Can you see DD jumping through a loophole to get LaRoche (Signs two year with Nats)

[wildcard]

Reportedly the O's hangup with pursuing Adam LaRoche is that they do not want to give up a first round draft choice. Might the O's be willing to offer him a three year contract that the Nats will not? MLBTR is saying that there might be a loophole to have a team like Cleveland sign him which will cost them a third round draft choice and then trade him to another team(like the O's). The O's would have to give the Indians something more than a third rounder's value to get LaRoche.

Do you think DD would do that?

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/12/teams-could-seek-loopholes-for-compensation-free-agents.html

[Can_of_corn]

Reportedly the O's hangup with pursuing Adam LaRoche is that they do not want to give up a first round draft choice. Might the O's be willing to offer him a three year contract that the Nats will not? MLBTR is saying that there might be a loophole to have a team like Cleveland sign him which will cost them a third round draft choice and then trade him to another team(like the O's). The O's would have to giving the Indians something more than a third rounder's value to get LaRoche.

Do you think DD would do that?

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/12/teams-could-seek-loopholes-for-compensation-free-agents.html

No I don't. Not sure the commissioner's office wouldn't get involved in something like that.

[wildcard]

No matter which way you slice it, LaRoche won't be worth his contract. He turned down a two-year $25 million offer by the Nationals. He isn't worth that let alone having to give up another player to sign him to that ridiculous contract. I simply do not understand why Duquette balked at paying Reynolds $6 million for one year but he has serious interest in paying LaRoche more than $12 million per year. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

The stated reason is that the O's want a MOO bat which LaRoche is and Reynolds is not. Reynolds has batted 6th or 7th for the O's for the last two years. His strikeouts have kept him from batting higher. I was for keeping Reynolds but I do understand what DD is trying to do. This is a move to get deeper into the playoffs.

[Scrat1]

The stated reason is that the O's want a MOO bat which LaRoche is and Reynolds is not. Reynolds has batted 6th or 7th for the O's for the last two years. His strikeouts have kept him from batting higher. I was for keeping Reynolds but I do understand what DD is trying to do. This is a move to get deeper into the playoffs.

Reynolds' career wOBA - .349

LaRoche's career wOBA - .350

LaRoche is, at best, only a marginal offensive upgrade over Reynolds. The only reason you're claiming LaRoche is a MOO (that acronym--ugh) and Reynolds is not is because of this past season, but going forward the smart money is probably on Reynolds simply due to age--Reynolds is four years younger than LaRoche.

The Orioles would be monumentally stupid to give up a pick and sign LaRoche to a three year deal after having let Reynolds walk.

[TonySoprano]

Cleveland wouldn't be able to trade him until June.

[wildcard]

Cleveland wouldn't be able to trade him until June.

Read the rest of the article. LaRoche could be traded sooner if he agrees to be traded

[Can_of_corn]

Read the rest of the article. LaRoche could be traded sooner if he agrees to be traded

Why would the Commissioner's office approve a trade that undermines the last CBA?

[Arthorn]

Why would it cost Cleveland only a 3rd? Is it because they already gave their 1st and 2nd to sign free agents?

[TonySoprano]

Why would it cost Cleveland only a 3rd? Is it because they already gave their 1st and 2nd to sign free agents?

Cleveland lost their 2nd rounder to NY for Swisher. They keep their first rounder.

[Can_of_corn]

Why would it cost Cleveland only a 3rd? Is it because they already gave their 1st and 2nd to sign free agents?

First pick is protected since it is in the top 10. They gave up their second round pick for Swisher.

[Can_of_corn]

Cleveland lost their 2nd rounder to NY for Swisher. They keep their first rounder.

Not quite accurate. The Yankees get a supplemental pick between the first and second rounds. The Cleveland pick just disappears.

[wildcard]

Reynolds' career wOBA - .349

LaRoche's career wOBA - .350

LaRoche is, at best, only a marginal offensive upgrade over Reynolds. The only reason you're claiming LaRoche is a MOO (that acronym--ugh) and Reynolds is not is because of this past season, but going forward the smart money is probably on Reynolds simply due to age--Reynolds is four years younger than LaRoche.

The Orioles would be monumentally stupid to give up a pick and sign LaRoche to a three year deal after having let Reynolds walk.

No I am claiming that the O's did not see Reynolds as a MOO bat because that had him for two years and hit him mostly 6th or 7th.

[Tx Oriole]

Reportedly the O's hangup with pursuing Adam LaRoche is that they do not want to give up a first round draft choice. Might the O's be willing to offer him a three year contract that the Nats will not? MLBTR is saying that there might be a loophole to have a team like Cleveland sign him which will cost them a third round draft choice and then trade him to another team(like the O's). The O's would have to give the Indians something more than a third rounder's value to get LaRoche.

Do you think DD would do that?

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/12/teams-could-seek-loopholes-for-compensation-free-agents.html

I see DD doing what is best for the team. Rather you agree or

I agree with the the way he does it. Will Adam help the team

that much? I am sorry but I dont see any deal done like

that to bring in LaRoche.

[Frobby]

Reynolds' career wOBA - .349

LaRoche's career wOBA - .350

LaRoche is, at best, only a marginal offensive upgrade over Reynolds. The only reason you're claiming LaRoche is a MOO (that acronym--ugh) and Reynolds is not is because of this past season, but going forward the smart money is probably on Reynolds simply due to age--Reynolds is four years younger than LaRoche.

The Orioles would be monumentally stupid to give up a pick and sign LaRoche to a three year deal after having let Reynolds walk.

I am not advocating LaRoche. However, the argument would be that the O's needed a guy who still had some pop but made contact more often than Reynolds, considering the number of high strikeout guys the Orioles already have in their lineup. Frankly, I'd prefer Reynolds for the reasons you gave.

[Number5]

I'm not so sure that this "sign and trade" idea is really all that practical. Cleveland, for example, would have no reason to do it, unless they received a player or prospect in the trade that is a greater value than the early 3rd round pick the would give up. The other team in the trade, say the Orioles, would have no reason to do it unless the player or prospect they give up in the trade has less value than the first round pick they would give up if they were to simply sign the free agent. That is a pretty small value window that the traded player or prospect would have to fit into. In the Orioles' case this particular year, they do happen to own a 1st round supplemental pick that can be traded and would fit into that window. This is a rare situation, as draft picks are normally not eligible to be traded. In this rare case, I can see the possibility of the Orioles considering such an arrangement with Cleveland to give up the 1-S pick rather than pick 1.24, but otherwise it just seems to me that there just aren't that many players or prospects that both teams would agree fit into that window.