Orioles have inquired about Josh Willingham and Billy Butler

[CSB Jack]

Bottom line is how much are you willing to give up for Butler? 3...4...maybe even a 5 player deal like we gave up for Jones??

I hope that if we aren't pursuing top free agents it will be a pretty nice package, because that is what it will take.

Considering his contract/age/performance they are going to want a huge haul. But it might be worth it, if the pieces are the right ones we can afford to lose.

There isn't much not to like about him, that is for sure. And he is cheap, we know how the owner loves that.

Do you mean like the five players we acquired in the trade to get Jones? Since MacPhail made two 5-for-1 trades that seems to be the standard people use for any trade for an established player. Keep in mind that by the time you get to the 4th and 5th player in those trades you are looking at fairly marginal prospects.

Butler is a good hitter but I'm not sure he's as valuable as what Seattle and Houston thought they were getting in the trades for Bedard (TOR starter) and Tejada (MVP caliber SS). As noted by others, Butler is essentially a DH, though a very good one to be sure. BBR has him at 2.9, 1.8, and 2.9 WAR the past three years. That to me is not worth giving up 4 or 5 legitimate players or prospects for. Admittedly, his value would be higher if you kept him out of the field on defense, but that does not seem to fit with what Buck tried to do last year of not having a guy who was really limited to being DH instead of rotating the slot between guys who could also play the field capably or close to it.

[TradeAngelos]

Oh and put me in the no column for Willingham, I have zero interest in giving up ANY players for a 34 year old not named Pujols.

Free agent? Maybe. Trade? Absolutely not.

[sfosfan]

Either of these bats would be nice to have. But I wouldn't trade the players needed to make this deal happen for just a DH. My $0.02

[nerdlinger]

Pass on Willingham. He's going to be 34 next year, and under contract for another year after that- at 7 mil per. Plus the guy just had a sudden, surprise career year at 33 that will drive MIN's asking price up- and that he is unlikely to replicate.

Hell yes to Butler, although I fear KC's asking price will be more than DD is willing to pay.

Oh geez...Not every player has to be under 30 you know? We are a pretty young team and you can have veterans on the roster if they fit. Willingham if the trade price is not too bad FITS. 34 is not that old. We need good OBP guys and Butler and Willingham provide both that and power.

As for this "surprise career year" his OPS is only a little higher than in years past. He just hit a few more homers.

[srock]

Butler is redundant with Davis on the team. Redundancy isn't a bad thing, but I'm willing to pay so much for it. It is unlikely Butler is available at an acceptable price.

Willingham...ugh...rather stick with Reimold/Nate/Avery.

But at the right price and in the right situation, a worthwhile player.

[wildcard]

Butler is redundant with Davis on the team. Redundancy isn't a bad thing, but I'm willing to pay so much for it. It is unlikely Butler is available at an acceptable price.

Willingham...ugh...rather stick with Reimold/Nate/Avery.

But at the right price and in the right situation, a worthwhile player.

Davis is lefthanded, Bulter is righthanded. Davis moves to first, Bulter is the DH. If Reynolds is non tendered a righthanded power bat is what the O's need.

[Conway12]

Butler is redundant with Davis on the team. Redundancy isn't a bad thing, but I'm willing to pay so much for it. It is unlikely Butler is available at an acceptable price.

Willingham...ugh...rather stick with Reimold/Nate/Avery.

But at the right price and in the right situation, a worthwhile player.

I would consider Butler the superior hitter to Davis, so if you feel Davis and Butler as Redundant, would you consider including Davis in the trade. He is young and cost controlled for some years so I would consider him an attractive piece. Does a Arrietta, Britton, Davis, Avery package get it done?

[luismatos4prez]

Butler is redundant with Davis on the team. Redundancy isn't a bad thing, but I'm willing to pay so much for it. It is unlikely Butler is available at an acceptable price.

Davis OBP last year: .326

Butler OBP last year: .373

They're both big, powerful guys. Butler has excellent plate discipline and contact skills. Davis has no plate discipline, and mediocre at best contact skills. Not at all redundant.

I think Davis can do a serviceable job at first base over the course of a season too.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

Oh geez...Not every player has to be under 30 you know? We are a pretty young team and you can have veterans on the roster if they fit. Willingham if the trade price is not too bad FITS. 34 is not that old. We need good OBP guys and Butler and Willingham provide both that and power.

As for this "surprise career year" his OPS is only a little higher than in years past. He just hit a few more homers.

He set career highs in HRs, RBIs, and SLG at age 33. He's going to be 34 on opening day, and is unlikely to repeat that performance. He's going to cost us 14 mil and several legitimate prospects because MIN is going to want to be paid as though his 2012 numbers were not an aberration. Why overpay for a slightly above average player heading into his declining years?

[mark_beckens]

Pass on Willingham. He's going to be 34 next year, and under contract for another year after that- at 7 mil per. Plus the guy just had a sudden, surprise career year at 33 that will drive MIN's asking price up- and that he is unlikely to replicate.

Hell yes to Butler, although I fear KC's asking price will be more than DD is willing to pay.

He put up almost the same numbers 2 years ago in Oakland.

[waroriole]

He set career highs in HRs, RBIs, and SLG at age 33. He's going to be 34 on opening day, and is unlikely to repeat that performance. He's going to cost us 14 mil and several legitimate prospects because MIN is going to want to be paid as though his 2012 numbers were not an aberration. Why overpay for a slightly above average player heading into his declining years?

Yep, all of this. Willingham is a bad idea.

[luismatos4prez]

I don't see the O's acquiring either player but I could see us matching up with KC. They want young pitching. We have it.

Chris Davis

Chris Tillman

Jake Arrieta

for Billy Butler

That's a lot to give up for a DH.

Too much. How about Hammel and Britton?

[LookinUp]

I hope DD and Buck are in sell-high mode. Davis, Gonzalez and certainly others should be on that list, IMO. Butler, and to a lesser extent Willingham, are the types of OBP bats that would be far superior to guys like Davis, and Davis is a guy who could fill other needs in another trade.

I'm not sure on what offer I'd make...maybe Arrieta, Matusz, Schoop for Butler? Just Hammel or Britton in place of two of those guys? I might do something like that even though he is a DH only.

[clapdiddy]

I'm not sure how much interest we'd have in Butler. Didn't Buck say he likes to use multiple people in the DH position?

[kyleott]

I'm not sure how much interest we'd have in Butler. Didn't Buck say he likes to use multiple people in the DH position?

Yes, but Buck has also publicly declared his admiration for Butler's hitting. We are talking about one of the premier RH bats in the game; Buck would adjust accordingly.