Orioles offical denies report

[Dipper9]

Why is everyone who disagrees with the popular view on the OH a "casual fan"? Die hard, obsessed, stat memorizing, every single game-watching fans can disagree. People can read different scouting reports on the players coming back or interpret them differently, or people can have different assessments of their team's needs, or how quickly a player is going to decline. One can also be a serious fan and hold the opinion that there is something to be gained by having certain franchise players who stay with their team and become an integral part of the community over the years. I honestly think there are a lot of people on this board who agree with the currently alleged trade largely because of groupthink. There is some powerful persuasion that goes on around here, part of which is pressure for people to prove they are "serious fans" by agreeing with the OH elite.

Whoa! Back up Blueberry! First, I said "people on the Sun page are casual fans, FOR THE MOST PART." Secondly, I consider myself as die hard as they come, and I have AGREED with you numerous times that I did NOT want to see Roberts traded, but that I think its a neccessary part of the rebuild. Third, I stated in yet another thread that I hope the man comes back in 2010, especially if we sign Tex next year! Look at the poll on OUR site and you'll see many of the OH, so called Die Hards are NOT in favor of this trade. However, they are not in favor of it because of who we are getting back. IT IS MY OPINION that the fans of the Sun page are not in favor of the trade SOLEY because we are losing their beloved BRob and NOT on the merits of the trade itself.

[JTrea81]

Chicago Update:

Bruce Levine is reporting on ESPN 1000 nothing is done yet and that AM is trying to get more, that the players on "this Orioles fan website" may not meet McPhail's expectations and that other teams are trying for Roberts as well.

Of course he also said Bedard was only a year from free agency (missed one)and that including Rich Hill in a deal for Bedard would put the Cubs back where they started because Hill is such a good pitcher (because he was 4th in the NL in strikeouts).

Also guessing the Angels could be looking at Roberts as well to make Figgins available in a trade for a big bat (possibly Konerko).

Wow both clubs are trying really hard to cover up this deal. If the paperwork is at MLB which sources have confirmed, both on this site and off, unless they just had MLB rip up the paperwork, this deal is complete.

[blueberryale77]

Whoa! Back up Blueberry! First, I said "people on the Sun page are casual fans, FOR THE MOST PART." Secondly, I consider myself as die hard as they come, and I have AGREED with you numerous times that I did NOT want to see Roberts traded, but that I think its a neccessary part of the rebuild. Third, I stated in yet another thread that I hope the man comes back in 2010, especially if we sign Tex next year! Look at the poll on OUR site and you'll see many of the OH, so called Die Hards are NOT in favor of this trade. However, they are not in favor of it because of who we are getting back. IT IS MY OPINION that the fans of the Sun page are not in favor of the trade SOLEY because we are losing their beloved BRob and NOT on the merits of the trade itself.

I know you've agreed with me a bunch of times and I know you're not usually one to bash those who disagree, I just don't like the word "casual fan" being thrown around the way it is on here. I think there's a lot that many on here (even myself) could learn from "casual fans." Loyalty is a positive value. In the grand scheme of things, it means a heck of a lot more than what somebody's projected VORP for 2009 was in 2007. I don't think people should be belittled for expressing their opinions on the team they give their heart, soul and money to even if their opinions are purely emotional.

[peter snees]

One other possibility. The commissioner would need to approve the deal if it involves paying more than $1 million of a traded player's salary, so could Payton be involved somehow? I know davearm said at one point that there was some interest.

[33rdst]

I just wanted to put out there that an Orioles official has contacted the Hangout and denied this report and said "it is completely inaccurate."

Now this official has no reason to lie to me but then again, neither did the other contacts.

At this point all we can do is wait. We had two different sources from two different circles of baseball tell us this was a done deal, 100 percent. Now maybe the players are a bit off or something but there just seems to be way too much smoke for their not to be some fire.

All I can say is stay tuned and we will report what we hear.

Breaking the Roberts deal is a very significant story for OH. One that could put it on the map nationally. Scooping the SUN and other local media outlets is quite a feat. Hopefully, the story holds up and OH gets all the credit. If it doesn't hold up, OH will be referred to, unfortunately, as just another web sit.

[Stotle]

We need a shortstop now that Tejada was traded, unless some expect us to believe the Hernandez is the solution in MacPhail's plan. Most teams aren't stupid; they know the Roberts rumors. A team negotiating with us over a second baseman (an add-on to the package) isn't going to hold him hostage if it means losing out on a guy such as Bedard.

It isn't a matter of teams "being stupid" -- it could be the difference between Chen and Tillman and Chen and a much lesser 4th player, though.

[TGO]

I love the Internets!!!! Too man funnies.

Yes, I <3 this series of tubes we have.

[AnythingO's]

I'm sure it does... So if they are taking steps to eliminate leaks, or control them so that they are used to their advantage, more power to them.

Exactly. Dave described AM as deliberate and meticulous. AM isn't going to like being bothered answering media calls on a trade until it is done. Since most of his staff was held over, he probably hasn't decided who is on his A team yet, who he can talk to in confidence. Multiple groups of people working on different facets of multiple trades can generate variations on a particular trade. That gives him clues on who has loose lips. Not a conspiracy or witch hunt, just, as Stotle named it, "dynamics of negotiations".

[WildDave]

I know you've agreed with me a bunch of times and I know you're not usually one to bash those who disagree, I just don't like the word "casual fan" being thrown around the way it is on here. I think there's a lot that many on here (even myself) could learn from "casual fans." Loyalty is a positive value. In the grand scheme of things, it means a heck of a lot more than what somebody's projected VORP for 2009 was in 2007. I don't think people should be belittled for expressing their opinions on the team they give their heart, soul and money to even if their opinions are purely emotional.

Can anyone who's reading a message board during January for a team that hasn't had a winning season in 10 years really be called a casual fan? Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to point out that we all have to be pretty much diehards.

[B-more]

I highly doubt that the leaked info is a ploy to find who is leaking info. Tony has talked to his contacts and we have it reported from a Cubs insider and from Peace21 who's contact is an agent and is the agency that I believe may represent BRob and Bedard.

Reasons for denial are plentiful though. Maybe the final paperwork has not been 100% completed and approved by MLB or the players involved have not all been informed and they want to make sure the players and/or agents are all informed before making the announcement. It could also be because the names of the players is not completely accurate and/or it could be that McPhail has some corresponding moves that need to be made before the trade is 100% finalized by MLB. There are 40-man roster implications with this trade, which means there may still be work on subsequent trades to help clear the roster crunch.

It could also play into Bedard negotiations because if Seattle knows for sure who we got, it could affect who we are trying to pry from Seattle. It could make us lose some leverage. for example we've been demanding Morrow in addition to the other top prospects and that could've been a ploy by AM so we could eventually drop that demand and take someone like Tillman and another guy instead. If Seattle knows for sure we got Marshall and Gallagher, maybe they are less inclined to include Tillman knowing that we got pitchers in that deal. It could also be because someone we get from the Cubs may be used in the Seattle negotiations or for another team we may deal Bedard to. Who knows. Even if the trade turns out exactly as it is leaked, I wouldn't get mad at AM and the FO for denying the reports at this time.

[Moose Milligan]

Tony, you didn't get into trouble with the organization did you? I hope not...

[laxtonto]

The casual fan cares little about who's in the minors. The casual fan cares little about how he salary structure of baseball effects the FA market. The casual fan doesnt care about selling high or ceilings or arbitration clocks.

I have to admit, there are very few casual fans at the OH, and those that are are slowly getting drug into the die hard category

[bird watcher]

The casual fan cares little about who's in the minors. The casual fan cares little about how he salary structure of baseball effects the FA market. The casual fan doesnt care about selling high or ceilings or arbitration clocks.

I have to admit, there are very few casual fans at the OH, and those that are are slowly getting drug into the die hard category

You can't spend a lot of time on the OH and not come away more educated in the intricacies of baseball. That includes roster management, statistical analysis, player evaluation, etc.

[olehippi]

I love all the conspiracy theories flying around the "supposed" Roberts trade.....there's nothing better than a bit of paranoia to spice things up. However, I would hope that MacPahil has more important tasks at hand than to take time to purposedly play mind games with the fans.

[bgfield]

Breaking the Roberts deal is a very significant story for OH. One that could put it on the map nationally. Scooping the SUN and other local media outlets is quite a feat. Hopefully, the story holds up and OH gets all the credit. If it doesn't hold up, OH will be referred to, unfortunately, as just another web sit.

It's easy for a fansite to scoop a major news outlet. Not to take away from what Tony has done, but if this information turns out to be false, nobody's going to raise a stink. If the Sun had printed this story and it turned out to be wrong, they'd have a lot of backlash to deal with.