MLB.com article on the Wright deal

[ledzepp8]

Are you telling me that Jaret Wright was in their plans for 2007 but they just could pass on Britton? Come on. I wasn't born yesterday. They couldn't find a relief pitcher anywhere else so they plucked one "key" guy out of their rotation? Good lord.

Everyone knows they're gonna get that Japanese guy plus whatever other starter on the FA market that they want. It's not just coincidence that they're picking up 4M of Wright's tab which just happens to be his buyout amount. They already had that money budgeted. Trust me.

Yes I don't think it's a huge leap that they may have kept Jaret Wright. But let me get it straight, Britton is some key guy for the Orioles but just some run of the mill reliever where the Yankees are concerned? You're talking out of both sides of your mouth.

And isn't it pretty much concluded that the Red Sox won the bidding to negotiate with "that Japanese guy"?

Obviously they weren't going to give the O's more than it would cost to just buyout his contract, but that doesn't automatically mean that buyout was a foregone conclusion if he wasn't traded. People complain that the Orioles don't have a plan and that they don't target players they want and go and get them, but when they do people still complain. This Chris Britton-Jaret Wright trade isn't the worst thing in the world.

By the way I thought you made a thread voicing your offseason thoughts so you wouldn't have to reply to any other thread?

[66-70-83-??]

Was it really unnecessary? They can now trade some of the young arms. I'm not pretending that Jaret Wright is more than average but it does put a little more experience in the rotation and/or the pen. I wouldn't have cared if they didn't make the deal, but it's hardly a horrible deal like some are saying. It's Chris Britton. And while he was a bright spot this season, he's not that hard to replace. Hell, Rodrigo Lopez would probably do as well or better than him. It's not like they traded Chris Ray for Jaret Wright.

Do you really believe that Jaret Wright is the key to the offseason ?

And we were prevented from dealing before we landed him ?

The point isn't whether or not Britton is easy to replace (as if a Wright type starter is hard to replace), the point is we were scammed by the Yankees.

We could of had him for a song, if we wanted him if we only waited ONE more day.

We should not be dealing 23 yr olds with potential (even if limited) for 31 yr old injury prone, below average, 1-year rentals.

[Sapper]

Yes I don't think it's a huge leap that they may have kept Jaret Wright. But let me get it straight, Britton is some key guy for the Orioles but just some run of the mill reliever where the Yankees are concerned? You're talking out of both sides of your mouth.

Orioles bullpen ERA 5.25

Yankees bullpen ERA 4.18

You do the math.

And isn't it pretty much concluded that the Red Sox won the bidding to negotiate with "that Japanese guy"?

Well you knew one of them was going to get him. Just shows you how imbalanced baseball has become.

Obviously they weren't going to give the O's more than it would cost to just buyout his contract, but that doesn't automatically mean that buyout was a foregone conclusion if he wasn't traded. People complain that the Orioles don't have a plan and that they don't target players they want and go and get them, but when they do people still complain. This Chris Britton-Jaret Wright trade isn't the worst thing in the world.

No but it isn't even in the same galaxy as "the best move in the world". On the stupidity scale this one is probably only a 2 or a 3 but it's still stupid.

By the way I thought you made a thread voicing your offseason thoughts so you wouldn't have to reply to any other thread?

That was about top-tier free agents (which we aren't going to get). I am allowed to comment on moves we have made.

[ledzepp8]

Do you really believe that Jaret Wright is the key to the offseason ?

And we were prevented from dealing before we landed him ?

The point isn't whether or not Britton is easy to replace (as if a Wright type starter is hard to replace), the point is we were scammed by the Yankees.

We could of had him for a song, if we wanted him if we only waited ONE more day.

We should not be dealing 23 yr olds with potential (even if limited) for 31 yr old injury prone, below average, 1-year rentals.

Where did I say that Jaret Wright was the key to the offseason? Of course we weren't prevented from dealing before but it gives alot more options now that they have someone to stick in the rotation. All that we've heard is that the O's were looking to trade for people in the last years of their contracts, that is what they did.

And while you guys can keep saying that the Yankees were going to buyout Wright's contract anyhow, that doesn't make automatically make it true. You have no way of knowing for sure what they were going to do.

[Mad Mark]

Look, the fact that we got Wright does not mean we have to keep him! We have him under our control, cheap, for a year. We can flip him, use his presence to enable us to flip someone else (RLo, perhaps) or keep him and let Hayden Penn regroup--physically and mentally--in Norfolk for some portion of this season.

If Wright exceeds our expectations, we can extend him or trade him. If not, come October, he's not our problem any more.

Chris Britton is a 1.5 pitch fat guy with a minimal track record. He could blossom in NY, but he can more likely wilt. I'm not running through the streets singing the praises of this deal, but I'm not losing sleep over it, either.

And why, pray tell, does everyone opposed to this trade just assume Wright was going to wind up here if the Yankee$ had cut him loose?

[clapdiddy]

I'm curious. Leo Mazzone is reputed to be one of the best if not the best pitching coaches in Baseball.(of course there are many who surpass him here at the Hangout but they aren't currently in baseball) He has observed Britton in bullpen sessions and in game situations over the past season. He has an intimate knowledge of his demenor, work habits, discipline and has watched him gain weight over the course of that season. I would think he knows a lot about pitcher's conditioning. It is my guess that he was cosnulted in this decision to trade Britton and concurred. On what knowledge do you base your disagreement.

Sorry to get back to you so late...

I didn't say that I agreed or disagreed with the Orioles' assessment of Britton's "conditioning", nor do I even know if this played a factor. I'm just guessing this from what we see on this board.

What I was saying is that there are plenty of "bad body" pitchers out there who haven't had to worry about conditioning and still manage to produce. I don't think that being in shape correlates to successful pitching. I think it would certainly help, but I don't think its a barometer.

[Tony-OH]

Tony,

I agree. But what of the issue of trading 5 or 6 more years of Britton at what is likely to be a below market wage for one year of Wright.

If the assumption is Wright improves under Mazzone in 07, are you aware of any push to extend Wright now while his value is cheaper than it will be if the Orioles are correct and Wright improves in 2007?

Barring some major improvements to the team, do you know if the Orioles may have some hope they can move Wright at the deadline next year to a contender, or whether he is not in the Os long term plans and will likely be allowed to test free agency after next season?

Do you think that over the long haul, 1 year Wright at 3 million > 5-6 years of Britton at a below market wage?

That's a valid argument. I guess I just wasn't overly impressed by Britton's stuff and find him easily replaceable by an equally cheap alternative like Hoey or even possibly Liz or Salas.

You other point is a good one because you have to imagine if Wright is pitching well, he's going to have value at the trading deadline. Much more value thena run of the mill setup guy like Britton. So for me, the Orioles got a more valuable player for a player who can be replaced as cheaply from within.

[Sapper]

Where did I say that Jaret Wright was the key to the offseason? Of course we weren't prevented from dealing before but it gives alot more options now that they have someone to stick in the rotation. All that we've heard is that the O's were looking to trade for people in the last years of their contracts, that is what they did.

And while you guys can keep saying that the Yankees were going to buyout Wright's contract anyhow, that doesn't make automatically make it true. You have no way of knowing for sure what they were going to do.

So was Britton such a hot commodity that they decided to trade Wright for him even though Wright was still in their plans for 2007? Are you talking out of both sides of your mouth?

[Sapper]

That's a valid argument. I guess I just wasn't overly impressed by Britton's stuff and find him easily replaceable by an equally cheap alternative like Hoey or even possibly Liz or Salas.

You other point is a good one because you have to imagine if Wright is pitching well, he's going to have value at the trading deadline. Much more value thena run of the mill setup guy like Britton. So for me, the Orioles got a more valuable player for a player who can be replaced as cheaply from within.

You mean like Benson for Maine?

[Tony-OH]

You mean like Benson for Maine?

Absolutely. Not even Maine's mother thought he would do what he did with the Mets.

I'm still amazed and I once had him down as one of the organization's top prospects. Hell, Peterson should get coach of the year for developing Maine like he did last year.

[Frobby]

That's a valid argument. I guess I just wasn't overly impressed by Britton's stuff and find him easily replaceable by an equally cheap alternative like Hoey or even possibly Liz or Salas.

If he was so easy to replace, how come practically every guy we trotted out of the bullpen last year got bombed?

Moreover, it's not like we have only one hole in our bullpen to fill now,and can just plug in whoever is the best of Hoey, Liz or Salas. We need to fill every spot but Chris Ray's. This is just one more hole.

[El Gordo]

Do you really believe that Jaret Wright is the key to the offseason ?

And we were prevented from dealing before we landed him ?

The point isn't whether or not Britton is easy to replace (as if a Wright type starter is hard to replace), the point is we were scammed by the Yankees.

We could of had him for a song, if we wanted him if we only waited ONE more day.

We should not be dealing 23 yr olds with potential (even if limited) for 31 yr old injury prone, below average, 1-year rentals.

How do you know we could have had him for a song. Where are you getting your information from. I've read that other teams were interested in him. No doubt he would have gotten more than $3 mil and probably 2 years. Do you really think Britton would still be on this club in 5 years. When was the last time we had a RP stay for 5-6 years?

[ledzepp8]

So was Britton such a hot commodity that they decided to trade Wright for him even though Wright was still in their plans for 2007? Are you talking out of both sides of your mouth?

I don't understand. Are you saying that teams don't trade players that they still have under contract?

[NCRaven]

First, this trade had to happen yesterday because that was the Yankees deadline to decide whether or not to pick up Wright's option for $7 million. If they declined the option, he would have been a free agent, eligible to sign with any team. He almost certainly would have commanded more than the 1 year, $3mil that we are committed to now. And, if he pitches well early, he could command another player in trade at the deadline.

Second, the Orioles don't care about having Wright "long-term." They wanted a rent-a-player for several reasons. They have Bedard, Cabrera and Benson all under control for at least the next two seasons. They have two young pitchers in Loewen and Penn that have limited major league experience and could use additional seasoning (Loewen at the back end of the rotation or in the pen and Penn likely in AAA). They have solid prospects moving up in Olson and possibly Liz. So, the O's didn't want someone with a long-term commitment.

Third, it's clear that the team was not sold on Britton. His performance dropped of later in the season after he'd been around the league a couple of times, showed command of his fast ball only, and was woefully out of shape. They went through that a couple of seasons ago with another young pitcher, and it ended in tragedy, no need to even put themselves in that position again. Especially since Sidney's weight is one point of contention in their arbitration case.

Based on those points, the only way I could consider this a "bad" trade is if Britton becomes the next Mariano Rivera and I just don't see that as remotely possible. If you can get a starter - one that went 7-2 down the stretch in a penant race - for a questionable middle reliever, you just do it.

[TinCup]

The thing that sticks in my mind is the fact that the Yanks paid $4 million to see Wright out the door...to get a rather unproven commodity in Britton.

Who has the better player evaluation process/system?

The Yanks or the O's?

Time will tell in this case, but it does stike me as odd.