Jen Royle: Orioles open to trading Valencia ( Traded to KC for OF David Lough)

[CaptainRedbeard]

What a joke this team is. Everyone knew in Baseball Lough WASN'T GONNA MAKE THE ROYALS THIS YEAR. Tell me again why we gave up Danny for this clown?

Because Danny Valencia is not very good?

Seriously even if you don't like Lough, it's not like we gave up anything of value here. At best Valencia is a good RH platoon DH who can maybe play 1B and 3B, which is the exact definition of the narrowest possible skillset a player can have.

[atomic]

What a joke this team is. Everyone knew in Baseball Lough WASN'T GONNA MAKE THE ROYALS THIS YEAR. Tell me again why we gave up Danny for this clown?

You complain about everything. Who is to say Valencia makes the team if he stayed? KC is a bigger park and he has good fielding stats. He should be better than McLouth in the field. Improving defense is always a positive. His offensive production should improve when going from a pitchers park to a hitters park. But we shall see.

[Guest]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4U8pxnjnrZc?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Here you go.

[waroriole]

He's your 2014 McLouth

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Lough replaces McLouth as LH OF. A plus-defender in LF and RF. "He's got a chance to be an everyday ballplayer for us." - Duquette</p>? Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) <a href="

">December 18, 2013</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Translation, we don't have many marbles left, so deal with it.

[OsnRavensallday]

I liked Valencia more than a lot of others, and was pretty disappointed when I found out we traded him. But after reading up on Lough and watching some of this guys high lights, I think he is going to become a favorite in B-more . The guy is all effort , going full out all the time . He is a HELL of a defensive OF'er and has some offensive skills as well, with his speed on the base paths and hits for a pretty solid average . I actually like this move , way to go DD. Reminds me of a McLouth/ Sam Fuld type of player.

[DrungoHazewood]

Which is why I don't like it. I wanted a LF that could actually produce runs.

Why do you care if a guy produces runs or saves runs? They're all runs.

[Guest]

You complain about everything. Who is to say Valencia makes the team if he stayed? KC is a bigger park and he has good fielding stats. He should be better than McLouth in the field. Improving defense is always a positive. His offensive production should improve when going from a pitchers park to a hitters park. But we shall see.

I'm rethinking this move i like it. But this team still needs a bat bad.

[OsnRavensallday]

I could live with a Lough/Peguero platoon in LF , and a Urrutia/Pearce platoon at DH.

[Guest]

Plus side he's not a FA till 2020.

[Guest]

I could live with a Lough/Peguero platoon in LF , and a Urrutia/Pearce platoon at DH.

80 win team next year if that. Winning teams don't do this.

[hoosiers]

On the surface, if you believe in WAR, this is an outstanding trade, IMO.

If there is a DD pattern with these cheaper acquisitions, it is to pick up guys entering their age 26, 27, 28 year old seasons when they are at peak production and cheap and possibly league average or slightly better or much better.

Taking chances on guys producing 2.7 WAR in 335 at-bats going into their age 28 season is something I support 100%. If Lough can make some adjustments and pick up the obp into the .320-.325 area and get his ops closer to .800, there could be some strong value here. Anything over 2 WAR as an everyday player for Lough at the league minimum in 2014 would be outstanding and the results of 2013 indicate a player capable of 3-4 WAR (thanks to the defense).

Hopefully, our scouts are right on Almanzar as well.

To pick up Valencia for cash considerations and turn him into Lough is really something.

I really like this move for what we gave up, what we receive and the opening created for Almanzar (assuming Lough can repeat the 2013 defensive numbers).

[Rene88]

I could live with a Lough/Peguero platoon in LF , and a Urrutia/Pearce platoon at DH.

I just felt a little sick....

[Ripken]

Why do you care if a guy produces runs or saves runs? They're all runs.

This team struggled badly to score runs in the second half. This move doesn't help that whatsoever. If we had a great rotation I'd be fine with a few light bat/good defense guys. We don't have anything close to a great rotation though.

[waroriole]

Duquette's thoughts (as posted by the Don, above) all make sense except for this... Almanzar has a career .721 minor league OPS vs LHP (.700 vs RHP). It was .822 last season, so that's something I guess. But we're talking about AA pitching. Valencia's a career .879 hitter vs MLB LHP. Almanzar is simply not going to replace Valencia's production next season. No way.

Yeah, I don't like the sound of this. It looks like we're gonna handicap the roster again. Of course, Buck won't give anyone a day off anyway, so what does it matter.

I'm warming up to Lough, though. If the defense really is solid, we can live with the light bat. I hope he's not the plan to start every day.

[hoosiers]

FWIW, if DD had said he was still looking for a LFer, but that Lough projected as our everyday RFer moving Markakis to the bench, I would like it even more.

Almost not kidding.