The Orioles have acquired Francisco Rodriguez for Nick Delmonico.

[crawjo]

It takes quality to get quality. Rodriguez is one of the best RHP available, if not the best.

[Crazysilver03]

If K-Rod walks as a free agent after this year, we would get a compensation pick, I assume?

No compensation for players traded midseason.

[weams]

This has got to be Jim Johnson insurance. Just in case he gets back into a blown save groove like before. Maybe Johnson is on the block as well.

Tommy Hunter insurance as well.

[Hank Scorpio]

If K-Rod walks as a free agent after this year, we would get a compensation pick, I assume?

I think that's changed....

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[weams]

No compensation for players traded midseason.

Also, no compensation for any player not made a qualifying offer of 14 million dollars. Not too easy to get a reliever walk pick these days.

[lifelongbirdfan]

I think this had an effect on Gausman's role in September. I really thought we'd see him back for the last month of the year playing a key role out of the pen down the stretch. But I guess the more power arms the better.

I like it. Keeps us from overusing ODay and Hunter. Lets Matusz focus on being LOOGY. and is big insurance for Johnson. Buck's going to love having another option.

[canonfaz]

If K-Rod walks as a free agent after this year, we would get a compensation pick, I assume?

Not with the new CBA.

[Ommaculate]

You keep saying this. /QUOTE]

Who replaces him?

I keep saying that? I don't think I have said that before. If we trade for an "under the radar" starter like the other poster mentioned, Hammel is the obvious one to get rid of. He is the weak link in the rotation. We'll see how it goes tonight, I made that post when he loaded the bases in the 1st.

[JustMyOpinion]

I like it. It's a upgrade for the bullpen. Hunter has been having some issues so why not get another decent arm.

I don't care about his personal life. If he can help win win games I'm happy. Maybe he can pick up a few saves while here.

I rather not see Gausman as an reliever.

[Roll Tide]

If K-Rod walks as a free agent after this year, we would get a compensation pick, I assume?

Nope I don't think so

[dorfmac]

Maybe the most important part about this trade that we've overlooked is how taking him off the market impacts our competition.

K-Rod is one of the best relief pitchers in baseball this year (on the surface) and teams like the Rays and Tigers have some question marks in the bullpen. In a pennant race, and even more so in the playoffs, those question marks get exposed. He would have been a big "get" for them. Meanwhile, adding him gives us (maybe) the best bullpen in baseball.

[Jagwar]

Quick... get him to Kaufmann stadium to warm up!

[Ommaculate]

Quick... get him to Kaufmann stadium to warm up!

Get Gausman in there. Replace Hammel with him. Hammel is the opposite of what he was last year. Maybe he was on the roids.

[mark_beckens]

I don't know if this is the case completely, because we did need another RH RP. But this could be a trade where we over pay for a player to make sure he don't go elsewhere. He very easily could have gone to the Sox to be their closer.

[centralpaosfan]

I must be one of the few who really like this trade. This gives us, arguably, the best bullpen in baseball. One of the biggest reasons for our success last year was such a strong bullpen, so I see no harm in replicating that, especially with what should be an improved starting staff compared to last year.

As far as giving up Delmonico? So what? He's a mediocre prospect, and every system has their own Delmonico. He's shown power and plate discipline, but he's done that at A+ ball - still a long way to go until he is in the majors.

Meanwhile, you look at the 3B position, and I think it's safe to say we have that locked down for the foreseeable future. Odds are in the remainder of this season, K-Rod will put up more value for us than Delmonico will in his entire professional career.

My thoughts exactly. It's amazing how Delmonico all of a sudden became the heir apparent to Brooks Robinson as soon as he gets traded.