Roch answers "Why haven't the Orioles made a trade?"

[ChaosLex]

Why haven't the Orioles made a trade?

There isn't one particular reason. That would be way too easy.

The Orioles aren't simply going to hand over their young pitching. Teams need to value these arms as much as the Orioles. If they don't, executive vice president Dan Duquette will keep his surplus and Triple-A Norfolk's rotation will be loaded like a baked potato.

I've heard from fans who demand that the Orioles get Billy Butler or Mark Trumbo. They gladly would take either one, but the Royals seem unwilling to part with Butler and the Angels aren't especially eager to move Trumbo. It's mostly been media speculation.

It's not like the Angels have to trade Trumbo simply because they signed Josh Hamilton. Trumbo fits in their outfield. It's Peter Bourjos who could be squeezed out, and the Orioles don't need him. They need a much bigger bat, a first baseman/designated hitter type of bat.

If Trumbo does become available, plenty of teams will jump in line to get him. That presents another complication.

The Nats' Michael Morse still makes sense to me. He's got power. He plays first base and left field. However, he's a free agent after the 2013 season, so how much do you want to give up for a potential one-year rental? And the Nats aren't going to consider moving him unless they re-sign Adam LaRoche.

The Orioles can't force teams to accept their offers. Otherwise, they would have completed a deal at the Winter Meetings. They're prepared to give up some pitching - as long as it's not Dylan Bundy or Kevin Gausman - but they need cooperation from the other side.

They're trying, folks. It just hasn't happened yet.

http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2012/12/trade-talk.html

[CA-ORIOLE]

I really don't buy into this Big Bat Theory. If you have a trade that upgrades the team, then you look at it.

[Moose Milligan]

Well try harder, dammit!!! UGH!!!! MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN!!! WE NEED BIG SEXY TRADES AND FREE AGENCY MOVES!!!!! GET ON THE PHONE!!! A, B, C!!! ALWAYS BE CLOSING, DAN!!!

[SilentJames]

I really don't buy into this Big Bat Theory. If you have a trade that upgrades the team, then you look at it.

Well yeah you do, but I think the point is the Orioles aren't willing to give up Bundy, Gausman and when other teams are giving up Will Myers' and Travis D'Arnaud's that means it si hard to make a deal.

[incubus]

Well try harder, dammit!!! UGH!!!! MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN!!! WE NEED BIG SEXY TRADES AND FREE AGENCY MOVES!!!!! GET ON THE PHONE!!! A, B, C!!! ALWAYS BE CLOSING, DAN!!!

Someone looking from the outside, unfamiliar with you, would assume you were a very impatient O's fan. LOL

[Moose Milligan]

Someone looking from the outside, unfamiliar with you, would assume you were a very impatient O's fan. LOL

I'm pretty patient. I've also learned, long ago, not to go into the offseason expecting big sexy trades and free agency moves.

Why others haven't learned this, I'm not sure. I'm certainly not the smartest guy on the block.

[ChaosLex]

I just don't want a) our big trade to be for someone like G. Jones or Kubel and b) for the FO to sell such a trade as us netting our MOO bat.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

I just don't want a) our big trade to be for someone like G. Jones or Kubel and b) for the FO to sell such a trade as us netting our MOO bat.

Or Morse- history of injuries, history of PEDs, not a major upgrade over our potential Betemit/RH DH platoon, will cost us players, one year rental, yadda yadda yadda.

[MachadOboutManny]

Well yeah you do, but I think the point is the Orioles aren't willing to give up Bundy, Gausman and when other teams are giving up Will Myers' and Travis D'Arnaud's that means it si hard to make a deal.

Can we make a sticky somewhere about Gausman and trades.

:scratchchinhmm:

The Os aren't making trades because other teams don't like the players the Os have a billionth as much as the OH does. We do not have many pieces that people want. Hopefully in a year or 2, or more likely 3, we'll have some real talent on the farm and we'll become more attractive trade partners.

There is more value in working with the talent we have here than there is in trading it at this point. These arms we have can't go down in value much more than they have already, trading them now would be ridiculous, imho. Keep working with the boys we have. Teach them how to pitch. Thats the best chance the Os have at improving.

[SilentJames]

I still say Adam LaRoche.

He will hang on for a little bit and go late like last time.

[MachadOboutManny]

Or Morse- history of injuries, history of PEDs, not a major upgrade over our potential Betemit/RH DH platoon, will cost us players, one year rental, yadda yadda yadda.

I disagree vehemently with this. Morse is much better than whatever we'll end up with at DH. We simply do not match up well in a trade with Washington. They are trading Morse because they have too many MLB starters, what a nice problem to have. They will probably keep him and watch Laroche go to Texas, but if not, they will be looking for 20 year old arms to rebuild their system. We dont have that. The Nationals have gutted their system and the guys they haven't traded or lost in the rule 5, are all huge injury risks. They want young arms and we aint got'em.

Morse would be a monster in this lineup. He is extremely underrated here, imho.

[OsEatAlEast]

You know what would be great in a couple of years? If some of these teams and their fans look back on this off season and say "Remember when we could have had so and so plus some other good players for our DH?". This is my dream!

[DrinkinWithFermi]

I disagree vehemently with this. Morse is much better than whatever we'll end up with at DH. We simply do not match up well in a trade with Washington. They are trading Morse because they have too many MLB starters, what a nice problem to have. They will probably keep him and watch Laroche go to Texas, but if not, they will be looking for 20 year old arms to rebuild their system. We dont have that. The Nationals have gutted their system and the guys they haven't traded or lost in the rule 5, are all huge injury risks. They want young arms and we aint got'em.

Morse would be a monster in this lineup. He is extremely underrated here, imho.

I can easily see our DH platoon posting an OPS of .820 or higher. If Morse posts one much higher than .850, I'll be surprised. I'm not saying he wouldn't be a bit of an upgrade, but is he enough of one to be worth Matusz+?

[ChaosLex]

This was from last night:

‏@ChaosLex

@danconnollysun @masnRoch Are Tillman, Britton, etc., drawing any trade interest? It seems all we hear is Bundy's name being mentioned.

@masnRoch

@ChaosLex Teams always inquire about those guys, too.

@danconnollysun

@ChaosLex generating interest, yes. Enough to get what they want in return is the problem

[sfosfan]

I really don't buy into this Big Bat Theory. If you have a trade that upgrades the team, then you look at it.

:agree:

Seems to work for the Giants and A's just fine.