Some O's tidbits from Keith Law's chat yesterday

[ChaosLex]

Is Chris Tillman a # 4 pitcher at this point? Looked to have turned the corner finally...How do you view him?

I think he'll be more than that with a full 2013 season.

Jason Hammel -- I believe he has a year left of club control. Would a two or three year deal be something that Hammel and the O's should look into? Or revisit it at some point next year?

Depends on his knee. Would certainly extend him a year or two if that checks out.

How did Schoop look to you in the AFL?

Good. I'm a big fan. Don't think he's a SS long term but I think he'll hit and have easy power.

You have mentioned several times (here and on Twitter) that the Orioles need to make some major roster moves to have a chance to contend in 2013. I agree and, other than SP, 1B, 2B & LF, what would you address? Thanks.

I'd try to use Hardy to fill one or more of those holes, sliding Machado to his natural position at short. I'd also want to move Jones to left and get a better defender in center. I wouldn't spend a dime on the bullpen.

Thoughts?

[Floater]

Compared to the typical Keith Law stuff, it sounds like he has a massive hard on for the O's.

[Brendan25]

Agree with everything he said except for the last part. I think that moving Jones to LF, I'm guessing for us to get Bourn, and then trading Hardy (who is one of our best players) to try to fill other holes makes us worse.

Agree with Tillman and Hammel though.

[Ripken]

While the GG was a joke, AJ can stay in center. I'm very high on Tillman and Schoop. Hammel needs to give us a full year before I'd decide anything.

I like the idea of moving Hardy. A lot of folks get butt hurt when that gets mentioned but we have to upgrade the offense somewhere. If a good 3B bat can be acquired in trade (I said if) then I'd move Manny to SS. We don't have to... nothing against JJ... but it's a possibility. If Mark comes back, and we know several other players aren't going anywhere, it doesn't leave too many places to add a bat.

[ShaneDawg85]

Wait, I thought Keith Law was a descendent of Satan, who could never say a positive thing about the Orioles, let alone multiple ones in one chat.

[waroriole]

The problem with moving Hardy to fill holes is that it creates a huge one at 3B, which is possibly the hardest one to fill in MLB.

[Frobby]

I personally have no desire to tamper with the left side of our infield. Hardy has been a 7 WAR player over his two years here (3.5 WAR/yr), and Machado played at a 4.5 WAR/yr pace as a green rookie who had just turned 20 years old. The left side of the infield was virtually impregnable for the last two months, unlike anything I've seen since Brooks and Belanger were at their stations. I'm not changing anything about that. The fact that Hardy had a down year offensively and that Machado will one day be our SS doesn't change my opinion one iota.

[VeveJones007]

The problem with moving Hardy to fill holes is that it creates a huge one at 3B, which is possibly the hardest one to fill in MLB.

Exactly. The O's are set with Machado and Hardy on the left side of the IF. Don't mess with a good thing.

[luismatos4prez]

While the GG was a joke, AJ can stay in center. I'm very high on Tillman and Schoop. Hammel needs to give us a full year before I'd decide anything.

I like the idea of moving Hardy. A lot of folks get butt hurt when that gets mentioned but we have to upgrade the offense somewhere. If a good 3B bat can be acquired in trade (I said if) then I'd move Manny to SS. We don't have to... nothing against JJ... but it's a possibility. If Mark comes back, and we know several other players aren't going anywhere, it doesn't leave too many places to add a bat.

I wouldn't object to moving Hammel. Send him, Arrieta, and Strop somewhere so we can get the big bat we need. I don't know what we could get for that, or what's available though. I'm not expecting Pujols.

[crissfan172]

The problem with moving Hardy to fill holes is that it creates a huge one at 3B, which is possibly the hardest one to fill in MLB.

Yup. You don't move Hardy until Schoop is ready. As much as I hate Hardy's low-OBP offensive skill set, I don't think it's a significant problem if he moves down in the order.

[Brendan25]

While the GG was a joke, AJ can stay in center. I'm very high on Tillman and Schoop. Hammel needs to give us a full year before I'd decide anything.

I like the idea of moving Hardy. A lot of folks get butt hurt when that gets mentioned but we have to upgrade the offense somewhere. If a good 3B bat can be acquired in trade (I said if) then I'd move Manny to SS. We don't have to... nothing against JJ... but it's a possibility. If Mark comes back, and we know several other players aren't going anywhere, it doesn't leave too many places to add a bat.

Who is the 3B that you want to acquire that makes our left side better with Manny at short then it is now with Manny and JJ?

[Brooks The Great]

Agree with everything he said except for the last part. I think that moving Jones to LF, I'm guessing for us to get Bourn, and then trading Hardy (who is one of our best players) to try to fill other holes makes us worse.

Agree with Tillman and Hammel though.

Hardy's one of our best defenders (second best behind Wieters, although if Reynolds and Machado could keep up their defense from the final 6 weeks or so for a whole season, they would be up there). Hardy is also one of our worst hitters. I don't think he's one of our best players, although it depends on your definition. Either way, the return for him would determine whether or not trading him would make us worse.

[Brendan25]

Hardy's one of our best defenders (second best behind Wieters, although if Reynolds and Machado could keep up their defense from the final 6 weeks or so for a whole season, they would be up there). Hardy is also one of our worst hitters. I don't think he's one of our best players, although it depends on your definition. Either way, the return for him would determine whether or not trading him would make us worse.

His value to the Orioles is one of the highest on the team.

[DrungoHazewood]

I personally have no desire to tamper with the left side of our infield. Hardy has been a 7 WAR player over his two years here (3.5 WAR/yr), and Machado played at a 4.5 WAR/yr pace as a green rookie who had just turned 20 years old. The left side of the infield was virtually impregnable for the last two months, unlike anything I've seen since Brooks and Belanger were at their stations. I'm not changing anything about that. The fact that Hardy had a down year offensively and that Machado will one day be our SS doesn't change my opinion one iota.

I think it's very difficult for a GM to blow up something that worked well enough to propel a bad team to the playoffs. Or at least be a major cog in propelling a formerly bad team into the playoffs. Hardy does have some surplus value that could be turned into some nice assets, but I have a hard time seeing that happen. There's value in keeping Hardy and using the money you're saving there (paying $7M for $15M+ in value) to improve in other areas.

[DrungoHazewood]

Who is the 3B that you want to acquire that makes our left side better with Manny at short then it is now with Manny and JJ?

Here's the criteria:

1) JJ is 30, so the team would have to be fairly close to competing now

2) They'd have to have a fairly large hole at short

3) They need to match up with a hole on the Oriole roster

Who is that? Boston? Detroit, maybe? Arizona? I don't know...