The Orioles have acquired Francisco Rodriguez for Nick Delmonico.

[weams]

Every little bit helps. You think the cost was really too much?

The cost was the Orioles investment in him. Which is about 1.6 million dollars.

[pdiddy]

Buck loves DoD... I think he likes Hunter too... he definitely has some strong loyalty towards Johnson. He cares about the health of these guys going forward and has voiced concerns about the overwork his bullpen has experienced so far.

This does seem to fit nicely into Buck's philosophy this year. He's let starters stick around struggle (longer than we'd like some time) to show both that they are accountable and won't get bailed out on a bad day and also to show faith that they can figure it out.

He's continued to run relievers out there even after they fail and hasn't hit them in the press if they fail again. They know he has their back. Adding Rodriguez gives him an option in a lot of situations and also if JJ falters, but it also lights a fire under JJ to go out there and pitch his ass off to keep his job.

[Triple Crown]

Another issue with Delmonico other than trying to stay healthy, was his defense. Showalter has said time and time again you won't play in the big leagues, if you can't play at least solid defense

[Rene88]

Trading Matusz in the offseason is likely IMO. No way they pay that much in arbitration for a lefty specialist.

[Bahama O's Fan]

For those that think we gave up too much in this trade, what is the most you would have given up for Rodriguez?

[pdiddy]

Not crazy about it, but KRod has been pretty good this year and Delmonico is most likely going to wind up at 1B or an outfield corner. O's may actually be higher on Walker than Delmonico. If the Delmonico of April is the real Delmonico then I think it's bad. If he's the Delmonico who's faded this summer, not so bad.

I like it. Besides, what could go wrong with trading a corner infielder with power potential for a reliever at the trade deadline? No chance that could ever bite a team.

[DrungoHazewood]

A guy who in his prime saved 62 games. A guy with a 1 ERA and a 1 WHIP throwing 94 mph. I don't know. I guess a team could use him. Tommy and Jim have certainly had their hiccups. He fills the Strop role.

That's the positive spin. He's also thrown 24 innings this year, and hasn't been that 60-save guy in a long time.

I'm not real down on this, but it could backfire.

[weams]

I like it. Besides, what could go wrong with trading a corner infielder with power potential for a reliever at the trade deadline? No chance that could ever bite a team.

If he is like the guy you have in mind, he will be offered for trade several times before he settles in to a big lead role.

[weams]

That's the positive spin. He's also thrown 24 innings this year, and hasn't been that 60-save guy in a long time.

I'm not real down on this, but it could backfire.

True. It could.

[Baxter]

It's always funny that people go on and on about the O's making a trade and then when they do people gripe about us giving up too much.

How are the guys who we traded for Saunders doing? I seem to recall a large group of people who were upset about us giving up two guys who will most likely never do anything.

This is the risk you take to try and win. We have a window now and I for one am glad to see the team making moves to stay competitive.

[Ommaculate]

Why don't we wait and see whether or not K-Rod is going to pull Mike DeJean on us? I'm not confident he will be the shut down guy he used to be.

[eddie83]

I am a little surprised by this. I thought Delmonico was a bigger prospect than this. I can't see DD trading him if he believed in him. I thought we might see Gausman back up here soon. I think Hunter's recent struggles played a big role in this, more of a sense of urgency.

[J.D.]

It's always funny that people go on and on about the O's making a trade and then when they do people gripe about us giving up too much.

How are the guys who we traded for Saunders doing? I seem to recall a large group of people who were upset about us giving up two guys who will most likely never do anything.

This is the risk you take to try and win. We have a window now and I for one am glad to see the team making moves to stay competitive.

I would probably be more gleeful about it had we not traded for someone with the... ahem... character issues that K-Rod brings. It makes it more difficult for me to root for my team and still feel good about it.

[Crazysilver03]

It's always funny that people go on and on about the O's making a trade and then when they do people gripe about us giving up too much.

How are the guys who we traded for Saunders doing? I seem to recall a large group of people who were upset about us giving up two guys who will most likely never do anything.

This is the risk you take to try and win. We have a window now and I for one am glad to see the team making moves to stay competitive.

Saunders? Do you mean Feldman?

[JayThomas]

Irresponsible post is irresponsible. I would hope that you're better than that.

I like the trade on the surface. I don't like K-Rod as a human being. At all. But as a right-handed reliever, which we needed ever since Strop went haywire, you can't do a whole lot better than what K-Rod was putting up this year. I imagine he'll regress a BIT because of that whole switching leagues thing (Yes, I realize he has pitched a chunk of his career in the AL, but he's been an NL guy since 2009) and the "My ERA was 3 runs a game higher last year" thing, but yeah. He was probably the best righty reliever out there that wasn't going to cost you an arm AND a leg. He just cost an arm, worst case, and more than likely something in the range of ring finger.

I'm guessing that the whole NL/AL differential is much less for relievers than for starters. By the time relievers like K-rod get in there, pitchers are being pinch hit for.