Could Orioles trade Jim Johnson for Porcello?

[Art Wing]

I'll happily put Porcello in the rotation, but why trade JJ? If we want to sacrifice closer for starting pitching, just move JJ to starting pitcher!

I made the mistake of reading this during a bit of down time in my class today. After I laughed out loud at the Picard photo, all of my students looked up. The shame.

[DrungoHazewood]

They absolutely need offense with that defense. And 13 M a year for a good DH isn't going to worry a team that has just given Prince 9/214 M.

I seriously doubt that the Tigers care at all about Martinez' salary. Their owner is not just in win-now mode, he's in "I might die at any moment and I want to win the Series and I don't care if my kids get any inheritance" mode.

[Number5]

Wow, that's a pretty strong statement about a guy who was pretty obviously not the best closer in baseball in 2012.

That's wonderful. If he was any better he might even be a 4th starter. It's hard to say someone is the best at something when that something is defined as "not good enough to move to the next level."

Actually, I'm not sure it is even certain that Porcello is Detroit's #5 starter right now. It may be Smyly. Smyly's being lefthanded may give him the edge over Porcello.

[DrungoHazewood]

I doubt VMart is available, but if he were they would want a lot more than JJ for him.

I'm sure they'd want a lot of things, but Martinez is a 34-year-old catcher/DH who's been worth 2-3 wins a year. He's coming off a major injury, and he's headed into the part of his career where guys who've caught almost 10,000 innings often collapse. And he's being paid for 2-3 wins a year.

I'm not sure it's even to the O's advantage (on paper) to trade JJ for VMart straight up, since JJ has been pretty consistently a 2-win reliever, and he hasn't reached big money yet.

[MatthewW]

I stopped taking this thread seriously when I read Porcello "right now is probably the fifth best pitcher in baseball." Huh???:laughlol:

"The best fifth starter in baseball". Not the fifth best starter. And that might not be too far off.

[Can_of_corn]

So are you two operating under the assumption that VMart (basically) isn't available, or are you saying we'd have to send more back their way? I could certainly see other pieces going back, though I'd want to stay away from our top 5ish prospects.

I don't think the O's would be interested in VMart with his attached price tag.

[DrungoHazewood]

Actually, I'm not sure it is even certain that Porcello is Detroit's #5 starter right now. It may be Smyly. Smyly's being lefthanded may give him the edge over Porcello.

I don't know a thing about Smyly, but I'd bet Porcello would look more like an All Star than a guy you're looking to dump if you put him in front of, say, Tampa's defense.

[DrungoHazewood]

"The best fifth starter in baseball". Not the fifth best starter. And that might not be too far off.

His goal is to become 10% better so he can lay claim to being the 22nd-best 4th starter in baseball.

[MatthewW]

His goal is to become 10% better so he can lay claim to being the 22nd-best 4th starter in baseball.

That math's a little off, but point taken lol. I personally would like to see Porcello in the Oriole rotation next year.

[Number5]

I don't know a thing about Smyly, but I'd bet Porcello would look more like an All Star than a guy you're looking to dump if you put him in front of, say, Tampa's defense.

Hey, I like Porcello's GB rates, too, but I think JJ would be overpaying for him. Signing Saunders and keeping JJ makes more sense to me. My point was that it really doesn't appear to be certain that Porcello stands at #5 on Detroit's depth chart right now. He may be #6. I think that is a large part of why they are looking at possibly moving him.

[El Gordo]

I'm sure they'd want a lot of things, but Martinez is a 34-year-old catcher/DH who's been worth 2-3 wins a year. He's coming off a major injury, and he's headed into the part of his career where guys who've caught almost 10,000 innings often collapse. And he's being paid for 2-3 wins a year.

I'm not sure it's even to the O's advantage (on paper) to trade JJ for VMart straight up, since JJ has been pretty consistently a 2-win reliever, and he hasn't reached big money yet.

The Tigers think porcello is enough for JJ. They are tryuing to move Porcello. I haven't heard anything about their trying to move VMart. The need a RH OF bat, a SS and a back end RP. Why aren't they trying to use VMart to get one of those?

[CA-ORIOLE]

Can anybody think of any recent pitch to contact type sinkerball starters that are (or have been) consistenly good?

[Frobby]

I stopped taking this thread seriously when I read Porcello "right now is probably the fifth best pitcher in baseball." Huh???:laughlol:

"The best fifth starter in baseball". Not the fifth best starter. And that might not be too far off.

Apparently, birdwatcher stopped taking the thread seriously before he finished reading the sentence.

As I stated earlier in the thread, Porcello's really no worse than a no. 4 on almost any AL team.

[Frobby]

Can anybody think of any recent pitch to contact type sinkerball starters that are (or have been) consistenly good?

When I think of "pitch to contact sinkerball starters," Scott Erickson is who comes to mind. He was 130-108 with an ERA+ of 105 in his first ten seasons, despite a K/9 of only 5.0, before hurting his shoulder. I'm not sure I'd call him "consistent," though.

[El Gordo]

When I think of "pitch to contact sinkerball starters," Scott Erickson is who comes to mind. He was 130-108 with an ERA+ of 105 in his first ten seasons, despite a K/9 of only 5.0, before hurting his shoulder. I'm not sure I'd call him "consistent," though.

Derek Lowe's been around a while. 175/157, K/9 5.8, ERA 4.00