The Padres have sent three officials to watch the Orioles over the last two weeks

[joedogg9999]

Honestly i wouldent mind giving up both matsuz and arrieta for headley. I just dont see them ever having a future here and i think they could strive in the NL especially in petco.

However i would be very hesitant to give up britton or tillman. Up untill a month ago i would have packed tillmans luggage for him but he has shown vast improvement to me.

Now if they could add headley and a guy like juan pierre I would be pretty excited. A top of a lineup that looks like this would be pretty damn solid:

1. Juan pierre

2. Nick markakis

3. Chase Headley

4. Adam Jones

5. JJ Hardy (maybe)

[GoldGlove21]

Honestly i wouldent mind giving up both matsuz and arrieta for headley. I just dont see them ever having a future here and i think they could strive in the NL especially in petco.

However i would be very hesitant to give up britton or tillman. Up untill a month ago i would have packed tillmans luggage for him but he has shown vast improvement to me.

Now if they could add headley and a guy like juan pierre I would be pretty excited. A top of a lineup that looks like this would be pretty damn solid:

1. Juan pierre

2. Nick markakis

3. Chase Headley

4. Adam Jones

5. JJ Hardy (maybe)

Pierre and Headley would solve the OBP at the top of the lineup issue. I could see Matusz doing well in a big park and he would be home. I really like Arrieta as a reliever and I think the Orioles could deal Jim Johnson in a deal for say Brandon Belt and slot Arrieta in the 7th or 8th inning role and be ok. I in favor of dealing almost anyone if it hels us over the next 3-5 seasons. I just do not want to put it all on the line for a one year run with a team that is seriously flawed.

[SteveO]

Pierre and Headley would solve the OBP at the top of the lineup issue. I could see Matusz doing well in a big park and he would be home. I really like Arrieta as a reliever and I think the Orioles could deal Jim Johnson in a deal for say Brandon Belt and slot Arrieta in the 7th or 8th inning role and be ok. I in favor of dealing almost anyone if it hels us over the next 3-5 seasons. I just do not want to put it all on the line for a one year run with a team that is seriously flawed.

Just think that trading JJ for Belt is not a good idea. Strop is far to wild to be a consistent closer at this point (shades of Kevin Gregg at closer but milder). While the idea of converting Arrieta to a reliever has some merit I do believe it would just further decrease his value. I would prefer to trade Arrieta if you get a really nice return (I doubt) or keep him and try to straighten him up as a starter for now and if that does not work, then you think about making him a reliever. Certainly in Sept you can do that (use him in the pen) or if the need arises before Sept due to injury but weakening the backend of your bullpen beyond repair for a so-so LF/1B prospect just does not seem all that great, would rather get a more known quantity for a deal involving JJ

[GoldGlove21]

Just think that trading JJ for Belt is not a good idea. Strop is far to wild to be a consistent closer at this point (shades of Kevin Gregg at closer but milder). While the idea of converting Arrieta to a reliever has some merit I do believe it would just further decrease his value. I would prefer to trade Arrieta if you get a really nice return (I doubt) or keep him and try to straighten him up as a starter for now and if that does not work, then you think about making him a reliever. Certainly in Sept you can do that (use him in the pen) or if the need arises before Sept due to injury but weakening the backend of your bullpen beyond repair for a so-so LF/1B prospect just does not seem all that great, would rather get a more known quantity for a deal involving JJ

Belt's OBP is .342 thus far this season. I am not saying that he is the second coming, but what team would be willing to obtain JJ as a closer and give up a known product? We would get the best return by dealing JJ for prospects IMO. Strop is a but wild at times, but the numbers there are solid. I would imagine that a lot of teams are asking about Strop for good reason. I still think that the Orioles could get a long term solution or a mint return for dealing JJ.

Let's say that the Rangers offer Martin Perez or Mike Olt for JJ straight up do you take it? I would be all over either one of those deals, but I am not against dealing some of our young pitching for long term starting pitching help. I do not feel that Matusz and Tillman are going to amount to much. I do think that Britton and Arrieta have upside, but I would consider dealing them.

[SteveO]

Belt's OBP is .342 thus far this season. I am not saying that he is the second coming, but what team would be willing to obtain JJ as a closer and give up a known product? We would get the best return by dealing JJ for prospects IMO. Strop is a but wild at times, but the numbers there are solid. I would imagine that a lot of teams are asking about Strop for good reason. I still think that the Orioles could get a long term solution or a mint return for dealing JJ.

Let's say that the Rangers offer Martin Perez or Mike Olt for JJ straight up do you take it? I would be all over either one of those deals, but I am not against dealing some of our young pitching for long term starting pitching help. I do not feel that Matusz and Tillman are going to amount to much. I do think that Britton and Arrieta have upside, but I would consider dealing them.

Agree with a lot of that. If the Rangers offered Olt for JJ straight up I would certainly be all over that. Belt I guess just does not do it for me, not saying he is a bad player or that he could not help but once you give up JJ to get him, you have hurt the team more than help (this year at least). I hae no use for Matusz and doubt he is more than a throw in at this point. I do however like what I have seen from Tillman since he has come back overall and would consider him closer to Arrieta/Britton than Matusz but certainly a guy like all of them I would entertain offers on

JJ closing and Vet like Victorino, Pierre, whoever or Lew Ford and Chris Davis in LF >>> Strop closing and Belt in LF

[jrobb21613]

Maybe I'm wrong, but all this talk about trading jimmy Johnson is foolish! When was the last time a team in contention traded their allstar closer at the deadline? We dont need to be trading Strop either he's the only power arm in our bullpen.

We need to improve our team not trade away our two best bullpen arms and hope their replacements can do as well.

[Coker]

Maybe I'm wrong, but all this talk about trading jimmy Johnson is foolish! When was the last time a team in contention traded their allstar closer at the deadline? We dont need to be trading Strop either he's the only power arm in our bullpen.

We need to improve our team not trade away our two best bullpen arms and hope their replacements can do as well.

If we are able to sell high on both JJ and Strop, it will greatly improve the team.

[Roll Tide]

If we are able to sell high on both JJ and Strop, it will greatly improve the team.

The poster also mentions that Strop is our only power arm. Both Johnson and Lindstrom are power arms as well.

[jrobb21613]

I forgot about lindstrom, his arm still isn't as live as Strop's niether is JJ's. I could understand selling high on both those guys if we weren't in a playoff race, but I'm sorry those two guys have a lot to do with it. Our bullpen would suffer with the loss of those guys. Whose going to close Gregg or lindstrom who hasn't been 100% healthy their who you want to depend on. The bullpen has been the strength of this the last thing we want to do is mess with it.if we anything we need to add another solid lefty to go along with patton.

[joedogg9999]

Apparently cleveland is shopping sin soo choo. Id prefer him + masterson over just headley

[EagleOriole]

Apparently cleveland is shopping sin soo choo. Id prefer him + masterson over just headley

Masterson and Choo would cost a fortune. They are asking for young ML outfielders with 3 or less service years for Choo.

[Lucky Jim]

I would trade Johnson straight-up for Brandon Belt.

[Tx Oriole]

I am not overrating our guys, but Britton and Matusz have strong upside. No way I give both of them up for a 3B. Haven't we learned anything? Starting pitching is everything.

But how many chances does he get? If the team can trade him then i am for it. If it will help the team now and int the future

[JDubs]

Ok. Thanks so much for the correction so glad there are people like you in the world. I am sure you have never misused a word

edited: decided to not be as childish as the original poster who knew damn well what I meant

Hey man, I thought I was being nice. This is how we learn.