fielding a low payroll team.

And if ARam becomes a free agent I wouldn't be against signing him to play 3b.

But I would be completely unwilling to take on albatross contracts. I would make sure I had the payroll resources available when some of the young players do make it big.

Call me crazy but I don't think it's a bad idea to emulate the formula the Yankees used when they were winning titles. Trades for complimentary talented players like a Tino and O'Neil with the majority of their big players getting the chance to develop - they were willing to go with "IF" players. Then their payroll resources went into making sure those players that did develop remained Yankees.

[Fan4Life]

Adding a Burrell and Ensberg is not the path to fielding a low payroll team.

And if ARam becomes a free agent I wouldn't be against signing him to play 3b.

But I would be completely unwilling to take on albatross contracts. I would make sure I had the payroll resources available when some of the young players do make it big.

Call me crazy but I don't think it's a bad idea to emulate the formula the Yankees used when they were winning titles. Trades for complimentary talented players like a Tino and O'Neil with the majority of their big players getting the chance to develop - they were willing to go with "IF" players. Then their payroll resources went into making sure those players that did develop remained Yankees.

No, you aren't crazy, IF your plan is to compete down the road... alot of things would have to fall perfectly into place for that to happen... I ddon't have that kind of patience anymore.. I want to add proven MLB talent and yes, without breaking the bank. If a CLee or ARam or the like want $15mil for 5 years, I'd pass. I want the FO to make a real effort to bring these guys here and my definition of effort isn't the lowball jobs they have done in the past that lost out on some good players.. make a real effort, if it fails, then rebuild..

[BigSkip]

I know we may not deal Tejada but i was thinking about a scenario that could work.

We know the Angels and White Sox have been after Tejada. We also know that the Angels and White Sox have alot of team needs.

There are rumors that Ozzie loves Figgins and that a Figgins/Crede swap is possible. Guillen is also apparently not a fan of Uribe, so a change in SS is possible.

We also know that the Sox are looking to deal one of their starters and need BP help. So, here is what i propose:

White Sox trade Crede and F Garcia/Garland/Contreras for Donnelly, OCab and Figgins.

We then trade Tejada, Gibbons and 5 million for Lackey, Aybar and Kotchman.

Possible???

Not interested. Our offense takes a massive blow there unless Kotchman and Aybar both turn out to be grade A bats...

[markdublya]

I'm told we're not sold on either Aybar or Kotchman.

If you trade Tejada, you ask for Wood not Aybar.

[Fan4Life]

If you trade Tejada, you ask for Wood not Aybar.

Santana, Lackey,

Wood, Kendrick,

Aybar, Kotchman

I want one from each group for Tejada...

[JTrea81]

OK...I'm not trying to poop on anyone's lawn here, but I think a little bit of realism needs to be added to this discussion.

If you were a free agent, would you want to play for the Orioles? I don't care if you are a high end free agent or a low end free agent...what could possibly make you want to play for this organization?

Show me the money! That's what would get me to play. Tejada was thought to like the west coast - The O's came off their 6th consecutive losing season, didn't have much talent but they had the highest bid -therefore Tejada was an Oriole. Show them the $ and they will come. Salaries are not decreasing and with the increased revenue throughout baseball I wouldn't be surprised to see another A-Rod type contract in the future.